Stay away from useless arguments

Stay away from useless arguments

1 Timothy 1:1~11

□ Praise and Sharing

Hymn #450 This is my only wish for the rest of my life

How did you spend last week?

 

The theme for November is 'To become a holy worker' (Week 1 'Away from vain arguments', Week 2 'Discern false teachers', Week 3 'Strive to give yourself to the Lord', Week 4 'Do not pursue the trend of the world'). Christians are not just people who live, but are workers of God who carry out the mission given to each of them. Let's take a month to look at the lessons we need to keep in mind to become holy workers.

 

□ The Word and Sharing

1. The church must be wary of ‘different teachings’ (verses 1-7).

1) Why did Paul let Timothy stay in Ephesus? (verses 3-4)

3 When I was going into Macedonia, I urged you to stay at Ephesus, commanding certain people not to teach a different doctrine.

4 So that you do not get caught up in myths and endless genealogies, which are more like arguments than carrying out God’s plan in faith.

The reason Paul had Timothy stay in Ephesus was to command some people not to teach other doctrines and not to be preoccupied with myths and endless genealogies.

 

2) What are the consequences of the ‘other teachings’ that Paul prohibits? (verse 4)

4 So that you do not get caught up in myths and endless genealogies, which are more like arguments than carrying out God’s plan in faith.

The ‘other teachings’ that Paul prohibits bring about controversy rather than achieving God’s plan in faith.

 

3) What is the purpose of correct(sound) teaching? (verse 5)

5 The goal of this teaching is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

The purpose of sound teaching is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.

 

<Sharing 1> Timothy was given the responsibility to guide the church in Ephesus to break away from false teachings. In this way, God's workers have the responsibility to lead the church in the right direction. What must we do to build a holy church?

We must study and preach so that believers can receive correct teachings without being deceived by false teachings.

 

<Sharing 2> False teachers ignored the essential teachings of faith and boasted of their intellectual superiority by engaging in meaningless arguments. Let’s look into whether there are elements that cause unnecessary arguments or fights within our community, and if so, let’s talk about how we can resolve them.

 

We must keep in mind that the purpose of sound teaching is love that comes from a clean heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith, and we must avoid arguments by communicating with a heart of true love.

 

2. The law becomes good when it is used lawfully (verses 8-11).

1) Who is the law for? (verses 9-10)

9 Know this, that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the lawless, for the disobedient, for the ungodly, for sinners, for the unholy, for the profane, for those who kill their fathers and for those who kill their mothers. And a murderer

10 For those who are sexually immoral, sexually promiscuous, traffickers, liars, swearers, and others who go against sound doctrine.

 

The law is for those who go against sound doctrine.

 

2) What is the correct teaching to follow? (verse 11)

11 This doctrine is according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.

The correct teaching is to follow the glorious gospel of the blessed God.

<Sharing 3> The law was not given for debate, but for a holy life, a life that follows the gospel of the blessed God and Christ. Let’s share what efforts we are making so that the Word can function properly within us and lead to the practice of a holy life.

In order for the Word to function properly within us and lead to the practice of a holy life, we must enjoy the Word of God every day, meditate on it day and night, discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will, and make every effort to obey that will.

□ Let's Pray Together

Lord, help us to discern false doctrine and live out the Word in the right way.

Please help us avoid arguments by communicating with a heart of true love, keeping in mind that the purpose of sound teaching is love that comes from a clean heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith, so as not to cause unnecessary arguments or fights!

Let us enjoy the Word of God every day and meditate on it day and night so that the Word can function properly within us and lead to the practice of a holy life, so that we can discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will and obey it!

 

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