1
TIMOTHY 1:8-14
LAW
IS FOR THE LAWLESS AND
PAUL
TESTIFIES OF TRANSFORMATION
1
Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law
is good, if a man use it lawfully;
Susie: Paul
is writing to Timothy concerning the Mosaic Law rather than law in general. The
Mosaic Law was good, of course, because it was given directly to Moses by God.
Susan: The
Mosaic Law and the other Old Testament books were the only Bible the first
century believers had.
Susie: These
letters were recognized as authoritative because they were written by an
apostle but would not be accepted as a part of the canon of the New Testament
until about the fourth century A.D.
1
Timothy 1:9-11 Knowing this, that
the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient,
for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of
fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for
menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, 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.
Susan: The
Law is for the lawless person, to point out his/her unrighteousness in order to
convict the person and point out their need of a Savior.
Galatians
3:24-25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer
under a schoolmaster.
Susie: The
false teachers were, in part, Judaizers, who taught that Christians must be
circumcised and keep the law as a prerequisite to salvation. In order to
discuss verses 9 and 10 further, it will be helpful to have a list of the Ten
Commandments in front of us:
The 10 Commandments List, Short Form
1.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
2.
You shall not make idols.
3.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your
God in vain.
4.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5.
Honor your father and your mother.
6.
You shall not murder.
7.
You shall not commit adultery.
8.
You shall not steal.
9.
You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor.
10.
You shall not covet
Susie: Those who are
lawless and insubordinate, ungodly and sinners, unholy and profane would be
breaking the first four commandments that address man’s relationship to Holy
God. The rest of the couplets Paul uses to describe the lawless ones relate to
commandments six through ten concerning relationships between people.
Susan: Murderers of
fathers and mothers are definitely in violation of the fifth commandment to
honor you parents. Those who kill a person, manslayers, disregard the sixth
commandment, the commandment not to take a human life.
Susie: Fornicators,
those who have sexual relations outside of Biblical marriage, and sodomites
which is another term for homosexuals are against the spirit of commandment
number seven. A Biblical marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Adultery encompasses any sexual act that is not between a husband and his own
wife or a wife and her own husband.
Susan: In Paul’s day,
the kidnapping (stealing) of children was rampant. When we think of stealing,
we think of one’s personal possessions; but nothing is more personal than your
God-given children.
Susie: Stealing
definitely breaks commandment number eight, but taking a child from its
family—Wow! Liars and perjurers are bearing false witness as condemned in
commandment number nine. And many of these sins are directly related to
coveting which is covered in commandment number ten!
Susan: In case the ten
commandments did not encompass everything, Paul made the broader category of
anything that does not line up with sound doctrine.
Susie: Paul had taught
Timothy and the Ephesians sound doctrine as taught to him by the Lord Jesus.
God had commissioned Paul to preach the gospel and instruct the believers.
False teachers were contradicting the sound teaching they had received from the
apostle Paul.
1
Timothy 1:12-13 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for
that 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.
Susan: Paul
praises God for His empowerment and the fact that the Lord considered him trustworthy,
calling him into ministry. Paul acknowledges that he is God’s instrument and
could not preach in human effort. It is only by the Spirit of God who works in
and through him.
Susie: This
reminds me of what Paul stated in his letter to the Philippians:
Philippians
4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Susie: Paul
also notes that God put him into ministry. He did not choose this occupation
for himself but was appointed to it by the Lord.
Susan: Paul testifies about himself that he was all
about bringing misery to Christians. He captured them and turned them over to
their tormentors. All these are things Paul did before his encounter with the
resurrected Jesus on the Road to Damascus. Paul received pardon for his actions because
he trusted the Savior, Jesus Christ.
1
Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and
love which is in Christ Jesus.
Susie: Paul
was fully aware that the man he had become was completely due to the grace of
God. The Lord’s mercy and loving forgiveness had brought about a change in him.
Susan: The
Lord had not simply restored aspects of Paul’s life but had given him a total
transformation!
Susie: God
had transformed Paul from a persecutor of believers to a proclaimer of the
Gospel characterized by faith and love.
QUESTIONS:
1. The
law is for what category of people?
2. What
purpose does the Mosaic Law serve?
3. Do the
examples of unrighteousness given by Paul only encompass a person’s
relationship to God? Explain:
4. According
to Paul’s own testimony in this chapter, what was he like before he trusted
Jesus?
5. To
what does Paul attribute his ability to have faith, to preach, and to love?
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