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I. THE LAWFUL USE OF THE LAW. Scripture sets forth its design in plain language. 1. It was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. (Galatians 3:24.) Thus "Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness" (Romans 10:4). 2. But it only brings us to Christ as it reveals to us our imperfections and our sins. "For by the Law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20). It was, indeed, "added because of transgressions" (Galatians 3:19). The Law shows us our sinfulness, and drives us to the Savior. It thus "shuts us up to faith" (Galatians 3:23). II. THE UNLAWFUL USE OF THE LAW. 1. To make it the occasion of endless logomachies - of vain talking, of "strivings about the Law." 2. To seek justification by obedience to its precepts. 3. To strive for the attainment of holiness by a use of the Law, interpreted, not in its plain sense, but with meanings imposed upon it by mystical allegorizings and theosophic culture. The errorists at Ephesus were no Pharisaic legalists or mere Judaists, but persons ignorant of the true nature and design of the Law; who abstained from things lawful and good, and were yet morally corrupt (Titus 1:10; Revelation 2:9, 14, 20, 24). III. GROUND OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ITS LAWFUL AND UNLAWFUL USE. "Knowing this, that the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless" 1. The Law is not made for a righteous man. (1) This does not mean that a righteous man - that is, a man right with God, whose experience has made the principles of righteousness habitual with him - has no relation whatever to the Law. (a) Because the Law had relation to (α) Adam in innocence, who had the Law written in his heart; (β) to Abraham, who was a righteous man; (χ) to David, who was a righteous man; (δ) and to all the Old Testament saints; (ε) it had even relation to Jesus Christ himself, who was "made under the Law" - the very "Law that was in his heart" (Psalm 40:8), of which he was "the end for righteousness" (Romans 10:4), because he came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:16). (b) Because the Law has relation to believers under the Christian dispensation; for this very apostle enforces the obligation to obey it, specifying six of its enactments (Romans 13:8, 9; Ephesians 6:1). James says that believers who show respect of persons become "transgressors of the Law." Therefore, when the apostle says "the Law is not made for a righteous man," he does not mean that the righteous man is no longer bound to obey it. He delights in it; he actually serves it (Romans 7:25). If any should say that the apostle means that the righteous do not need the Law to direct them, we answer that they might as well say they do not need the Scripture to direct them, as the Law is already in their hearts. How is a righteous man to know sin but by the Law? "For by the Law is the knowledge of sin." (2) His statement has an abstract cast, like our Lord's saying, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (a) The Law was not made because of righteous, but because of wicked, men. "It was added because of transgressions." It is similar to the statement of the apostle concerning the nine graces of the Spirit - "against such there is no Law" (Galatians 5:23). The Law does not, cannot condemn, any one of these graces. (b) The Law was never made for the righteous man in the sense in which it was made for the unrighteous man, to condemn him; for the righteous man is redeemed from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13). Its penalty cannot affect him; its burden does not weigh him down; its terrors do not bring him into bondage. On the contrary, he delights in it as he serves it. Thus, while in one sense the righteous man delights in it and serves it, he is in another sense "not under the Law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). It may be further observed that if Adam had continued in his original righteousness, the Law of Sinai would never have been given to man. "It was added because of transgressions." 2. The Law is made for the wicked. They are described according to the two tables of the Decalogue. Those in the first table go in pairs. (1) The lawless and unruly. These terms describe opposition to the Law - the one in its more subjective, the other in its more objective side; the one representing, perhaps, a more passive, the other a more active hostility to Law. (2) The ungodly and sinful. These terms describe the opposition to God - the one without reverence for him, the other living in defiance of him. (3) The unholy and profane. These terms describe the manifestation of the wicked and godless spirit toward the Name or ordinances of God. They touch upon the violation of the first four commandments. (4) Those in the second table in with (a) sins against the fifth commandment: "smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers;" (b) sins against the sixth: "man-slayers;" (c) sins against the seventh: "fornicators, sodomites;" (d) sins against the eighth: "men-stealers" - this special form of transgression being selected because the theft of a man himself is a far more serious offence than the theft of his goods; (e) sins against the ninth: "for liars, for perjurers" - the one being a great advance in enormity upon the other. (f) Strange that the apostle does not enumerate the tenth, which operated upon himself so powerfully (Romans 7:7). Perhaps it was designed by the inclusive reference no longer to the committers of sin, but to the sins themselves: "And if there be any other thing that is contrary to the sound instruction, according to the gospel of the glory of God which was committed to my trust." This language implies (1) that the list is not designed to be exhaustive of the various forms of evil in the worm; (2) that the Law and the gospel are in perfect harmony respecting what is sin; (3) that the design of the gospel is to set forth the glory of God's mercy, goodness and love; (4) that the gospel is a precious deposit committed to human hands, to be dispensed for the benefit of the race of man. The apostle did not shrink from such a solemn trust, but rather rejoiced in it. - T.C.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. #NAME?I. His OFFICE as being that of "an apostle of Jesus Christ." He often laid stress upon his apostleship, and not with out good reason, for if it had not been recognized he would have been powerless to mould the Churches, which by God's blessing he had been enabled to form. Apostles are still wanted by the world, and Christians ought not to speak either with faltering voice or with apologetic tone. The confidence of the Church must be strengthened before the world will submit to its teaching. II. St. Paul refers here not only to his office as "an apostle of Jesus Christ," but also to THE BASIS ON WHICH HIS APPOINTMENT RESTED — namely, "the commandment of God our Saviour." Nothing could give a man more courage than belief in such a Divine call. It sustained that noble hero, General Gordon, amidst difficulties and perils which made his life an epic poem; indeed, in all ages the men who have had that belief have dared and done the mightiest deeds. Turn over the pages of history, and you will see that the invincible Ironsides — the dauntless pilgrim founders of the new world — the noblest evangelists and fathers of the early Churches, were all victorious because each said to himself, "I am here by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope." And going back farther still in a Church history, we see Jeremiah standing amidst his persecutors like a brazen wall and a defenced city; Daniel defying the wrath of the king, without a sign of brag gadocio, or of any seeming consciousness of his nobility; and Elijah opposing the court, the hierarchy, and the fanatical people — without a tremor, because he looked beyond them all, and spoke of "the Lord God of Israel, before whom I stand." III. Here we may encourage ourselves, as Paul did, by remembering THE GIVER OF THIS OFFICE AND WORK. The expression "God, our Saviour" is frequent in the pastoral epistles, but is only met with elsewhere in Jude's doxology, and in Mary's Magnificat. Probably Paul used it here with a special view to certain false teaching which was springing up in the Christian Church at this period. (A. Rowland, LL. B.) The Presbyterian. Many men wreck their lives by determinedly carrying out their own plans without reference to the plans of God. In an army every part, every brigade and regiment, must wait the commander's orders. If any battalion moves independently, though ever so heroically, it not only confuses the whole plan of battle, but brings disaster to itself as well in the end. So each individual must always wait for God's command to move. Keep your eye on the pillar of cloud and fire that leads. Never lag behind, but be sure you never run ahead. You can make the clock strike before the hour by putting your own hands to it, but it will strike wrong. You can hurry the unfolding of God's providence, but you will only mar the Divine plan unless you wait for Him. You can tear the rosebud open before the time when it would naturally open, but you destroy the beauty of the rose. So we spoil many a gift or blessing which God is preparing for us by our own eager haste. He would weave all our lives into patterns of loveliness. He has a perfect plan for each. It is only when we refuse to work according to His plan that we mar the web. Stop meddling with threads of your life as they come from the Lord's hands. Every time you interfere you make a flaw. Keep your hands off, and let God weave as He pleases. Do you think you know better than He does what your life ought to be?(The Presbyterian.) Two things are considerable in a minister: his sufficiency and his authority. The people listen much to his sufficiency, but take little heed to his authority; and therefore come they to church rather to judge than to be judged, forgetting that many may be as skilful but none can be so powerful in binding and loosing as is the minister. A judge or a justice of peace may have less law in him than a private man, but be hath much more power, and they that appear before him regard his acts according to his power: so should it be in the Church. But men fear the magistrates that are under earthly kings, because the pains which they inflict are corporal; our hands, our feet, feel their manacles and fetters. And did but our souls as truly feel, as indeed they should, the pastor's binding and loosing of them, we would make more account of those offices than we do. And it were good we did so, for they so bind as that they can loose again; but if we neglect them, when our Lord and Master cometh He will command all contemners so to be bound hand and foot that they shall never be loosed again.(J. Spencer.) Our hope In the Word of God we find many brief but precious sentences, the introduction of which appears to be incidental. I do not say accidental, but incidental. They stand upon these sacred pages, beautiful as the dew-drops on the flowers, and as the rain-drop on the leaf; while they are as useful for the purposes of our spiritual life, as are essences to the chemist, and to the medical practitioner, and to others, in cases where bulk involves inconvenience and difficulty. Such a sentence you find in the words we have read, which are the inscription of Paul's first letter to Timothy. I refer to the words, "LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR HOPE." These words are not necessary to the inscription; they are no part of the general course of remark. Three names are here given to one being, and they express three things — rank, service, and qualification. The Lord, the Lord Jesus, the Lord Jesus Christ — the "Lord Jesus Christ our hope." Hope, as you know, is a complex emotion, constitutional, universal, and most powerful, and a compound emotion which is most fully brought forth in Christian experience. We desire you to look at the Lord Jesus Christ as the Author of hope, that by thus looking to Him, your own hope may be strengthened. But why is hope within you so weak? Is the Lord Jesus Christ your hope? Then your hope should answer to His character, and to His attributes, and to His resources, and to His throne. If you are in a tiny boat upon a stormy sea, you rock with the billows; but if you stand upon the firm rock which guards the sea-shore, although tempests may be raging, you stand firmly with that rock. Now, if you base your hope upon self; if you rest it upon any creature; if you are trying to root it and ground it in circumstances; you will find that your hope will be feeble and mutable. If, on the other hand, it be grounded in Christ, it ought to be strong enough to answer the purpose of an anchor to your soul in any storm, however long or fierce the storms and tempests may be which play around you.I. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST GIVES HIS DISCIPLES NEW OBJECTS OF HOPE. You all know well what hope is — that it consists of desire and expectation. Jesus Christ puts good things before His followers, things that awaken desire, and that call forth expectation. His followers look for these things, and they long for them; and in looking and longing for them, they hope. The Saviour puts new objects of hope before His followers. These are such as the following of the consummation of their salvation. And, passing from things great to things comparatively small, we may mention another new object of hope: the supply of the disciple's temporal need by his Father in heaven. Some men are reckless about the future — I mean this low, earthly, temporal future. Now, to the reckless and to the fearful; to the self-dependent, and to the sinfully dependent upon others; our Lord Jesus Christ saith, "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things"; so that the expectation of supply — supply of daily bread to life's last hour, is built upon the loving and watchful care of our Father in heaven. Here again is a new object of hope. Connected with these new objects are others, such as everlasting life in heaven — life eternal in our Father's house, holy, happy, godly, celestial life. And besides this, the establishment of Christ's own kingdom on this earth, and the setting up of His kingdom in the new earth, which, by-and-by, He will create. You, therefore, see that these new objects of hope are numerous and great and benevolent and godly. II. JESUS CHRIST ALSO LAYS NEW FOUNDATIONS FOR OLD HOPES. Before our discipleship to Jesus Christ, if our hope was for temporal good, then the hope was built upon money, skill, energy, prudence, wisdom, the treasures of our own information, the confidence of our fellow-men in us, our ability to commend ourselves to the good feelings and to the judgment of our fellow-men. But in the case of the Christian, as we have already shown you, the hope, even of temporal good, is built upon the Father's care of us and love for us. Before our discipleship, we were wont to say, "I am rich, I shall have need of nothing," but Christ hath taught us to sing, "Jehovah is our Shepherd, we shall not want." Now, here is a new foundation for an old hope; and what say you about the foundations as they appear contrasted? Do you not agree with me, that the one is miserably loose and shifting sand, and that the other is the rock of ages that can never, never be moved? Or if, before discipleship to Christ, we hoped for salvation, for the forgiveness of our sins, and for eternal life, then the basis of that hope has been changed likewise. We used to boast, "I have never done any harm to anybody"; or we said, "I have always attended a place of worship"; or we said, "God is merciful, and I have never done much harm to anybody, and I am quite sure He will forgive." Now, the disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we have shown you, hopes first and supremely for the consummation of his salvation; but what about the foundation? Hear the disciple now, "What things were gain to me, those I count but loss for Christ, I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." The Lord Jesus Christ our hope; He gives us new objects of hope, and He lays new foundations for our old hopes. And yet more — III. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CONSTITUTES HIMSELF THE SECURE FOUNDATION OF ALL LAWFUL HOPES, WHETHER THEY BE OLD, OR WHETHER THEY BE NEW. The Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation. His sacrifices and His mediation open the windows of heaven for us, and the door of heaven to us. Look at this sacrifice and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ as the basis Of hope. Further, the government of our Lord Jesus Christ secures our possession of all that He ordains for us. The "government is upon His shoulder." All power is given unto Him both in heaven and on earth. All that He means to work out for you will be thoroughly and perfectly wrought out; and it is one of our great mercies, that Christ will not work out our foolish and sometimes wicked schemes and plans, which, if they were wrought out, would ruin us. His government secures our possession of all that He ordains for us. Jesus Christ's love keeps Him ever awake toward our welfare. We often talk of the love of a mother as watchful. Her love is her eye; she sees by her heart; affection is her power of observation. nobody can see, with respect to her children, what she sees, just because her power of love is a second sight. IV. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS HIMSELF AN OBJECT OF HOPE. He has promised to come again; and those who love Him look for Him. Now, think for one moment; what is the master hope in your soul? What do you long for most eagerly? I have read in my Bible, in this glorious New Testament, of men "having no hope," that is — no good hope, no hope worth having, no hope worth retaining, no hope that will not make ashamed. Is that your ease? There are hopes in your soul; for objects of hope are ever appealing to, and calling out, desire and expectation, and these hopes are the sources, or the occasions, of joy. Well, do tell me a little about them. Are these hopes worth cherishing? (S. Martin.) Of all the ingredients that sweeten the cup of human life, there is none more rich or powerful than hope. Its absence embitters the sweetest lot; its presence alleviates the deepest woe. Surround me with all the joys which memory can awaken or possession bestow — without hope it is not enough. But though you strip me of all the joys the past or the present can confer, if the morrow shineth bright with hope, I am glad amid my woe. Of all the busy motives that stir this teeming earth, hope is the busiest. Is it so in regard to the pleasures and possessions of time? — how much more should it be in regard to eternity? How should, how can that man be happy amid the brightest joys of time, who sees his little span of life shelving down precipitously into the dark, dreary, desolate abyss of nothingness or into a more dreadful eternity of woe? and how should, how can that man be greatly saddened by the ills of time, who sees a blissful eternity fast drawing nigh? Thus then we realize the value of hope as a source of happiness. It gladdens the pilgrimage of earth, it irradiates the dark horizon of death, and provides for the eternity beyond.I. WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR HOPE? Most men live in hope of happiness beyond the grave. Few men, I suppose, are altogether destitute of it. But when we ask for a reason for the hope that is in them, how often do we find it a dream and a delusion and a lie! Some, acknowledging their sins, trust that by their prayers and penitence and performances they can atone for bygone sin, and others who, confessing the worthlessness of all they can do, throw themselves on the general mercy of God. In none of these do we recognize the foundation on which our hope is resting. And what then have we seen in the work or person of Christ to awaken hope? We reply — 1, Looking back on the past work of Christ we find a sufficient remedy for the guilt of sin. 2. Looking at His present work, we find a remedy for our pollution. He purifies His people as well as pardons them. He regenerates and renews them by His Spirit, as well as redeems them by His blood. He reconciles them to the holiness as well as to the justice of God. 3. How is the strength of this foundation proved when, turning from the work to the Workman, we contemplate the surpassing excellencies of His Person! Who is this that undertaketh to provide pardon for the guiltiest, and purifying for the most polluted? It is "the Lord" — the Lord of Glory — the only-begotten of the Father — the eternal Son of God. What virtue, then, in His atoning death I what prevalence in His prayer! what power in His hand to purify! It is "Jesus," the Son of Mary, an Elder Brother, partaker of flesh and blood, made in all things like unto His brethren, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with our griefs. How true and real, then, were the sufferings which He endured when He died for men, and how tender are His sympathies as now He pleads for or with us — "a High Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities"! Once again, this is the "Christ" — anointed by God, commissioned for this very work. He does not stand alone; the Father sent Him. II. But now, in the second place, some may ask, WHERE IS THIS WARRANT OF OUR HOPE? Who are you, or what have you done more than others, that you should thus confidingly draw near to Jesus? The warrant of His holy Word — yes; with unfaltering voice we proclaim aloud that Christ speaking to us in the Word was, and is, the sure and only warrant of our hope. III. But again, in the third place, we have learned to say, The Lord Jesus Christ accepted, appropriated, built upon by us, is THE SUBSTANCE OF OUR HOPE. Received and rested on He became our Saviour. IV. But then, in the fourth place, we learned to say THAT CHRIST IN US, CHRIST FOUND AND DWELLING IN US IS THE EVIDENCE, THE ASSURANCE, OF OUR HOPE. "I live," said Paul — "I live": there was no uncertainty here, no dim or doubtful hope, but all the certainty of conscious life — "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." "The Lord Jesus Christ is my hope," the principle of life in me. As the sap of the root dwells in every branch and leaflet, imparting life and verdure; as the volition of the head lives in every member, guiding all its actions; as a master dwells in his own house, controlling all its arrangements, so Christ dwelleth in His people by His Holy Spirit, quickening, controlling, guiding them, conforming them to His own likeness. Well then may the Christian say, "Christ in me is the hope of glory." This is indeed a step in advance in the Christian's life! It is more than salvation provided, however fully; it is more than salvation offered, however freely; it is more than salvation accepted, however surely. It is salvation in possession. V. But now, when thus we have considered THE SECURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE AS CONTRASTED WITH THE FALSE HOPES OF THE WORLD, LET US CONSIDER THE BRIGHTNESS OF THIS HOPE. It is not only sure, but glorious, transcending all else that men have ever pictured for themselves. For what does the Christian hope? I know not what I shall be, but when He shall appear, I shall be like Him. I am called to "the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ." This is our destiny. We are "predestinated to be conformed to His image." Say, then, how dazzling is the glory of the Christian's hope! Jesus stands revealed not only as our Saviour, but as Himself the pattern of our salvation. Where He is, there we hope to be. What He is, that we hope to be. What He has, we hope to have. VI. But now, in the last place, it may be asked, WHEN SHALL THIS HOPE PASS INTO POSSESSION? Bright as the salvation of which I have spoken may be, it is not yet fulfilled, it is only hoped for. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. Till fulfilled, it is fragmentary and incomplete. What, then, it may be asked, is the period when hope shall pass into full possession? An earnest and foretaste we have in this life, yea, unspeakable joy when our sins are forgiven and our hearts are purified. An amazing increase we shall have at the hour of death, when our disencumbered spirits shall break away and be with Jesus. To those, then, who now ask us, as we live on earth, Is your joy complete? is your hope fulfilled? we answer, Not yet; not even when our sins are pardoned and our hearts are purified; not even when at a communion table we hold fellowship with our present Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ is Himself the climax of our hope. When He appears in glory, but not till then, shall we appear with Him, our joy completed and all our hope fulfilled. (W. Grant.) People Alexander, Hymenaeus, Paul, Sodomites, Timotheus, TimothyPlaces Ephesus, MacedoniaTopics Abusers, Adverse, Contrary, Defile, Desires, Doctrine, Fornicators, Homosexuals, Immoral, Kidnapers, Kidnappers, Lewd, Liars, Loose, Mankind, Menstealers, Men-stealers, Oaths, Opposed, Perjured, Perjurers, Persons, Perverts, Prisoners, Sexually, Slave, Slave-dealers, Slave-traders, Sodomites, Statements, Swearers, Teaching, Themselves, Traders, Unnatural, Whatever, Wholesome, Whoremongers, Witnesses, WomenOutline 1. Paul declares Timothy is faithful to the charge which was given him at his going to Macedonia.5. The right use and end of the law. 11. Paul's calling to be an apostle; 20. and the disobedience or Hymenaeus and Alexander. Dictionary of Bible Themes 1 Timothy 1:105362 justice, believers' lives 5365 kidnapping 6238 homosexuality Library 'The Gospel of the Glory of the Happy God''The glorious gospel of the blessed God.'--1 TIM. i. 11. Two remarks of an expository character will prepare the way for our consideration of this text. The first is, that the proper rendering is that which is given in the Revised Version--'the gospel of the glory,' not the 'glorious gospel.' The Apostle is not telling us what kind of thing the Gospel is, but what it is about. He is dealing not with its quality, but with its contents. It is a Gospel which reveals, has to do with, is the manifestation … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Gospel in Small The Chief of Sinners A Test Case The Glory of the King St. Paul's Wish to be Accursed from Christ. The Lawful and Unlawful Use of Law. The Glorious Gospel "Now the End of the Commandment is Charity Out of a Pure Heart, and a Good Conscience, and Faith Unfeigned. " Thoughts Upon the Imitation of Christ. Thoughts Upon Worldly-Riches. Sect. Ii. The Christian's Hope The Communion of Gifts. Humility is the Root of Charity, and Meekness the Fruit of Both. ... Of Lies are Many Sorts, which Indeed All... The Joy that was Set Before Him But Regard the Troops of virgins, Holy Boys and Girls... The Blessed Hope and Its Power Epistle iii. To Constantius, Bishop. Concerning Perseverance, and the Possibility of Falling from Grace. Paul a Pattern of Prayer "To what Purpose is the Multitude of Your Sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord," Addresses on Holiness, The Eternity of God Links 1 Timothy 1:10 NIV1 Timothy 1:10 NLT 1 Timothy 1:10 ESV 1 Timothy 1:10 NASB 1 Timothy 1:10 KJV 1 Timothy 1:10 Bible Apps 1 Timothy 1:10 Parallel 1 Timothy 1:10 Biblia Paralela 1 Timothy 1:10 Chinese Bible 1 Timothy 1:10 French Bible 1 Timothy 1:10 German Bible 1 Timothy 1:10 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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