Explore: Follow sound doctrine

 • This LifeWay Explore the Bible lesson for March 3 focuses on 1 Timothy 1:3-17.

The first letter to Timothy is one of three books in the New Testament called the “Pastoral Epistles.” They derive this name from their addressees—pastors or other leaders in churches. Specifically, two of the pastoral letters are addressed to Timothy and one to Titus. Broadly speaking, each letter is intended to offer encouragement to those involved in ministry in a variety of circumstances. We should not, however, limit their importance to pastors only, since every Christian disciple works at ministry in some way.

First Timothy claims to be written by Paul to his protégé Timothy (described as a “true son in the faith”), who was left in Ephesus when Paul went to Macedonia (v. 3). Timothy, then, is serving in a temporary role, and his function is to hold down the fort by supervising the various communities in Ephesus while Paul is away. As can be seen throughout the letter, this turned out to be not an easy or straight-forward task.

False teachers

The letter warns of false teachers who threaten the faithfulness of the Christians in Ephesus. It is a bit difficult to identify the precise errors of the false teaching, although a few details do emerge, such as an improper use of the Jewish law and perhaps overstated speculation on biblical passages (vv. 4, 7-8). Nonetheless, it is clear the false teaching is not simply a difference of opinion. Rather, it is a serious issue that should be a concern to the Christian community. Therefore, leaders should pay attention to the content of the church’s teaching to ensure it is consistent with the fullness of the gospel. However, any attempts to correct false teaching must be undertaken with the right attitude and aim. As the letter states, the goal of addressing and stopping false teaching is love (v. 5).

Two points can be made here: 1) The false teachers themselves are not teaching out of love, perhaps boasting in their ideas; and 2) correct Christian doctrine is taught for love’s sake. This is important for those who teach within the church to keep in mind. Instructing fellow believers is not an act of displaying one’s superior knowledge, but a careful performance of love that builds the fellowship of authentic Christian community.

Likewise, this admonition to teach correct doctrine should not be misunderstood to involve only ideas. The Christian faith, while it does involve sound doctrine (i.e., theological thoughts), never is merely about having the right ideas in one’s mind. Rather, the importance of right belief is found in developing faithful Christian disciples.

Pictures of faithfulness

As 1 Timothy encourages right teaching, it also presents pictures of faithfulness, or a life lived well in Christ. The author’s thanksgiving to God offers the apostle’s life as an example of faithfulness. Certainly, he was not worthy of such blessing (describing himself as “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man”), but once “the grace of our Lord was poured out” on him, he cultivated these gifts of the gospel into life lived for Jesus (v. 14).

It is important to discuss 1 Timothy 1:17. Many interpreters simply see this as a statement that praises God, but has little to do with the surrounding discussion. In fact, this verse has become part of a well-known hymn, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” (No. 6 in the 1991 Baptist Hymnal). However, we should not falsely separate doctrine from worship. In concert with 1 Timothy’s emphasis on sound doctrine, this doxology, (or a praise statement of God’s glory) links right belief with right worship. In other words, for the church worshipping rightly, thinking rightly and living rightly, are all intertwined. We see this as the author reflects on sound teaching and his own life, where the “King eternal, immortal, invisible” redeemed him and made him part of the people of God. So, our words of worship also are part of what it means to hold to sound doctrine.

The concluding verses of this section offer a contrasting picture of faithlessness, seen in the lives of Hymenaeus and Alexander. These two, who have not only wrong ideas but a wrong life as well, are described as having “shipwrecked their faith” (v. 19). Therefore, we should understand right belief or sound doctrine as a vital part of living out the Christian life. Theological ideas are not separated from one’s relationship with Christ and the Christian community. The encouragement to “fight the good fight” (v. 18) involves our thoughts and ideas, our actions and dispositions, and our relationships. And if we fail to pay attention to sound teaching, we may find ourselves shipwrecked as well.