WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.780 Take your Bibles tonight to the book of 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy, we started last week on a series through the book of 1 Timothy. 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:07.780 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:42.939 And like anybody, you know, dealing with people can get a little frustrating. And sometimes you need some encouragement. And we find here that Paul is encouraging Timothy to complete the task. 00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:50.799 And to complete those things. And so if you look here tonight, let's look here in 1 Timothy chapter 1. We'll pick up in verse 4. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:01:20.780 It says, 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:45.420 The law is good if a man use it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:52.719 According to the glorious gospel, according to the gospel, which was committed to my trust. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:02:22.699 Let's pray. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:31.000 things. They're not separate ends to chase, but there needs to be that balance, Lord, as you displayed the reality of what those truly mean. 00:02:31.079 --> 00:02:38.139 And Lord, help us to see that tonight, Lord, as we begin looking here in some things that crowd out doctrine. 00:02:38.979 --> 00:02:44.479 Lord, things that can distract from the focus and what we ought to be focused upon. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:57.839 And Lord, we pray just have your hand upon the message, upon all the things everyone here tonight, Lord, that we might not just hear words, but Lord, we might contemplate and think and to really consider what your word says. 00:02:57.959 --> 00:03:02.839 And Lord, not just for learning, but Lord, for application of our lives. 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:05.159 And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name. 00:03:05.799 --> 00:03:06.139 Amen. 00:03:06.139 --> 00:03:12.579 You know, as we saw here, Paul wrote to Timothy directly to encourage him to stay put. 00:03:13.219 --> 00:03:17.559 You know, the Lord puts his places to stay put. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:21.159 You know, we have lived in a culture that people are pretty mobile. 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:30.819 And it seems like every time, especially in America today, any time any little thing happens, people like to change churches, people like to do different things. 00:03:31.079 --> 00:03:31.840 But you know what? 00:03:31.900 --> 00:03:36.099 One of the things that we ought to be based upon and be founded upon is sound doctrine. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:41.500 And you'll find that sound doctrine is what people ought to look for. 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:48.539 And problem is, as we're going to see here, is oftentimes people get deviated by things that are contrary to sound doctrine. 00:03:48.539 --> 00:03:53.879 Most people are, when they get upset or they're doing something, they're doing something contrary to doctrine. 00:03:54.459 --> 00:04:00.019 Of what God has said, and it's an opinion or something that they've been influenced by. 00:04:00.659 --> 00:04:04.039 But we're going to look here tonight about what crowds out doctrine. 00:04:04.139 --> 00:04:04.780 Because you know what? 00:04:05.019 --> 00:04:10.340 There's a lot of things that gets crowded out and people don't want to pay attention to what's being taught in the scripture. 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:12.979 You know, we're going to look through that tonight. 00:04:13.099 --> 00:04:16.659 But Timothy is directed to stay and to finish. 00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:20.700 You know, you think about the investment Paul had made at Ephesus. 00:04:20.960 --> 00:04:23.320 I mean, he had that second missionary journey. 00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:26.820 And he established, he spent three years there teaching. 00:04:27.640 --> 00:04:29.600 And trying to get this work through. 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:35.560 And the Jews and Gentiles alike were presented with the truth about Jesus Christ. 00:04:35.700 --> 00:04:40.420 Now, Timothy was there dealing with a continued struggle over doctrine. 00:04:40.420 --> 00:04:46.000 You know, I want you to understand, the struggle with keeping doctrine right is not a new thing. 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:50.319 From the very beginning, the devil understands one thing. 00:04:50.379 --> 00:04:53.560 If you get people off a little bit, you can take them off a long ways. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.580 We understand that very simply in life. 00:04:58.660 --> 00:05:03.340 But the question we're going to look at here tonight with this of what crowds out sound doctrine, 00:05:03.339 --> 00:05:06.659 we're going to look and think about what were these men actually teaching? 00:05:07.479 --> 00:05:11.399 And what was being produced in the church at Ephesus? 00:05:12.159 --> 00:05:14.799 That Paul wants Timothy to deal with. 00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:19.879 Because when we look here tonight, when we look back to the book of Ephesians, 00:05:19.979 --> 00:05:21.479 the letter Paul wrote to them, 00:05:21.480 --> 00:05:26.800 He talks about the struggle between the Jews and the Gentiles regarding salvation. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:30.620 I mean, I want you to understand, that's a struggle that was there. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:33.720 Because you had Jews that said, oh no, we're God's chosen people. 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:40.500 Which they are as a people, but not as the people of the redeemed. 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:46.000 In other words, there's a difference and distinction there that's important to recognize doctrinally. 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:50.840 Because Paul tells them, in Christ, everybody's a new creature. 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:53.179 You're changed, you're transformed. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:55.319 And there's no difference. 00:05:55.399 --> 00:06:00.459 He talks about, in Ephesians, breaking down the middle wall, partition between. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.659 He talks about breaking down what separated Jews and Gentiles. 00:06:04.759 --> 00:06:07.159 He said, in Christ, that's no longer the distinguisher. 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:11.379 He doesn't negate what God is doing with the Jewish people. 00:06:11.479 --> 00:06:14.699 He says, hey, in Christ, everything's different. 00:06:14.699 --> 00:06:23.779 He said, things changed when Christ came, not just to do everything right in the law. 00:06:23.860 --> 00:06:25.420 It says he came to fulfill the law. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:29.719 Christ is the picture and the fulfillment of the law. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:33.399 All the sacrifices, everything there were centered on Jesus. 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:36.319 And when we understand that, it's important. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:41.339 Because when we know here, the need was for unity in doctrine. 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:50.420 But what was taught by Jesus was for everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, to walk worthy, united 00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:52.219 by the one that saved them. 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:55.719 Not according to their own understanding of truth. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:59.439 Now you think about how Paul dealt with some of those things. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:03.860 Because Ephesians really deals with the application of law and grace. 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:08.060 You know, law is something that people misuse today. 00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:14.660 You know, people like to take the law of the Old Testament, which is good. 00:07:14.779 --> 00:07:18.720 Paul tells us the law is good if a man use it lawfully. 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:21.699 In other words, to use it appropriately. 00:07:21.860 --> 00:07:23.139 Now think about this practically. 00:07:24.159 --> 00:07:25.319 Think about our society. 00:07:25.459 --> 00:07:27.519 Sometimes laws get used wrongly. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.120 Even in our society. 00:07:30.539 --> 00:07:35.599 People will take and twist and distort something to do something that was never intended to do. 00:07:36.699 --> 00:07:37.459 You know what? 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.419 People do the same thing with God's law. 00:07:39.919 --> 00:07:45.659 They take it, they twist it, they distort it to try to make it what they want out of it. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:47.819 So Paul's dealing with that. 00:07:48.039 --> 00:07:51.319 That relationship, that change to the law. 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:55.159 The difference between the Judaizers and the libertarian thoughts. 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:56.500 Because you had two ends of it. 00:07:56.500 --> 00:07:58.860 The law is of no importance to me. 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:00.639 Or the law is everything. 00:08:02.420 --> 00:08:05.399 And Paul says, hey guys, it's neither of those. 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:08.800 The law has a purpose. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:13.639 Because it helps us understand who we are. 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:17.959 Do you realize without the law, you don't realize you're a sinner? 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:22.279 And we're going to see Paul emphasizes that point here tonight. 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:25.319 And so what does doctrine drown out? 00:08:25.479 --> 00:08:27.739 Because notice here, look at verse 4. 00:08:28.180 --> 00:08:29.439 Notice what he says here. 00:08:29.479 --> 00:08:31.740 He tells them up here in verse 3. 00:08:31.879 --> 00:08:34.139 He ends that they teach no other doctrine. 00:08:34.699 --> 00:08:37.779 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:42.559 which minister questions rather than godly edifying, 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.099 which is in faith so do. 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:49.059 The first thing is fables and endless genealogies. 00:08:50.099 --> 00:08:53.859 Now I know nobody ever chases things contrary, you know, 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.359 trying to chase little nuances of scripture, you know, 00:08:56.839 --> 00:08:58.259 that people get caught up in. 00:08:59.019 --> 00:08:59.319 You know? 00:08:59.320 --> 00:08:59.640 You know? 00:09:00.560 --> 00:09:01.780 Speculations with no end. 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:02.960 You know what? 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:07.060 There's a lot of wasted energy on speculation. 00:09:07.640 --> 00:09:08.960 You know, I remember when I was in Bible school, 00:09:09.040 --> 00:09:11.060 we used to call it snack shop theology. 00:09:12.860 --> 00:09:16.080 You know, because you get out of class and somebody's got a great idea, man, 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:18.740 and you go down there and you hash it out and you leave 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:20.760 and you don't have any smarter than you were before you came in. 00:09:21.040 --> 00:09:23.780 You could argue about it all year and never get to an end of it. 00:09:23.779 --> 00:09:30.039 But I want you to understand it means without end and no fruit. 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:32.519 In other words, it doesn't produce something profitable. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.539 Now, I want you to understand what he's talking about here 00:09:36.539 --> 00:09:42.299 because Paul forbids giving heed to fables and endless genealogies 00:09:42.299 --> 00:09:46.339 that minister questions rather than godly edifying, which is a faith. 00:09:46.839 --> 00:09:49.539 Now I want you to understand the two words we need to look at here 00:09:49.539 --> 00:09:51.679 is endless and questions. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:56.659 Think about that for endless questions is really what he's talking about 00:09:56.659 --> 00:10:01.219 because people get caught up in talking about things 00:10:01.219 --> 00:10:06.179 that really are not relevant to the situation. 00:10:06.319 --> 00:10:08.339 We're going to look at that because some things are pretty relevant. 00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:10.479 Doctrine covers a lot of area, 00:10:10.599 --> 00:10:14.219 but sometimes people can chase things to a point that it's endless. 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:17.279 They never come to a conclusion. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:22.279 The one thing about doctrine, doctrine will bring you to a conclusion. 00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:26.720 When you study the scripture, it will bring you to a conclusion 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.579 based upon the word of God. 00:10:29.860 --> 00:10:34.299 It's not just endless, but notice the word heed that he gives there. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:37.639 The word here means to fix one's attention on, 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:42.000 to devote oneself to, not just casually talking about. 00:10:42.139 --> 00:10:43.259 I mean, sometimes, you know, 00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:45.899 there's fun to talk about different things in the Bible sometimes. 00:10:45.899 --> 00:10:47.539 Well, what do you think about this? 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:51.559 It's kind of, you know, it's a little obscure sometimes or something. 00:10:51.740 --> 00:10:53.559 And it's like, but when we boil it down, 00:10:53.620 --> 00:10:57.939 does it really bring out something important or come to an end? 00:10:58.659 --> 00:11:00.860 You know, there's different dynamics there, 00:11:00.899 --> 00:11:03.579 but to take heed means to fix one's attention. 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:07.059 You know, one thing I've learned that sometimes people get fixed on things. 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:13.939 You know, one of the things going around society today that people get fixated on 00:11:13.939 --> 00:11:17.339 is silly stuff like, is the earth flat? 00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:19.119 David's shaking his head back there. 00:11:20.019 --> 00:11:24.539 I mean, and you can try to reason with them from scripture and, oh no, they got, 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:29.719 it says this, so therefore, you know, that reinforces what I've already put into it. 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:34.560 And what they're doing is they want endless question. 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:36.720 You know, there's certain things I've learned over the years. 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:38.620 I won't argue with people on certain things. 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:42.440 I mean, there's topics that people get into that chase, and I look at it this way. 00:11:42.820 --> 00:11:46.540 If you really want to do something, go smack your head on the brick wall outside, 00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:48.379 because at least you'll have a mark when you're done. 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:52.720 Because some people, you can argue till you pass out, and it will be unproductive. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:55.620 You will have nothing but wasted time. 00:11:56.899 --> 00:11:58.220 You need to identify. 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:00.240 That's what Paul's talking about here. 00:12:00.800 --> 00:12:07.120 And it's not just a dynamic, but notice he says, don't give heed to Jewish fables. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.259 You know, refuse them. 00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:11.920 He talks about this in Titus. 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:17.440 In Titus, in 1 Timothy chapter 4, he goes on, we'll talk about later when we get there, 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:21.180 but give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. 00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:25.099 So in other words, what he's telling him is you need to guard your focus. 00:12:25.219 --> 00:12:29.819 In other words, these questions and these endless dynamics will suck all the air out of a room. 00:12:31.319 --> 00:12:33.120 And people miss what's important. 00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:38.279 You know, there's a lot of people spend a lot of time arguing over foolish stuff, 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:43.120 and it's like, through the whole thing, nobody talks about the fact that there's people 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:45.740 that are sinful people that need a Savior. 00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:50.459 Or how is this going to encourage me when I walk through the challenges of life? 00:12:51.179 --> 00:12:53.699 You know, that is sound doctrine. 00:12:53.839 --> 00:12:57.339 It's for edifying, for building up, encouraging, and making, 00:12:57.819 --> 00:13:01.459 and being able to make focused decisions based upon the Word of God. 00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:05.359 And so the charge was to Timothy to guard his focus. 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:10.739 And he needs to guard this in others and also model it in himself. 00:13:11.219 --> 00:13:16.939 You know, redirecting the church at Ephesus from speculation to godly edifying, 00:13:17.079 --> 00:13:18.079 which is in faith. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:21.680 You know, chapter 4 kind of starts summing all this up when we get there. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:23.480 We'll find this dynamic. 00:13:23.660 --> 00:13:26.200 But you know, the question needs to be answered here, I think is important. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:26.920 What's a fable? 00:13:28.660 --> 00:13:30.160 What's he talking about here? 00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:35.200 Because a fable is basically a myth. 00:13:35.280 --> 00:13:37.720 It's an invented story dressed as truth. 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:42.200 You know, now fables can teach truth. 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:44.100 But you know what? 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:48.120 You don't build a whole dynamic of theology off a fable. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:50.920 You know? 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.940 Now I remember years ago, we were down at the university talking to students, 00:13:55.040 --> 00:13:57.980 and they got on this book about the great spaghetti monster. 00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:00.100 I don't know if anybody remembers some of that dynamic. 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.639 And, you know, the spaghetti monster. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:05.340 What are you laughing about, David? 00:14:05.819 --> 00:14:08.039 I mean, people get some foolish stuff. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:14.639 But this idea of fables here, it's an origin in the prop. 00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:16.740 You know, think such things as this. 00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:23.319 You know, the Jews had a whole teaching about the origin and propagation of angels. 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:28.860 You know, and that's really what they argued about in Colossae in chapter 2 in verse 18. 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.260 They're arguing about angels. 00:14:30.400 --> 00:14:34.220 And Paul says, what are you arguing about something that doesn't matter to you? 00:14:34.540 --> 00:14:39.740 God tells us there are angels, and there's ministering angels that stayed with Christ, 00:14:39.800 --> 00:14:42.480 and there's condemned angels that turned away from Christ. 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:46.260 And there's a spiritual battle happening. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.500 But I want you to understand, he says, 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:52.660 arguing about all the foolishness of those things is silly. 00:14:54.140 --> 00:14:59.320 We need to understand, we need to look at what God says and focus on the right things. 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:05.240 The same warning runs through all three of his letters to his preachers. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:07.160 The first and second Timothy cover it. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:09.120 Titus talks about this same thing. 00:15:09.560 --> 00:15:12.920 It talks about refuse, profane, and old wives' tales. 00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:16.400 You know, wives' fables there later in chapter 4. 00:15:16.400 --> 00:15:18.520 And be turned unto fables. 00:15:18.660 --> 00:15:21.820 He warns them, not giving heed to Jewish fables. 00:15:22.560 --> 00:15:25.780 Now, Jewish fables puts a label on this that he's dealing with. 00:15:27.780 --> 00:15:32.320 What we need to remember that doesn't get often talked about is historically we know, 00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:40.640 even in the time of Jesus, the Jews had created and written dynamics of stories and accounts 00:15:40.640 --> 00:15:44.200 and traditions about how things came about. 00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:47.680 You know, I mean, they included everything. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:50.680 There were basically, a lot of it was mystical teachings. 00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:58.259 You know, they had a lot of mystics in the days of Jesus that were Jewish. 00:15:58.520 --> 00:16:01.440 When we understand what he's talking about, he's talking about these people 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:05.500 who take things outside of what the scripture says 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:08.680 and incorporate occultic practices into it. 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:12.479 Now, you say, preacher, how do you know they had occultic practices? 00:16:12.739 --> 00:16:14.899 Look through all, we just got done going through the kings. 00:16:15.739 --> 00:16:17.739 What was Israel's constant struggle? 00:16:19.599 --> 00:16:23.679 Putting occultic, devilish practices and trying to blend it 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:28.039 to synchronize it with Jewish law. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:31.759 They tried to make it something that it was not. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:37.379 They would blend it and it would become something contrary to the things of God. 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:43.100 Now, some of my news things I'm on and stuff get kind of interesting 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:48.500 because a guy posted a quip this week about a preacher, quote unquote. 00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:51.980 I'll leave it pretty loose because what I'm about to say will tell you 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:53.039 that he's not much of a preacher. 00:16:54.740 --> 00:17:00.039 He was talking about they shouldn't have destroyed the idol of Ashtaroth in the temple 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:02.419 because, you know, women needed a voice. 00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:05.480 And I'm like going, the guy posted and he goes, 00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:07.879 you guys don't even want to believe what came out of this guy's mouth. 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:14.200 It's like, and he's standing in a pulpit speaking lunacy. 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:16.099 I wouldn't even call it heresy. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.379 It's lunacy about God. 00:17:20.379 --> 00:17:22.539 But this is what Paul's talking about. 00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:25.879 It's this kind of craziness that comes about. 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:30.440 Now, these fables were later even woven into Christian teachings 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:32.660 in the Middle Ages and the Enlightenment period. 00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:38.020 Because we're going to talk about that coming up of how much of this stuff, 00:17:38.580 --> 00:17:43.480 Jewish mysticism is still alive and well today it's been rebadged. 00:17:43.820 --> 00:17:48.320 We have an entire group of people in Lincoln, we'll put it that way. 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.020 I don't even want to call it a church, 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:53.060 that worship saints. 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:54.380 You know where they get that? 00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:57.660 Jewish mysticism. 00:17:58.060 --> 00:18:00.280 What they did, oh, this must be good, you know. 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:03.980 That was a Jew that wrote it, so we must need to incorporate this. 00:18:06.260 --> 00:18:08.540 This is what Paul's talking about here. 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:11.200 You know, let me give you a good example. 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:13.980 How many have seen the tree of life symbol? 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.580 It's got a bunch of different circles and all the little connectors. 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:20.080 You know where that's from? 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:21.120 Jewish fables. 00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:23.300 Jewish mysticism. 00:18:23.299 --> 00:18:25.299 What did they do? 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:30.700 They pulled it out of Jewish mysticism and put it into what was supposed to be Christian belief. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.220 What did they do? 00:18:31.299 --> 00:18:33.180 They turned, they were synchronistic. 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:37.759 Well, if somebody worshipped it and they were connected with God, 00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:38.940 then we must make it okay. 00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:48.580 That's what Paul's talking about here, people arguing over and getting distracted by instead of focusing upon truth. 00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:52.279 Because I want you to see, he talks about endless genealogies. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:57.059 Speculation sprung out of the lineage records, you know. 00:18:57.420 --> 00:18:57.900 Think about it. 00:18:57.900 --> 00:18:59.759 Turn to Titus chapter 3 for a moment. 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.400 Titus chapter 3. 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:04.920 Notice what verse 9 tells you. 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.700 He tells Titus, he says, 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:12.980 But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, 00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:17.400 for they are unprofitable and vain. 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:20.420 You know, that tells us something. 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:24.800 You know, most people that want to argue, I find just when it comes to this type of dynamic, 00:19:25.280 --> 00:19:27.720 they just want to prove their point to get their score. 00:19:29.080 --> 00:19:31.820 It's really not about finding or seeking truth. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.960 It's about, look how much smarter I am, how much more enlightened I am than somebody else. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:41.400 But I want you to understand, nobody is more enlightened than the Word of God. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:46.100 That is our foundation, you know. 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:49.100 And we're going to see here what Paul talks about, 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:54.039 because he talks about godly edifying which is in faith. 00:19:54.340 --> 00:19:56.779 Notice back in our text there, he says, 00:19:57.539 --> 00:20:00.940 Rather than edifying which is in faith, so do. 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:04.039 He says we ought to be built up in the faith. 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.680 Faith, speculation ministers questions. 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:09.440 It only breeds more talk. 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:15.799 In other words, we need to weigh teaching by what it builds, not how clever it sounds. 00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:21.139 You know, there's a lot of people get caught up in clever sounding theology today. 00:20:22.659 --> 00:20:24.319 You know why they get caught up in it? 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:26.339 Because they're not grounded in the Word of God. 00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:30.399 They don't know what God said about the topic. 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.559 So they're confused. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:34.019 They're easily drawn away. 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:36.500 And Timothy was here. 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:38.839 Now notice here, let's look down here at verse 5. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:39.720 He says, 00:20:39.879 --> 00:20:46.079 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith unfamed. 00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.180 You know what? 00:20:47.399 --> 00:20:56.119 He's given us a charge here, an aim, a direction, and some tests to attach to people trying to teach doctrine. 00:20:57.059 --> 00:21:00.799 He says you ought to test the motive, you ought to test the conscience, 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:03.619 and you ought to test the sincerity, the truthfulness of it. 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:07.940 And we need to understand because notice what he says here. 00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:14.360 It's charity, love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith unfamed. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.100 You know, that's the end of it. 00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:19.840 In other words, that's the conclusion, means the goal. 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:28.400 The target, the charge that it aims at, the charge of verse 3 isn't against love, it's for it. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:31.320 And he talks about here, he talks about a pure heart. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:32.360 You know? 00:21:33.860 --> 00:21:35.840 Having your heart right with God. 00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:44.040 You know, oftentimes people who are proud about, well, look how much I know or what I have. 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:52.139 You know, I remember years ago being in a discussion with a Catholic priest and he sent over all his degrees. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:56.839 I mean, it was about, in the email, it was probably about six, seven lines. 00:21:57.099 --> 00:22:01.759 And he wanted to argue about salvation because somebody over here in one of the neighborhoods got track. 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:04.579 You know what? 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:09.519 I skipped all the different stuff that he wanted to point to and I said, let's get back to the scripture if we want to talk about it. 00:22:11.639 --> 00:22:13.319 Because, you know, the reality is this. 00:22:13.419 --> 00:22:15.819 The curls in the pigtail don't make the pork any tastier. 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:18.980 You can have a lot of degrees and it doesn't mean you're any smarter. 00:22:20.639 --> 00:22:24.839 I've met a lot of highly educated people that couldn't get themselves out of a wet paper bag. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:29.919 And I've met some old farmers that probably were more knowledgeable than the guy that had all the degrees. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:33.420 It had nothing to do with them. 00:22:33.560 --> 00:22:38.759 It had to do with how they thought and how they processed the information they had around them. 00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:42.640 And that's what Paul is talking to Timothy about here. 00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:45.380 A pure heart, though, that's an inward cleansing. 00:22:46.060 --> 00:22:52.000 You know, I want you to understand that you can't teach and display what God wants if your heart's not right first. 00:22:53.800 --> 00:22:57.380 Your heart needs to be right with God before everything else. 00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:59.700 It's essential. 00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:00.900 A good conscience. 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:04.720 Nothing hidden or excused. 00:23:06.060 --> 00:23:11.940 You know, have you ever thought about what's included in the conscience and how the Bible talks about it? 00:23:14.380 --> 00:23:15.700 The conscience has a lot. 00:23:16.300 --> 00:23:18.100 God put a conscience in you. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.720 Nobody is void of a conscience. 00:23:23.260 --> 00:23:24.160 You know why? 00:23:24.260 --> 00:23:26.840 Because our conscience tells us right and wrong. 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:30.519 Have you ever noticed that a totally lost person can say, I know that's not wrong. 00:23:30.619 --> 00:23:32.359 I know it's not right for you to do that. 00:23:34.159 --> 00:23:38.359 Now, I want you to understand that a conscience can be twisted by what's put into it. 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:41.899 But we have an innate dynamic of right and wrong. 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:44.639 You know, you think about what the Bible tells us, you know. 00:23:44.959 --> 00:23:54.119 Paul talks about having a pure conscience, having a purged conscience, having a seared conscience, having an evil conscience. 00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:59.899 You know, I want you to understand, but the view here, he says you ought to have a good conscience. 00:24:00.399 --> 00:24:04.259 That means proper thinking and proper processing. 00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:11.139 In other words, when you know what God says that it's wrong, it ought to affect you when you do it. 00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:15.660 As a believer, you ought to have a conviction. 00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:21.600 Your conscience ought to convict you when you do something you ought not to do. 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:25.160 Now, I want you to understand, the problem isn't that you feel convicted. 00:24:25.280 --> 00:24:27.400 It's what you do with that conviction that makes a difference. 00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:29.420 Because you know what? 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:32.620 You can be convicted of something and choose to continue to walk through it. 00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:35.300 You know what happens? 00:24:35.299 --> 00:24:37.279 Your conscience can get seared and twisted. 00:24:39.399 --> 00:24:44.180 You know, you hear all about, in the news all the time, people, and you say, how could somebody do that? 00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:48.579 You know, you have a murder trial going on where a mom purposely killed her children. 00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:54.079 You know, most moms I talk to, they're like, how could a mom do that? 00:24:55.659 --> 00:24:56.419 You know what? 00:24:58.099 --> 00:25:03.279 In order to get to that point, you've already passed a lot of conscience saying, this is wrong. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:10.079 It's seared, it's cold, because of what's been put in and what's been allowed. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:14.859 I want you to understand, this is what Paul's talking about. 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:16.879 Then he talks about a faith unfeigned. 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:22.799 In other words, you know, unfeigned here is not just about being sincere, but it's not pretend. 00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:24.180 You know what the problem is? 00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:26.920 Oftentimes we pretend to follow God. 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:28.539 We know the right answers. 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.720 We know what's expected. 00:25:29.879 --> 00:25:32.420 We can do all the right things at the right times. 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:37.580 But a faith unfeigned is one that isn't pretend it's real. 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:40.259 A faith that's had some testing. 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:43.440 You know, faith is easy when life's going good. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:46.539 Faith is shown when things aren't good. 00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:53.279 When challenges hit, when things disturb your life, that's the moment you have to make a decision. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.539 What direction am I going? 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:58.060 That's what Paul's talking about to Timothy. 00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:01.240 And I want you to understand, he's telling him a test here. 00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:04.619 That teaching aim, a love from a clean heart. 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:06.619 Or is it from something else? 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:13.119 As the aim can be lost, doctrine turns to just jangling, vain jangling, empty discussions. 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:15.960 You know, doctrine isn't there just for us to know us. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:17.259 They're for us to apply. 00:26:17.259 --> 00:26:22.279 And to become productive in our life. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.779 But notice what he says about this in verse 6. 00:26:25.879 --> 00:26:26.940 Notice what he tells here. 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:33.720 From which some have swerved, having turned aside unto vain jangling. 00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:43.319 Now, what he's talking about here is a gradual change of direction or intentional change. 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:45.880 You know, when you swerve, it's intentional. 00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:51.299 You know, we were traveling the other day and there was a piece of tire in the middle of the highway. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.339 You know what you do? 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.620 You swerve around it. 00:26:53.660 --> 00:26:54.620 Why do you swerve? 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.880 Is it by accident? 00:26:58.140 --> 00:26:59.140 Or is it intentional? 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:03.600 Swerving is an intentional action. 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:08.380 And this is important because why did they swerve? 00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:11.539 Because swerving can sometimes be very small. 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:13.839 Yet each turn has intention. 00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.799 No one sets out. 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:19.380 I don't think anybody that gets saved and begins looking at the scripture says, 00:27:19.539 --> 00:27:21.019 I want to one day be a false teacher. 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:26.000 But you know what? 00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:28.039 If you have the wrong inputs, you get the wrong outputs. 00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:30.380 Paul is dealing with this. 00:27:30.380 --> 00:27:38.760 And when we understand that small deviations, because it involves direction, swerved, it's more than missing a mark. 00:27:38.860 --> 00:27:41.880 It's a deviation or distraction from the truth. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:42.860 You know? 00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:47.860 A deliberate change of direction to get around something in the way. 00:27:47.859 --> 00:27:50.539 You know what? 00:27:50.579 --> 00:27:53.319 I find a lot of times people change their doctrine. 00:27:53.459 --> 00:27:57.419 They swerve their doctrine because they come across something that makes them feel uncomfortable. 00:27:57.939 --> 00:28:00.279 Well, that's not politically correct if I say that. 00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:03.459 What do they do? 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:06.179 Oh, let's modify just a little bit. 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:09.759 Let's soften that up just a little bit. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:11.839 What are they doing? 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:19.440 They're swerving to avoid dealing with the issue. 00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:25.220 And oftentimes when they don't want to deal with the issue, you know what the problem is? 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:30.559 They know what the issue is and their conscience has already talked to them and they don't like what their conscience is telling them. 00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:33.559 So if they look a different direction, maybe their conscience will change. 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:35.660 It'll quit being affected so bad. 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:41.779 You know, what these men steer around is the aim of verse 5. 00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:45.279 Love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith. 00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:50.380 You know, rather than submit to the goal, they veer off to avoid it. 00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:53.960 Because an unfeigned faith is part of what they abandon. 00:28:54.660 --> 00:28:59.860 Paul tells them that that same swerving is erring concerning the faith. 00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:05.699 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 21, that's how he concludes the book. 00:29:07.399 --> 00:29:10.199 It says they err concerning the faith. 00:29:12.379 --> 00:29:14.879 That's the reason we need to keep focused. 00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:17.859 And because there's a direction and then there's a drift. 00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:21.000 The avoiding is gradual. 00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:25.379 Each swerve is one deliberate course change to get around a hard truth. 00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:29.200 Yet the small angle begins to widen with distance. 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:36.120 No one means to leave the road, but steering around the aim of verse 5, one obstacle at a time, 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:41.640 they depart from the truth in degrees and accumulates with them getting on a totally different road. 00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:46.160 You say, how can a preacher that preached the truth suddenly get way over here? 00:29:46.560 --> 00:29:47.060 You know what? 00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:54.500 They swerved little by little by little until they don't even realize where they've gone. 00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:56.619 But notice the destination. 00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:58.440 Vain jangling. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.400 Empty talk. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:01.039 Words without profit. 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:05.480 The end of speculation is not deeper truth, but just noise. 00:30:05.980 --> 00:30:10.960 Vain babbling is what he says in chapter 6 of 1 Timothy. 00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:14.640 He talks about vain talkers in Titus chapter 1. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:17.079 Emptiness. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:19.940 You know, they swerve at Ephesus. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:21.720 A quick dynamic. 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:24.220 I mean, they think about myths and genealogy. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:26.880 Speculation over edification. 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.400 You know? 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:31.000 We're going to look here in just a minute. 00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:32.600 The law is misused. 00:30:33.339 --> 00:30:35.339 Would-be teachers of the law. 00:30:35.980 --> 00:30:39.220 Other forms surface later. 00:30:39.600 --> 00:30:43.000 He talks about science falsely so-called. 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:46.640 He talks about issues with the resurrection. 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:50.700 In 2 Timothy chapter 2. 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:51.740 You know? 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:55.220 And notice, look at verse 7 as we walk through here. 00:30:55.299 --> 00:31:01.660 He says, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:06.779 Desiring to be teachers of the law, but they don't know what they affirm. 00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:08.279 Let me put it to you this way. 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:11.019 This is confidence without comprehension. 00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:13.440 Confidence without comprehension. 00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:16.319 You know, we notice that quite a bit when you talk to people. 00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:20.619 When you talk to somebody, when you start talking about technical things, 00:31:20.639 --> 00:31:24.039 it's really quick to find out whether they have comprehension of the subject or not. 00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:29.259 Because some people have absolutely, they talk good, but they have no idea what they're really talking about. 00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:35.440 But if somebody knows the topic, they understand how it goes together. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:40.960 But they desire to be teachers, but they have no comprehension. 00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:47.740 That would be like somebody saying, I want to go to school to teach people how to do such and such. 00:31:48.059 --> 00:31:50.980 And then when you get to school, say, teacher, I need to be up there teaching. 00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:53.680 What would everybody in the class look at them? 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:56.680 I don't want to listen to you. 00:31:57.320 --> 00:31:57.940 But you know what? 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.160 Sometimes smooth talkers will draw the class away from what's supposed to be taught. 00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:03.380 That's what Paul's talking about here. 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:10.560 They desire to be teachers, but their appetite for those things outrun the grasp of the truth. 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:14.220 Confidence without comprehension. 00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:17.500 They affirm strongly what they do not understand. 00:32:18.100 --> 00:32:20.600 Look over to 2 Timothy chapter 3 for a moment. 00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:22.259 Look down in verse 7. 00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:27.480 It says, ever learning and never able to come to the what? 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.680 Knowledge of the truth. 00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:32.420 You know? 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:39.240 I think we definitely live in a world where we have a lot of people with a lot of knowledge, 00:32:39.379 --> 00:32:41.180 but they don't have any understanding of that knowledge. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:43.039 You know, they missed it. 00:32:43.059 --> 00:32:46.740 They've never come to an understanding of the truth, a knowledge of the truth. 00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:49.279 What is that we can rest upon? 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:54.799 You know, this swerving that Paul talks about is not just ancient history. 00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:59.379 We're going to look a little later in chapter 4. 00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:04.039 We're going to talk about how occultic practices keep reentering church. 00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:08.399 And are impacting our society today. 00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:10.940 Let's just use another common thing. 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:13.720 Dolly Parton died. 00:33:14.180 --> 00:33:16.019 She was such a good godly woman. 00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:19.159 When somebody says that, it tells me they are void of understanding. 00:33:20.639 --> 00:33:23.139 She was a woman who did a lot of good things. 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:26.599 But by her own admission, she hopes she gets reincarnated. 00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:29.919 She goes, oh, you can't say she wasn't a Christian. 00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:33.919 I want you to understand by her own admission, she doesn't believe the gospel. 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.919 The simple truth is this. 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.659 I don't care how you want to sugarcoat it. 00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:41.259 If you don't believe the gospel, if you've never trusted Christ as Savior, 00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:43.099 you're still on your way to hell. 00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:47.859 I don't celebrate that that's probably where she is. 00:33:49.679 --> 00:33:51.139 It ought to make us sad. 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:56.300 But when you start finding out all the things, the mysticism associated. 00:33:57.580 --> 00:34:02.860 You know, you had another celebrity started burning a candle with St. Dolly on it. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:05.460 And posted it on their social media feed. 00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:08.780 What burning candles for the dead is, that's occultic mysticism. 00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:11.840 This is how much this stuff comes in. 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:13.039 The modern forms. 00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:16.119 I mean, you think about the word faith movement. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:19.240 You know, contemplative emptying of yourself. 00:34:19.239 --> 00:34:22.500 You know what that, that's old Jewish fable stuff. 00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:26.739 Where people will sit and repeat one word. 00:34:26.919 --> 00:34:29.439 Just say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus all over again. 00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:32.239 It's like, Jesus never tells you to pray like that. 00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:34.319 You know what that is? 00:34:34.359 --> 00:34:35.519 That's vain janglings. 00:34:35.879 --> 00:34:39.559 That's emptiness that Paul's talking about. 00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:42.639 It sounds religious, but it goes no place. 00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:44.639 Better move on or I'll get distracted. 00:34:45.459 --> 00:34:47.459 We'll cover that a little later in chapter four. 00:34:47.459 --> 00:34:48.339 I'm getting ahead of myself. 00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:51.559 Don't think I'm avoiding it. 00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:52.039 It's coming. 00:34:53.319 --> 00:34:55.000 We'll talk about it in some more detail. 00:34:55.299 --> 00:35:00.000 But I want you to understand the point here is important because 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:04.359 the doctrine that doesn't produce love has been handled wrongfully. 00:35:04.879 --> 00:35:07.919 But love is never the reason to abandon doctrine. 00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:11.059 You'll hear a lot about, oh, don't you love people? 00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:12.899 Yeah, I love them enough to tell them the truth. 00:35:13.419 --> 00:35:16.239 Now, that'd be like saying, don't tell your kids not to touch the hot stove. 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:18.519 You look at them and say, you are nuts. 00:35:19.879 --> 00:35:21.699 Why would people generally say you're nuts? 00:35:21.839 --> 00:35:22.879 Because it's dangerous. 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:23.759 It's going to hurt them. 00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:26.099 You know what telling the truth is? 00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:28.279 It's helping people avoid what's going to hurt them. 00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:34.339 Telling the people about the gospel of Jesus Christ is helping them solve a problem that 00:35:34.339 --> 00:35:35.219 they need solved. 00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.639 Look at verse eight here. 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:41.199 Because Paul now ties it into the law. 00:35:41.279 --> 00:35:47.679 He says, if we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, the lawful use of 00:35:47.679 --> 00:35:49.579 the law, in other words, the appropriate use. 00:35:51.799 --> 00:35:57.639 The problem at Ephesus was not the law itself, but its misuse. 00:35:59.099 --> 00:35:59.859 Think about this. 00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:01.880 Paul is defending the law. 00:36:03.680 --> 00:36:06.280 But he says the law has its purpose. 00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:09.640 The law is never intended to save anybody. 00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:12.559 You can find Romans 7 verse 12 for me quick. 00:36:13.780 --> 00:36:15.079 Romans 7 verse 12. 00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:17.900 Read that for me. 00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:19.320 Think about that. 00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:24.340 He tells him in the book of Romans, talking directly with this of the law and the interaction, 00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:27.380 he talks about the law is holy and the commandment holy. 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:29.220 It's just and good. 00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:35.400 If it's used properly, lawfully means according to its purpose. 00:36:37.240 --> 00:36:40.780 A good thing used wrongly does harm. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:45.539 The question is never, you know, is the law still good for us today? 00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:48.300 Have you ever noticed people frame the question? 00:36:49.640 --> 00:36:53.539 The real question, am I using it for what God designed it to do? 00:36:55.160 --> 00:36:56.680 Is it being used appropriately? 00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:57.940 That's what Paul's telling them. 00:36:58.419 --> 00:37:01.579 He says, is it being used properly for that? 00:37:01.639 --> 00:37:09.299 Because the law's work is to expose and restrain sin, not to justify or make you righteous. 00:37:09.839 --> 00:37:13.039 Paul tells us in Romans 3, he says, by the law is what? 00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:15.619 The knowledge of sin. 00:37:15.619 --> 00:37:24.480 The rightful use of the law is to realize that we've fallen short of the glory of God. 00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:26.420 That we need a Savior. 00:37:28.179 --> 00:37:29.539 That's the use of the law. 00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:33.339 Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless. 00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:34.440 Look at verse 9. 00:37:35.079 --> 00:37:39.619 Knowing this, that the law is not made for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. 00:37:39.619 --> 00:37:40.380 Disobedient. 00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:50.059 Now, it's interesting here as Paul walks through this, is he's basically working through in a different manner the Ten Commandments. 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:55.719 Talking about God's honor, ungodliness, sinners, unholy, profane. 00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:59.779 Talking about parents, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers. 00:38:00.019 --> 00:38:01.259 That's the Fifth Commandment. 00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:05.520 Man-slayers, that's the Sixth Commandment. 00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:10.540 Talking about purity, you know, whoremongers, them that defile themselves with mankind. 00:38:11.580 --> 00:38:14.900 You know, that includes the Seventh Commandment. 00:38:15.380 --> 00:38:17.500 Men-stealers, that's the Eighth Commandment. 00:38:17.800 --> 00:38:23.520 We find about liars, perjured persons, that's the Ninth Commandment. 00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:26.460 It's not a random abuse of sinners. 00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:33.220 It's a deliberate walk through the commandments, showing exactly who the law is made for and what it's for. 00:38:34.240 --> 00:38:38.220 Because the law identifies where we have fallen short. 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:43.900 Why we are sinners and why God's judgment is just. 00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:49.179 We understand the list here is not exhausted, but notice what he says in verse 10. 00:38:49.599 --> 00:38:51.039 He goes through the whole list here. 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:52.940 He says this, and he says, 00:38:53.099 --> 00:38:55.119 And there be any other thing that is what? 00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:56.240 Contrary to what? 00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:58.300 Sound doctrine. 00:38:58.420 --> 00:38:59.179 In other words, Paul says, 00:38:59.260 --> 00:39:01.460 Hey guys, don't take this as the exhaustive list. 00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:04.820 Because you know, we have a tent. 00:39:04.880 --> 00:39:06.599 Well, the preacher didn't mention that one. 00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:10.940 My Sunday school teacher didn't mention that, so that must be okay. 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.260 People ever do that? 00:39:14.400 --> 00:39:17.340 I think a lot of places they do, in the way we act. 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:19.699 I mean, I'd be just as guilty as anybody else. 00:39:20.240 --> 00:39:23.480 It wasn't stated expressly, so therefore we're not careful. 00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:28.000 That's the way we begin thinking instead of looking at it, is how does it apply as a whole? 00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:31.340 How does it apply to our lives? 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:34.460 Because notice what Paul tells them here. 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:35.420 He says, 00:39:35.460 --> 00:39:41.179 According to the glory of gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 00:39:41.179 --> 00:39:49.799 You know, he tells them here, the gospel is a deposit entrusted, not a message that he just invented. 00:39:50.460 --> 00:39:52.199 You can just pull this out of the hat. 00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:55.480 Oh, this sounds good, and this sounds good. 00:39:55.539 --> 00:39:56.159 We'll just do this. 00:39:56.379 --> 00:39:58.279 We don't have Paul's gospel. 00:40:00.259 --> 00:40:02.379 We have the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:40:02.899 --> 00:40:04.059 All the same gospel. 00:40:04.199 --> 00:40:05.279 There's only one way. 00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:06.199 When Jesus says, 00:40:06.379 --> 00:40:10.019 I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. 00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:12.619 That includes Jews and Gentiles alike. 00:40:13.299 --> 00:40:17.199 If you don't understand that, if you're not a Jew, you fall into the Gentiles. 00:40:17.899 --> 00:40:18.919 Some things need clarifying. 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:19.719 Okay, it was said. 00:40:19.719 --> 00:40:22.099 Pretty simple measurement. 00:40:24.319 --> 00:40:29.959 When we understand that the measure of sound doctrine is the gospel itself, 00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:36.739 the law rightly used, drives a man to the truth of needing a Savior. 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:43.199 And he says it was committed to his trust, a deposit, not a message invented. 00:40:43.339 --> 00:40:47.599 The same charge later closes the letter in chapter 6, 00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:50.279 Just keep that which is committed to thy trust. 00:40:50.339 --> 00:40:54.980 And everybody says, I've been given it, and I've given it, and shared it with you. 00:40:55.500 --> 00:40:56.360 That's the purpose. 00:40:57.519 --> 00:41:00.039 One of the purposes of God's people gathering. 00:41:00.839 --> 00:41:04.279 Hold to account the things and the pure doctrine of what God has said. 00:41:04.940 --> 00:41:08.719 People say, I can worship God, and I can do all the things. 00:41:08.779 --> 00:41:10.719 I can be a good Christian without being in church. 00:41:10.819 --> 00:41:11.099 You know what? 00:41:11.119 --> 00:41:11.940 They haven't read the book. 00:41:11.940 --> 00:41:15.200 What they've done, they've swerved around a few things. 00:41:15.900 --> 00:41:16.840 They've changed direction. 00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:23.539 Apostle here, Apostle Paul guards a trust, and that trust, the gospel is the standard. 00:41:23.740 --> 00:41:26.360 Everything else needs to serve. 00:41:27.099 --> 00:41:30.900 It's all centered and focused around the gospel. 00:41:30.900 --> 00:41:37.320 You know, the law diagnosis, the gospel gives the cure. 00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:41.100 The rightful use of the law is to perform a diagnosis. 00:41:42.080 --> 00:41:45.180 In the last, since the first year, I've seen more doctors than I care to see. 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:48.800 They make a diagnosis. 00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:53.480 But the one problem they all have, none of them have a cure. 00:41:55.720 --> 00:41:57.820 They got processes and procedures. 00:41:58.080 --> 00:41:59.220 They have all sorts of things. 00:41:59.320 --> 00:41:59.940 But you know what? 00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:04.140 They can slow things down, but they can't cure. 00:42:04.139 --> 00:42:08.739 A lot of people try to solve their sin problem the same way doctors try to cure cancer. 00:42:10.460 --> 00:42:13.059 Well, this will make you feel better, so go home and do this. 00:42:13.500 --> 00:42:15.379 Or you do this, and this will make you feel better. 00:42:15.579 --> 00:42:19.460 And you come back to therapy and pay me some more money, and we'll give you some more drugs. 00:42:19.559 --> 00:42:20.000 Or we'll do this. 00:42:20.139 --> 00:42:20.539 You know what I'm saying? 00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:21.559 It's a vicious circle. 00:42:22.359 --> 00:42:26.079 What cures the ailment of a soul of an individual is the gospel. 00:42:26.940 --> 00:42:29.960 It makes them a new creature in Christ. 00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:31.139 There. 00:42:31.539 --> 00:42:32.319 Preacher's out of time. 00:42:34.139 --> 00:42:44.139 Be back next week as we talk about Timothy and the sound doctrine and what Paul has been entrusted with. 00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:46.279 Heavenly Father,