1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, how do you en? Good morning, friends 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: and faithful listeners. Thank you so much for tuning into 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: the Bible Explain to podcast on this lovely morning. We're 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: going to be in the last chapter of First Timothy. 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: We'll be talking about Paul challenging Timothy to be a 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: good pastor essentially, so we'll get into this episode in 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: just one second, and of course, before I begin the episode, 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: here is a quick word from one of our sponsors. 9 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: All right, guys, let's go ahead and dive right into 10 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: the last episode of First Timothy. We'll be reading Fir 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: Timothy six verses eleven through twenty one today, and as always, 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: I'll be reading from the Web version, but feel free 13 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: to grab the version of the Bible that you prefer 14 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: this morning. I will be switching over to the ESV 15 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: version at some point and also the NLT version to 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: read a couple other passages from those versions as well. 17 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: So whatever version you prefer, go ahead and grab that, 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: and also your cup of coffee or your cup of 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: tea this morning. And once you grab all those things, 20 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and read First Timothy sixth eleven through 21 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,839 Speaker 1: twenty one. But you man of God, flee these things 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 23 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: Fight the good fight of faith, take hold of the 24 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: eternal life to which you recalled, and you confess the 25 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: good confession in the sight of many witnesses. I command you, 26 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: before God, who gives life to all things, and before 27 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: Christ Jesus, who before conscious pilot testified the good confession, 28 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: that you keep the commandment without spot blameless, until the 29 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which at the right 30 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: time he will show who is the blessed and only ruler, 31 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He 32 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light whom no man 33 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and 34 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: eternal power. Amen. Charge those who are rich in this 35 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: present age, that they should not be arrogant, nor have 36 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on 37 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: the Living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 38 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: That they do good, that they be rich in good works, 39 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: that they be ready to distribute, willing to share, laying 40 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: up in store for themselves a good foundation against the 41 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life, Timothy, 42 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: guard that which is committed to you, turning away from 43 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge, 44 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: which some profess and thus have wandered from the faith. 45 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: Grace be with you, amen, and with that we have 46 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: read through the entire book of First Timothy. So it 47 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: says in verse eleven to conclude this book, but you, 48 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness. Okay, 49 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: so obviously Paul is talking to Timothy here. He calls 50 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: him a man of God. And so this would be 51 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: for anybody reading this book, not just to Timothy, even 52 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: though yes, this letter is to Timothy, It's for all 53 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: of us. So when Paul says man of God, talking 54 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: to any person that follows after God, man or woman, 55 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: any person that desires to be more alike God, we 56 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: have to flee these things. And so what are these 57 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: things that Paul's talking about. Well, in the first portion 58 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: of One Timothy six, we talked about the love of 59 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: money and how people who are very greedy for money 60 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: fall into all sorts of evil in order to actually 61 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: get that money. In fact, let's go back and read 62 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: verses nine and ten to get some context for that, 63 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: it says, but those who are determined to be rich 64 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and 65 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: harmful lusts, such as drowned men in ruin and destruction. 66 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: For the love of money is a root of all 67 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the 68 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: faith in their greed and have pierced themselves through with 69 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: many sorrows. So if somebody loves money too much, that 70 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: can cause them to fall away from the faith, is 71 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: what Paul says. Now, notice here, money in and of 72 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: itself is the sin, but the love of money is 73 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: the sin, because at that point you are making money 74 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: in idole. Jesus himself actually said you cannot serve both 75 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: God and mammon. Okay, mammon is an old fashioned word 76 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: for money, or like material possessions. You cannot effectively serve 77 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: both God and money. And then Jesus goes on to say, 78 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: because either you will hate one and love the other, 79 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: or you will hold fast to one and despise the other. 80 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: So if you're following God because you think it's going 81 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: to gain you money, or you're preaching because you think 82 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: it's going to make you rich, or popular, or give 83 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: you some other possession that you really want. You are 84 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: not truly serving God. You are serving money, is what 85 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: Jesus says, because you're going to hold fast to one 86 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: thing and despise the other thing. And that's why Paul 87 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: says that many people who love money too much end 88 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: up compromising in their faith and falling away from the 89 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: faith because there far more concerned about gaining wealth for 90 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: themselves and actually holding to the principles of scripture. So 91 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: that's why Paul says in verse eleven, you man of God, 92 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: flee these things and follow after righteousness. So flee the 93 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: love of money and pursue things that have eternal reward 94 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: for you. Because money, we can't take it to the afterlife. 95 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: If you jump back to verse seven, here's what Paul says. 96 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: We brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't 97 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: carry anything out, so when we die, that's it. Like 98 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: we're not taking anything with us into the afterlife. We 99 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: literally can't. So that money is only useful here and now. Anyway, 100 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: It doesn't give us any kind of eternal reward. But 101 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: things like righteousness verse eleven, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 102 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: Those kinds of things give us eternal rewards. Jesus told 103 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: us to store up our treasures in Heaven, not here 104 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: on earth, because the stuff we we have here on earth, 105 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: it's nice for the time being, but it rusts and 106 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: it gets destroyed, and people want to steal from you 107 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 1: and take what you own. The treasures on earth are 108 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: temporary and don't last very long. Even when we have them, 109 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: they just kind of like slip from our fingers. So 110 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: if we can't even hold onto them while they're here 111 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: on earth, we certainly won't be able to hold onto 112 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: them in the afterlife. The only thing that's going with 113 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: us into the afterlife is our very own souls. And 114 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: that is why Paul says to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, 115 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: and gentleness, because these things have eternal reward for us. 116 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: They affect our souls. And the next verse says, fight 117 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: the good fight of faith. Paul is giving this analogy 118 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: almost as if being a Christian is like being a 119 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: soldier in a war, And if you think about it, 120 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: that is kind of what the Christian life is like. 121 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: You are fighting the entire time you're here on earth. 122 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: You know, Christians are not very popular worldwide. It is 123 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: the most persecuted religion on the planet. Paul himself knew this. 124 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: There's a really funny verse where Paul is like, and 125 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: this is my paraphrase, Yeah, if we didn't have eternal hope, 126 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: Christians would be the most pitiful people on the planet 127 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: because of the amount of struggle Christians go through and 128 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: the denial of earthly things that they put themselves through. 129 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: Christians would be pitiful, Like, nobody would want to be 130 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: a Christian if there wasn't the promise of eternal hope. 131 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: So that's what Paul says we should be pursuing, is 132 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: that eternal hope. Not the things here and now that 133 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: have no real meaning whatsoever, but eternal things. He says, 134 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: fight the good fight of faith and take hold of 135 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: the eternal life to which you were called, and you 136 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: confess to the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. Technically, 137 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: every single Christian when they get baptized, is confessing the 138 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: good confession in the sight of many witnesses. One of 139 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: the reasons that we do baptism actually as Christians is 140 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: to show other people that you are going to live 141 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: the Christian lifestyle. It's almost like taking a vow in 142 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: a sense. Now, there's other reasons why we do baptism 143 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: because it's like a picture of the death and resurrection 144 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: that Jesus went through, and we also do the same 145 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: thing when we go under the water and come back up, 146 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: you know, we become a new creation. So there's a 147 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: lot of reasons why we do baptism, especially considering the 148 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: fact that Jesus himself was baptized and commanded us to 149 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: get baptized and to baptize other people. So yeah, there's 150 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: many reasons we do baptism. But it's also a public 151 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: declaration of your faith. You are confessing in front of 152 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 1: everybody that you are going to live the Christian lifestyle. 153 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: That is the point of adult baptism, And it's also 154 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: a choice you have to make on your own. Hence 155 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: why I said adult baptism. You know, babies they can't 156 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: make that decision yet when they are being baptized, it's 157 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: because their parents are making that decision for them that 158 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: they're going to be a part of that church that 159 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: they go to, or they're going to live the Christian lifestyle, 160 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 1: or they're going to be dedicated to God. And those 161 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 1: are all good things, you know, for a parent to 162 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: want for their child, but ultimately the child on his 163 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: or her own needs to make that confession themselves. They 164 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 1: need to come to the realization that they are going 165 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: to live the Christian lifestyle because they want to, because 166 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: they want to become Christian. So I do believe that 167 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: adult baptism is necessary and is biblical. So it says 168 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: right here, I command you, before God, who gives life 169 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before conscious 170 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: pilot testified the good confession, that you keep the commandment 171 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: without spot blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 172 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: So he commands Timothy. He says, look, you made a 173 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: vow in front of all of these people that you 174 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: are going to be a christ. So I command you 175 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: that you keep that vow, keep the vow that you 176 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: made in front of all those people until Jesus returns, 177 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: at which the right time he will show who is 178 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and 179 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: the Lord of lords. Man. I love that when you 180 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: read through the Book of Revelation and you see Jesus's 181 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: triumphant return to the earth. He's coming as a king 182 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: you know before when he came the first time two 183 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: thousand years ago, he came as a humble baby that 184 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: was born in a manger, like in a feeding trough, 185 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: a in a stable. He did not come as a king. 186 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: He came as a lowly, poor, average human being. It 187 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: actually says in the Book of Isaiah that he was 188 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: not beautiful to look at. There was nothing appealing about 189 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: his appearance. But when he returns, he is going to 190 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: return as a king. And that's what Paul says here. 191 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 1: He is going to show who is the blessed and 192 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: only ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 193 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: He alone has immortality, dwelling in an unapproachable light, whom 194 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 1: no man has seen nor can see, to whom be 195 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: honor and eternal power. Amen. So you might be reading 196 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: that and being like Jen, did Paul just say that 197 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: we can't see God and we've obviously seen Jesus. So 198 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: what is Paul saying here, Like, is this a contradiction 199 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: to scripture? Well, if you turn to John one, verse eighteen, 200 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 1: what Paul says is actually repeated. John one eighteen says, 201 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: no one has ever seen God. God the only son 202 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. 203 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: That's from the ESV version, by the way, So a 204 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: lot of people think these verses mean that we've never 205 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: seen God, the Father or the Holy Spirit because we're 206 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: unable to see them. But we can see Jesus. And 207 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: in fact, whenever we see manifestations of God in the 208 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: Old Testament, it's usually Jesus. That's what a lot of 209 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: people think. And that's what I've taught on the podcast before. 210 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: And this has some biblical backing. If you go to 211 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: Jude chapter one, verse five, it actually says that Jesus 212 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: was the one who rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt. 213 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: It says right here. So I want to remind you, 214 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 1: though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued 215 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed 216 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: those who did not remain faithful. That's from the NLT version. 217 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: Jesus often showed up in the Old Testament. You know, 218 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: everybody thinks that Jesus was only in the New Testament. 219 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely not. He showed up in the Old Testament all 220 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: the time. So there is some biblical evidence that John 221 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: and Paul are talking about God the Father, and the 222 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit when they say that nobody has ever seen God. 223 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: But when I was researching this topic, I found another 224 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: interesting explanation for this. The explanation being that we can't 225 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: see God in any of his flams, God the Father, 226 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: God the Holy Spirit, or God the Son. We cannot 227 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: see them because they are all God. So in order 228 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: for God to actually allow us to see him, he 229 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: comes down in a form called a theophany, which is 230 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: a visible manifestation of God. So no one has ever 231 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: seen God in his essence. We never can, but because 232 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: of his mercy, he manifests himself in a way that 233 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: we are able to see, not his essence, but in 234 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: a different way that we can see, if that makes sense. 235 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: So I don't know which one I believe. I think 236 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: both of them make a lot of sense. I think 237 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: that you know, obviously we've seen Jesus. He was completely God, 238 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: completely man. We've seen Jesus show up in the Old 239 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: Testament as well. But there are verses that say we 240 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: are never going to be able to see God in 241 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: his glory, like we just cannot see God in his glory, 242 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: And that's kind of what Paul is saying right here. 243 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: In verse sixteen, he alone has immortality, dwelling in an 244 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: unapproachable light whom no man has seen nor can see, 245 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen. So there's 246 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: a form of God, like his true form, that we're 247 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: never ever going to be able to see, because it's 248 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: just too great for us. The light is too much 249 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: for us. We would probably just disintegrate if we ever 250 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: actually looked at God. But of course, going back to 251 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: the point of all of this, Paul is giving glory 252 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: to Jesus and telling Timothy, don't forget your promise to God. 253 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: Don't forget your promise to be a Christian that you 254 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: made in front of all of these witnesses. Don't stray 255 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: from the faith. You are a man of God. And 256 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: eventually you're going to see Jesus come back again. And 257 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: you might be like, well, jen, Timothy is dead, how 258 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: is he going to see Jesus come back again? Well, actually, 259 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: all of us who have died in Christ are going 260 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: to see Jesus's return, because it says that when Jesus 261 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: comes back again, he's going to call the dead in 262 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: Christ up first, So all of us are going to 263 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: experience a resurrection. Of some sort, like a rapture of 264 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: some sort when Jesus comes again. It is not only 265 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: for the people still alive when Jesus comes again, but 266 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: it's for all of us. So we're all going to 267 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: experience the rapture. And I think that's talked about in 268 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: First or second Corinthians. I can't remember specifically where, but 269 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: Paul dedicates an entire chapter talking about the rapture. But 270 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: in verse seventeen it says, charge those who are rich 271 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 1: in this present age that they not be arrogant, nor 272 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: have their hopes set on the uncertainty of riches, but 273 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: on the living God, who richly provides us with everything 274 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: to enjoy. So that's kind of going back to the 275 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: original point right where where we're not supposed to be 276 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: greedy for more wealth because it just slips from our fingers. 277 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: But we're supposed to set our treasures in heaven. Those 278 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: things can never slip from our fingers, Those things will 279 00:15:54,440 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: never disintegrate. They are eternal blessings, eternal treasures. That's why 280 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: Paul asks Timothy to command the people who are rich 281 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: to not set their hope in their riches that just 282 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: fly away the second that they can Now on a 283 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: quick note here, notice that Paul mentions that these rich 284 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: people are saved. There's nothing inherently wrong with being wealthy. 285 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: It does say in scripture that God provides wealth, but 286 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: there is something wrong with making wealth your idol, with 287 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: loving money too much. And that's why Paul commands the 288 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: rich people specifically to not put their hope in their wealth, 289 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: because it's not going to have any eternal blessings. He 290 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: says in verse eighteen, command them that they do good, 291 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: that they be rich in good works, that they be 292 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: ready to distribute, willing to share, laying up in store 293 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, 294 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: that they may lay hold of eternal life. Now, don't 295 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: get Paul wrong. He is not saying that if you 296 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: do good works and give to a whole bunch of 297 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: poor people, that that's what's going to give you eternal life. 298 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: The only thing that actually gains us eternal life is 299 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: not our good works or anything like that, but it's 300 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: faith in Jesus Christ. If we believe in Jesus and 301 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: his sacrifice, if we believe that he is the son 302 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: of God that came down to the earth two thousand 303 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 1: years ago and died and rose again on the third Day, 304 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: and now is ascended up in heaven is going to 305 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: come back once again to rule this earth. If we 306 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: believe those those foundational principles of Christianity, we're going to 307 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 1: be saved. But if you look in the Book of James, 308 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 1: there's an interesting verse that says faith without works is dead, 309 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: not saying it's not there, but it's dead. Kind of 310 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: reminds me of the lukewarm person that God talks about 311 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: in the Book of Revelation. How he gets so sick 312 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: of fence sitters and lukewarm Christians because they're neither hot 313 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: nor cold. And God's like, I just want to spit 314 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: you out of my mouth. I want to spew you 315 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: from my mouth. So people who say they have faith 316 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: but they don't do any works, their faith is dead. 317 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: It's a lifeless they're not finding any real joy in Christ. 318 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: And I can actually attest to this because I used 319 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: to be a Christian who had faith in God, but 320 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: I didn't want to do any works. I didn't want 321 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: to take time to serve. I didn't want to go 322 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: to church. I just wanted to like check off a 323 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: box every single week, you know, go to church and 324 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: then come home and that would just be my God 325 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: time for the week. And man, you know, I was 326 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: lifeless as a Christian. I had no joy as a Christian. 327 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 1: And now I go to church and I absolutely love 328 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: it because I've learned the joy that there is in 329 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: doing good works and in serving. It's fun for me 330 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 1: to go to church. It's fun for me to hang 331 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: out with teenagers every single week. It's fun for me 332 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: to do worship at my church. I enjoy it. I 333 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: love it because works truly do like in a way, 334 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: make your faith full of life. So that's what Paul 335 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: is talking about here, that these rich people who possibly 336 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,160 Speaker 1: don't need to work very much or they don't need 337 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 1: to worry so much about money, these people are definitely 338 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: contenders for being lifeless Christians because if they've never been 339 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 1: taught how to work hard or say they're very comfortable 340 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: in their life, they might not understand the joy of 341 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: serving because they never really want to go out and 342 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: serve other people. They're used to being served, but not 343 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: used to serving. And so that's what Paul is saying, 344 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: teach them to love serving other people and not trust 345 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: in their riches, but actually give of their riches to 346 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: benefit other people. And that is not to say they 347 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: have to give away every single cent that they own, 348 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 1: but that they should be willing to give because they 349 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: have the finances to give to people who are very, 350 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: very needy in this church. But now, to conclude, in 351 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: verses twenty through twenty one, he says, Timothy, guard that 352 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: which is committed to you. So, in other words, guard 353 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: this church that you are at. Turning away from the 354 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge, 355 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: He says, Timothy, guardless, church, don't pay attention to all 356 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: these people coming into the church with all this chatter 357 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 1: and useless garbage that claim to be so smart and 358 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 1: claim to be so knowledgeable. Ignore those people because they 359 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: have nothing good to say. And we talked about that 360 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: on a previous episode not too long ago. But to conclude, 361 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: he reminds Timothy to do this once again, ignore the 362 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: empty chatter and the oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge, 363 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: which some profess and thus have wandered from the faith. 364 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: And then he ends the book by saying, grace be 365 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: with you. Amen, Well, good job, faithful listener. Is going 366 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: through the entire book of First Timothy with me. But 367 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: before I end the episode, here's a quick word from 368 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: one of our sponsors. All right, faithul listener as well, 369 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: you have finished the Book of First Timothy with me, 370 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: which is very exciting. So if you've been through the 371 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: New Testament with me so far, you've gone through let's 372 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: see here one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 373 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: fifteen books of the Bible. I know I told you 374 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: guys the number the other day, but I forgot so, yes, 375 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: fifteen books of the New Testament. And actually, if you 376 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,479 Speaker 1: followed along with the Old Testament with me, you'll have 377 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 1: gone through let's see sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty twenty one, 378 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: almost twenty nine books of the Bible. Right now, on 379 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: the Old Testament side of stuff, we're in the Book 380 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: of Second Chronicles, which is where we'll be tomorrow if 381 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: you tune in at six am or whenever you choose 382 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: to wake up and listen now. Of course, on Thursday, 383 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: we'll be back in the New Testament and starting the 384 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: Book of Second Timothy. And some scholars say that tewod 385 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: Timothy is the last book that Paul ever wrote before 386 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: he died, so it's a special book and I hope 387 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: that you guys enjoy going through it with me. But 388 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, of course, if you ever have a prayer request, 389 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: please send it my way. You'll find my email address 390 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: listed in the description of this episode. And yes, I 391 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 1: do read all of my emails, though I have to 392 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: apologize to you, faithful listeners, because I am backed up 393 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: on emails. I haven't gotten to them in quite a while, 394 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: so there are emails that came to me from before 395 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: Christmas that I have not answered yet, So I apologize 396 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: for that, but I can promise that I did read them. 397 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: I do open them, I don't always respond to them 398 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: immediately though. All right, faithful listeners, have a fantastic and 399 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: wonderful rest of your day. I'll see you guys tomorrow 400 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: morning for an episode from Second to Chronicles, Happy listening, 401 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: and God bless. I just want to take a second 402 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 1: to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership 403 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, if 404 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: you go to lifeudio dot com you'll find dozens of 405 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows 406 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.