Godly Conduct in Church • 09.18.22
Nick Lees   -   September 18, 2022

Godly Conduct in Church
1 Timothy 2

How do faithful Christians live?

  1. Prioritize prayer
  2. Value God’s desires
  3. Seek to please God

Sermon

Good morning, church family! Isn’t it sweet to gather to worship the Lord? I’m so thankful for each of you. And if you’re visiting with us this morning, welcome! My name is Nick Lees and I serve as the senior pastor here. We’re glad you’re with us.

Dismiss 4th + 5th graders (Pastor Chris)

The rest of us can prepare to dive into our verse-by-verse study of 1 + 2 Timothy. One of the reasons we do verse-by-verse studies of Scripture is that it ensures we are teaching the whole counsel of God’s Word. It keeps us from skipping over the hard or controversial stuff. Today is going to be a great example of that. The chapter we’re about to study has had a lot of ink spilt over it in the recent years. Ironically, things that the church had largely universal agreement on throughout most of church history have now become major sticking points over the last century or two. It will be good for us to wrestle with the text and to ask, “What does God say?”

As we discussed last week, our church believes that the Bible is the Word of God and finds it’s source in Him, the God of truth. We explained the specifics of that belief last week, so if you weren’t here to hear it, please go back and listen to the previous sermon to understand it. I’m always happy to discuss that further if you have questions about it! I realize that many did not grow up in churches who took the stance that the Bible is God’s inerrant and infallible Word and that it has authority and answers for our lives today. Yet this is such a foundational belief for Christianity! Without commitment to God’s Word, we’re left to create our own version of truth, which is always conformed to our desires and standards rather than God’s desires and standards. With that in mind, let’s turn our attention to God’s Word in 1 Timothy 2.

Ushers + Bibles (Page 1177 Black; Page 576 Blue)

Last week we heard Paul share that his and Timothy’s calling and commission to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ came directly from God. They are the authoritative teachers of God’s Word who are upholding the truth in the face of a group of false teachers who were leading people astray in the church at Ephesus. As we said last week, these false teachers were:

  • Creating a religion from myths and Old Testament genealogies
  • Incorrectly handling the Old Testament law, applying it in wrong ways to Christians
    • Restricting intake of certain foods
    • Forbidding marriage
  • Promoting some sort of prosperity gospel, imagining godliness is for worldly gain
  • Limiting the Gospel to the Jews and ignoring the call to reach all nations (Gentiles)

Paul wrote to Timothy to establish their authority in teaching the Truth of the Gospel and to encourage him to stand fast in teaching it. In fact, the main purpose of the letter can be found in:

1 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV)

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Why is Paul writing? That Timothy and the church may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. This letter is full of great teaching about how God’s people ought to live and function as the church as they seek to uphold and teach the truth!  That’s why Ephesus needed it, and, guess what, that’s why we still need it today! Do you think the challenges in Ephesus were unique to them? Absolutely not! We have got to rightly order our lives and ministry around the Word of God and not be led astray, just like the church in the 1st century. So, let’s learn how to conduct ourselves in a godly manner in the church by reading 1 Timothy 2.

1 Timothy 2:1–15 (ESV)

Paul’s transition from the end of chapter 1 into chapter 2 turns from his charge to Timothy to guard the faith into practical ways that the men and women of God’s church ought to conduct themselves. There are two main sections here: vv1-7 and vv8-15. Each section begins with a similar statement “First of all, then” and “I desire then” that lead into a specific set of calls to action with supporting reasons for those actions. So, as we study this in more detail, we’re going to seek to answer the question at the top of your bulletin: How do faithful Christians live?

You can probably guess what the first part of our answer is going to be based on the way verse 1 starts…

  1. Prioritize prayer

Paul is calling the church to action – “First of all, then, I urge” – what is he calling them to do? To make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people. These are four similar, yet distinct terms for prayer. Paul is speaking of:

  • making specific requests for needs
  • bringing specific people before God
  • appealing boldly on their behalf
  • giving thanks for them

Such a full-orbed approach to prayer will take intentionality and effort, won’t it? Is this what your prayer life is currently like? If not, how could we get there?

First, you must be humble. You must recognize your lowly position in comparison to the God of the Universe. If you don’t see your need for God, then you will find it hard to come to Him in prayer. A prayerless person is typically a proud person. If that’s you, then I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will allow you to receive that rebuke in love. Your lack of prayer indicates something about your pride and faith.

If you’re struggling to pray, ask God to humble you and reveal pride in your life. Then ask him to give you a desire to obey him by praying. Then take steps to be disciplined in prayer, even if you don’t feel like it!

Second, begin to keep a prayer list. A note on your phone or a physical journal or something else you keep on hand where you can write down prayer requests and be intentional to pray for them. (Show my journal/prayer page/membership directory/monthly prayer emphasis) The membership directory or monthly prayer emphasis we provide are great resources to bring specific people before God. You also should be praying regularly for your family, friends, co-workers, and small group members. Giving thanks for them. Appealing boldly to God for things they need help with or growth in.

Third, regularly remember the purpose and power of prayer. Did you notice in verses 2-4 that Paul explains the purpose and power of prayer? Let’s read those again.

1 Timothy 2:2-4

Prayer is to be made for all people, especially those in authority/high positions like kings or presidents. Why? Because of what it produces in us and in them.

In us – a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. The nature of prayer and the humility it requires produces peace and quiet and quelches proud, argumentative hearts. It is hard to hate someone you are actively praying for. Praying for a person’s salvation has a way of putting to death sinful attitudes towards them. Rather than spewing hatred online or in person to others about your boss or the CEO of your company or the car that cut you off in traffic or the governing authorities of our city/state/nation, you are challenged to live a godly and dignified life. The picture Paul paints is of a man or a woman who is at rest. Their soul and their life are marked by peace with others rather than anger and outrage and spewing hatred. This is a change that is necessary in Christians if we are going to be ambassadors of the gospel. If our lives are marked by proud, argumentative speech that is tearing down others rather than praying for them, we will be hindering, not helping, the spread of the Gospel.

It’s hard to know exactly how this was showing up in Ephesus, but apparently the men were especially struggling with this kind of anger and quarreling. We see it brought up in verse 8. One of the specific ways I see this showing up in our day is in the cultural and political polarization that has taken place. So many Christians are quick to criticize and speak harsh, even hateful things about our authorities but how often are we on our knees praying for them? The answer is not enough. A point of data that I found interesting as the pastor of our church is how the prayer requests on the connect card changed with the administration. Previously a couple of connect cards each week would ask for prayer for our governing authorities. That has pretty much dried up over the last 2 years. It could be coincidence, or it could reveal that we have room to grow in our prayer for our governing authorities.

There is no question that praying faithfully for others will grow us and produce good fruit in us. But it also may produce fruit in them. After all, do you believe God answers prayer? Paul did.

2 Corinthians 1:10–11 (ESV)

10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Philippians 1:19 (ESV)

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

Paul regularly asked for prayer and truly believed that it would result in tangible outcomes. He also regularly prayed for the churches and believed that it would produce fruit in them.

Philippians 1:3–6 (ESV)

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

God hears your prayers. Think about that. GOD hears your prayers. God HEARS your prayers. God hears YOUR prayers. Do we understand the significance of that statement?! The Creator and Sustainer of all things hears and responds to the prayers of his people.

Matthew 6:7-8 (ESV)

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him

Jesus assumed his people would pray and that God the Father would hear and know what they need. And in this case, what the people you’re praying for need. Which, in many cases, is probably salvation.

Which is what Paul highlights in verses 3-4 of 1 Timothy 2. Our prayer for all people, especially those in authority roles, is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth!

When Christians pray like Paul is teaching here, it is in line with the will of God! You are praying in line with his desire for all people to hear the Gospel and be saved.

Salvation is the primary emphasis for this section of Paul’s letter, not prayer. Prayer is the context, but salvation is the content. Paul is simply prioritizing what God prioritizes – the Gospel message rescuing and redeeming sinners!

God desires salvation for all peoples and, accordingly, he wants his people to value that too! Which brings us to our second component of the answer to “How do faithful Christians live?”

  1. Value God’s desires

We must not only prioritize prayer; we must value the things God values. Which requires a complete transformation of our value system. We just heard God values the salvation of all people.

Consider why Paul would highlight this desire of God. What do we know about the false teaching in Ephesus? They were limiting the Gospel to the Jews. Acting as if it was an exclusive message that didn’t belong to the Gentiles too.

Yet what does Paul emphasize next in vv5-7?

1 Timothy 2:5-7

Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all. He serves as our mediator – the one who intercedes on our behalf to bring peace with God. He has done an incredible work to provide salvation for us! And Paul has been appointed by God to take this message of salvation to the Gentiles. Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t just for the Jews but for all who would believe in his name.

When Paul says “all people” he’s not teaching that Jesus died for everyone. This is an important principle of Bible study, whenever you’re studying Scripture, you need to make sure your interpretation is not contradicting other parts of Scripture, or, even better, is supported by other passages of Scripture. The Bible doesn’t contradict itself and Scripture interprets Scripture. So, when we read “all people” here or that God desires all people to be saved, we need to interpret that in light of other passages like:

Romans 9:14–18 (ESV)

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Jude 1:3–4 (ESV)

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

These are some deep things to wrestle with this morning. God’s desire is for all to be saved, and yet his revealed will is that not all will be saved. Some are objects of mercy and others are objects of wrath. Romans 9 goes on to explain that in both circumstances, God is glorified. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was to save HIS people from their sin. Paul is not teaching universalism here. Not everyone will be saved.

But the Gospel must go forth! The spread of the Gospel is what allows men, women, boys, and girls to hear the message of salvation and respond to it. Again, this is the priority of what Paul is unpacking here. God desires all to be saved, therefore the Gospel must go forth. And as we pray for all people, we will increasingly grow in our love for them and fulfill the calling to share the Gospel with them or pray that someone would! While prayer is the practice, the Gospel/salvation is the purpose!

This purpose is also the emphasis in vv8-15. Paul yet again addresses things that are hindering the spread of the Gospel in Ephesus.

1 Timothy 2:8-15

I’m going to sound like a broken record, but I’ll say it again to drive the point home. The priority in this letter is the Gospel being proclaimed faithfully and truthfully as they conduct themselves in a godly manner. As Paul addresses the various disruptions within the church at Ephesus, he is doing so because they are hindrances to the church’s primary mission – proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples.

Verses 8-15 are not addressing the equality of men and women or their value in/to the church. It is concerned with addressing the way they carry out their mission to proclaim the Gospel and removing hindrances to that mission. As we discussed previously in our series on Biblical Roles earlier this summer, God created men and women equal, yet distinct. They are equal in worth, value, and significance in God’s sight, but he has distinct roles for each gender. That carries out in the church for the sake of the Gospel, just as it does in the home.

So, as we unpack this final section of this chapter, let me take us to our final component to the answer of “How do faithful Christians live?”

  1. Seek to please God

Paul has stated the priority of pleasing God already in verse 3 in this letter, and it shows up in other letters of his as well.

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (ESV)

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Colossians 1:9–10 (ESV)

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

The aim/purpose/goal of all Christians must be to please God. We’ve already heard Paul call for Timothy and the Ephesians to lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way (v2). That’s not a call limited to them. We are also to please God in this way!

God cares about our conduct! He wants us to be of good witness and not bringing reproach to the Gospel. Your life should be a help, not a hindrance to the Gospel. Men – faithful prayer that produces peace instead of anger and quarreling (v8). Notice the emphasis on “holy hands” – Paul is prioritizing holiness of your conduct. This is what helps spread the Gospel. Quarreling and sinful anger do not help the Gospel, they hinder it. So, put off sinful anger and put on holiness. Ironically, this isn’t the first time Paul has had to address this with the Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:25–27 (ESV)

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

Apparently, they were handling anger poorly and letting conflict spill over from one day to the next, rather than handling each day’s problems quickly. This plays right into the devil’s desire to divide the church and hinder the Gospel’s advance! MEN, HUMBLE YOURSELVES AND BE PEACEMAKERS. Pray for those whom you struggle to get along with. Pray for holiness of character for yourself! …

Ladies, you are called to replace vanity with modesty, allowing your focus to be on godly behavior/good works. (v9-10)

Remember how I told you that Ephesus was the 3rd largest city in the Roman Empire? Guess what that meant for the level of wealth in the area… there were some wealthy folks in Ephesus! And apparently some of the women who were a part of the church were dressing quite lavishly. Their attire was extremely costly, set off by their gold and pearls. This goes above and beyond dressing nicely for church; this is about dressing in a way to draw attention to yourself. The same word “costly” is used to describe the ointment poured on Jesus’ head that cost a year’s wages or the pearl of great price that the man traded everything to obtain. The warning to women is not to prioritize appearance over the condition of your heart.

Paul says that the priority for women who profess godliness ought to be good works! Peter agreed with him in his teaching:

1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV)

3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

This undue focus on appearance is indicative of a deeper heart issue! And that is what Paul is getting at. Someone who is so focused on self cannot effectively share the Gospel with others. They are conducting themselves in a way that is hindering the Gospel!

So, ladies, are you prioritizing your inner or outer beauty? How are you seeking to cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit and godly works? As we’ll see later in this letter, there was a real problem in Ephesus with women running around being busy-bodies and gossips. Paul was calling the women of the church to be busy doing good works – likely caring for the widows, training up the younger women and children, and caring for their homes. Though not explicitly mentioned in 1 Timothy, we do see similar counsel to Titus in one of the other pastoral epistles:

Titus 2:3–5 (ESV)

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

The good works of godly women adorn the Gospel, whereas costly attire adorns themselves. Which will you promote in your life?

Finally, Paul again gives specific counsel to the women in verses 11-15. They can please God by demonstrating humble submission in their gender role within the church. Let’s break this down.

Verse 11 is stating the general principle. For a woman to learn quietly.

One of the ways she does this is with all submissiveness. Meaning willing to follow authority. Since the context of this letter is the local church and how to conduct oneself in the church, this is meaning submissiveness to the leadership of the church. She is not to be interrupting the teaching of the church.

Another way this learning quietly takes place is demonstrated in verse 12. A woman is not to teach or to exercise authority over a man in the church. This is the plain reading of the text. There are a lot of considerations on how this plays out, but one thing is certain based on Paul’s argument in chapter 3, it means that women cannot be in the role of pastor/elder/overseer – as they are the teachers of God’s Word and the leaders of the local church.

There are a lot of different attempts to jump through hoops to explain that away in our day and age, but if you just read the text the way it is written and look at the way it has been interpreted for nearly the first 1,800 years of the church, then this is the logical conclusion. And it has nothing to do with making a statement about gender equality. From the very beginning, in Genesis 1, God affirms the equal value, dignity, and worth of both men and women. And yet he also affirms their distinct roles in the created order. Including in Genesis 2 that man was created first and therefore is designed to be the head of the home and, as we hear now in 1 Timothy 2:13, the church.

God will hold men accountable for their leadership of their homes and the church. This is a weighty thing for men! The standard of accountability began with Adam in Genesis 3 – God called him out for failing as the leader. He will hold accountable the men who are shepherds of his church when he returns. God forbid the men are found to be doing a poor job of leading his bride!

Now, going back to the teaching for women. Outside of the pastor/elder role restriction, what does Paul’s teaching mean? Well, it cannot mean that women never speak in church. Remember our call to study the whole of Scripture for our interpretations? Let’s look at some other passages:

1 Corinthians 11:5 (ESV)

5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.

This passage assumes the women were praying or prophesying in church. But then a few chapters later Paul says:

1 Corinthians 14:34–35 (ESV)

34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Is he incredibly forgetful?! Is he speaking out of both sides of his mouth?! No! The context of 14:34-35 is about judging and interpreting prophecies. It has to do with an authoritative judgment on teaching in the church, which, as we’ve heard in 1 Timothy 2 is not a position God has called women to inhabit. He holds men accountable for that role.

When Paul writes 1 Timothy 2:11-15, he is writing as an apostle commissioned and called by God. He did not suddenly stop having authority delegated by God to teach and preach the truth. Do not let the culture of our day sway you on this matter in a way that contradicts the plain interpretation of the word. Remember, this whole section is about what will promote the Gospel truth. Can you imagine if false teaching was going on in our church and there were interruptions all the time during the sermon or other teaching events? How could the church boldly proclaim the truth if there was not order to its offices and teaching? That is what Paul is establishing here. Do not make this about equality of the genders. It has nothing to do with that – it is reading a foreign concept back into the text.

Regarding the specific outworking of this passage, there are going to be differences from church to church. Again, there is a lot of ink spilt on what contexts a woman can teach within the church. Most churches allow women to teach in the children’s ministry, as it parallels the teaching a mom does in the home with children. For similar reasons, many churches will allow a woman to teach students until they are out of the home. At our church, we have men and women co-leaders of our small group ministries, but they are not primarily led by a woman. We have women discipling women in a variety of venues in our church. We have a woman as the Director of our counseling ministry, but we do not have women counseling men. Women lead us in prayer or worship at church gatherings, but we do not have them teaching the word. By no means do we want to devalue the incredible importance of women in the church. Every woman is a valued part of the body of Christ and brings gifts to bear in it.

For the sake of time, we have to wrap up this sermon! Yet we haven’t talked about verse 15. The way I understand this passage is that Paul is again pointing to the embracing of God’s design for women. One of the clearest things that sets women apart from men is their ability to bear children. It is highlighted in Genesis 3. This passage is therefore saying, that when a woman embraces her feminine role and continues in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control, they are bearing the fruit of salvation. *REPEAT*

It is not teaching that you must be a mother to be saved, or that somehow childbirth saves you. Rather childbirth is the link to the woman’s role back in Genesis 3 in a passage that has recently linked back to the Creation account. We know, again from the rest of Scripture, that works do not save us. However, works are a fruit of salvation. They are produced from a genuinely repentant heart. A woman who trusts in Christ will embrace her role as she continues in faith, love and holiness – with self-control. *Pause*

So, as we wrap up this morning, may we be faithful Christians as we:

  1. Prioritize prayer
  2. Value God’s desires
  3. Seek to please God

Let’s pray and ask God to give us humble, teachable hearts today.