THE GRACE OF OUR LORD--I TIMOTHY 1:12-17

THE GRACE OF OUR LORD

I TIMOTHY 1:12-17

Introduction:

The Grace of our Lord has done so much for us. In these verses addressed to the young preacher Timothy, the Apostle Paul shows the exceedingly abundant grace of God in his own life. He writes to admonish Timothy to trust and rely on God’s grace.

The life of the Apostle Paul is a demonstration of how he depended completely on God’s grace. He suffered many things in his missionary journeys at the hands of unbelievers while trusting God’s grace to get him through.

I. WAS EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT WITH MERCY IN CHRIST JESUS

A. The Apostle Paul looks at his past, v. 13.

1. He was a blasphemer, Acts 26:9-11, “Verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10- Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11-And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

2. He was a persecutor of God’s people, Galatians 1:13, “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:”

3. Paul was injurious to the Lord’s church, Acts 22:4, “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.”

4. Paul did all of this in ignorant unbelief.

a. Ignorance is not an excuse, Numbers 15:30, “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.”

b. Unbelief was the problem, Hebrews 3:17-19, “But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

B. Paul had trusted Christ as his Savior and secured his future, 2 Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

II. WAS EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT WITH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS

A. By Faith Paul had the forgiveness of sins, Ephesians 1:7-8, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8- Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;”

B. Paul considered himself the chief of sinners, v. 15.

1. He needed an abundance of grace, Romans 5:19-20, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20-Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”

2. Christ came into the world to save sinners, Matthew 9:13, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

III. WAS EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT WITH LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS

A. The Love that God had for Paul changed his life, 1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

B. God’s love changed Paul’s heart as well as his attitude, Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

1. God’s love makes a dedicated servant, Acts 20:28, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood,”

2. God’s love makes it easy to love one another, 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

C. It takes the Grace of God to save a soul that God might have the glory of it, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast,”

CONCLUSION

Now the Lord offers that same Grace to you for your spiritual needs today. Trust in His grace right now.

THE CHURCH 1--A LOCAL, VISIBLE CHURCH--1 TIMOTHY 3:14-15

GREAT BIBLE WORDS

THE CHURCH 1

A LOCAL, VISIBLE CHURCH

Basic Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-15, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15- But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Key Text: 1 Corinthians 4:17, “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”

Introduction:

Here is another doctrine that distinguishes the Baptist from other evangelical denominations. We believe in a church that is ONLY LOCAL AND VISIBLE. The believer will give importance to his affiliation with a local Baptist church according to his understanding of the Bible definition of this word.

I. THE POPULAR DEFINITIONS OF THE WORD “CHURCH.”

A. The definitions well known are:

1. The DEMOMINATIONAL idea: “the Presbyterian, Methodist, etc. church”

2. The CATHOLIC idea: a Roman Catholic Church with all of its popes, bishops, cardinals, etc. makes up “the Universal VISIBLE Church with an earthly director, the pope of Rome.”

3. The PROTESTANT idea: The total number of saved since the day of Pentecost until the “rapture,” constitutes what is called the “UNIVERSAL, INVISIBLE church, the MISTICAL BODY OF CHRIST.”

4. The BAPTIST and NEW TESTAMENT idea: A church is a LOCAL, VISIBLE CONGREGATION of believers scripturally baptized and organized to carry out.

B. The definition most popular is number 3 above: An INVISIBLE church. The defenders of this definition see TWO CHURCHES in the New Testament: the true church, that, according to them, is made up of all the believers; and the VISIBLE church, that is subject to total apostasy (leaving Biblical truth). Believing the universal idea, they have a tendency to despise the doctrine of the local, visible, organized church.

C. We believe that this problem of “TWO CHURCHES” will be resolved when we stop calling the totality of believers “the church.” All believers, born again by faith in Christ, pertain to the FAMILY and the KINGDOM OF GOD:

1. John 3:3, 5, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5- Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

2. John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13- Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

3. 1 John 3:1-2, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2- Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

4. This family of God takes in the total number, not only of the believer of the New Testament, but also those of the Old Testament since Adam until the last to be saved before the Second Coming of Christ, John 11:51-52, “And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52- And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

II. THE BAPTIST POSITION

The word translated “church” (ekklesia, in Greek) never flees from the basic sense in the Greek language: “An assembly or congregation called out for a definite purpose.” In the history of that language you never hear of a “ekklesia” (church) THAT DOES NOT COME TOGETHER! How could they come together (before the Second Coming of Christ) in a so-called “universal” church? Such a church is nothing more than an unrealizable idea, and an impractical idea, because it does not have function to realize here on the earth. But the Biblical church, visible and local, has a function, that is, to act as the representative of Christ.

A. The local church represents THE LORD until He returns! Mark 13:34-35, “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35- Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:”

B. The local church takes charge until He returns, Luke 19:13, “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

POINTS TO PONDER:

1. Give the four definitions most common of the word “church.”

2. How many types of churches do the Protestants believe exist?

3. All of the believers in Christ make the FAMILY or the CHURCH of God?

4. Why is the idea of a universal church unrealizable and impractical?

5. What is the function of the local and visible church?

IMMORTALITY OR ETERNAL LIFE OF THE SAINTS--1 TIMOTHY

GREAT BIBLE WORDS

IMMORTALITY OR ETERNAL LIFE OF THE SAINTS

The Saints…

Have promises of eternal life, 1 Timothy 4:8, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” 2 Timothy 1:1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,” Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” 1 John 2:25, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

Have hope of eternal life, Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Titus 3:7, “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

May have assurance of eternal life, 2 Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 1 John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Shall reap eternal life, through the Spirit, Galatians 6:8, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Shall inherit eternal life, Matthew 19:29, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

Look for the mercy of God unto eternal life Jude 1:21, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Should lay hold of eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:12, 19, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 19- Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Are preserved unto eternal life, John 10:28-29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29- My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

Shall rise to eternal life, Daniel 12:2, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” John 5:29, “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

Shall go into eternal life, Matthew 25:46, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Shall reign in eternal life, Daniel 7:18, “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.).”

CONCLUSION