1 Timothy Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Are you appreciative?  If you’re black do you appreciate whites or Asians or Latinos?  If you’re white do you appreciate all the diversity other races bring?  Do you appreciate the poor and ignorant as well as the wealthy and highly educated?  When I traveled in Africa I noticed something amazing to me as an American.  People were as homogeneous, as unified, in Africa as they are in Peking or Tokyo.  In spite of that, when I came to visit and to share the Word of God, I was respected and treated with dignity and I tried to respond in kind. 

One of the first things we in America need to come to grips with is that outside of our own little borders the question of racial equality and diversity is something of a non-starter.  The most divisive problems by far in those countries is religion and the reason for that division is fear.  People in fear tend to respond in anger and mistrust.  Neighbors who might have lived in harmony for years and suddenly look with shock and see that those people over there are different.  Genetically they may be as close as non-family members can be and politically might wave the very same banners.  In a place of fear, none of these things matter because the fear of those differences brings torment (1 John 4:18). 

In the midst of our torment and subsequent anger we are able to commit the most unspeakable atrocities and feel justified in those actions.  Men have hacked unborn children from their mother’s wombs knowing that those children would grow up into enemies.  We have turned into brute beasts to accomplish what…victory?  Hardly.  Whenever we have lost that which makes us worthy of the God we serve we have lost everything, even if we are the last ones standing.

In Christ Jesus we are called to a higher standard, in fact Paul said the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or natural at all but spiritual and mighty through God (2 Corinthians 10:4).  It is with these weapons of war that we are finally able to succeed and win against the far more frightening natural weapons of combat.  If you slay the body you have won little more than your own downfall but if you win the spirit you have won all.  God is love.  I won’t say that OUR God is love because there is but one creator in the universe and if you take a moment to realize that the God whose Word is totally prophetic, flawless and without error must be the true God then that God must be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

I am not a fool though.  I understand that in the end there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  You weep in fear and hopelessness but you gnash your teeth in anger and rage.  There will be some that die, who even after being forced to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and then being cast into Hell, will never give up the anger and rage that has given them strength for years or will never overcome the fears and doubts that have kept them away from God in the first place.  Perhaps that is the terror of Hell, that we will spend an eternity forced to endure ourselves without hope of change or growth.

Maybe you are saying, “Wow, the preacher is really gloomy today.”  It’s not that I’m gloomy, just concerned for those who straddle the fence between belief and unbelief hoping that a powerful breeze will blow them one way or the other into assurance.  I saw a cartoon the other day showing two doors.  One said “Sound Doctrine” and the other said “Words to tingle your ears (2 Timothy 4:3).  One or two people were entering the first door and a line stretched out of sight for the second.  This is my concern.  These aren’t just sinners who will believe anything you can dance to, these are supposedly believers who should know better because if you know God’s Word, you DO know better.  If you know His Word, believe His Word, submit to His Word and by faith walk in His Word you will be saved.  Believing means all of these things, not merely saying so and walking another way.

Having said that, if you will turn in your Bibles to First Timothy, Chapter two verse one let us begin.

1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

The word exhort is parakaleo where we get the word paraclete, for one who walks along side and gives comfort.  Paul does not merely give you encouragement to do the things he is about to mention but walks along side with you and is encouraging you as a father in the faith to do these things.  The man who destroyed the church has changed and become the man who holds your hand in prayer during difficult times.  He has embraced Jesus our intercessor and has become like Him.  In that capacity he walked with his spiritual son Timothy like your spiritual father’s walked along side you to give you strength until you learned to draw it directly from the Father in Heaven.

Supplications – deesis – in a word, begging God for an answer.  Prayers - proseuche – this can mean earnestly praying for something or even a specific place of prayer where you meet God.  You can pray anywhere but quite often God meets us at a specific place.  Apostle Joseph Sims had a particular pew he prayed on in the sanctuary.  That was his place.  Where is yours?  Intercessions – enteuxis – this is a coming together for agreement.  It is two hands clasped together in prayer for another’s trials.  Where any two or three gather in my name there I am in their midst (Matthew 18:20).  This is where you forgive one another.  How can you travel together except you agree.  Giving of Thanks - eucharistia – Lord, you are awesome.  We worship and adore you.  Father, I appreciate you!  Thank you for my breath and heartbeat and a place to live.

It goes on to say that these prayers are to be made for ALL men.  The word ‘men’ is anthropos which includes all of humanity, rich and poor, male and female, Christian or not.  This is another reason I am so frustrated by the anger and unforgiveness which is found in the church.  We are to emulate our Savior by enduring hardness in silence and offering grace in the most difficult of times.  If we as saints of God ask God to curse or punish another then we have become judges and in every manner you judge another you shall be judged (Matthew 7:1-2).  Men ought always pray and not faint (Luke 18:1).  This means we are to beg and plead with God, link our arms in love with others and press in our private prayer closet for all men. 

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Do you suppose that leaders of government always know the right thing to do?  They have their advisors and counselors who have their own agendas to further.  Even if the leader is a born again believer of God and has Jesus in his or her heart, it does not mean they will always make the right decisions.  If they do not know God they are even less likely to make quality decisions.  For this reason we are to pray for all those who have rule over us and authority so our lives might be free to worship and serve God as we continue in this life.  The word peaceable means restful, without political upheavals threatening us.  If you can see the signs of the times in various countries there is a real need for us to pray for our leaders.

Do you live a godly life?  Is your heart focused on heavenly things?  God expects us to live in the here and now while also pressing toward the then and there of Heaven.  We are in this world but not of it.  We have every right as those who live in the heavenlies and on Earth to speak on behalf of those leaders God has placed over us.  We are commanded to pray for them so they might make wise and well thought decisions and pray for those who hate us that their counsel fails them and they are made ineffectual.  Don’t be a trickster.  Be honest and above board in all things.  Our faith in God is based in the truth of God and our truth is the Word of God.  Be true to your Lord.  His Word is worthy of life and death obedience.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

Good – kalos – good, better, best.  Worthy.  Acceptable – apodektos – agreeable and approved.  This is just a hint of Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  In one Paul is asking you to sacrifice your living bodies and in the other you are being asked to sacrifice your living prayers. In others you are asked to sacrifice all you are and own.  In other words, your life is a sacrifice to God as Christ’s was a sacrifice for you. 

It really does take all that, but the rewards are eternal.  My point is that God has chosen you to walk this walk and waves Joshua 1:1-9 before you.  “Be thou strong and very courageous.”  Israel had to learn to be courageous.  You too will learn if you press in with your whole heart and trust God to work it out in your life.  So many of us have walked in fear because that is Satan’s greatest weapon.  Learn to love God beloved.  Learn to love one another.  Once that happens you will not fear because perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).  Notice how that scripture fits with the two above? 

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

God wants us to love Him like He loves us.  Throughout history men have conquered others in the name of the Lord.  What a bald faced lie or self delusion.  God called us to “go ye into highways and hedges and compel them to come in (Matthew 22:9-10, Luke 14:23).  What is the purpose of this compelling?  To attend a wedding of the Son of God to ourselves.  How can we possibly consider carnal warfare against any to compel them to come to their own wedding?  Jesus is not the terror who snatches his bride by her hair and drags her off to have His way.  Jesus is a loving suitor who tenderly and graciously proves His love in a thousand ways.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Eve was the first bride who unfortunately listened to the whispered deceit of the Devil and was followed into this infamy by her husband.  She cursed all brides after this manner and as we know that all things flow first naturally and then spiritually (1 Corinthians 15:46).  Because of this cycle of two natures, the bride who first fell was a woman but spiritually the bride which fell was neither male nor female because in Christ there is neither (Galatians 3:28). 

I have been shocked at just how little grace and respect men offer to women.  We behave as if all the troubles of mankind are the fault of womankind rather than that of our own fallen natures.  Beloved, Eve was deceived, Adam was not.  Who had the greater sin, the one who sinned inadvertently or the one who sinned with full knowledge of that sin?  I submit that even scripture says in this case Adam had the greater sin.  Mankind as a whole has not fallen due to Eve’s failure but by Adam’s. 

Scripture states that the woman is the weaker vessel and we as men of God are to help them stand strong.  One day I hope to have someone explain to me by God’s word why we ought to treat women poorly when we have been given a higher responsibility.  Perhaps we choose to hide our responsibility in blame in the hopes that God will not remember that responsibility.  I do not think God is half as foolish as that.  I have made many decisions even knowing that God supported me in those decisions only to have Him explain such decisions were allowed by my weakness and His grace and not by my nobility. 

My purpose for these surmisings is that we might all, male or female, recognize our need for a Savior.  That need is not made less because you were born male and more if female.  Your need for a Savior is ABSOLUTE whether you are wise or fool, man or woman, weak or strong, young or old.  If you sleep in a mansion or shack, walk barefoot or fly in the most expensive jets, you are pitiful, wretched, naked and poor in all areas that matter to you in any permanent way.

You need a savior.

6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

How wonderful is it that Jesus did not ask you your bank account or what degree you have obtained before He was willing to surrender his life for you.  He didn’t care if you were living in a cardboard box under a bridge or the Taj Mahal, Christ died for you so your debt, your blood guilt might be paid in full.  He planned this act before the beginning of all time and accomplished it exactly on time.  The basic gift, the eternal reward of life did not cost you anything but faith in the act.

7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

Read verse 7 well.  Ordained means that you have prostrated yourself in total surrender and submission to the responsibilities laid out.  You might say, “Thank God I am not a preacher or an apostle.”  Really?  What is a preacher but a herald who cries aloud and spares not; someone who speaks with authority the message of his Lord.  “But I’m not ordained,” you say?  To whom was it said, “Go ye into all the world.  Teach all nations.  Baptizing them…”  Wasn’t that charge given to all men and women in Christ Jesus?

“Fine, but I’m not an apostle.  That I’m sure of.”  I understand.  After all, an apostle is sent by God to do a work.  He often performs miracles and prophetic utterances.  Apostle’s have had experiences where they have seen Jesus or observed His power and authority directly.  Have you ever been sent by God to do anything?  Do you prophesy or have you ever observed miracles happen while in prayer? 

I admit I am pulling on your coattail a little here but in reality aren’t we all messengers of our Lord, sent to do His bidding and speak His words to the lost around us?  Don’t all who live by faith experience the miraculous to greater or lesser degree in their lives?  Perhaps you are not called as an apostle but doesn’t everyone have apostolic duties to perform from time to time.  I maintain that we all are more than we think and can accomplish more in Christ than we ever have before.  Therefore…

8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

I don’t understand preacher, why would we lift up our hands in wrath?  Remember what wrath is?  The Greek word is orge, from which we get orgy.  It has to do with unrestrained anger, impulse, aggravation, rage and passion; in other words, it has to do with everything the flesh desires rather than what God desires.  God’s passion tends toward love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, longsuffering and faith.  He expects us to experience and live these without doubting. 

Now you might say, “That’s easy.  I love.  I am gentle toward others.  What’s so hard?  Do you love those who despitefully use you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for the sake of Jesus name?  Well?  I have known so very many ‘saints’ of God who do not suffer fools or rude or irritating people.  I’ve heard people offer to give a good Holy Ghost thrashing.  These are saints of God who are unforgiving and unmerciful and ungrateful.  They wallpaper their hate in a false love and false grace while their hearts are full of bitterness and anger.

Do you know those who are always getting ahead of you?  Does it bother you?  Shame.  Do you know those who think they're better than you?  Does it make you feel inferior or angry?  Shame.  Do you know those who by race or sex or any external and superficial difference seem to be better received or more quickly accepted than you?  Don’t get me wrong.  I know it happens but does it get your blood in a boil?  Shame.  Who do you belong to, yourself or God?  Who makes a way for you to have a job, yourself or God?  Who makes you what you are?  I know many of you who press more and more into education and obtain better and higher degrees.  Are you a better saint for them or just more educated? 

Your peace of mind ought to be in Him and what He is doing in your life, not in your external treatment by others.  Not one white supremacist or one black activist or one rich elitist can hold a candle to the man or woman God has chosen you to be once you are firmly in the middle of His will.  It doesn’t matter if they gnash their teeth at you and talk about your mother, it only matters what your King of kings and Lord of lords has to say.  In fact, they had better get used to gnashing their teeth because my Bible says there will be a lot of that going on where they're going.  Just make sure you don’t join them.

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

First of all notice that verse nine and ten are the same sentence.  It says, “Don’t do these things but do this instead.”  Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  In verse nine it says, “Women ought to decorate themselves in modest (non-sexually enticing) apparel with modest and humble hearts, sober minded, not foolish or argumentative.  Do not decorate and plait your hair with attention grabbing styles designed to draw men’s souls away from God.  This also applies to decorations of gold, pearls and precious gems.  Your life should be a pattern of good works in the service of God.

1 Peter 3:3 says: Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Peter’s charge is not one presented as being a good idea but is presented as being directly from the heart of God.  To say I have known Christian women who live a life of challenge, argument and disagreement would be an understatement.  I have also known women who exemplify this pattern found in 1 Peter 3 and 1 Timothy 2.  It is both refreshing and a great comfort.  A woman who is always argumentative and drips disdain and disrespect is twice cursed by God and man while one who is gracious and respectful will be honored by both.

I will not say that MANkind has always been honorable and respectful to WOMANkind but there is never an excuse to do less than God requires.  Scripture is not written by men who wish to build kingdoms though it is occasionally twisted in that manner through translation.  Scripture was written by men who were overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and wrote what they were told to write in the manner they were told to write it.  Whether we agree or not, God will uphold His Word at any cost.

11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

Another way of phrasing this verse is… “Learning, let the woman learn through stillness (quietness) in complete obedience and submission.”  Now that I have half of humanity howling with passion, remember that I didn’t choose these words and Paul didn’t choose these words.  God did.  I have observed men and women who have had absolutely no training in God’s Word and it is a frightening thing to see either out of control.  It is far more likely that an angry woman will lead with her tongue however. 

I watched an episode of a weekly show the other day and a woman came in to a shop because a game she purchased for her son didn’t work.  The manager had a rule in place that when you purchase a game “as is” there is a no return policy.  The woman from the moment she came into the shop would not stop talking.  She talked about the game, talked about the shop, talked about the store owner, would not be quiet.

The store owner politely asked her to stop talking so he could say something and the moment he opened his mouth she began haranguing him again.  He threw her out of the store.  She came back again later that day and still would not let the man get in a word.  He threw her out again.  She ignored her own husband who was trying to speak to the owner so the owner suggested the man come back the next day.  When the man came in the next day the owner said, “This is what I am willing to do even though I am not required to do anything.  I will replace the game for good customer relations.”  The man agreed and left the store happy, the woman looked like a lunatic on national television.

Why wouldn’t she allow him to speak?  Why did she insist upon hearing the sound of her voice when she had no power over the store owner whatsoever.  I am going to step out on a limb here that whatever tendencies men may have toward violence or other ways of disagreement, women have their own.  Because of Adam and Eve God has placed certain restrictions upon women which are generally accepted throughout the world even though women chafe under this subjection. 

Most women would not agree it is fair or reasonable and I for one will not even enter into the argument.  Gods Word is His Word.  It is not open to private interpretation.  It is not an allegory or fable.  It is what He says it is.  In all truth men usually fail to live up to God’s standards for their life also.  I try to live up to His standards no matter how I might fail.  A woman ought to try and live up to His standards.  One fact which ought to be understood by men and women is that it is much easier to learn with one’s eyes and ears open and one’s mouth shut. 

12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

“…however, liberty is not given to a woman to teach or be the master over a man, domineering over him.”  This one verse has done more to prevent strong, educated, highly trained women from becoming great Christian theologians than any other.  It is nevertheless what the Lord had Paul write in this case.  Adam and Eve were not created as a matched set by God.  He created Adam and understanding that Adam needed companionship of humankind as much as he needed a relationship with God, our Lord created woman out of man. 

I grew up under a strong man of God who was married to a highly intelligent and highly anointed woman of God.  She was frequently frustrated by his restraint over her life but she nevertheless submitted to it.  This doesn’t mean that the man will always make the right decisions or that the woman might not have better understanding than he does on occasion.  It means that God ordains and honors order and though Jesus and our Heavenly Father are equal, Jesus still submitted to His Father unto death.   This is His example for us to follow.  God set this example and expects us to obey it without argument.  Is there any wonder that the two areas where Satan has had the most success is creating weak men who refuse to lead by example and strong women who will not submit to God’s purpose.

I acknowledge with absolute certainty that it is terribly difficult for a woman to submit to a man who is not serving God and does not take care of life’s business, but I also know God does not give us the opportunity to pick and choose which commandments we might want to obey.

Does this mean I won’t serve a woman leader who walks under God’s anointing and walks in His wisdom?  Those of you who know me know that is not the case.  Do I believe it is better for the man God has chosen to step up and honor the call of God with his complete heart?  Of course.  In the meantime I will continue to serve God and submit to the leader He has placed over me.  One thing I believe with my whole heart is that as David refused to remove Saul even when God had lifted his spirit from him, I will allow God to make the changes in a ministry where no qualified man is available and a woman is the best and most anointed choice to lead.  God Himself will provide the replacement in His time and I will be rewarded for my obedience to the one God has set in place be they male or female.

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Eve missed God by being deceived.  Adam saw the trap but his love for Eve made him go along.  God honored this love and while he cursed Eve in one area, He left her a hope in another, and while He honored Adam He cast him out of the garden.  We as men and women have had to pay for their sin and our basic natures have not changed since that time.  Men and women were created for each other and even those lost souls who choose to find a partner of the same sex choose one whose personality is a foil for their need; one will always take the male part and one the female.

God has told us His rules and boundaries for this life and while there is no male nor female in the life to come, in fact there is perfect unity and perfect equality, there is a difference here on earth.  I understand why God did not leave instructions for men to silence women or force women to be in subjection.  Our male barbarism and lack of spiritual maturity has ruined many good women over the centuries.  Scripture says a woman shall keep herself under subjection to her husband and shall control her own natural inclination to speak when it is time to listen. 

Men often choose to conquer everything and everyone but themselves.  I am persuaded that if men in the church will lead with grace, wisdom, spiritual maturity and love as God has ordained and the women will take that anointed seed as helpmeets, their love and natural ability to bring forth life will insure their husband’s talent is neither barren nor unfruitful. 

Spiritually there is no difference between men and women.  The differences are all in the flesh and the way our natural minds operate.  In some religions a man serves a god so he may have even more natural passions after death.  This attitude is for itching ears who will not understand the truth.  Truth dictates that men and women are equal in spirit and one day men will stand before God and explain why we have abused or misused this great spousal gift He gave us.

Likewise the women will stand before God and explain why their husbands failed in their God given charge because they did not help him bring it to fruition.  We are created equal in spirit, one in flesh and different, you might say diverse in administration.  Scripture says that God gives more abundant honor to that part which lacks.  If a godly woman is not as strong as a godly man then she is honored all the more before God. 

15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Bearing children has always been the most difficult of tasks for a woman to perform because it was the most spiritual and most necessary.  Notice the tools of safe childbearing are the very same spoken of earlier in this chapter; faith, charity (love), holiness and its accompanying quietness and steadiness.  A woman may not like this but God has spoken and our responsibility as saints of God is to submit to His scripture. 

One thing I do believe is that this does not free up a man to assail a woman for faithfully surrendering herself to a work when God laid it before her.  I believe with my whole heart that for every hard working and dedicated woman over a ministry there is a man who abdicated the position.  Scripture also says a house divided against itself will not stand.  Men and women make up a house and no amount of rhetoric will change that sacred truth. 

Households made up of two men have no womb to produce fruit.  Those made up of two women have no seed to become pregnant.  To be sure in this day of science and social bastardization of God’s commandments there are ways to get around those problems.  A man couple can adopt and with the science of formulas and glass, plastic and rubber might nurse a child while a woman couple might by breaking the commandment of fidelity become pregnant with the seed of some stranger whether through science or intercourse; but both have broken the commandments of God and have chosen to ignore His gracious gifts.

I am quite sure I have alienated and angered any number of men or women with this lesson but I have endeavored in love to be as gracious and free as God’s Word and conscience will allow.  For this cause I leave you with one last scripture beloved.  Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  Apostle Martin Hernandez would say, “It’s tight but it’s right.”

Bishop J