A Life Worth Following Series

1 Timothy 4:6-16 A Life Worth Following

If you are appointed to be a member of the recruitment committee tasked to recruit a pastor for the church, what would be some of the criteria you would look for?

• What qualities do you think you will be looking for in the potential candidates?

• Are you concerned about his character, his experience, his track record, his qualifications, his competence, his skills or his giftings?

In this text today, we see Paul highlighting some of his concerns to Timothy, in his role as pastor of the church in Ephesus.

• But what he said does not apply only to Timothy or to pastors alone, as if they are a special breed of Christians.

• His words apply to all who are serious about following Christ and serving Him. They are timeless principles that we can abide by if we want to be good servants of Christ.

• Hence, some bible entitled this section – “A Good Servant of Christ Jesus”.

I like to divide the text into 3 sections. Timothy was reminded to be a good servant of Christ, he would have to:

(1) GUARD THE TRUTH (2) GROW IN GODLINESS (3) LIVE THE GOSPEL

(1) GUARD THE TRUTH (vv.6-7a)

4:6 “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus…”

• The immediate context for "these things" points directly to what comes before - the warnings about false teaching and the need to teach the truth (4:1-5).

• This was expected of Timothy because he had been “trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” 4:6b that he has followed.

• KJV and NIV uses “nourished in the word” and NASB uses “constantly nourished” which is even better and closer to the original language.

Timothy would not be able to teach what he does not know. He cannot give what he does not have, but he has been “nourished” from young.

• Paul mentioned in 2 Tim 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”

• He has been nurtured in his faith from a young age by his mother and grandmother.

Later on, he became an “apprentice” of Paul, came to Ephesus and learn from the elders of the church.

• As one blessed with the Word, Timothy has to GUARD the truth and correct those who have strayed from the faith.

4:7 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.” These cannot nourish you.

• We do not want to spend time on matters inconsequential or unimportant, on human talks and worldly tales. Sounds exciting, but lacks truth.

• Feed on the Word of God and tell the Gospel. Direct the flock to “the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed”, Paul says.

It is interesting to see how Paul described the church earlier in chapter 3.

• He wrote in 3:15, “If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”

• That’s the church, where the truth of God is revealed.

• NIV: the church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” because that’s where we find the truth of God proclaimed, taught and obeyed.

Like Timothy, let us FEED on God’s Word, know the truth and hold fast to it. Our spirit needs the Word of God.

• GUARD the truth that we have come to know. The world will drift, but we stand firm on what God has revealed.

Worse Than Being Scammed

When we lose money to a scam, the pain is immediate and tangible. We feel the sting, and it teaches us to be cautious.

But when we let go of what God has said—or accept lies in place of His truth—we often feel nothing right away. There’s no immediate pain, no clear loss. Yet that deception is far more dangerous.

It’s like taking poison that works slowly, dulling our discernment and leading us toward spiritual death.

The consequences are far greater than losing money, but because we don’t feel them instantly, we often don’t realise what’s happening.

So let us guard your heart and mind, and not be misled by deceptive spirits or the teachings of demons. (4:1)

(2) GROW IN GODLINESS (vv.7b-10)

In 4:7b Paul adds on, “Rather, train yourself for godliness.” ESV I would rather you spend time…“Train yourself to be godly.” NIV

• Obviously, Paul is not saying that godliness is an achievement or that if we work hard enough, we can gain godliness. Our sanctification is a work of God!