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Introduction:
In this letter to young Timothy the Apostle Paul asserts his
authority as a man of God. Not called by man or himself, but of God. He is
not man sent, but God ordained. He doesn’t have a personal agenda he is
simply there to do the will of God. He is a man that stands there with the
authority of God behind him. He encourages young Timothy to stand firm on
the doctrines of the Bible because of the false teachers that had
infiltrated the Church. (Ills. Satan … “If I can’t lick them, I’ll
join them.” He can’t mess with your salvation, but he tries to mess
with your mind – expound). I believe what is established here is that
the greatest weapon against false doctrine is a genuine Christian, a real,
born again believer. If we are to be REAL and GENUINE there is some advice
that we need to draw from the Word of God today.
I.
BE
REAL (V.5)
The Apostle always talks about being before he talks about doing.
Before he states what we should do,
he states what we should be,
because you’ll never do right
until you are right! There are
4 marks here of a healthy, genuine, born-again believer. These are marks
that are indicators that this person is REAL down to the core of their
soul.
“the end of the commandment” = the aim of the charge. (The charge is
in vv.3-4).
A.
Love - “charity” = agape (1Jn.4:8; Rom.5:5; 1Cor.13; Eph.5; Jn.3:16) – A love that is out of
this world, expound.
B.
Pure Heart - “pure” = unmixed
(army with all half-hearted solders removed). This speaks of our motives.
Our motives are to be unmixed, not only holy in action, but pure in heart.
C.
Good Conscience - “conscience” = knowing with (the
umpire of the soul). The conscience can be seared, expound (1Tim.4:2). The
mark of a REAL Christian is one who keeps a short list on sin because of a
good conscience.
D.
Unfeigned Faith - “unfeigned” = undisguised – not
hypocritical. (Ills. Dead Faith – “faith without works is dead” –
James). (Ills. Miss-placed Faith – difference between believing in and believing on).
II.
TALK REAL (VV.6-7)
(Mat
12:34
) "O
generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Some have swerved from the marks of truth. What is the result:
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