Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in word, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Paul, an elder minister of the Gospel, exhorts Timothy, his young protégé. His advice is intensely practical, and applies to any of us who are called to lead from within the congregation, or in our homes, or in our workplace.
Paul's exhortation to Timothy, his young son in the faith is to be an example (tupos- τύπος γίνου-become a model) for the believers.
Young people are looking for examples, someone that they can admire and pattern their lives after.
God has called you to model Christianity for them.
In Word You must be very careful about your language. (my experience with students)
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:29-30
Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse. Proverbs 8:6-8
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29
Jesus said
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:34-37
UPS & mental vocabulary-I worked many jobs in college. One in particular had foul-mouthed coffee breaks. I heard foul language every day, and even though I had worked out of the habit of using foul language when I was a teenager, I found that exotic words came to mind when I faced tense situations, like someone cutting me off on the freeway. I had to submit my mind, not just my mouth, to the LORD, so that the reservoir of vocabulary in my mind was clean. Otherwise, my mouth was in danger of being filled with garbage.
“If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.” Albert Einstein
He may have been right, but the Christian approach to words is a bit more proactive.
We can claim we are leaders, but the reality of our spiritual leadership will be shown in our words. If we are truly leaders, our words (both private and public) will be pure, kind, loving, and inspirational.
In Life the manner life- life style.
Paul told the Ephesians.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:22-28
Paul told the Philippians to let their life style be as that which becomes the gospel of Christ.
Peter speaks of our chaste manner of life, and then in light of this world being dissolved one of these days he asks what manner of men ought we to be in all holy manner of life.
Chuck Smith-received inheritance from uncle, no salary from the church (or returns to the church each year), he has lived in the same house for 40 years, buys car at the police auction every couple of years. He pastors one of the largest churches in the US, could drive anything he wanted, could have a private jet, but chooses to live simply.
Our lifestyle, like our words, must be a reflection of the doctrine of the Bible and the character of God.
In Love - agapé. This is a quality of love that is almost divine. It is the supreme love of a person’s life. It is an all-absorbing, all consuming love.
Paul defines it in I Corinthians 13
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
See if you can put your name in place of each appearance of the word “love” in this passage.
If I put my own name in there it doesn’t work very well. But this is the kind of love God has called each of us to grow into day-by-day.
John 3:16
Love is the emotional, social, and practical expression of God’s character.
In Faith.
It is hard to convince someone that they should trust in God, if you do not trust in Him in the time of your personal crisis.
When the disciples panicked in the midst of the storm, Jesus rebuked them for their little faith.
Faith and fear are mutually exclusive. If you fear, you are lacking in faith. If you have faith, you will not fear. Chuck Smith
Worry and faith are contradictory to one another. If you worry you do not have faith. If you have faith you do not worry.
The faith of the three Hebrew men, Hananaiah, Michael, and Azariah (Shadrack, Mishac & Abednigo):
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:14-18
Outgunned, outnumbered, and surrounded by the German army at Dunkirk May 26, 1940, the British military command sent a three-word message to London “But if not”. Everyone in that generation of Europe understood the message. Even if they were not delivered from destruction, they were determined to hold their ground. And hold their ground they did. Over the ensuing eight days, assisted by a German decision not to advance, over 800 military ships, fishing boats, luxury boats, and tug boats, and cloudy weather which made it impossible for the German Luftwaffe to strafe the beaches as the soldiers were evacuated, more than 330,000 British, Belgian, and French troops were rescued in what came to be known as the Dunkirk Miracle. It is often cited as a turning point in World War II, and the British even today speak of the “Dunkirk spirit”.
Faith must be modeled. Our faith demonstrates our certainty of the faithfulness of God’s character. He will rescue us in time of need-and if not, we must stand firm, for our ultimate and eternal rescue is certain.
In purity. Paul told Timothy to flee youthful lusts. Run from temptation.
This reminds me, again, of the Hebrew children, teenagers when they were taken from their homes to Babylon. Under Daniel’s leadership, they refused to eat the king’s food, and insisted on eating a vegetarian diet-pulse. After a month they were healthier than all the others in training as wise men.
For the Jews there were all kinds of forms of purity-eating properly, washing your hands and clothes, and body, avoiding touching dead things. For the Christian purity goes beyond all of these things to purity of mind, and heart, and motivation and, perhaps most importantly, relationship.
If you make a commitment to serve the Lord in your work and home there will be many opportunities to demonstrate righteousness or unrighteousness in relationships.
Pastor Chuck Smith gave a message based on 1 Timothy 4:12 to his Youth Pastors. He gave the following guidelines:
• If you don't allow things to get started, you do not have to worry on how to stop.
• Be above suspicion. Paul said, "Abstain from all appearance of evil."
• Don't denigrate your wife before them, do not confess her failings, never put her down. Always speak of her in the most endearing way. Express your intense love for her. Let them know that you could never be interested in any other. This will serve a twofold purpose, it will establish a good example for their future marriage and it will discourage their thinking that they have a chance.
• If you suspect that someone is beginning to be attracted to you, take special safeguards.
• Be an example of purity of mind, purity of heart, and purity of conversation.
• The world is looking for leaders to follow. Too many are attracted to bad examples, and are following them to destruction. Set the example and standard that will lead them to eternal life.
