1 Timothy 4:6, 7 If you put the brothers in remembrance of these things, you shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ… I. THE MINISTER MUST BE ALWAYS TEACHING. "By setting forth these things to the brethren, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ." It was the duty of Timothy to counsel the brethren at Ephesus concerning the present signs of the coming apostasy, and to instruct them how they should counteract its mischiefs. It is probable that some at Ephesus had already been betrayed by ascetic seductions into an unhealthy mode of life. Timothy was to be mindful of the present truth and the present error. II. THE MINISTER MUST BE ALWAYS LEARNING. "Nourishing thyself up in the words of the faith and of the good instruction which thou hast diligently followed." 1. There must be a continuous and permanent process of self-instruction, as the tense of the participle signifies. The minister must never cease to learn, because he has to set the truth in new lights, and to counteract error out of the large storehouse of Divine truth. 2. The minister's armory is the Word of faith and good instruction thoroughly mastered. (1) Nothing but God's Word received by faith will enable Timothy to fight the battle of truth. He is not to overcome in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (2) He is to adhere faithfully to the truth already attained. Progress in knowledge does not imply a constant changing of opinions. III. THE MINISTER MUST BE ALWAYS WORKING TOWARD A PROFITABLE RESULT. "But the profane and old wives' fables avoid, and rather exercise thyself unto godliness." 1. Negatively, the minister is to avoid foolish and unprofitable studies. The apostle referred to fables familiarily known, Jewish in origin, perhaps with a mixture of Gentile theosophy, which were morally unfruitful, but practically dangerous as preparing the way for the apostasy of the future. The minister must himself stand free from all sympathy with such injurious formalism as was embodied in the rabbinical studies, as leading to the neglect of the weightier matters of the Law. 2. Positively, the minister is to exercise himself unto godliness. (1) This implies that godliness is a pursuit that demands the strenuous application of all our energies of mind, body, and spirit. (2) It implies that godliness must be the chief business of a minister as well as the chief aim of his life to promote it among the members of his flock. (a) It has its inner seat in the heart. (b) It works outward into the life. (c) It is a progressive state. (d) It was the one chief concern of the apostle himself. "One thing I do." - T.C. Parallel Verses KJV: If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. |
    |