How does 1 Timothy 1:10 define behaviors contrary to sound doctrine? Setting the Scene 1 Timothy was written so “you will know how each one should conduct himself in God’s household” (1 Timothy 3:15). In chapter 1 Paul warns Timothy about false teachers and reminds him that God’s law still exposes sin. Verse 10 gives a sample list of behaviors that clash with “sound doctrine,” i.e., wholesome, gospel-aligned teaching. The Verse in Focus “for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching.” (1 Timothy 1:10) Why “Sound Doctrine” Matters • “Sound” (Greek hygiainō) means healthy, life-giving. • Doctrine that stays true to Scripture nourishes; error poisons (Titus 1:9; 2 Timothy 4:3). • Anything opposing it is spiritually unhealthy and must be identified. Behaviors Paul Lists as Contrary • Sexually immoral (pornoi) – all sexual activity outside God-ordained marriage. See 1 Corinthians 6:18; Hebrews 13:4. • Homosexuals (arsenokoitai) – male-with-male sexual practice, condemned also in Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9. • Slave traders (andrapodistai) – kidnappers or traffickers who treat people as property, violating Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7. • Liars (pseustai) – those who distort truth. God hates lying lips (Proverbs 12:22); Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). • Perjurers (epiorkoi) – oath-breakers who bear false witness in court, violating the ninth commandment (Exodus 20:16). • “Anyone else” – an open category covering every practice that resists the plain teaching of Scripture (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3-4). A Pattern Rooted in the Ten Commandments The order mirrors the second half of the Decalogue: • Honor parents (v. 9 “kill fathers or mothers”) → Commandment 5 • Murderers → Commandment 6 • Sexual immorality/homosexuality → Commandment 7 • Slave trading (theft of persons) → Commandment 8 • Liars/perjurers → Commandment 9 Paul shows that these timeless moral standards still diagnose sin under the gospel. Gospel Alignment Verse 11 continues, “that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” Sound doctrine is not cold law; it harmonizes with the gospel that saves and transforms (Romans 1:16; Titus 2:11-12). Living in Alignment with Sound Doctrine • Love God’s Word—measure every belief and behavior by it (Psalm 119:105). • Flee sexual sin, speak truth, respect human dignity (1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Ephesians 4:25). • Guard the gospel deposit entrusted to us (2 Timothy 1:13-14). • Teach and model healthy doctrine so others flourish (Titus 2:1, 7). Takeaway 1 Timothy 1:10 spotlights specific sins—sexual immorality, homosexual practice, human trafficking, deceit—that stand in direct conflict with wholesome, gospel-shaped teaching. By embracing Scripture’s authority and the power of Christ’s gospel, believers are equipped to reject these practices and walk in the truth that brings life. |
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