Paul wrote to young Timothy. One Timothy chapter one. With your permission, we will deal with a chapter each day. Now you will well understand that I will not be able to exhaust the chapter. But if we can see a little of what it's about, then I'm certain that God will be glorified and I believe we will be blessed. I would like to read the first chapter of one Timothy. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour. and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope, unto Timothy, my own son in the face. Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord. If I were thought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou might discharge some that may teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith. So do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith untainted, from which some, having swerved, have turned aside and detained, jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless, and disobedient, for ungodly and for sinner, for unholy and for vain, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-feeler, for lawyers, for the third person, And if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me more than he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious. But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundance with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I have seen. How be it for this cause I have came first thee, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern of them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the king, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only of my God, the honour and glory, forever and ever. Amen. This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before thee, that thou by then mightest war a good warfare. holding faith and a good conscience, which some having put away concerning faith have made their friends, of whom is Hymenius and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn, not blasphemy. The Lord will add his blessing, I am sure, to the reading of his own precious work. It would hardly be necessary for me to remind you, because you have been reminded Bible class that the words of one Timothy three and verses fourteen and fifteen sum up the very message of this book it is the reason for which it was written and so I would like to read those two verses as I will each time we open and consider this wonderful wonderful book if we may then verse fourteen of the third chapter these things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly But if I carry long that thou mayest know how thou ought not to be saved, behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. I believe that every one of us will acknowledge that an understanding of the Apostles and Timothy is very essential if we will enter into the joy of Christian experience. For here were words that were written that we might know how to behave ourselves. In the church of God, please, not in bricks and mortar, because that does not, has not, will not ever be a church. But if we might know how to behave ourselves in the church of God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth, And no bricks and mortar have ever been the pillar and ground of the truth. The Noggins desires that we shall know how we shall behave ourselves in the assembly of his people. I am not going to take time this evening in saying very much about Timothy. It seems to me there are four very short things, I must say. I must remind you, first of all, of his commencement. For here was a young man who was brought up in a godly home. Here was a young man of whom two Timothy one and five dared to tell us that he had untrained love. And he had this untrained love because it was found first in his grandmother, Louis, and in his mother, Eunice. We are told that here was a young man who was the son of a certain woman who was a Jewess. But his father was a Greek. And this young man bought into a home where his grandmother and mother trained him in the knowledge of the Scripture. This young man whose father agreed would have trained him in the knowledge of that language to make him accessible in the day yet to come to know that he would minister the things of God. This was the commencement of this young man. And I look around at a congregation like this. I know nothing of your commencement. I know very little of your background from I come to know and loving Christ. I only know this, that whoever we may be, whatever may be our background, God wishes to take out of the things that we learn in our childhood and youth lessons that we might be able in a day yet to come to use them for the glory of God. And I believe that be true, even if our home be not a home. that would be known as a Christian home. All you young folks, my older brethren and sisters, let us remember we are what we are. And God wishes to use us. He doesn't want to make me another evangelist. He doesn't want to make me someone else. He wants to make me what I am for his glory. And this young man who was trained in the commencement of his journey by a grandmother, another who loved the Lord, and a father who was a Greek. His conversion. Why, I know very little of it. I only notice that when the Apostle wrote that seventeen-first of the fourth chapter of one Corinthians, he made reference to this young man, Timothy, and he said, My beloved son. He dared to commend him for the fact that he was faithful. So I presume, if you disagree with me, God bless you, I would like you to agree with me, because I would like you to be right. But nevertheless, I am not absolutely certain, but it seems by such an expression that the Apostle Paul was the man that led Timothy to the Lord. My son, my son, who would take Oh, it is wonderful when you come across men and women that in some small measure you have influence for Christ. Now I have used the word small measure properly because I believe in that day of the judgment seat of Christ. It will not be the Apostle Paul who will stand and say, Paul, master, the man knows it's given me. I've got a feeling there's going to be a grandmother. I've got a feeling there's going to be another who's taught. pray all my sisters whatever else you do remember that in that day no greater joy will be yours than to see your grandchildren and your children there and they're there because of your training and your praise but Paul has something to do with the conversion of Timothy I see indeed to the commencement of his life I see his conversion I am not unmindful of his commendation. I am not unmindful that there came a time when this young man associated himself with the work of God as done by Paul. And you will remember that it's recorded in that first verse of the sixteenth chapter of Acts that here was a young man, a certain disciple named Cimodia, the son of a certain woman who was a Jewess and believed but his father was a Greek, which was well spoken of by the brethren. Oh, this is the very part that is necessary for a man who will associate himself with those that are laboring in the cocktail, that that young man shall be well spoken, that that sister shall be well spoken of, by the very apparently, by the very Christians, with whom that young man has been in fellowship. I do trust that in the coming afternoon, when Mr. McKenzie will be unfolding to us some of the Bible principles of missionary work, that you young men and women will think it worthwhile to avoid even a game of basketball, or that golf game you play with a bat in your hand, and think it worthwhile to come, and listen, and listen, as the word of God is unfolding concerning this thing. We will hear much, I am sure, of the commendation of a man of God. Then will you notice not only the commencement of his journey, his conversion, his commendations, but would you please remember his continuance? For if there is one thing I am persuaded of, it is not where a man starts at town, but where he finishes. And is it grand that the young man who trusted the Lord the young man who bore the commendation the recommendation of the very assembly with which he was in fellowship with the young man who right through his journey despite hardship despite sickness despite responsibility he pressed on with God oh what sickness suffered we will be thinking a little always in a moment in a coming day as we will think of this young man who was exalted to drink no longer water, but to take land which was available in the form of dead men for his stomach's sake. Here was a young man who suffered many infirmities, and yet, despite it, he crept on with God. You know, I think it's wonderful when I come across young men, help me in straw. Young men who were faculties of mind and body, who served God, but listen, They ought to. But when I come across a man or a woman who knows the strength and strength of a body that is not as strong as some of them, and they still go on, oh, bless God for them. If I'm talking to a brother or sister here today, and like Timothy, you've been called to pass through some physical ailment, and yet you've gone on with God, let me say on behalf of the church, thank you. Thank you for the example you pled. Thank you for going on with the failure. For Timothy went on and hardship. Why they drove the Apostle Paul, you remember, out of the city but blessed God. There in Berea, Timothy stayed. And the persecution that Paul had to take. Timothy had to take. And yet he still went on with God. When it comes to responsibility, Paul was responsibility. I always wonder at the words of the Apostle, you remember, when speaking of the things that he had to pass through, shipwrecked, cast into prison, beaten with rod, all the things he endured. And then he comes to a little expression. And he says this, and beyond the side, all this, the care of all the church is heavier than the beating of rod. Heavier than the imprisonment, heavier than the starvation, heavier than the shipwreck, the care of all the churches. And to Timothy was given the responsibility, both of caring for the churches and caring for others. He was exhorted to do the work of an evangelist. Now, I don't believe that Timothy was an evangelist. If I read a right, it seems to me that Timothy was a teacher. Timothy had been given the gift of one skilled in the exposition of the word of God, and yet he was commanded to do the work of an evangelist. And he never hid behind the facts of saying, that's not my gift. Of course, you've never hid behind that, have you? You've never hid, but he never did. He bore the responsibility of doing that, for which sometimes, no doubt, the devil would have said to him, You are not qualified. My friend, if you're willing to serve God, you'll find this, that if there's a task to be done, he'll give me the grace to do it. The grace to do it. Oh, what a man, did Timothy. But I didn't intend to talk about Timothy. I wanted to talk about behaving ourselves. in the church of the living God. So let's get down to what the Holy Spirit wrote to Timothy. I'm going to suggest to you that the first chapter is divided into four sections. First there is a charge to Timothy in verses one to ten and that charge can be summed up in the fact that he is exalted to its found divine truth. May I repeat it, here is a charge to Timothy to extend divine truth. Then you will notice from verse eleven to verse seventeen, it is not now a charge to Timothy, it is now a career for Paul. As Paul in these verses goes back over his own life, and he dares come up. that the purpose of his career is not to expand divine truth but to extol a divine law a dignified law then if you will come with me please in the verse eighteen and ninety you will notice that having a charge to Timothy and having a career to speak of now this young man Timothy is commanding and there is a command to him to exhibit developed grace. I'm going to say something about that in a moment. I think it will be most important in the church of God that we might exhibit developed grace. And this is a command that comes to us. And oh, what a command! This I sure said he. No stronger words from his hands. This I sure. Then, of course, the church of God the assembly of God's people there also has to be the condemnation of the unruly and in those last verses of this chapter you will notice how indeed the exercise of discipline is more proportionate but let's go back to the first section I wonder if we may dwell for a moment or two as we consider the charge to Timothy to expand divine truth. Verse three says this, As I have taught thee to abide in the letter Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine, that they teach no other doctrine, all that we might face the charge, that we might expound divine truth. He is exalted in expounding divine truth, first to contend for that truth, then to combat error, then to correct understanding. He is exalted first, that he might contend for the truth, teach no other doctrine. Now, what is the doctrine that he's speaking of? Of course, he speaks of it, does he not, when going through those that have been breaking the law? And he says, and beyond this, that which is not according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. But nevertheless, it seems to me that in those opening words of this epistle, something of divine truth is brought before us. the apostle writes and he dares to remind him that he's writing on behalf of he is writing to expel the virtue of the one who is jesus the author of salvation now never let us forget that this is truth that we must ever hope for when men and women enter the doors of the chapels where indeed we would proclaim the truth of god let us make sure that they never leave without hearing this, that there is no other name under heaven given amongst men, whereby they shall be saved. There is only one name, and that is the name of Jesus. Why, the apostle runs, and he dares to say, by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our host, I suggest to you that the very truth of doctrine is summed up in this, that Jesus is the author of salvation. I dare remind you that Christ is not the author of salvation, but the authority of salvation. When last I was with you when we spent some time in the first camp for a bank, I reminded you then, as I have reminded many in the preaching of the gospel now, that when we take this title Christ upon our lips, We are taking a divine title. I reminded you then, I would remind you again, please, if I may take you back to your primary class, that Jesus is his name, Christ is his title. We speak of John the Baptist. We speak of Peter the fisherman. We speak of Jesus the Christ. You will remember that Christ is the Greek word. They have not given us a translation, but a transliteration. If I was to say it in English, as you know, I would say anointed. And we dare remind our hearts that Christ is the same word for the English word, anointed. God commanded three people to be anointed, prophet, priest, king. And when we say Jesus is the Christ, we say he is the prophet, priest, and king. He is the prophet to reveal, the priest to reconcile, the king to reign, glory to his day. He is the authority of salvation, the Christ. When we think of Jesus as the author of salvation, when we think of Christ as the authority of salvation, we think of Lord as the automation of our salvation. And day by day, we must remember that while we may look back to a moment in our day, when we said Christ the name, and we part from death and delight, from the parents taken and that God blessed be his day. Let's remember that was not the end of our salvation. How much more shall ye be paid by his life? I thank God I have a salvation day by day. My Bible does not teach sinless protection. But are you listening? Please, are you listening? My Bible does not teach because I sin today. I've got to sin tomorrow. My Bible teaches me there's victory in Christ. The king shall not have dominion over you. I thank God that when we acknowledge him as the Lord of our living, may I use those words again. May I say, may I, may I say to you as fresh, for I believe that the words are real. let the Lord have his way. My life every day. There's no rest, there's no peace until the Lord has his way. Oh, I'm no poet, but I tell you this, that those words came out of an experience. I touch that we may have that experience of knowing Jesus Christ as the Lord of our living. Oh, friends, what a charge contend for the truth teach no other doctrine than the doctrine that is found in Jesus Christ the Lord then would you remember he exhorts him not only to contend for the truth but to combat error why he speaks of tables and endless genealogy and he dares to say neither give heed of tables an endless genealogy, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in taste. Why, he charges you and I to combat error, and there's only one way to combat error. To combat error, we must know truth. It is the truth that will make us free. Oh, brethren, listeners, I believe that it is most important. that like those eleven stood with Peter on the day of Pentecost, that we shall stand when the gospel is preached to the gospel preacher, that we shall be there, that I believe it is even more important that our believers will be found at the Bible reading, that we shall be found at the ministry of the word, that we may bring our contribution, that we may suggest that we may be able to pass on that which we have learned in our private quiet time of the time. Oh, that we might know the truth and the truth might set us free. Then we'll know how to behave ourselves in the Church of God. Oh, that we might know the truth. You know, there's so much error in the world today, isn't it? Really, it makes your heart pan. There's so much error. I wonder if I could just remind you. I said I said it before. If I haven't forgiven me, I should have. And if I did, and it's not worth saying twice, I shouldn't have said it the first time, should I? But may I please remind you of those tremendous words in the book of Deuteronomy when God laid down the great principle of evidence. you will remember how indeed he dares to say in that fifteen verse is it not of the nineteenth chapter of Deuteronomy he dares to remind us in the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established is it remarkable that God never does or never asks us to do what he doesn't do himself if he expects us not to listen unless there are two witnesses then he makes sure that through every great divine truth he gives two witnesses come with me and pour into the gospel of Luke do you remember the great story indeed of that ninth chapter and thirty-first verse when God splits the heavens and says this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased but the father said it and I'm not prepared to accept one witness So what does he do? He gives us two witnesses. For as the Lord stands in the river, so the Holy Spirit falls on him. The Spirit of God bears witness, and the Father bears witness to his royalty. That's truth. That's truth to declare his royalty. When you go on again, please, I'm sorry I made a mistake, didn't I? You know, it's the first mistake I've made since the last one. Why, of course, it's not the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It's the third chapter of the Gospel of Luke. And that great thirty-second verse, forgive me, please. You know, I can see Mr. Smith sort of looking at me over his glasses. But when we come to the ninth chapter, it is not the twofold witness of his loyalty. It is the twofold witness of his redemption. You remember on the Mount of Transfiguration, they spoke of the deceit. that he should accomplish at Jerusalem. And he gives two witnesses, Moses and Elias. When we go down to the twenty-fourth chapter of Luke, it is not now the twofold witness to his loyalty. Neither the twofold witness to his redemption. It is the twofold witness to his resurrection. As they look in a tomb, and they see one sitting at the head and at the foot of the place where Jesus lay. And those two in white a towel said, Why, keep ye the living among the dead? He's not here. He's risen. Do you know something? If you want to know divine doctrine, you'll see the doctrine of his royalty. You'll see the doctrine of his redemption. You'll see the doctrine of his resurrection. And then you'll come into the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. And you'll see the doctrine of his return. And the two-fold witness. Two-fold witness. Two men. In white apparel. White sand ye gazing up into heaven. This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye seen him ascend into heaven. Oh, brethren, sisters, we do not follow cunningly devised tables. We dare say, as Paul says with Timothy, that we will combat error. Genealogies and tables have no place but them in the Church of God. For them which do notice, he had taught him not only to contend for the truth, not only to combat error, but he exhorts them to correct understanding. He speaks of the law. He reminds us that the law is not given for the righteous, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the unholy and for pain, for murder of the fathers and murder of the fathers, the mass dealers, the lawyers, the perjured. He dares remind us of that great doctrine of the law. But then he says this, But the end of the commandment is love. Oh, blessed be in that. The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith and faith. Oh, friend, this is what in the assemblies of God's people we need to do. We need to correct understanding when it comes to the design of the law. We need ye to remind men and women that this is the end of the law. Love out of a pure heart. You know, I'm so glad of that. Should I let him do a secret? You wouldn't tell anyone, would you? I don't know if you tell someone else, I'll be ever so glad. But my God doesn't go around with a big stick in his hand waiting to hit his own. My God, that's God of love. And he loves his people. He understands that sometimes we stumble and fall. Sometimes we do things we feel desperately ashamed of. We sometimes say things we wish we never said. But God loves us. Or he will arrange for our correction. But he loves us. We're his. And what love he shows to us. We need to show to one another. Of God's givers to love the brethren. When I say the brethren, I mean the sisters as well. But it's a bit more appropriate for a man to say love the brethren. You understand? This should be the mark of a Christian assembly that they love one another. They love one another. Now I know it's difficult to love folks. I mean, you imagine if your assembly consisted of everyone like me. Of course. You see, it consists of some nice folk like you as well. And God wants us to love one another. Oh, that we might do this. That we might realize the end of the law. Please, I'm not going to take time to do it. But if I was preaching the gospel tonight, I tell you what I tell you. I say this to you. That when God gave the law and Moses marched down out of tiny ice tents and saw people that were bowing their knee to a golden calf, three thousand were killed. That's the giving of the law. But when God gave his Holy Spirit, there were three thousand saints. I'd remind you if I was preaching the gospel tonight, that when God spoke out of a burning torch and said, Moses, Moses took the shoes from off his feet. And that when the prodigal son came home, the father said, Bring, bring the shoes and put them on him. I'd remind you, oh, but I'm not preaching the gospel tonight. I only know this at the end of the law is love, love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience. So would you notice, please, there is a charge, and this is the charge, how to behave ourselves in the church of God, then expand the divine truth by contending for the truth, by combating error, and please God, by correcting understanding. Then we come to the second section of this chapter, and it is not now a challenge to charge rather to Timothy. It is a career of Paul. And that career has been given him that he might extol a dignified Lord, why he's going to come to the glorious doxology that we've been singing every night during the past week, Wherever we've gone, we've made our little crusade for one Timothy one seventy. Now unto the king, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. And you know, I've a good mind to ask Brother George to come up here and sing it with me. No. Oh, I only know this. I only know this. That it's wonderful, isn't it? To reach a topology like this. And it was reached. because a man could look back over his career and trace the good hand of God. He reminded Timothy of the fact that the gospel was communicated to him. He says the gospel in verse eleven which was committed to my trust. Isn't it grand to know that the message we preach is not our message? It's God's message. Let's not, all brethren, sisters, let's never apologize for the message of the gospel. I have said a hundred times, I wouldn't spend one minute in defending the gospel. Not me. Not me. I wouldn't spend one minute in defending the gospel. But I'll spend my lifetime in declaring it. I'll leave the defense of it to someone who's better than I, the one that gave it to me. He can look after his gospel better than I can. you come along in these afternoon sessions and you hear Mr. McKenzie tell how God has been defending the gospel in the chad. You come along. I tell you, if you don't shout hallelujah, I'll take in a lot of you, a lot of flattens. Really, I will. You see how God can defend his own work when the very powers of hell lift their hand against him. Oh, what a thrill it is to know that our God is a wonderful God. He gives us the charge of the gospel. This gospel is communicated. He speaks indeed of his own concentration for the black gospel. And how necessary this is. He dares to say, he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Oh, what were? Not that the brethren counted him faithful, but that God counted him faithful. I take hold of you whatever you do to your thing I'm trying to advertise those afternoon Bible readings. Should I let you into a secret? So I am. So I am. So you come along and see what is required of a man or a woman who steps out to serve God in another country. And you'll find that God counts certain people faithful. God counts them faithful. Putting them into the ministry. Then, of course, he makes his confession. He says, I was before a blasphemer and injurious. Oh, listen, Frank. Can I say this to you? If these words weren't written about Paul, they could have been written about me. Every word that's there is my testimony. And I feel desperately humbled tonight, who was before a blasphemer and a perfect unit. and injurious, but are you listening? I obtain mercy. Now I can't say I obtain mercy because I did it in ignorance. I can say I did it in unbelief. But oh, what a gracious God we have. And he makes his confession. He goes on to say that now he's killed the chief of sinners. I like that, don't you? I like that. You know, if ever there was a man who could stand up and say, I am crucified with Christ, he was called And yet that St. Paul didn't say I was the chief of sinners. He said, I am the chief of sinners. And I led him to a secret. If ever I know anything from a close walk with Jesus, it's then I realize the wickedness of my own heart. The closer we walk to him, he is such a light shining on us and showing us our needs. He goes further. speaks of the cause of it all. Having made his confession, he speaks of the cause of it all. And he says, for I am a pattern. I will be a pattern to them which shall hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Then he comes to the topology and to the cave eater. In the command of heaven. commands, Timothy, to exhibit developed grace. He commands Timothy concerning his conflict. He says, this I charge. It's a war of good warfare. Now there are so many things I know nothing about, please. I know nothing about. I've gotten an ignorant yet, but I do know a wee bit about fighting. I don't know much about many things, but I know a wee bit about that. You know, the apostle could say I fought a good fight. I like that, don't you? I like that. He didn't say, I fought a fight. He said, I fought a good fight. You know, some people think that fighting, standing up, letting someone hit you. That's not fighting, that's slaughter. Fighting, hitting them as well. And that's not the bad. The apostle says, I fought a good fight. He didn't stand up and let the devil attack him. He attacked the devil as well. And my Christian friend, let's go forward to attack that which is evil. reward good warfare. Here indeed is the conflict. And he's exhorted to cling to the fate. Hold fast, he says. Hold fast. I like that as well, don't you? I like that. I can't spend any time talking about it like you one day. But let's come to the end. But my time is more than gone. Here's a command to Timothy. But here's a condemnation. How to behave like self? in the church of God here is a condemnation of unruly faith that in the church of God we are not to commit that which is wrong to exercise discipline why he speaks in Jesus of him and Alexander he dares to say that they must learn not to blaspheme why if you come with me and thought that in Timothy you will remember why Hymenius is spoken of as a man and this is what it says their word will eat as a tanker as a tanker of whom is Hymenius and this was his word so concerning the truth of her saying that the resurrection is past already now in the church of God we must not permit error to be taught we must stand firm Oh, God, grant us something we've said to Dad. We'll send us on this place to say, Lord, it's not the person sitting next to me or behind me or in front of me. It's me. It's me. Oh, God, enable me to behave myself in the church of God for His name's sake. Amen. Can we sing One Timothy, One Seventeen, Mr. Songleader, sir? Don't you know it, sir? After you, sir, have got all these years. You mean you don't know the music? Ah, that's better. Well, may we see? Many of you have sung it with us. You go something like this. One Timothy One Seventeen. You've got the words in your Bible. Make sure it's the King James Version. Amen. It goes something like this, I can't sing as you know, but I'll try, it goes something like this. Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, the honor and glory for ever and ever, amen. Amen! Say honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Have you got it? Come on then. You know, I want you to sing it. It's the only time I get you all to say Amen. I get you to say it three times. So come on. Now answer the King Eternal. The way to go. Now answer the King Eternal. Amen. Now we'll have the King James Version, Spirit, Amen. And all the people say, Amen.