What God Delights To See Series

1 Timothy 2:8-15 What God Delights to See

1 Tim 2:8-15

8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling; 9likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

When the people of God gather, Paul encourages the believers to pray.

• Not just for themselves and their needs, but more importantly, for all people and their salvation in Christ.

• That’s the heart of God, and that’s what we cover in the preceding passage.

Continuing from there, Paul gave instructions on the conduct of men and women when they gather in church. He shared THREE concerns here for Timothy:

• (1) men and their attitudes in prayer, (2) women and their dressings, and (3) the roles of men and women in church.

• It’s easy to just tell you these 3 pointers, but to understand what Paul means will be more difficult.

It is difficult because we are unclear whether Paul’s instructions are universal — meant for all churches for all times — or specific to the situation in Ephesus, making them more local and cultural.

• Or a bit of both, some addressing the needs in Ephesus and others for all times.

• Christians differ in their views on this, and the debate is still ongoing among scholars today. We should not expect to get a simple answer from one sermon.

But we can draw out some important and timeless principles and consider how we can obey God’s will and apply them today.

(1) MEN PRAYING WITH PURE HEARTS (2:8)

2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling.

Both men and women are called to pray; we know that from the preceding text. The call to pray for everyone is for all believers.

• Men are mentioned because they are the ones leading in worship and prayer in those days.

Paul says, “…pray lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling”.

• The emphasis is not on the posture of hands but the posture of the heart – not harbouring resentment or bitterness against one another.

• That’s the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Matt 5:23-24 “23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

This reminds us of the words from the Psalms:

• Psalm 24:3-4 “3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”

• Psalm 66:18 “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

• The condition of our hearts is more important than our pious appearance.

Luke 18:9-14 - Jesus shared this interesting story of a Pharisee coming before God, looking pious and saying…

• 18:11“God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”

• 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

• Jesus: “14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other.”

God looks at the heart. The Pharisee looks righteous by man’s standards, but he was filled with pride.

• The tax collector, whom everyone despises, came with humility and repentance.

We come before God with “clean hands and a pure heart.” (Ps 24:4)

• He sees our hearts. There is no camouflaging.

Paul is not stressing “lifting hands” but “without anger or quarrelling” when we pray.

• The Bible shows different postures when people pray – Abraham stood, David sat, Daniel knelt, and Jesus looked up to heaven.

(2) WOMEN DRESSED TO HONOUR GOD (2:9-10)

9likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.