12 Imperatives for Timothy

1 Timothy 4:6-16

1. Expose False Teaching.  

Vs. 6 says, “Put these things before the brothers.”  The “these things” he is talking about are the heresies mentioned in verses 1-5.  

• From within the church

• From the world

2. Be trained in Scripture and Doctrine.  (vs. 6) 

We must know the Bible, by studying it and praying over it.  Another word for the word “trained” would be “nourished”. 

• “Words of faith”=scripture

• “Doctrine”=belief which comes from scripture

3. Avoid Worldly Myths and Fables.  (vs. 7)  

These myths are the same things Paul talked about in verses 1-5.                                                                      

4. Train (and Discipline) Yourself for Personal Godliness. (vs. 7-8) 

This is something that we must strive toward and pursue.  No ministry pastor or lay leader is going to be blessed with some sort of special godliness.  We must live disciplined lives, physically, but most importantly, spiritually.  

5. Work Hard!  (vs. 10)  

• But we must also work smart.  He says, “To this end, we toil and strive.”  There is a clear purpose and direction in the work of a leader.  We should never be seen as lazy.  We must labor.  You should be working hard at this season of your life. Examples of this could be having multiple jobs or getting an education.  

• We must work with the hope we have set on “set on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”  This is important because it keeps our work in the proper context.  It is easy to get caught up in a bit of a rat race.  

6. Teach and Speak with AUTHORITY.  (vs. 11)  

We cannot be timid, and we must never be arrogant or condescending.  We simply speak with the authority granted by the call of God and the Word of God.  

7. Live with Integrity.  (vs. 12)  

A more literal way of saying this would be, “Don’t let them despise your youth.”  In this context, Timothy is being instructed not to “give them any ammo”.  He was a young man. He was not a little kid.  But he was somewhat timid, and he was in a city that was known for its philosophical culture.  The elders of the church there were also older than Timothy. People and society have a low standard for young adults today. Live a life that you are not defined by your age. Be set apart by your speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

8. Center your Life and Ministry on the Centrality of Scripture. (vs. 13). 

PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE!

The idea of reading Scripture aloud is rooted in Old Testament worship and should be a part of our worship service.  Personally, I like to read aloud in my own devotion time and sermon prep time.  There is something powerful about the vocalization of the scripture.  

MacArthur says this: But the greats of the past understood their whole life was given comprehensively to the Word of God. Joseph Parker said, "If I talk all week, I cannot preach on Sunday. That is all. If I attend committee meetings, immerse myself in politics, my strength would have been consumed there. That is all. About my ministry, there is no mystery." There is no mystery. People have asked me, young people, through the years, "What's the secret to great preaching?" Simple answer, keep your rear end in the chair until you finish the work. Come out when you have something to say. Make sure when it's time to say something, you have something - well prepared to say our labor spear is clearly identified. 1 Timothy 5, "Double honor to those elders who labor in preaching and teaching."

9. Use Your Gift(s).  (vs. 14) 

God calls and equips us.  We don’t have the excuse of “not being good” at this, or “not knowing what we are doing”, etc.  Timothy had been commissioned to this task.  Just because it got hard and he felt like he was in over his head, didn’t give him an excuse to back down, or be timid.  Timidity and humility are not the same things.  

10. Be Passionate.  (vs. 15)

Students/people can read us.  They will see through our fakeness or boredom.  We must be all-in.  Ministry is not something we can have as a hobby.  Even for a volunteer worker, this is a high calling.  I need to live out what I am teaching, and that can’t be done partway. 

11. GROW (vs. 16)

We must focus on our own personal growth. 

“The greatest need my people have of me is my personal holiness.” 

-Robert Murray McCheyne

12. Persevere (vs. 16) 

“Persist in this” =DON’T QUIT