Today, I was reading in 1st Timothy, and these are the notes I took on what stood out to me. Timothy was a disciple of the Apostle Paul, and this was the first letter he wrote while Timothy was in the church of Ephesus. Timothy was a young man, but he was already entrusted with a position of authority.
Now, let’s break it down:
God’s Call for Young Believers
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
- “Let no one despise you for your youth”
Being young doesn’t disqualify you to be used by God. An example of this is King David. He is believed to have been between the ages of 12 to 16 years old when God anointed him to be king (1 Samuel 16: 11-13). God will use you, no matter your age.
Be the Example: Word, Conduct, Love, Faith, and Purity
- “Set the believers an example”
We are called to be ambassadors for the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 5:20). Ambassadors act in the interest of their country. They are held responsible and accountable in the way they perform their roles. How they move and operate reflects on who sent them.
- “in speech”
Proverbs 18:21 tells us “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” We cannot speak bad (death) about a situation (or someone) and expect good (life) to grow from it.
We are to be intentional with our words. The way we say it matters as well as what we say. How do we know it matters? Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- “in conduct”
The definition of conduct is to cause (oneself) to act or behave in a particular and especially in a controlled manner. Examples of what this may look like is in your manners, your integrity, your reliability.
- “in love”
The most important commandments we receive as believers is to (1) love God with all our heart, our soul, and our mind (Matthew 22:37) and (2) love our neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:39). Everything we do is based on these two commandments.
- “in faith”
Faith in what Jesus did for you on the cross and faith in His word. Believing what He says through His word and through His Spirit is truth and will not prove false or return to Him void.
- “in purity”
In living holy (set apart), living not like the rest of the world and the way culture may try to pull you. To be clean, pure, righteous, free of the contaminates of the world. This is possible only with the Holy Spirit.
Stay committed to the Word
- “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”
Be consistent in getting in community of believers. This means going to church. Yes, this is important for more than just the sermon.
Devote (give all) to reading the Scriptures. There is life in these words.
Encourage others in their faith and teach the Scriptures in truth for the improvement of the body of Christ (that’s us!)
Use Your Gift
- “Do not neglect the gifts you have…”
The Holy Spirit doesn’t hoard away His gifts from us. We are all blessed with a gift/s; don’t leave it to the side to collect dust. Use it!
Practice and Progress
- “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”
Practice: (1) to carry out, apply; (2) to do or perform often, customarily, or habitually. We are called to apply these teaching and do them often. I would even say habitually but always be intentional with this. A habit can become a thoughtless repetitive routine if we let it, and this is something to avoid.
Why this Matters: Salvation and Impact Through Faithfulness
You are not the only one to benefit from your faith. Others see your progress. In this Scripture, Paul is encouraging Timothy to keep himself in check as someone in authority. Because how he moves and operates, other people see. If he says one thing but acts in a way contrary to his word, no one would want to follow him, and he would not be representing Jesus well. But, if his word and his conduct line up, not only together but with the word of God, this encourages and teaches others by example.
We are called to do the same.
This was my Scripture study today. All notes directly from my notebook with more thought included to share with you!
God, thank You for this opportunity to study Your word. Please let it become the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth, that it may be used to give You glory. I pray You would give understanding to each person that comes to this post and let them think on this and what this could look like in their life. Let them come boldly before You because You love to hear from us. Thank You, I love You! In Jesus name, amen.
If there is any other scripture breakdown you would like to read, please let me know!
Terry’ana xx