Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Like to turn to first Timothy and the third chapter, First Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15. But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou artist to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.
Scene of angels preached under the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory.
Well, I believe rather than that these two verses give us the key to this whole epistle, and I'd like to look at this first epistle of Timothy as what we might call a model house. You know, we often speak of First Timothy as being a truth that brings before us the House of God in order. And seeing it is the House of God in order, we can expect that this epistle will take up every part of our life in such a way as to show us.
How there is that which is a testimony here in this world to God's order. And this is very beautiful. I'm sure many of us have gone into a new development and you've looked at a model house, and as you walk through the house, you saw how the one who had built that house planned that everything should be set up and fixed to the best advantage. Now you might go back there after someone has bought it and found everything far from what the original plan was.
But nevertheless, it was very interesting to see what the plan of the builder was.
How he intended it to be. And I believe, brethren, that that's just exactly what we have in First Timothy. And I'm sure if we look at it carefully, there are many things that we can learn as we look at the epistle in this light. For God has given us light for everything that we need, not only telling us the way of salvation, but telling us of that which is pleasing to him. And in a world where men are trying to follow their own ideas in order, isn't it lovely to see?
That God does have an order, and that He has that which He intends in this earth.
To be a testimony for him, maintaining his truth, and displaying in a practical way the character that is according to godliness. And you can see from these two verses that that is what is brought before us in this epistle. It says, if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how the oddest to behave thyself in the House of God. I might say that.
When it speaks this way, it's not talking about a physical building.
That you could call the House of God. Very often in Christendom why they look at a building and it's erected for a religious purpose and it's called the House of God. But in the scripture we know that it's a building composed of living stones. And as Peter tells us, he also has living stones. Or build up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices.
Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
So we're not talking about just how we behave in the meeting room, it's how we behave as a testimony in this world, as being that which is responsible to maintain the truth of God and walk in godliness, So it says, which is the Church of the living God. What a remarkable and wonderful expression, the Church of the living God, to think that the word church means the called out ones and to know that God has in this earth.
People that are called out don't belong to this world, are not part of the world system at all, but have been called out from this world, called out as a people that belong to heaven. Citizens of heaven are those who represent heaven upon earth, so it tells us. Paul speaking in 2nd Corinthians 5, says Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ dead.
Be reconciled to God.
Church of the Living God, what a solemnity, what a responsibility.
To be the called out ones in this world who belong to the living God, who are living stones. We know in the Old Testament that temple was a place, as it tells us in the Sam's. Every whit of it was to show forth God's glory, and it ought to be so with us. That ought to be the main purpose of our lives, to be to his glory, as we sang into our little hymn. In him it is ordained to raise a temple to Jehovah's praise.
Composed of all the Saints who own no Savior but the living Stone.
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So it's the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground or is it believe it says the stay in the margin or the support of the truth. Now who is going to maintain the truth in this world? Do we expect the public press to maintain the truth of God? Always say no, you can't rely on what you read in the daily newspaper. Well, who can and who is responsible to maintain the truth of God in this world? The Church of the living God.
What a responsibility then.
God has given us a deposit of truth and Paul exhorted Timothy, hold fast to the truth. Hold fast the form of sound words oh Timothy, hold fast that which is committed to thy trust and to us who have been made part of the Church of the living God. We have a great responsibility in this world and that is to uphold the whole truth of God. We have no right to deal with our.
As we would with the opinions of man. When a man gives you his opinion, why you have a right to question it. But when God gives us His truth in His Word, it's our responsibility to take it and bow to it. My father used to sometimes say, every book that I read I judge except one book and that is the Bible. It judges me. And that is very important for us. We have no right to traffic with the truth of God as though we could accept this and.
This aside, I know many Christians do. They say, well, you know, we, we don't accept that and we're living in a different age. And so they accept parts and set aside parts. We have no right to do that here. We find that the assembly is to be the pillar and support of the truth. We are responsible, brethren, I say, to hold a positive truth that has been committed to us and that is a great privilege as well as a great responsibility.
And then it goes on to speak in the next verse of the.
Secret of godliness and without controversy. Great is the mystery or secret of godliness.
And that is, not only ought people to know the Church of the living God as that which supports and stands for the whole truth of God, but also they ought to see, when they get to know us, a pattern of godliness. They ought to see in our lives that it isn't just truth that we hold and say that we believe, but it doesn't affect us, but that which has a practical effect in our lives.
The Lord Jesus when he was here in this world.
Could say, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. He was a living example of the truth. When they asked Him who He was, He could say altogether that which I said unto you from the beginning. His whole life corresponded perfectly with who He was, and was the full fulfillment of all that God said about the Messiah who would come and be among them. He was the secret of godliness.
He was one, as I say, who sold perfectly a glorified God and manifested Him.
That he could say, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. And so the secret of godliness is not that you follow some godly brother. You say, well, he's a godly brother. I think that what he does must be all right because he loves the Lord so much. Now the secret of godliness is the pathway of the Lord Jesus. It's true we can imitate the faith of others, but all want a mistake to follow others. You'd get into almost all kinds of error and perhaps into some sad mistakes in your.
Personal life if you follow godly man, someone has said, and I was shocked when I read the statement, that at the root of every error in the professing church has been some godly, pious man, yes, some man who was a godly man and because he gave out something, people accepted it without searching the scriptures to see if it were so and so here we find we have the the.
Pillar and support of the truth and the secret of godliness. And notice what it says.
About the Lord Jesus, God was manifest in the flesh. Just think of that one, as I said, who so perfectly glorified God that as we had in our chapter in the meetings, he was the image of the invisible God man here in this world. And when people looked at him, you say, what is God like? A perfect manifestation of it in the life of the Lord Jesus.
I see him standing still at the cry of a blind man.
I say that's the God whom I know. I see him weeping at the grave of Lazarus. I see that's the God I know. Here was the one who perfectly displayed him. And that's the secret of godliness because the Lord Jesus is the pattern or example for us. He left us an example that we should follow his steps and then he was justified in the Spirit. It wasn't always justified by man. Many people found fault with him, many people sediment.
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He was sought at night of the builders, but he was justified in the Spirit. And if there was any question as to this, why, when he goes with that company to be baptized, all the rest were confessing their sins. But the Spirit of God comes upon him and marks him out, and says, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. He was marked out by the Spirit of God. Are you and I satisfied?
God's approval. Or do we say, well, if other people don't like me, I just can't stand it?
I've got to have the approval of my peers. Oh, the Lord Jesus was content.
To have the approval of His Father and be marked out by the Spirit of God on that day, and then it says preached on a scene of angels is not a beautiful word too. Here was their angels looking down and seeing their Creator walking in this world, walking, shall I say, in a form lower than themselves. He took a place that says He was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. So here was.
God down in this world as a man lower than the angels, and the angels looked down and saw one in this world, the 1St man who had perfectly glorified God. And you know this is interesting for us too, because Paul said we made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men, even in connection with a sister wearing a covering it says she should because of the angels, the angels.
They look down to see whether we recognize God's order in the creation.
The man in his place and the woman in hers and the angels are observers even in connection with the truth of the mystery. It says to the intent of noun to the principalities and heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God. Angels look down and saw that blessed One walking here in this world ever to please his Father. And then it says.
Preached under the Gentiles. Why is this brought in? Oh, I think there's something lovely in this, brethren.
Preached under the Gentiles when He was rejected by the nation, we see grace reaching out beyond the limits of Israel.
And blessing the Gentile. Oh, I think that is so encouraging because sometimes you undertake to do something and you feel it you failed in it. Or perhaps that the ones that you sought to help didn't accept the help that you wanted to give them to get discouraged and give up.
Do you say, oh, it's no use? Why isn't it lovely to see the Lord Jesus? He accepted the rejection of the nation from from the Father. He said, I thank the Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes, that grace that was in his heart could not be held in. And so if someone does something to you that hurts, don't give up. Don't say it's no use.
Why? The Lord went on.
And when rejected by the nation, the grace was so panned up, shall I say in his blessed heart, that it reached out to the Gentile. He couldn't be any less than what he was in himself, full of grace and truth, and then to believed on in the world. Isn't this beautiful too? Because at the end of his pathway it didn't seem as if he had accomplished very much in this world. It says Messiah the Prince was cut off and had nothing.
The nation rejected him, his disciples forsook him and fled. It seemed as if he has blessed pathway had been in vain. Is there fruit from it? Oh, he's going to see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied believed on in the world. And perhaps I could put it this way. Don't try to count your results this side of the glory. Leave that to the coming day. That's the secret of godliness. You'll give up.
Or you're good. Proud. One or the other. If you think you're accomplishing a lot, you'll get proud.
And if you think your work isn't accomplishing very much, you'll be discouraged. But if you're content to wait the Father's time, then everything is going to be properly made known in that day, believed on in the world. There will be fruits. We're going to meet blind Bartimaeus in the glory. We're going to meet the woman of psycho as well. We're going to meet many others. But the Lord Jesus was despised and rejected here. And then, it says received up in glory.
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That was the end of his pathway and he was received up in the glory. And so I say again this I want to look at this epistle as being a little pattern for us. First of all, that we are responsible to maintain and stand for the whole truth of God. And secondly, that in the city of Burbank and in the city of Ottawa, where I live and every place.
Why? As there should be, as people look at those who bear the name of Christ.
A testimony to those two things that we will not compromise the truth of God, that we stand for it.
And that as they watch our lives, they see the secret of godliness, they see Christ likeness in US. Oh, what a what a responsibility, but oh, what a privilege, what a privilege it is to be representatives of heaven here in this world. And now let us go back. And I just like to trace through in this epistle a few things that bring this before us, which I think are very.
Interesting.
In the in the first chapter we see how that Paul had left Timothy at.
At emphasis, just notice here in the third verse of the first chapter, as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia. The Talmud has charged some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith so do.
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Paul had besought Timothy to remain at Ephesus, and his desire was that there might be in the assembly there at Ephesus ministry that would have this result. I believe the other translation of the fifth verse reads now the purpose of that which is enjoined, and because that is.
Here, in other words, the purpose of ministry is to produce this result in our lives as believers. There were those who were giving heed to fables and then just endless genealogies. They were raising a lot of questions. But he said, now, Timothy, I'd like you to help the Saints so that when they come together, what is given out might be.
It might be such as would draw out affection for the Lord.
Produce a good conscience and bring, bring forward, or perhaps I should say, develop more faith and confidence in God. And that lovely when ministry is of that character. And brethren, that ought to exercise us in connection with our assembly as we come together. How lovely it is when we come together and instead of going away with a number of unanswered questions and some genealogy that was brought before us that we didn't understand.
Instead, we go away and our hearts have been stirred by His love to us, and we go away all just feeling a response of our affections to that blessed Savior. Well, he's exhorting Timothy that the assembly ought to have this character. Just like when you go into a place and they serve a good meal and you just sit down and you thoroughly enjoy it, and you go and you say to somebody, why we had such a nice meal, everything was so good.
And the assembly ought to be like that. It ought to be a place where the Saints are fed, where blessing comes to their souls, where they go away having the enjoyment of the love of Christ deepened in their souls. If there's something that's going on in their lives that is not pleasing to the Lord, it ought to exercise us so that we would walk before God.
With a good conscience, I don't know anything worse, dear friends, than to.
Go through life with a bad conscience to be doing something that every time you come to the meeting it just comes into your conscience. I'm not walking the way I should. I may be fooling my brethren, but my conscience bothers me. Oh, what an unhappy state of things. But the result of the ministry ought to be to lead us to acknowledge this before the Lord, so that we would go on with a good.
Conscience before God and before men. So the purpose of what is enjoined is first a love out of a pure heart, nothing pretended but what's real, and a good conscience and a faith unfeigned, unfeigned, or it could be translated unpretended. You know, we can pretend faith, and I'm afraid I'm guilty of doing that. Sometimes we say we trust the Lord, and when some difficulty.
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In our lives, we're all together, we're all upset, and we wonder just where our faith is flown to. Reminds me of a story I heard of a little boy and he was coming home from Sunday school on the bus and he had got a little text at Sunday school and the text was have faith in God, have faith in God. And he was holding this text up and it got caught in the wind and went out the window of the bus and flew away.
And he said, oh, I lost my faith in God. I lost my faith in God. And someone heard it. And God used that little remark to stir up somebody on the bus who had lost something worse than a text. He had truly lost his faith in God. And you know, isn't it nice when we come to the meeting and our faith is strengthened? I'm sure we've all had this experience. We've come to the meeting and things have been brought before us and our faith was strengthened.
It says in Romans chapter 4 about Abraham.
Was strong in faith, but I noticed that the other translation reads he was strengthened by faith. And isn't that true? It's faith that strengthens us. Discourage people in hands that are hanging down. We don't do anything. But when we have confidence in God, we have confidence in the difficulties and trials of life. We have confidence when we seek to serve Him. There is a confidence that he gives. A little hymn says Sweet as the confidence thou gives.
The high above our praise.
Our hearts resort to where thou lives in heaven's unclouded rays.
And so here we see that the chapter begins by showing us that in the assembly there ought to be this sort of ministry that would be such a blessing and help to the people of God. And then we go on further in the chapter and we see the kind of material that God has picked picked up. You know, when you look at a house, why you often look at the kind of material that is used. What kind of material did God pick up?
It tells us that we're living stones. But notice this.
15th verse. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Of whom I am chief, howbeit for this 'cause I obtain mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting. What kind of material? We were talking about the assembly being the House of God, the Church of the living God. What kind of material has He picked up? Well, here's one person He picked up, who was the chief of sinners.
And everyone of us can say, well, if we weren't the chief of sinners, we were pretty bad sinners and we certainly needed his grace to save us. And so this is the kind of material that God picks up. We might feel, well, I haven't got this or that. It's what he makes us. Men can make bricks. And so they did try at the Tower of Babel. They were going to build a tower whose top would reach under heaven. But you know, this didn't use stones. They use something man made they.
And they held the bricks together with slime for mortar. And so it is in everything that man does. It's all his own work. And he can only keep the things together by something that appeals to the fallen nature of man. It's slime he uses for mortar. Isn't that true? There's nothing can be kept together in this world unless there's something that appeals to the to the flesh. But when the temple was built.
Why? There were living stones. There were stones cut out of the quarries, each one huge stones, costly stones.
And here they were put in a place. There was number sound of even a hammer in the building, and they were each put in their special place in the building. And that's what God did to you and I. He placed us. We were huge stones. We were costly stones for what it cost him to build us into this house and to make us part of this Church of the living God. And so here we find that God picked up the chief of sinners. He picked up you and he picked up.
Me and everyone who knows him has been made a living stone in this building. And then he says that he showed this kind of mercy to us that we that he said that he might be a pattern to them who would hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Here's a person who just gets saved and now he's introduced among the people of God.
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And what does he see? Well, he ought to see a pattern.
He ought to see in US who know the Lord is our Savior and that we are seeking to hold this truth of God and display the Spirit of Christ in our lives. And Paul was billed as a living stone into this building for this purpose. And oh, what a cost I say it was. Christ Jesus came into the world. Oh brethren, we'll never know what it cost him to bring us into this.
What I spoke of as a model house.
To make us part of that which He is building here in this world and the cost to himself. When we looked at this model home in one area one time, why we want to know the cost, although we can never measure the cost by which we have been brought into this place of association as members of the body of Christ living stones.
In a spiritual building. And so he goes on and speaks of.
The 19th verse, holding faith and a good conscience, and so on. But now the second thing I'd like to notice here, and I characteristic way in the second chapter, it says, I exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority.
That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness.
And honesty, what is the responsibility of the Church of God in this world? Is it here to try and enter into the political situation and help to build up a better country and a better world? Why? I was reading certain group and they were saying they were training their children to be leaders in the religious in the world and to occupy places to help improve this world.
Dear friends, this is not what the Church of God is here for.
The Church of God is here, as we say, to maintain the truth of God. It's here to display the Spirit of Christ. But here is our attitude toward those who and authority we're not to be part of it. We're to pray for it. There was one man and he was he just couldn't see that. He thought that Christians should vote and take part in politics until one time.
When he cast his vote, the man that he voted for didn't get in and he said never again.
I won't vote again because I voted against God, He said I thought I was voting for the right man, but he didn't get in. So I couldn't have been voting for the right man because the powers that be are ordained of God. And so he was content from then on to do what God said, and that was to pray for the powers that be. And I often say our prayers mean more than our votes because when we prayed, and God can do the work of looking after those kind of.
Things there was number such thing as Christian government. When Paul said to the Romans to submit to the powers that be, and with no such thing as Christian government here, when he wrote to Timothy, he was telling him how to act in a world that was seemingly under the control of godless men. But the Christian knows that there is one who is the head of all principalities and powers, the one and it says the most high rules.
Kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. What a consolation this is.
And so we do have a responsibility not to be finding fault, but to be praying. We don't find Paul finding fault with the powers that be, even although they were persecuting Christians, even although Paul himself died as a martyr, we know having his head cut off and being a prisoner under Nero, we don't find him finding fault with the government. And you know, this is very important for us. What is?
Position of the church in this world it's to pray for those who in authority it's to desire their blessing and as it goes on, to tell us that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. Because the Christian is just like the ambassador in another country he is not one who is responsible to interfere in the affairs of that country he seeks to maintain the.
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Of his own country and that is the extent of his responsibility and that is the place that we occupy in this world. We are to maintain in this world the interests of Christ. Have often said an ambassador in a place he has several responsibilities. If anyone wants to visit his country, why he tells them how they can get there, what's required and when anyone wants to go to our heavenly home, what a joy to tell them the way to get there through Christ.
Through his finished work, and you can get pictures that tell you all about his nice country. He likes to give them out, and he shows the very best. And you know, we love to tell about the home that awaits us, where there's no more sorrow or crying or pain. Also, this ambassador has an interest in every citizen of his country who's living in that strange land. And so isn't this lovely? We ought to have an interest in God's people who are in this world because we're here as His.
So we pray for those who are in authority and we know that what God's desire is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. That is our great desire because it is God's desire. And that's why we want peace, so the gospel can go out, so people can be saved, and so that they could come to the knowledge of the truth.
And then we have another thing that people ought to observe in connection with the Church of the living God.
The ninth verse in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel.
With shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly or wet array, but which becometh women professing godliness with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
It should have begun at the eighth verse. I will therefore that men pray everywhere.
Lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Here we have the position of man and the position of woman brought before us. He brings before us the responsibility of the man to occupy the more public place. I will therefore that man pray everywhere. Everyone may not be gifted but the two men. The public place is given, and to the woman is given the place of learning in silence.
Sometimes people say, Oh yes, but we're living in a different age today.
But here we have God's pattern. Do we have a right, brethren, to set aside God's pattern? Do we have a right, because the opinions of people are changing, to say that now we can sort of change the Word of God? Isn't the assembly responsible to be the pillar and ground of the truth?
Ought we not to maintain God's truth in a world like this? The world doesn't seem to know what is the proper place of man or woman and we see the breakdown of everything. Homes are getting broken up, everything is going into disorder and are we just going to follow sweet because we live in this age or is the Christian to be a pattern in this world of an order that God has established. I say if men only want.
Place to be important and they're all wrong. But if God has put the man in this place, he has a great responsibility to fulfill. And I'm not here to hold up my head and say, but men have fulfilled their place as they should. I know that we haven't I speak as a man, we haven't fulfilled a place, but that doesn't in any way change my responsibility nor does it change the responsibility of the woman. And we see through the Scripture that when men broke down, why God raised up women.
Stirred up men Deborah stirred up barrack and he became a deliverer for God's people. Hold of the prophetess stirred up Josiah and she told him that they had been neglecting the word of God, but she didn't say now Josiah, if you want get up there and read the word of God, I'm going to do it. No, he's stirred him up to his responsibility and is very beautiful to see how that God has an order that is displayed in a practical.
Way in our clothing and as an order that is displayed also in connection with the order in God's assembly. And I wish to stir up the minds of the brothers as to their responsibility that God has given to us, the place of being those who fulfill responsibilities in the world and in the home. Because this is not just talking about the assembly. It says, I will therefore that men pray everywhere.
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Is not just talking about the assembly. This is an order that ought to be maintained wherever God's order is recognized. It tells us in Isaiah when God's people began to break down, he said.
Oh my people, children are your oppressors and women rule over you. They that lead thee, cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths. Well, you say, well you, you just believe in men being very important. I say I believe in God's order.
I believe in God's order, and I was to stir up the brothers here as to their responsibility, because in a day when men begin to break down are not fulfilling their proper place by such things as we see taking place today. But God hasn't changed his order. It ought to be seen in God's assembly, and so here we find it set before us. The world has an order of their own, but people ought to see among believers.
That we recognize this order that God has established, and we find something else. In this third chapter it says this is a true saying. If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality.
Apartment to teach and then also in the eighth verse.
Likewise must the deep and must the deacons be grave, Double tongue, not given to much wine.
Not greedy or filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith and a pure conscience. We see that in the assembly God has an order too. There are those who have a godly care for the Saints of God. And it says here if a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. It's a good work to care for God's people. It says in Hebrews about those who.
Are the leaders among us? It says. They watch for your souls.
They as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief.
For that is unprofitable for you, so that God has those who are to be shepherds, who are to be. For the Bishop simply means an overseer. And he was responsible, according to Peters epistle, to feed the flock of God. He has a godly oversight. Isn't it nice? As I look back in my life, I'm thankful for older brothers who had a concern about me, who cared, who didn't, just.
Me as another young person, but who had a godly concern and care, who wanted to see me encouraged in the pathway of faith and led on. And so we find this. It's not just a democracy where we vote in certain people. The assembly never chose its own bishops and it isn't something that was taken on by popular vote. It was something that a man fell in his heart, of course, in the apostles days.
Marked out by the Apostle, but now since the the apostles are no longer here.
We find that it says in the 20th of Acts over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. Isn't it nice to know that God raises up those who have a care for His Saints? And now if I could speak to those who are a bit older, and I speak to myself too. Do we have this loving concern for one another? Are we really seeking the good of our brethren? And this is what the world ought to see, not just a group of people coming together having no care or concern over.
One, perhaps you could walk into a building, a religious building and go in and out and nobody shake hands with you and nobody cares. It's not to be that way. In God's assembly there is to be a care and there were those who had this they desired a good work. I've often said when, when someone has an interest in my children, I'm I'm very thankful. I, I appreciate it because they're my children and God cares about his children too, and he appreciates it when we.
Take a godly concern for them and for their good. And then the deacons, they were the ones who were given certain responsibilities. And so in the assembly there is there's an order to there are those who have responsibilities to fix the chairs, to set things up and to look after the special meetings. All these things are like the office of a Deacon or a minister. And in this case we find that even Phoebe was.
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Of the Church, he was perhaps what could be called a deaconess. She was one who had a care for the Saints and she did a loving service for the Saints of God, not preaching on the platform or something, but she did a loving service for the Saints of God. And so we can see then that in the assembly a person comes in, they see a certain order. They they see there are those who have a godly oversight. They see there's order in the way things are maintained and carried on even in the meeting.
And the Lord takes notice of all this. Now we come to the 4th chapter.
And we come to this 4th chapter and it says.
In the third verse.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created, to be received with Thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with Thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God. And prayer. Isn't this very lovely too? Here it speaks about marriage.
You know, there's a terrible breakdown in the world over marriage and there are many, many who don't seem to understand that it's God's plan. And that's something that man has established. It was God who made the partner for Adam. It says that I will make a help made for him. And it's very lovely for young people to realize that the Lord is the one who can bring along that one who is the help meet.
And this is what God has established. I won't go into all the details because it's not taken up here.
But it is important to see that marriage has a very important place in God's plan and it says whatsoever God has joined together, let not man put asunder. So we see that in the assembly they ought to see marriage according to God's plan and according to God's order. And I think it's very lovely when it is seen in that way. And I and I believe I could just say this too, that in what exists between us even as.
Ones who are married, there ought to be continually two things displayed and that is love and respect one for another. The scripture speaks of husbands love your wives. Then it speaks says speaking to the wife. The older women were to exhort the younger women to love their husbands. So there was the love and there was the responsive love. Then it says that the husband is to give honor to the wife as under the weaker vessel and she and her part.
Her husband did you ever see a home where there was love and respect and where the Lord was known that there wasn't happiness. Why there will be happiness because it's God's plan and they ought to see as they enter our homes that we have have not just a man made plan but we have something God is established and so just briefly that we notice that this is what is seen in the House of God when we walked into that model house why we saw to the best of.
Advantage this builder had fixed all the furniture and everything and build it all so that it would really be the ultimate of what could be enjoyed in that home. And isn't it wonderful that God has set up something in the earth to be a testimony and where He could give us the ultimate of enjoyment out of living here in this world in His pattern. We walked into that model house. Why? We saw to the best of their advantage. This builder had fixed all.
Furniture and everything and build it all so that it would really be the ultimate of what could be enjoyed in that home. And isn't it wonderful that God has set up something in the earth to be a testimony and where he could give us the ultimate of enjoyment out of living here in this world in his pattern. Oh, how beautiful this is. And then we go on, it says about food.
That every creature of God is good.
And it's sanctified by the word of God and prayer. So you walk into a Christian home and they start to eat and they, they bow their heads and they, they give thanks. They recognize we enjoy good food. Our brother was just remarking at the little.
50th anniversary that we had last night. How that when the meat was prepared in the home of Abraham and in and Sarah in their tent, Perhaps I should say it says the meat was tender and good.
I've always enjoyed that. Does God care whether we have nice food? Why, He's just given us such wonderful food in this world. And the Lord himself was a guest at that table and he's the one that says the meat was nice. So you think, oh, he shouldn't be occupied with things like that. Oh, we appreciate all the good things God provides. He's giving us richly all things to enjoy. This is the model home. This is what God has established. And then going down in the chapter the 7th.
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For bodily exercise profit of little but.
Or for a little time, margin says bodily exercise profiteth for a little time, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. Perhaps I could say that even our fun is kept within proper limits. It's we don't lay great emphasis on what shall I say, sports and entertainment. We realize that our bodies need exercise.
And it profits for a little time. But the great thing in our lives is not just to become great sports, but rather as it says here.
Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come. As I sometimes watch the young people playing at Otter Lake, I I say to Pearl. To me it isn't how well they can play. But when I see them play in a Christian spirit, I think that's far nicer than the ones who are winners. Anyone can be happy when he's winner.
But I say that the one who can be a loser and do it in the spirit of Christ is far better testimony for Christ. And so in everything in our lives, even in bodily exercise, we just see it. It's for a little time. But godliness is profitable unto all things. It has the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Thought is the one who cares for our bodies, in other words.
And then in the 14th verse.
It says, Neglect not the gift that is in me, which was given me by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Meditate upon these things. Give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them. For enduring this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.
Is another thing the ascended Christ has given gifts.
And haven't we profited by this? Haven't we been thankful for those things? Why? There's so much precious ministry written by those gifts that the ascended Christ has given to the church. And not that these men were the ones who gave out their word as the authority, but they were the ones who were given the ability of setting the truth of God before us.
And how we thank God for that.
We see that it isn't just one man who's placed in charge of the group, and this one man is supposed to be the evangelist and the pastor and the teacher and everything. But rather we see that there are gifts given in the church and therefore the whole body of Christ. I know how we have sat down and profited by these gifts, how we thank God for the books that they have written.
All this is part of the provision in the House of God.
And how many, many dear Christians there are who have haven't profited by these marvelous gifts that God has given. When Ruth was brought into the House of Boaz, he said, whenever you're a thirst, go and drink of what the young men have drawn. Now he could have told her, will you go to the well and you can draw water yourself. She probably was strong enough that she could have done it too. But he said the young man have drawn the water, you can profit by it.
And I thank God for those.
Who have been raised up of God, who've drawn water for us, who have brought out many of these precious things so that we can have them and enjoy them. And Timothy was exhorted not to neglect this. In other words, if he knew something, it wasn't just for himself. He was to pass it on. If you'd seen those young men drawing water, you might have said, well, aren't you drawing more than you want? Well, we're drawing it for others. And so we have the privilege of giving out what we have.
Passing the torches it were so that others might know the precious things that we have enjoyed.
And that they might enjoy them too. But he had to be careful about his walk, because if our walk doesn't correspond with our talk, there won't be very much to our ministry. And so he had to say, take heed to thyself and unto the doctrine. Take heed. In other words, Timothy, two things. Remember, you need to watch your own life, and you need to be careful that you always maintain the truth of God.
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Because there were teachers in the in the Church in the latter days who were bringing him damnable heresies.
And know how important that the truth should be maintained. So he says, Take heed to thyself, and unto the doctrine.
And now we find in the beginning of the 5th chapter another thing that should be seen in the House of God, and that is that we have a respect for age, that we know how to treat older ones and younger ones, how we know how to care for our own loved ones. Isn't this a nice thing to the world? Is forgetting all about this? There's very little respect for age today.
There's very little respect and when boys and girls get together there isn't always purity in their actions.
But here, he says, here and younger women as and the younger as sisters with all purity. And so here we find that there's something else set down in our actions, one with another, that there is that honoring of age, there is respect for those who are older. There is the recognition of a proper relationship between.
Young boys and girls, and then there is requiting our parents.
Sometimes today, on account of all the provisions that are made for old age, we can be very thoughtless about our parents and our relatives in their need Here. It doesn't only talk about parents, but it even says children or nephews. And we learn first to show piety at home. What a what a lovely thing to see this. It's, it's getting out of the present society, isn't it? But it's God's plan. And this is what Paul is exhorting Timothy.
So that he might know how to behave in himself, in the House of God.
And then the eighth verse brings before us. And He provide not for his own, and especially for those of His own house.
He has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Here we find the responsibility of the man to be the provider in his home. What a responsibility. This is another thing that's getting all shaken up today. But here's God's plan and how nice it is to see where there is an exercise to carry this out. And I know what's becoming increasingly difficult.
But I believe that God can give to the to the husband the sense of the responsibility that God.
Has for him, and it's a great thing for us as brothers to feel the responsibility God is placed upon us.
And so here we find this, the Father in the household feels a responsibility in connection with those who are in His house, and that He provides for them. And then the 21St verse. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
Well, this is something else.
I know anybody here that works. You find that there's no fairness in the world at all. You find people are most unfair in the way they treat their employees and the way they treat one another. Even teachers at school are not always fair with the children. But, brethren, we ought to be fair. We ought to be careful that we don't do things by partiality, and that it doesn't matter who the person is or what family they're from. There ought to be nothing done through.
There ought to be always an exercise to act in fairness. And so he has to charge him about this because it's something that our hearts are prone to. And isn't this lovely to see here, that when the world looks on and sees people who are fair, perhaps you have an employee, an employer, and you say one thing I can say about him, he's fair. You admire him for that, don't you? Because he's fair. And so we ought to be like that. We're not to do things by.
Partiality.
And this is the world looking on. They're coming into our model house and they're looking. Are they seeing these things?
Or do they see all the furniture turned upside down and see that we're just not following the pattern at all? Perhaps after a group of people started to live in that house, you'd hardly know it, even though it's the same house. That's the second epistle. But here we find that God is established in order and there's fairness. And then we come to the 6th chapter and the second verse.
I'll read the first verse, that as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor.
That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. Here we find how we should work for our employer. We ought to do service in the name of Christ. And if we're doing something for a believing master.
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All the more reason why we should do it well. Sometimes we're prone when we're doing something for one of our brethren to be a little bit careless because we think, oh, well, he's my brother, he won't mind. But here we find that if you're working for a believing master, all the more reason to do the work well. And so this shows in the place where I work, what does my employer think about me? Does he see me as a conscientious worker? Does he say, well, there's one person I.
Because he's a Christian. Well, this is what he's talking about. This is what is seen in the House of God. This is the practice that ought to be seen when believers are employed and the way they act with an unbelieving employer or a believing employer.
And then we come to the sixth verse.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. Isn't this something that we often fail in, brethren? We tend to be very discontented. We tend to be grumbling because we don't have this and we don't have that. And we don't like the way the government is doing things. And we tend to get like that, you know, if we're not watchful. But as Christians, it ought to characterize us, godliness.
With contentment is great gain. There's nothing sweeter than to see one.
Accepts his circumstances and all as from the Lord. And you know, the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. The Lord can touch the heart of our employer. He can make him be favorable toward us, That is, to pay us what is right and proper. And so that the Christian has the real secret of contentment, because he can accept everything as from his Father's hand.
Even the way people's attitudes toward us, we can accept us from the Lord because absolutely nothing happens by chance. There's a place in the Psalms that it says that when Abraham and his his children were in the land of Canaan, he said touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm. He wouldn't let anybody do any harm to his people. But then in the same chapter as you read on it says later.
It says he turned their hearts to hate his people.
To deal subtly with his servants who did it, who turned their heart? The Lord, you say the Lord turned their heart to hate his people. Yes, God's people were getting too comfortable in Egypt, and God allowed the place to get a little uncomfortable, so they'd want to get out. He wanted to take them out of Egypt. And it's the place had been too comfortable. They would have wanted to stay. And you know, brethren, sometimes the Lord does just that to us. He's stirring up our nest intentionally.
Because He doesn't want us to be too comfortable here. We brought nothing into this world and it's certain we can carry nothing out. So may we seek to develop that spirit of contentment. Oh, how beautifully it was seen in the Lord Jesus in accepting everything from His Father's hand.
And then the 12Th verse of this last chapter shows the Christian has a warfare fight. The good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life. For unto thou art also called, and has professed a good profession before many witnesses.
So we find here that the Christian is not to be one who just, shall I say, has no backbone. He has nothing really to stand for. No, we have something to stand for. We stand for the rights of Christ here in this world. There are some ambassadors in this country who are over in Iran and they are there. It was a great responsibility placed upon them. Now they have something to stand for. And so you and.
Something to stand for. We're not to be people who have nothing. We just say, well, I'm not trying to stand for anything. We are standing for something. We're seeking to stand for the truth of God. We're seeking to stand for a kind of conduct that is pleasing to God. And it's a fight sometimes, isn't it? Because all the forces of this world are against us. I know you young people going to school and college, you find all the forces are against you. You have something to stand for.
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You believe your Bible, you stand for the truth of God when they try to pressure you into something you say.
Like the three friends of Daniel, no, I can't bow down to that image. And so the Christian has a fight, a spiritual warfare, and Timothy is exhorted. He's not just to be a spineless believer. He has a man, a purpose, and he's a man who has truth to stand for.
And then in the 17th verse, charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Or what is really life. Isn't this very lovely too, as we see here that there is?
A foundation, a good foundation against the time to come. And I believe The thing is that a Christian who perhaps has been given a little more than someone else, he has the responsibility of stewardship. And here we find that instead of becoming high minded, it says that we are to know how to use what God has given to us in a way that is for his glory.
And so.
Ought to see with those who have been given anything a different attitude in the world. The world is thinking of themselves, and making very important men out of themselves. But Christians look upon themselves as those who are only stewards of what has been given to them, responsible to use it for God's glory. And then last of all, in the 20th verse.
Oh, Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science, falsely so-called, which some professing have heard concerning the faith. Well, this seems to be just a little warning in connection with science. You know, we can be very thankful for things that God has allowed men to discover. We're very thankful for lights in this room.
Thankful for the carpentry ability that we have chairs and many things that we're very thankful for. But whenever science opposes the truth of God, then remember, don't listen to science. Listen to the word of God. Shun anything. Whenever you find science takes the attitude of trying to question or set aside the word of God, don't listen. Follow the word of God. Here we have the truth of God.
As I say, we can be very thankful.
For all that God has allowed men to discover but whenever we find anything in science that opposes the word of God, just turn a deaf ear and listen to what God's word says and it says those who don't it says some professing have heard concerning the faith yes, real Christians have been turned aside because they've allowed some professor to sow a doubt in their mind about the inspiration of scripture about something that the.
Speaks about and I wish to exhort you always follow the light and wisdom of this book. Thank God for young people who when there's something brought up in the school they say well I take my stand on the word of God. That is what characterizes those who belong to the Lord Jesus. Those who are part of this model home. If I may so speak again for those who recognize that there is something in this world that God has established and it is responsible.
To do those two things, and May God exercise myself and each one of you, may we be exercised about these two things. On every hand the truth of God is being given up. Let us firmly stand for the whole truth of God. The assembly is responsible to be the pillar and ground of the truth.
And then secondly, may we be exercised to act in such a way that we display before an ungodly world?
A pattern of what is pleasing to God, A pattern of what he has established.
In our home life, in our assembly life and the way we handle our business, everything that we do.
Even in our fun, we are a pattern here in this world. And so as you as I say it said at the beginning, you walk into that model house. We walked into one not too long ago to somebody asked us to look at this particular home for them and we walked in and I was really amazed to see everything fixed in it and such a tasty way to the idea of the way the man who builded thought it could be set off to the very best advantage and it makes me think of.
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Say that God has set a people in this world to show that He has a wonderful pattern, a pattern that you and I have the privilege and the responsibility to follow. And I want to tell you, dear friends, young and old, it says her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. We just looked at this home and we thought, oh, I don't think we could furnish the home as nicely as this and we wouldn't be in there very many days and it wouldn't be just.
Nice as it looked when we saw it in the pattern. Well, we do fail, don't we? But there it is. There's God's pattern and it works. It is a blessed thing. May we not follow the wisdom of man, but may we follow the wisdom of God and walk in His ways for the little time that remains to us. The world is all in confusion. They're looking for a good pattern. We have it in God's Word, and we have the power to carry it out because we possess eternal life and we know what is real.