1 Timothy 6: “Money is the root of all evil”
This oft-quoted statement is actually a misrepresentation of the text and its intent. Specifically, 1 Timothy 6:10 is clear that “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil…” The love of money has always been problematic for man. The love of money caused the prophet Balaam to undermine God’s people (Deut 23:4; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 11). The love of money caused Achan to take what the Lord said belonged to Himself (Joshua 7). The love…
1 Timothy 5: Did Paul endorse social drinking?
“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (1 Tim 5:23). I wish I had $1 for every time I’d heard or read this verse used in defense of social drinking. I wouldn’t be rich, but I’d have more cool stuff! Social drinking has become increasingly problematic for the Lord’s church and evangelicals in general. To be honest, most in the religious world have capitulated to the whims of their…
1 Timothy 4: Some shall depart from the faith
After one departs from a straight line, the further away from that point one goes, the further from “plumb” he will be. Such is the case with religious apostasy. Once initial departures from the truth are embraced, additional departures surely follow. For example, consider how Catholicism in no way resembles the church of which we read in the New Testament. Consider some of the signs of apostasy in today’s text, namely “forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats.”…
1 Timothy 2: God wants all men to be saved
When one begins with a faulty premise, a faulty conclusion assuredly lies ahead. Two of the most atrocious tenets of Calvinism is its adamant denial that God desires everyone to be saved. This horrific picture of God is the result of a misunderstanding of Divine sovereignty and the nature of man. Thus, with a faulty foundation comes numerous faulty conclusions. In the early portion of today’s text, we see two statements concerning God our Savior and Christ Jesus with respect…
1 Timothy 1: The Law, Sound Doctrine, and the Glorious Gospel
One of the greatest mistakes of biblical interpretation is the failure to take into account the use of words in context. For example, many interpret every New Testament use of the word “law” to mean any and every religious injunction. Thus, when they read that man is not justified by works of the law, they erroneously conclude that God has placed no conditions whatsoever on the appropriation of His grace and reception of His blessings. This conclusion generally fails to…
2 Thessalonians 3: Withdraw Yourselves
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us” (2 Thes 3:6). Of all the commands given to the church, perhaps the one most ignored or refused by restorationists is that of withdrawing from disorderly members, commonly called “practicing church discipline.” Congregations that practice church discipline are few, and those who withdraw from unruly members…
2 Thessalonians 2: Who is the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition?
Like its predecessor, 2 Thessalonians gives considerable space to Jesus’ return. In 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12, Paul speaks to the judgment that will take place when Jesus returns. In chapter 2, Paul returns to the time of Jesus’ return. Whereas in 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul speaks of the Second Coming as a thief in the night, in today’s reading he speaks of an event that must precede the Lord’s return, namely the manifestation of “the man of sin,” also called “the…
2 Thessalonians 1: Have You Obeyed the Gospel?
Have you ever pounded fufu? Do you even know what that means? I asked that very question to a group of Christians in Ghana, West Africa some years ago. Everyone in the room knew exactly what I was talking about, because pounding fufu is something that everyone in Ghana has done or witnessed. If you don’t know what it means to pound fufu, then it is certain that you’ve never done it. Have you obeyed the gospel? Do you know…
1 Thessalonians 5: Concerning the Times and Seasons
We began our comments on this epistle by noting that the primary emphasis and theme is “Jesus is Coming!”. The latter part of chapter 4 reassures the brethren that those Christians who have died will be no means be left behind when Jesus returns. Chapter 5 then opens with the timing of the Second Coming. Paul reminds them of their own knowledge that Jesus will come as a thief in the night. This is not the only text that speaks…
1 Thessalonians 4: Possess Your Vessel in Honor
We live in a world of immodesty, rampant immorality and unbridled debauchery. Lest we be deceived, we should know that though this may be a recent mark of the United States, it is certainly nothing new in the world. As bad as things are or appear to be in the States, it still doesn’t compare to many statements of those in Bible times. When God destroyed the world with water, it is said that the thought and intent of EVERY…