I know not why God's wondrous grace to me he hath made known, nor why unworthy Christ in love redeemed me for his own. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. 

I know not how this saving faith to me he did impart, nor how believing in his word wrought peace within my heart. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. 

I know not how the Spirit moves, convincing men of sin, revealing Jesus through the Word, creating faith in him. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. 

I know not when my Lord may come at night or noonday fair, nor if I walk the veil with him or meet him in the air. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. 

Thank you, Terry, for that good song, and really the message that he is able. He is able. That's our trust and our faith. We're getting to that good time of year where you go out in the morning and the cold doesn't blast you in the face. So it was a beautiful morning this morning, the sun's shining. We praise God for that. 

My eye is healing. If you wondered what happened to my eye, I smacked myself in the face with a shovel. So I've been dumb a long time. 

We're going to start a new book this morning, 1 Timothy, a study in the letter to really the pastoral epistles. These are tremendous letters for the church written by Paul to Timothy, two letters to Timothy and then a letter to Titus. So Lord willing, we'll be working our way through that. 

Timothy and Titus were young pastors of churches in Ephesus and in Crete, respectively. They were each facing great challenges in these churches and needed encouragement and instruction from Paul. It's important to remember when studying really any New Testament letters and perhaps particularly these pastoral epistles that these were real people, that Paul was a real person in real time writing to young pastors in these churches in first century Christianity as the gospel was spreading into the Gentile regions and throughout the world. 

And certainly, we're going to find important doctrinal and practical truths and principles for ourselves for Living Hope Church. By God's grace, this will be an enriching and profitable study for us. But as we interpret and apply these words, we need to keep in mind that they were written to Timothy and Titus in those mid-60s A.D. and address specific issues that they were dealing with in those churches. 

This is late in the ministry of Paul. He calls himself in writing Philemon the Aged. At this point in his ministry, he's a seasoned minister of the gospel. And we see in 2 Timothy at the end of the book, nearing the end of his time on this earth, he writes to Timothy that his time has come. He's being poured out as a drink offering. His service as a preacher of the gospel and evangelist for the Lord is coming near its end. 

He writes to instruct Timothy concerning his pastorate, his personal practice, and in particular, the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These letters give us a peculiar understanding of the relationship of Paul to these young men in the faith whom Paul had begot, had discipled, and had been an example of how a man ought to conduct himself in the ministry. 

We will see that Paul had a very special relationship with Timothy, whom he calls his true son in the faith. And we will see how important these relationships are to the work of the gospel. 

Well, this is a letter written to a young pastor, teaching him how he ought to conduct himself in the house of God, how to organize, oversee, and keep the body of Christ in his charge, focused on the gospel, the doctrine, on Jesus himself. It's intensely practical and important for the church today, and in particular for pastor-teachers who are struggling, as Timothy was, with keeping their eye on Christ as the world and false teaching and cultural pressures and forces within and without do everything in their power to take the focus from Christ, to distract from the doctrine, and to lead the man of God astray in his ministry. 

The church in Ephesus was in danger of being divided and infiltrated with false doctrine, resulting in unrighteous conduct, ending in uselessness or even damage to the cause of Christ. And it was really up to Timothy to right the ship there, and to bring sound doctrine and motive back to the church so that they might abound in fruit in furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So in this, this is the context, this is the intent, this is the purpose of the first letter to Timothy. And we see it summed up in the central verse of the letter in chapter 3 at verse 15, where Paul writes, "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." 

Let's look at our text together this morning, just the first few verses, I won't exhaust these verses this morning, just an introduction. 

1 Timothy 1.1, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, to Timothy, a true son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord, as I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." 

And again, chapter 3, verse 15, I just wanted to highlight, "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God." 

I've given you four points on your outline this morning. Sarah told me I go too fast with these, and I said that's why I give you an outline, but here's the four points, we'll go a little slower if you're writing them down. First, Paul. Second, a true son. Third, no other doctrine. And fourth, the house of God. 

Well, the first word of our text this morning is this, Paul. When I say this word, this name, Paul, what comes to your mind? What does this name mean to you, to your understanding of the gospel, of the Christian life, of truth and doctrine and practice and hope? 

Paul wrote a large part of our New Testament. He was God's apostle to the Gentiles, really to us in particular. His letters, words, doctrine, and example cannot be overstated concerning our knowledge and understanding of the gospel and the Christ's life. 

It's Paul who penned the book of Romans, the letter to the Galatians, some even think the great letter to Hebrews. And he wrote these words before us this morning. 

The greatest legalistic Pharisaical Jew of his day, the fervent, zealous persecutor of the church, the Roman citizen who excelled past all of his contemporaries in his religion and was educated by the finest minds of his time, who had much learning in culture, was on his way to persecute more Christians, to stamp out the way, because it threatened his beloved legalistic religion. 

On his way on the Damascus Road, breathing out threats, tearing at the church like a wild beast, committing men and women to prison and consenting to their death. Saul of Tarsus and all that he was met Jesus on that Damascus Road. He was struck down and blinded, and he had this exchange with the risen, living Lord. 

In Acts 9.3 it says, "As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats.' So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' Then the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.'" 

Here in the book of Acts in 26.19, before King Agrippa, Paul said, "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision." Paul was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, to the calling of Jesus. The gospel preached to Paul. He obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which he was delivered. 

Paul believed Jesus, and he was turned 180 degrees in his zeal and his passion, now not to eliminate Christianity, but to spread it across the earth. And it is so abundantly clear from his life and ministry, from the words he wrote that fill our New Testament, that he trusted and believed with all his heart that the means by which he was to spread the gospel, to bring men to Jesus, was through the preaching of the word of God, through the preaching of that gospel message, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. 

Paul describes himself in verse 1 of our text as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. This greeting or introduction of himself as the author is a little bit different than Paul's standard greeting. He often starts by identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. But here he says, by the commandment of God our Savior. 

This phrase, God our Savior, is a favorite of Paul in this letter to Timothy, and it's used almost exclusively in the pastoral epistles except in one use in the book of Jude. It appears, as we will see as we go through the text of 1 Timothy, that there was some sort of heresy coming into Ephesus that God is not Savior, perhaps not benevolent, or caring for the souls of men, but rather he is the judge and a vindictive one. 

And so we see Paul emphasize the truth of the saving love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ over and over. He talks repeatedly about God's will and desire that all men be saved. This is the most interesting point for a couple of reasons. I think it finds some interesting application in our time, by the way, too. 

First, Paul always likes to jump right in. He starts the very beginning of the letter with words that will identify and meet head-on one of the controversies that Timothy was dealing with in the church. And two, it lays the groundwork for correcting this error. It brings the truth to bear on the false teaching as to clearly confront it and correct it. These are important lessons for us from Paul, even in these opening words. 

God is Savior. God is love. God cares for the souls of men, and He desires that every man be saved. This is the very reason that He sent His only begotten Son into this world, and the implications are right off here that anyone who says different is a liar. God is Savior. 

It was by the commandment of God our Savior that Paul was commissioned to be an apostle, to bring that good news gospel to every creature that every man might believe and be saved. We have tremendous truth right here in the first words of the book concerning Paul, who he was, and why and how he was sent. 

Notice what he writes later in chapter 1 at verse 15. He says, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief." And in chapter 2, verse 1, "Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 

You know what I think that means? I think that means that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. In fact, I looked it up in the Greek, and you know what it says in the Greek? God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. God is Savior, and that's His heart for us. 

Over and over again, Paul emphasizes that God is Savior, that Jesus came to save, that God desires that all men be saved. And this was Paul's life and ministry, to become all things to all men, to sacrifice himself, his comforts, his liberty, that he might save some. 

So we see Paul, and then we see the recipient of this letter, Timothy. Paul met Timothy on his first missionary journey in the town of Lystra. Timothy's father was a Greek, not mentioned by name, but his mother was a Jew, Eunice, and she and grandmother Lois taught Timothy the scriptures from his youth. 

In 2 Timothy 3.10, it says, "But you have carefully followed my doctrine," Paul talking to Timothy. "You have carefully followed my doctrine, my manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Listen what he says to Timothy. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." 

2 Timothy 1.5 says, "When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and then in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also, therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 

Timothy had a faithful mother and grandmother who taught him the scriptures from his youth, the scriptures that Paul said are able to make you wise unto salvation. 

Turn over to Acts 16 with me, please. Acts 16 at verse 1, we see here when Paul first encounters young Timothy. 

Acts 16.1 says, "Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily." 

We see as we read through the book of Acts in chapter 17, 18, 19, and in the epistles that Timothy continued with Paul and was useful to him and to the ministry. And that Paul could trust him to send him or leave him here or there to conduct the ministry in the way that Paul would have himself. And what a blessing this was for Paul. 

In our text, Paul calls Timothy his true son in the faith. He was a believer. But when Paul came to Lystra, he brought new information about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the new covenant, explaining much more completely and thoroughly the salvation plan of God. 

And Timothy placed his faith in Jesus, gladly receiving the message that Paul preached. In this sense, Paul says that Timothy was his begotten, was his born one, technon, his true genuine son in the faith. And how important he was to Paul. 

We will see this develop throughout our study, but this is a really important point that we see here at the beginning. My true son in the faith. Paul was confident of Timothy's salvation, of his commitment to and passion for the gospel and his devotion and loyalty to Paul, including his desire to assist Paul in his ministry and to imitate him as he imitated Christ. 

We see that Paul had a son in the faith that he could trust to do ministry in the way that Paul would, to uphold the doctrine the way Paul would, to correct, to rebuke, to exhort, just as Paul would if he was there. And Paul couldn't always be there. He couldn't be everywhere. What a blessing, a joy, a confidence Paul had when he sent Timothy, when he sent him in his place when he needed to for various reasons. 

Listen to some of these verses, Philippians 2.19, "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state." 

First Thessalonians 3.2, "And sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith." 

And listen to these words from 1 Corinthians 4, "For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." 

1 Corinthians 16.10, "And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord as I also do." 

You can imagine, for Paul, starting all these new churches, and of course there's problems coming back and he's hearing about them and he's concerned, he talked about all those troubles he had, but his greatest trouble was his daily concern for all the churches. And it must have been troublesome for him to not be able to be there, to correct, to teach, to exhort and rebuke, and what a blessing it must have been to be able to send Timothy. 

He could trust Timothy, to do as he would do. This is hard to find, my brothers and sisters. A true disciple who understands the importance of a focus on the gospel, on the simplicity that is in Christ, who will hold fast to the doctrine in all kinds of situations and pressures and problems. One who will do what you would do if you were there. This is what Paul had in Timothy. 

And what an encouragement he was to Paul, even all the way to the end of his life in ministry when Paul was awaiting martyrdom, who was it that Paul sent for? 

Turn to 2 Timothy 4, let's look at that passage. 2 Timothy 4, verse 6. Paul writes to Timothy, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and has departed for Thessalonica, Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry, and Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books especially, the parchments." 

Paul had a very special relationship with Timothy, his true son in the faith. And he could go to be with his Lord in peace, knowing that men like Timothy would carry on his ministry and the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This is the plan of God, as we see with Jesus in the beginning, and the apostles, and the men that they trained, those who would give their lives to preaching and teaching the word of God, and what a joy it is to see such men raised up by God for this very purpose in the church. 

It reminds me of John's word, that I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in the truth. And the converse of that is true as well, there's no greater sorrow than to see my children not walking in the truth. 

And Paul had a true son in the faith, who was a preacher and a teacher and a pastor, and he was walking in the truth. So we see Paul, we see a true son, and next we see no other doctrine, 1 Timothy 1.3. 

"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than godly edification, which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." 

We will see through our study of this letter that Paul is very concerned about doctrine. He is constantly speaking of doctrine. He's exhorting Timothy to give himself entirely to study, to preaching, to teaching, to sound doctrine. 

Had a pastor tell me at lunch one day, doctrine doesn't matter. I don't understand that. I don't understand that at all. Paul thought doctrine mattered. Doctrine is simply teaching about Jesus. How do we know anything? This just keeps coming back to my mind as I study. How do I know anything? 

I only know Jesus, I only know the death, burial, and resurrection, I only know hope, I only know promise, I only know anything. Because it's in this book, His Word. It's the only way I can know. That's my trust, that's my faith, and this book is made up of doctrine, of teaching. Teaching about Jesus, that we might know who He is, that we might know all of this good news, and we might trust and believe and have peace and joy and hope and comfort. 

That we might be effective in this world. Paul was concerned about doctrine. He wants Timothy to correct the false doctrine that is causing confusion and trouble in the church in Ephesus. 

There's a great concern and a great theme in this book concerning true doctrine. In 1 Timothy 4, 6 it says, "If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed." 

Chapter 4, verse 13, "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine." Verse 16, "Give heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 

Chapter 5, verse 17, "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." Chapter 6, verse 1, "Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed." 

Chapter 7, verse 3, "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness." Paul is concerned about doctrine. And this is right where he starts in his opening comments. Command them to teach no other doctrine. 

He talks about that often, Romans 16, 17, Colossians, where he talks about doctrines not according to Christ. False teachings that take us captive, hollow, deceptive philosophies of men. That's just what he's talking about here. 

Teach no other doctrine than that which is consistent with the gospel and with Jesus Christ. The doctrine is summarized in the gospel. Teach the gospel and its implications. And we're going to see Paul right away give us the contrast of the false teachers who wanted to teach the law. 

Verse 5, it says, "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk." 

Listen to Paul's words and apply this in the church today. "Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. 

How do we use the law lawfully? What's the purpose of the law? Why did God give it? What do the Scriptures say? Paul says, "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, murderers of mothers, for manslayers, fornicators, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust." 

You see that? It was committed to his trust. It was committed to Timothy's trust. What an opening statement by Paul. What a way to start his letter. If Timothy had been hassled by, was fighting against, dealing with legalists trying to draw away the brethren in his church in Ephesus, he must have been saying, Yes! Yes! Yes! as he read these words from Paul. 

He must have been encouraged and strengthened to fight the good fight, to teach no other doctrine. Notice the words in verse 4. He says, "Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes, rather than godly edification which is in faith." Teach no other doctrine than the gospel, the doctrines of Christ, and do not give heed to fables. Endless genealogies. 

What is it that edifies? It's sound truth. Truth about Jesus. Doctrine. It builds up. It encourages. It matures believers. Jesus said, "Sanctify them by your truth. Your Word is truth." 

I've been thinking a lot lately in the course of several studies that I'm involved in right now in the Word of God. I've been thinking a lot about the simple command to the preacher and the teacher of the Word of God, the pastor of the church. 

And I think this is most succinctly laid out in 2 Timothy 4, where Paul says, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing in His kingdom, preach the Word." 

Notice that Paul says that he commands, he gives a charge to Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing in His kingdom. My friends, I must give account to God for my ministry. I must stand before Jesus when He comes and I am accountable to Him for that which He has entrusted to me. 

I was going to preach a sermon today on social justice in the church. I think it's an important topic. I kind of had a loose Sunday here after finishing Hebrews, we had communion last week, next week I'm going to be gone. So I thought it would be a good time for a topical message before beginning 1 Timothy. That was my plan. 

Sat down with my notebook, wrote down social justice in the church, and thought, where do I start? And what dawned on me was that I would have to put a lot of my own thoughts and direction into that message, and research a whole lot of worldly stuff and churches and false teachers, and even though I think it's important and it's good and we might do it at some point that's needed in the church today as a warning, I couldn't bring myself to do it. 

I decided just to go on to the next set of verses in the next book in 1 Timothy. And the reason is, my friends, that I believe firmly with all my heart that this is the commission that God has given to me, the charge that I have from Him. 

It is clear from God's Word that this is His will, and this is His method for edification, this is His plan for His church, for evangelism, preaching the gospel, preaching the Word. And so I feel safe here in the confines of these words. And I know that what God wants is for me to say what He says here in His Word of truth. 

Paul charges Timothy one main thing, one main focus, one purpose as pastor and teacher in Ephesus, preach the Word, give heed to the doctrine. And that's what he needed to do for edification, for instruction, for correction in this bringing men to righteousness, to maturity in Christ, to keep false teaching at bay in his church. 

Paul uses genealogies and fables as examples of distractions. The word fables literally means man's conversation. It's translated rumors or stories. It most likely has reference to additions to, mostly by the Jewish rabbis, to the law, to the Word of God. The teaching and ideas of men is what it means. 

Genealogies were a favored study of the Jews concerning the Old Testament genealogies and the lineage and coming of Messiah. The wording here refers to these things as useless and worthless, especially in contrast to that which God has given us to us in His Word concerning our salvation, concerning our hope and His promise. 

To go back to all the Jewish genealogies and pore over them, trying to determine through which line and when the Messiah would come would be a totally useless and frivolous exercise in light of the fact that the Messiah had come and His name is Jesus. And He has taught us all about the new covenant and the gospel and the new covenant in His blood and the promises fulfilled. 

Rather, Paul says, teach those things which are necessary for godly edification. Teach no other doctrine. 

Paul says that the purpose of the commandment to not teach any other doctrine is love from a pure heart, from good conscience, from sincere faith. This speaks of the grace of God through faith, salvation and the Christ life by faith, abiding in Jesus, resting in Him, expressing the love that He has poured out into our hearts. 

This is the essence of the new covenant gospel of Christ, that we have a clear conscience toward God through faith in Jesus Christ. Because of what He's done, we have a pure heart. He's given us a new heart. That's a promise for the new covenant from Ezekiel 26, 36, 26. A new heart, a new spirit, the Holy Spirit to indwell us. We have a clear conscience. Our sins have been paid for. We have sincere faith in Jesus Christ. 

These are the things that matter. This is the purpose of the commandment to not teach all these other things and go off in all these directions and be distracted, causing disputes and not godly edification. The teaching of sound doctrine produces the love of God poured out through us to others through our lives. 

The command of the new covenant to believe Jesus and to love one another. And this is contrasted with those who wanted to be teachers of the law, having endless, useless academic studies of genealogies and engaging in spreading fables and man's wisdom. 

The purpose of the commandment is love. And this love is a reality in our lives because of our salvation, because of a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith. 

What we see in our text, Paul, we see Timothy, a true son in the faith. We see no other doctrine, and finally, we see the house of God. 

The key verse again in the book of 1 Timothy, for our understanding, is chapter 3 at verse 15. "I write, so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." 

The main theme and application of this letter, all the doctrine that Paul is so concerned about, is how we ought to conduct ourselves in the house of God, in the church. And he adds these amazing words about the church. He says it's the pillar and the ground of truth. 

This is where truth exists. This is how truth can come in our world, if it's taught and emphasized and focused on in the church. 

We're going to see many issues covered in this epistle concerning how we should conduct ourselves in the house of God. We're going to see God's plan for evangelism, or submission to authority, men and women's roles in the church, requirements for elders and deacons who serve and oversee in the church, the threat of false doctrine and worldly influence on the church. 

We're going to see how to treat and address the various members of the church, including elders, young women, widows, preachers and teachers. Paul will address finances in the church, how employees should relate to their bosses, and many other practical issues. 

These epistles, these pastoral epistles are written to real men, young pastors with many challenges in their local churches, challenges that we still face today. And the truths that Paul writes to strengthen and encourage and correct are just as applicable for us today. God's truth has not changed. God's plan for the church and for evangelism has not changed. 

And the words to Timothy are vital for the church today to call her back to the simplicity that is in Christ, to a concern for doctrine and truth and defending the gospel against false teaching. 

All these things are important for the believers of Living Hope Church some 2,000 years later to know and understand and believe and apply. But we should be anxious to study together, to work through these verses, these great books of the Bible, the pastoral epistles written to show us how we should conduct ourselves in the house of God, the pillar and the ground of truth. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful that You're our Father, that You desire that every man be saved. You are our Savior. Thank You for sending Jesus to die in our place, to be buried and rise again, manifesting, showing Him to be the Son of God with power. We thank You that He is our salvation, that He is our hope, our comfort, our joy, our promise. 

Father, I just pray that You would help us to understand that all truth is found in Your Word and that we need to be studying and learning, growing, believing, reckoning, and learning to trust You that You might work through us to accomplish Your will and to produce fruit, Lord, for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.