Paul is instructing Timothy (a young pastor) how to deal with “troublemakers” (false teachers) in the local assembly. Throughout this letter to Timothy, Paul is urging Timothy to do three things:
#1. Keep the doctrine pure that Christ gave to the body of Christ through Paul. #2. Refuse fables, false doctrine, and endless genealogies. #3. Godly edifying (building up, educating himself with doctrine first), and then others.
1-A. What does Paul mean, “keep the doctrine pure?” Unmixed, spotless, stainless, uncorrupted, straight. That way, those in your audience who have an honest, and clear good conscience, (moral compass) will recognize the truth when they see, or read it.
1 Tim. 4:12-13 “Let no man despise your youth (because you are young in the ministry). But be an example for believers, In word (speech), conversation, (conduct), in charity (love), in spirit, in faith, in (moral) purity. KEEP THE DOCTRINE (& yourself) PURE, TIMOTHY!
Vs.13. “Until I come, give attendance (devote yourself), to reading (of scripture) to exhortation (preaching and teaching), & to (sound) doctrine (of God’s word). “KEEP THE DOCTRINE PURE, TIMOTHY!
That’s what Apostle Paul meant in Eph. 3:4 “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” KEEP THE DOCTRINE PURE, TIMOTHY!
B. 1 Tim. 1:3 “As I besought (urged) thee (Timothy) to abide (stay on) at Ephesus, when I (Paul) goes to Macedonia, WHY? That thou might charge some (instruct certain pastors) that they TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE. Because Vs 6. “Some (pastors) had swerved (turned aside to vain jangling. (Anything that is contrary to sound doctrine teaching. (Example: Empty arguments, and useless conversations, foolish and unlearned questions). Vs 7. They desired (wanted to be) teachers of the law of Moses even though they did not understand the terms of the law.
Vs. 18 “This charge I commit unto you, Timothy (my son in the gospel)…that thou mightiest war a good warfare (fight the good fight of faith, “good trouble,” in contending with false teachers).
1 Tim. 3:9 “Holding (upholding and fully understanding the mystery, that is, the true doctrine of faith, which is sound doctrine in a pure (clear conscience), resulting in behavior that is consistent with spiritual maturity. (No more “Nepios” or an infant, little child).
C. What is the definition of “Behavior?” It is the way in which someone conducts oneself. “Behavior” acts like a barometer of the soul. It measures, (forecasts) the atmosphere, or maturity, spiritual growth, of a believer. Paul is teaching Timothy (& Pastors today), to watch the “behavior” of the saints in the local assembly. Watch behavior, and it will surely forecast and predict the “measure of faith” (maturity in sound doctrine), that God has given each believer.
This sort of puts us in mind of the “Weaker Brother” concept in Romans 14 Chapter. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believes (who is strong in the faith, sound doctrine, believes) that he may eat meat (or participate in) all things, another, who is weak, (believes he can only) eat herbs & not meat.”
Paul is concerned that we as Saints are “Holding the faith (Sound doctrine) in a pure conscience that results in behavior consistent with spiritual maturity, grown sons, if you will. And let us not lose sight of our subject. Paul is dealing with “troublemakers” in the local assembly, teaching false doctrine. “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to whole- some words….” (1 Tim. 6:3). PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT BEHAVIOR OF SAINTS!
1 Tim. 3:14-15, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: Vs. 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to BEHAVE THYSELF in the House of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
KEEP THYSELF AND THE DOCTRINE PURE! TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE!
2-A. Timothy, Refuse Fables (Lies), False Doctrine, & Endless Genealogies: (Is man in his weak human wisdom, trying to understand God’s word).
1Tim. 1:4 “Neither give heed (don’t pay attention) to fables (lies), & endless genealogies (tracing family history, which only raises questions, & useless human speculation), rather than godly edifying (building up) the faith (sound doctrine): so do.”
Vs. 19 “Holding faith (holding onto sound doctrine, leaning on God completely with absolute trust in his word) and having a good conscience (our moral compass, deciding right from wrong), which some have put away, rejected, concerning sound doctrine & and have made a shipwreck of their faith.”
Vs. 20. “Of whom are Hymenaeus & Alexander (false teachers). They are examples of 1 Timothy 6:3-6: “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions in strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising’s (imaginations)…etc.”
Hymenaeus & Alexander were biblical characters in the dispensation of grace. They are examples of what can happen to a true believer under grace, when they do not fight the good fight, and keep the faith with a clear conscience (moral compass). These two grace believers had rejected the truth, sound doctrine. They had swerved, they had veered off course, turn aside to vain jangling, wrongly dividing the word of truth, away from sound teaching, And had drifted into the dangerous rocks of false teaching. They had made shipwreck of their faith. 00Tossed to and fro like a ship on a stormy sea. And carried about by every wind (kind) shifting doctrine.
That’s why we don’t eat at anybody’s table. Or eat anybody’s food. Know who the cook is in the kitchen. Hymenaeus and Alexander had thrown overboard their good conscience that comes with proper beliefs. In other words, they love their sin. The ship of their faith lost its ballast, or stability it needed, then went out of control, and shipwrecked.
And so, Paul, in our text says: “If any man teach otherwise”…. If any man teach another doctrine, Paul calls them “troublemakers”. Those who except false teachings, create spiritual problems & difficulties for other believers in the body of Christ. Those who ignore their “good conscience,” have had their moral compass corrupted by Satan, and will suffer spiritual damage, like a ship that slams into the rocks and is broken up.
1 Tim. 1:20. So Paul, choosing godliness, “marked them,” by “naming them.” And put Hymenaeus & Alexander, the 2 “troublemakers” (false teachers) out of the assembly, the fellowship. He handed them over to Satan & let him have them for season. This was done so that they & others might learn not to blaspheme, (“teach no other doctrine”), & be disciplined.
Romans 16:17-20:
Now, I beseech (urge) you, brethren, (brothers & sisters) “MARK THEM” (watch them, keep your eyes on those) which cause divisions (causing disunity) and offences (creating stumbling blocks, temptations) for others to commit sin) contrary (opposite) to the (sound) doctrine (teaching, instruction) which ye have learned; and “AVOID THEM (turn away from them)” (Rom. 16:17).
Any other teaching than the sound doctrine learned from Paul is Sin! That is exactly why Paul told Timothy to stay behind at Ephesus, and charge some (pastors who had “swerved, (they had gotten off the track) & were teaching false doctrine (vain jangling). Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor what they affirm (support). Paul told Timothy to “Mark them” (watch & warn them) that they “TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE!” (1 Tim. 1:3-7).
Vs. 17 Has some good advice when dealing with divisive (creators of disunity), or contentious , cantankerous (disagreeable, argumentative, unruly) brethren: Paul said: “MARK them” (watch them), and “AVOID them (keep your distance).”
2. The unity of the Body of Christ is a precious thing, and we are to “endeavour to keep (preserve, watch over) the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Thus, the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian believers in (1 Cor. 1:10): a word of reproof, because Paul knew that the saints could be tempted by Satan, to “swerve,” or get off track! So he writes:
“Now I beseech (urge) you, brethren (brothers & sisters), by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.(1 Cor. 1:10).
3. This is a high standard to maintain, but sincere believers should seriously seek to quell (silence) dissension (division, disunity) in the assembly over personal matters, & opinions. Paul himself had fought hard for the truth. When the Judaizers tried to snare his Gentile converts with circumcision & the Law, telling them, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” Paul & Barnabas “had no small dissension (disagreement) & disputation (dispute or debate) with them” (Acts 15:1-2). Paul writes to the Roman believers about those among them that were causing division (disunity). Paul knew certain of their body members and expressed his love & esteem for them, and urged them all to show the same love toward each other.
It is in this context that he advises them to “avoid” those who would cause “division” (disunity), contrary (opposite) to the doctrine which you have learned. That is, the doctrine of the one Body; the doctrine of the oneness of believers in Christ (Rom. 12:5; I Cor. 12:12). Paul goes on to say that indifference (complacency) to the doctrine was no small matter!
Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:3-5) “If any man teach otherwise, & consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4. He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmising (speculations). 5.Perverse (disagreeable) disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” “MARK (watch) THEM, & AVOID (withdraw, turn away from) THEM.”
In the 18th versePaul refers to the divisive believers as serving not the Lord, but their own belly (meaning they live only for their own selfish gratification, and do not hesitate to deceive the hearts of this simple by good words in fair speeches.
It is important, for the sake of the assembly and of the body of Christ as a whole that such should be MARKED & AVOIDED! A misguided love may tend to pamper such troublemakers, but true, Scripture love for the Saints and for the Lord will see the necessity of leaving such a one severely to himself.
There is a similar case which Paul writes about in 2 Thess 3:14; “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note (MARK) that man, and have no company with him (AVOID), that he may be ashamed.” Such discipline is necessary for the preservation of the work of God, which Satan is willing to destroy.
Remember 1 Cor. 5 concerning the man in the assembly who was sleeping (fornicating) with his father’s wife. Paul rebuked those in the assembly who had turned a blind eye to this sin amongst them. “Your glorying (boasting how spiritual you are) is not good. Know you not that a little leaven (sin) leaveneth (corrupts) the whole lump? Purge (clean) out the old leaven (sin) so then you will be a new lump, as Christ, our Passover, sacrificed for with His blood (vss. 6-7).
Vs 19. “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.”
Paul commends the Roman believers for their faithfulness to the truth, but he would have them “wise unto that which is good, and simple (innocent) concerning evil.” He would have them even-handed in their attitude. Thus, the encouraging words.
Vs 20. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Notice the phrase: “the God of peace.” Peace is what the “divisive brothers” sought to destroy, but the God of peace would soon crush this work of Satan shortly. Christ lives through the believer & His word bruises Satan, and his false ministers, under our feet by His sound doctrine working effectually in us. Satan and his workers cannot stand Paul’s powerful truth. It is in Paul’s epistles that Christ triumphs over him is made known (Col. 2:15).
When a group of believers are strong together in the truth with Christ working through them, laboring to get the message out (1 Tim 2:4), Satan is bruised. Satan hates the final authority of the King James Bible because his lies cannot prevail against it. When Satan and his angels are cast out of the heavenly places, and we, the BOC replaces them, then Satan shall truly be bruised under our feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, Amen. (So be it).
Colman J. Gilliland 