1 Timothy 1

Chapter 1. Christ in the Epistles to TimothyLet us examine the teachings of the epistles to Timothy respecting the Lord Jesus Christ and the glorious gospel to which the apostle refers so frequently in these letters.

A Revelation of God

A Revelation of GodFirst there is the importance of the gospel as a revelation of God. The apostle announces the great theme of the gospel in the profound passage, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). Like the mysteries of ancient philosophy, the gospel, too, has its profound mysteries. The one here mentioned is “the mystery of godliness.” A mystery in the Bible means something unknown until divinely revealed. This mystery the gospel alone could reveal. It is the great mystery of the incarnation. It embraces six statements.

1. Appeared in a Body God appeared in a body—“was manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). This is the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), “‘Immanuel’—which means ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23). He who lay in Mary’s arms and died on Calvary’s cross was none other than “the Lord of Glory.”
2. Vindicated by the Spirit He was vindicated by the Spirit—“justified in the Spirit” (1 Timothy 3:16). This undoubtedly refers to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as the divine proof of His deity. It is the same thought expressed in Romans 1:4, “who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.” The Holy Spirit justified the claim of Christ’s death by this especial proof to which the Lord Jesus Himself appealed before His crucifixion, and which the Holy Spirit through the apostles constantly used after His resurrection as the attestation of His deity.
3. Seen by Angels He was “seen by angels” (1 Timothy 3:16). This refers to the angelic witnesses of His resurrection. Their presence and their testimony are frequently referred to in the New Testament story of the resurrection.
4. Preached Among the Nations He was “preached among the nations” (1 Timothy 3:16). This also is part of the great mystery which the apostle tells the Colossians had been hid for ages and generations (see Colossians 1:26-27), that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the gospel and the grace of God (see Ephesians 3:4-6).
5. Believed On in the World He was “believed on in the world” (1 Timothy 3:16). This, too, is one of the attestations of the Lord Jesus, the testimony of human hearts to His deity. When Thomas beheld Him after His resurrection, he needed no tangible proof that Jesus was his risen Lord, but his own heart bore witness, and he cried in adoration, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). And how many myriads since have borne the witness of their living and dying faith, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, a living, bright reality, and the satisfying portion of the soul that trusts Him.
6. Taken Up Into Glory He was “taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). This is the climax of the mystery, except we add that still greater revelation which will be the seventh and crowning stage of the mystery of godliness, His appearing in glory, and which the apostle in this epistle a little later introduces as the climax of divine revelation. That Jesus Christ has really been received up into glory and is now there at His Father’s right hand, is sufficiently evident from the descent of the Holy Spirit and the mighty working of His power on earth since His ascension.

A Revelation of Jesus Christ

A Revelation of Jesus ChristThe gospel was a revelation of Jesus Christ as the Mediator and Redeemer. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). This is a magnificent declaration of the great theme of the gospel, following in logical order upon the previous declaration of Christ’s incarnation. The reason He became incarnate is that, as “the man Christ Jesus,” He might be the “mediator between God and men.” Christ’s mediatorial work includes His sacrificial death for us upon the cross; therefore, it is added, “[He] gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time” (1 Timothy 2:6). The word “ransom” suggests the whole plan of redemption, the central idea of which was that He purchased us by His precious blood, and offered His own life as the ransom by which we are set free. Blessed Redeemer and glorious redemption! He gave me back my bond, It was a heavy debt. And as He did, He smiled and said: “Thou wilt not Me forget.” He gave me back my bond, The seal was torn away: And as again He smiled, He said: “Remember Me alway.” His mediation also includes His intercession for us as our Great High Priest in the presence of the Father, and all the work of grace which He is accomplishing until the whole number of His elect shall have been completed and gathered home. Let us not forget that there is but one Mediator between God and men. “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is no other way than the Living Way. Oh, have we come through Him who “is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25)?

A Revelation of the Love and Grace of God

A Revelation of the Love and Grace of GodThe gospel was a revelation of the love and grace of God toward all classes and degrees of sinners. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). How wide this mercy is no human tongue can tell, or reason dare to limit. There is no doubt that God’s will is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. There is no hindrance in the will or purpose of God to the salvation of the most lost of human souls. Broad and clear let the message stand, God our Savior “wants all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” With such a gospel how dare we hold back the message from one of our ruined race? But the apostle gives us a still more touching and personal illustration of the grace of the gospel. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:14-16) After Paul, anybody; after the chief of sinners, what sinner need hesitate to come? Oh, the grace that has sought us and brought us to the fold! Sinner, if you are reading these lines, is not that grace large enough and free enough for you? Christian, with such a gospel, how can you lose a single opportunity to say to sinful men, “Here is a trustworthy saying,” a true saying, “that deserves full acceptance”; that is, worthy that all should accept it. “Christ Jesus came into the world,” for no other cause than for this: “to save sinners,” even “the worst of sinners.”

A Revelation of God’s Goodness

A Revelation of God’s GoodnessThe gospel is a revelation of God’s goodness even to unsaved men. For He is “the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). In what sense is God the Savior of all men in distinction from them that believe? Surely this refers to the secondary results that come from Christ’s redemption and have covered the world with blessings for the present life, even where they have not reached the higher plane of salvation. How Christ has elevated human society! How Christianity has transformed almost all earthly conditions! How much womanhood, childhood, misfortune and suffering owe to the beneficent influence of the gospel! It has given freedom to the slave. It has given liberty to the oppressed. It has quickened the human mind, stimulated all the forces of modern civilization and brought a thousand blessings to the men and women who never mention the Savior’s name except in blasphemy. Like the glorious sun, the gospel pours its radiance wherever there is an open window to let in the light or a dark cavern to be illuminated by its beams. God is love, and He loves every human being as much as men will let Him.

The Fruits of the Gospel

The Fruits of the GospelNext we look at the fruits of the gospel in the practical life of its followers. “These are the things you are to teach and urge on them. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching” (1 Timothy 6:2-3), “from such withdraw thyself” (1 Timothy 6:5). Thus the apostle describes the practical results of the principles of the gospel. It is a doctrine “according to godliness” (1 Timothy 6:3). A little later he adds, referring to the spirit of worldliness and selfishness, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Here we have a splendid group of Christian graces which represent the true results of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to the gospel of His grace. In the opening of the first epistle Paul is careful to point out that the law was not made for a righteous man, We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. (1 Timothy 1:9-11) The gospel assumes that men will avoid these things, not because they are afraid of the law, but because they are animated with a higher spirit of love and grace. I am not kept from murder by the fear of the electric chair, but by something in me that lifts me above the desire to take another’s life. And so the gospel of Jesus Christ inspires men with motives and principles which lead them to fulfill the righteousness of the law, not because of the fear of the law, but because of the law of love.

A Revelation of the Future Life

A Revelation of the Future LifeThe gospel is a glorious revelation of the future life. I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16) … who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:9-10) These passages unfold the blessed hope of His appearing, and the life and immortality which Christ has brought in through the gospel. How dark the future would have been but for this light! How little men could know from human reasoning about the immortality of the soul and the certainty of the future life at all. How glorious the revelation Christ has given to us, not only of life after death, but of the resurrection of the body, the reunion of parted friends in glory and the inheritance of the saints in light! How much more is to be brought to us at “the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,… the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:14-15). He who was God manifest in the flesh is yet to be manifest in His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords. The prospect of this glorious day was the inspiration of Paul’s own faith and hope in the midst of all his trials and discouragements, and in view of it he could utter that magnificent boast, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). “That day” was to him the day of days, the day on which all accounts should be balanced, all losses regained, all wrongs righted, all sacrifices repaid, and all tears forever wiped away. Such is the gospel which Paul and Timothy preached and loved. Such is the glorious message which has brought us life and hope, and the only gospel that can save and cheer lost and dying men. A minister, who was practically Unitarian in his belief and preaching, was called in to see a poor sinful woman who was dying. He told her of the beautiful life, the loving ministries and the noble example of Jesus. He urged her to follow Him, but she shook her head hopelessly, saying: “That is not for the like o’ me; I’m a sinful woman, and I’m dying.” “It flashed upon me,” said the preacher, “that I had a message of help and hope for that dying woman, and like lightning I leaped in mind to the gospel my mother taught me. I told her of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, dying on the cross that such as she might be saved, of His blood poured out for the remission of sins, and all the blessed truths of the old, old story, and she professed saving faith in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” Such is the glorious trust which God has given to us for all our race. God help us to receive it in all its fullness, and then give it in all its blessed power to that great constituency of which this epistle has said that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). “Who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time” (1 Timothy 2:6). Oh, is it not the proper time that that testimony should be given to all? God forgive us that we have so shamefully failed! God help us to tell it to all our race!