Man of God, p.2

Now he's giving Timothy a very personal expectation. In contrast to the character and the evil of the false teachers that were so prominent and ever present are much they were presently trying to find their way into the church. So in contrast to that background exists first Timothy chapter 6 verse 11 but flee from these things you man of God and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. We talk this morning about the phrase first of all man of God talk about how that was a very unique phrase is only use one of the time in the New Testament, but again he saying to me that that's what you are your man of God and eats the spirit of the flow of what Paul saying is the Timothy work at this be intentional about this. Commit yourself to these things. You may rock the opposite of what those false teachers are like, and I told you before, I'll tell you again that if you want to sum up a false teacher is a person who uses he make the sacrilege of the ministry.

He uses it he he comes into it with evil motives so the Hima earned the praise of men so that he might get profit from men and what was the third one I forgot power over me. Thank you, but we also be preaching much beyond their praise profit and power. That's what they're about him and you can just sum it up I don't care what they say what they did and in so many of these guys are very humanly talented they're very impressive, and those who are not principally based in more emotionally swayed are easily drawn in by the you remember Paul warns the unprincipled worldly women in the church that they are constantly chasing every wind of doctrine. They like this. They like that there a fall after this teacher than that teacher.

Well anyway Timothy you're not like that you need to commit yourself to true things and true virtues of a true man of God that we talked about righteousness and that's under II by way the Hon. fruit heat. He said commit yourself to doing right in the eyes of God in the eyes of man, then godliness. He said that's a virtue unit you need to be committed to men's God likeness and then perseverance and that's where we ended and I told you there were two key words about this nest don't quit. You make it down, you might be distraught. You may be anxiety written. You may be discouraged but to words you don't quit, you can't stop what you didn't start God saved you, God called you into his fame. God put you in his church. Now you do what God told you to not about you it's about the glory. Godliness is about your good and you gotta be wise enough and understand, not that what God asked you to do is best for you. So don't quit perseverance and find out what's right and stay with it to you get home now. We ended right before we come to D and our outline of physical bill. The screen felt 30th gentleness, gentleness.

One important word, what a word for those who are in ministry and maybe from Paul's perspective been down the roadway's been through some rough violence. Some dark nights. In fact, this word that's translated from the Greek is the only time the word appears in the New Testament and scholars tell us. The root word has the idea of suffering in. I like to think that the idea here is that pastors who pastored long and who I pastored well have suffered for the faith is no exception to that pastors who pastored long and pastored well have suffered for the faith. And there's a tendency if you're if you're born again child of God when you go through suffering and difficulty. It makes you more gentle, it kinda holds all the rough edges know what's true about those who don't know the Lord. Those who trust in the world will can I just give you up a glaring mental vision of what their lack is the good old the raging feminist hard harsh, bitter, resentful, vindictive is if you don't know the Lord and you go through difficulties you get angry and you you get tough in this sinew you get mad men of God are the woman of God, or any child of God as they go through life storms, trials, and difficulties coming.

God shows his faithful God reveals to them that I'm shaping you and I'm sharpening you and I'm I'm showing you love and ways you don't even think I can love you and you see God's hand so long and then a new gentleness comes in so no wonder I believe the apostle Paul was telling Timothy Timothy work toward this concept of gentleness as you pastor the church.

Now when I said suffering here what you know this is not the idea fatalistic depression. It's being humbled through the trials of life and often the reality is for all of us humbled by our own weakness in her own sinfulness and it helps us to therefore deal with others with gentleness, it saw it's a blessed thing as a pastor to come to the place where there's not open animosities and there's not open and verbal opposition to the truth and there's a general tenor of sweetness and what I call gospel humility in the church and that's when the pastor could really God's people with gentleness, your pastor can always be Jennifer. If a wolf comes in in sheep's clothing is gonna get tough, you got deal with. Paul told Todd of Silva factious man rises up, you reject him after two warnings, you don't go through the steps of Matthew 16 you do you do with him right away. Why because the church matters and can't let hereby harm the bride of Christ.

But overall, gentleness, I would license 612 eldest brother. And if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted those words.

Think of yourself, your week two, you're vulnerable. You could be here next week. The one getting corrected so correct with gentleness in your noggin. There's a balance there's times when you have to be bold and firm.

Paul tells Timothy over in second Timothy chapter 4 he's got a reprieve and rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction time will come in I will not endure sound doctrine, but all that you can. Is that not a good were not just for pastors that not a good work that's not a good word for ball's are ever talking to may one day he's older than me is good nor there's not as many people over the Macy's ducky dial builds one around here follow bus talking to men.

He was older than me and he had the most splendid personality. The most likable personality. I asked would exit how did you get like that. He said I worked at it. I think you said I worked at it you change my life. I've heard that understood that now you know you had people just bite your head off, or they're just short of their just irritable flat just why I am not just my first I just my disposition is just my personality. Well, so much pain that no more stop it with amen and in for Jeff not let this good for me to hear the be board just work at it you don't have it. If you work on it because it's right. Pretty soon it becomes who you are you not to come into Christianity with your unique spin on it. You're coming to Christian conform to the image of Christ. I think the command here Timothy strive toward this gentleness is a good word for me.

I think it's a good word for all of us, but there are times as parents, even as a husband is head of the household pastor the church, a business leader member. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and basically said he will do what I'm telling her Michael had to come and bring a rod when I show up. No, maybe he's saying that figuratively, but he was making a point. But always we handle people with gentleness whenever possible and when there's a gospel humility in the church of the gospel. Humility in the pastor's heart, the man of God looks for a gentle Avenue all that he can Willis go to III and here we go. From what I'm calling these virtuous fruits tomorrow what I considered the virtuous roots again.

Paul didn't state this, but Paul teaches it thoroughly in the that the epistles that he wrote to not in the New Testament teaches is there a lot of time to go into all that, I think what the point I'm making is this was understood the Timothy that the two other virtues that I'm go point out are more the foundation stone the roots that the others grow up off of and extend our flow from it. In one sense know I like to say that all of these are somewhat inseparable. You we we would like to organize and belittle engineers and structure this thing just perfectly.

God's truth just didn't really think that one bleeds over and the other one intertwines with the other one and we have to be real careful about things like fight repentance and faith, whether different things, but you've never had one without the other and so there intertwines so there's intertwining, but these are more the foundation stone of someone. What say, for example, righteousness is the fruit of faith and godliness is the fruit of love.

I would disagree with that but I would add that gentleness and perseverance.

Also, are the fruits of faith and love.

So we sing those for fruits now want to talk about the two roots. The two root virtues say this about both faith and love until I get to breaking each one down.

First of all, Christian faith and Christian love is not something we put on it, something God produces in us.

But secondly, it's something we must work toward and pursue and develop both of those are true. Both of those are true God by the gift of grace gives us faith and God by the power the Holy Spirit shed to brawl the love of God in our hearts, but nevertheless we are to we are to strive and be disciplined and intentional look. Put those on in our lives couple thoughts on own faith.

For example, being foundational, first of all in first Timothy 620 Paul tells Timothy guard what's been entrusted to you. I like the old translation what the word entrusted is translated deposited guard what's been deposited in you now.

I'll get that Paul may be primarily talking about the great doctrines I talked to Timothy they been given over to you there deposited in you, but the word deposit I think would include also the work of God in you because mother like you can't receive the great doctrines Paul was telling Timothy if the spirit wasn't already in their it would deposited first before the doctrine sticks to your soul. So he says that to me.

They think things were just given over to you. You didn't work for that.

You didn't really obtain these. It was given to you by grace.

So the new birth, and all of its blessings, including Paul's teaching to the Timothy work were part of the things that are involved here in these foundational things but one thing is clear faith and love. Precede all other virtues in the Christian life.

I believe they are the twin towers of our Christian profession, faith and love are the twin towers you could say pillars of our Christian profession. So were to pursue.

The Bible says righteousness, godliness, perseverance and gentleness, but all of these flow out of the new birth. It's it it's in the power of the spirit to transform the heart that causes faith and love to come alive in a man.

These are not natural. In man they cannot be created are worked up in the way are summonsed out of the material that makes up the natural man. They come from the new birth. Now while Timothy's conduct as a man of God gives us conviction as to his status as such in every real sense Timothy was made a man of God before he was charged and may die like this.

Just like the word saying again so that you this morning. Bible says you're all Saints the saints at the seed of the sites at that city only wants what know you're not holy ones in perfect cup execution right now for sure, but you stand as a holy war before God and so basically when God challenges Christians and commands Christians and instructs Christians to live a certain way saying live out what you are what Timothy had a little you unique role being called to full-time ministry being appointed by the apostle over the city. This church so he was termed a man of God. In this situation.

Now man of God Timothy live out what you are God saved you, God called you you're the man of God.

Now Timothy live it out. So my point is that this faith that is in Timothy and love that is in Timothy that he is to cultivate and live out, began as the deposits of God's grace in his heart at conversion. One thing is for certain, concerning saving faith. Timothy did not convert himself. You did not convert yourself.

You cannot make yourself be born again, only the spirit of God can do that this reminder says of John 3628 Jesus said, that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I say to you, you must be born again. How does this happen. You said once a mystery verse eight. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it's going. So is everyone who is born of the spirit you can't figure it out you can't put your finger on evangelicals and Baptists for 1/2 or a couple centuries or more, tried to package this thing and the little fleshly hoop jump system. If we just get a system down to get me in born again and that you know what we done.

We packed church is full of men who jump through the hoop, but don't know God well we can't convert ourselves the faith that saves us is in effect a gift from God as a sky background information that I'm building behind faith that virtue that I say is a router foundation for the others.

Now, Ephesians 2, four and five but God would've won a great conjunctive. I wish I had time to go back to verses one through three and tell you why, but God is so important there because you are dead in your trespasses and sins, and Satan was your father, and there's no good in you whatsoever and you are by nature a child of wrath, but God and that status, God acted towards you black let the next phrase because being rich in mercy, God has no limit on the amount of great mercy he shows to the most undeserving and by the way mercy has the idea that God feels a compassion or repeating not just that he acts in good ways toward you because you need the relief it's both. He feels that any acts God's rich in mercy, because of his great love with with with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, notices, made us alive together with Christ by grace you been six it's grace that made you alive when you were dead in trespasses and sin. I'll never forget it. It's you know I told you many times are those will reference points in your spiritual pilgrimage were somebody said something it just stuck with you all never forget Dr. Jimmy Milliken and my systematic theology class Mid-America Baptist theological seminary, exhorting us on this passage and he was such severity as you were dead in your trespasses and sins, but you were made alive. Then he asked this question, I'm I will ask you this question.

You remember what it is.

How dead were you how dead were you got halfway dead, not a percent better. About 50% dead.

No, you go to the funeral home and see if there dead or alive. There dead and we were dead spirit. We couldn't we couldn't make ourselves alive. God made us alive with Christ. Romans 915 and 16 but he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I'll have compassion on whom I will have compassion. What about that which you don't know about that Hegel's last letter got some think I'll be God… That okay with you Baptist think I'll be God on this and okay few Presbyterians okay few Methodists. I think I'll just be God about this about that I'll have mercy when I will have mercy. I have compassion when I won't have compacted phone whom I want to have compassion. Verse 16 of Romans chapter 9 put back up there. Gosper 16 so that it does not do. It does not depend. It does not depend on the man who wails or the man who runs but on God who has mercy.

I don't know but you don't think God's sovereign including salvation, both bags that God's offering up to salvation than man takes over the man sovereign over his own eternal soul. Romans 918. So then he has mercy on whom he desires and he hardens whom he desires will lash that on for little bit. Here's my point.

The faith that saves you came to you as a gift God. For by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not all were sitting. A man should boast.

It is the gift of God.

There's no boasting so let's balance this out at all my Armenian friends to be completely upset with me tonight.

Everyone absolutely everyone, absolutely everyone who repents of their sin and trust Jesus Christ will be say everyone whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord in repentance and faith will be say that's a wonderful truth, they become a child of God. Yet, here's what the Bible refuses to let up on that is that.

Yet back of their saving faith is the sovereign hand of God. My point is Timothy's faith was a grace gift but now he must work to pursue faith not to find it. He must work the following. He must work to live it out. That's why he's commending this here and it is a foundational intergroup virtue that others come from. When you have faith in Jesus Christ, you know. Then all of a sudden you'll find righteousness increase in your life you'll find godliness increasing in your your fun persevering increasing in your life. Perseverance, gentleness, increasing in your life. I that's what he just kept talking about but you grow in faith, though start flowing more. That's why called in the root or a root in our lives. Faith means I love Christ, I embrace Christ and I desire to honor his wisdom and his wisdom says live righteously as witnesses live godly in godliness is wisdom says to persevere. Keep on going.

His wisdom says all that you possibly can function in gentleness do this man of God, what, that's faith.

Let's go for to love never just a moment. That's the other virtue mentioned in verse 11 that I consider a root virtue that others grow out of that fact is it not true. In Galatians 522 of the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, plaintiff wife love Mitch verse. I don't think that's a coincidence is so the foundation stone, but the others flow out of is true that only Christians can love with godly love, only Christians can know and express this kind of love. This love is not natural to us.

This love and the capacity to love as God commands and expects Christians to love is not rather does not come from the fallen natural flesh.

It comes from God was the Bible tells us to tell us in Romans 55 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts of the Holy Spirit who was given the I think that includes both God's love for us is very real in our hearts, but also the capacity to love the agape factor I college sometimes is a gift from God now, but you are responsible, Timothy Godden and follow after this and pursue it and put it on and walk in it, not the love of God really changes our our hearts, the love of God really affects our lives and we love all people better when God's put his love and we especially love the church our brothers and sisters, so there's God's love for us. There's God's love through us and then John says it's our Jesus actually said it.

John wrote it that it's God's love that identifies us with the child of God. All men will know you are my disciples by the love you have one for another. So we must embrace this love and then we are to pursue it. We get into the word.

We pray that we be more loving we repent when were not living like this. We repent when we don't feel that love for our brothers and sisters as we know we ought to we pursue it we persevere to have it. And then when this love is abiding in us and were trying to walk in the flow of it, then we naturally are more righteous than we were before we have more godliness than we did before we will persevere and we will have more gentle. That's why these are all intertwined. But faith and love are real foundation stones of the rest of these grow out of, but here's my final word to you tonight. Just do it.

As we sing to Timothy Timothy I know you don't feel like it. Just do it. Do what's right. Are you discouraged tonight.

Are you depressed your anxiety ridden you find out what your Lords told you to do next and you do it you you grab yourself by the nap of the neck and you do what God told you do think it's really easy if you're under somebody's authority because got to see if at your employees, your work for your employer lot working of the Lord you some of the work and will do everything that woman tells me to do with joy, my heart is doing it under the Lord your why you honor your husband do the next thing you're supposed your church member, you honor your elders.

The next thing you're supposed young people is just super easy for y'all.

You'll by mom and dad, that's the next thing you do that's righteous that's being godly. Now persevere and it and all that you can be gentle men of God.

Timothy do these things be determined and work