Well, this is my first "blog devotion". I'm doing this for a couple of reasons, one, because I need to be in the Word...this seems to me to be a good way to do that. Two, because I need to be in the Word in community. This is a sweet way to do this, both with you guys, Jeremy and Scott (who are the one's I interact with on 1 Timothy) and with anyone else who chooses to read this and engage it. May we journey towards truth together!!! Here goes nothing...or something...who knows.
1 Timothy 1:1-11
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
Here are some of my thoughts...
1. Paul's position is not somthing that he thought up or even created himself. He is there because God called him to it...even commanded him.
- Question: what I am doing right now, do I feel like this is something that God has called me to? If it is, why are there times when I act like it is about me and not him?
2. In the midst of this calling or command of God, Christ is His hope...
- Question: what am I hoping in as I engage God's call on my life? How does this hope affect me when the going gets tough?
3. Paul is writing to Timothy, who is pastoring in Ephesus. This is not the first time that Paul has talked to Timothy about this issue...I'm guessing it is a big deal, and probably not something that is easy to deal with.
By the way, Paul is a big fan of Timothy. He is journeying with him.
- Question: Do I have any "True sons in the faith?" Am I being faithful?
4. Finally, Paul's concern is people teaching false doctrine. He is commanding Timothy to engage these guys on the issues. We are living in a time where we seem to be downplaying the role of doctrine when it comes to scripture. It seems our favorite terms we like to use are "narrative" and "story". I think these terms are valuable, but I am afraid that sometimes we use them to minimize the idea of "doctrine", "sound theology", or "propositional truth". 2 thoughts...one, the idea of story and narrative is not exclusive of theology or doctrine or propositional truth. Two, this stuff is important so we need to continue to humbly interact with each other on it, and while we may not konw things absolutely, it does not mean we do not know things, and does not leave us unable to challenge and confront one another.
Dude's, these are some of my thoughts. God bless you guys as You journey with Christ in His Word.
4 comments:
Hey bro, I know that the purpose of these comments is to discuss things...however at this point I really don't know what to say. I am hoping as time goes on and I get used to this "bloggin' thang" that I will more fully be able to discuss your points and questions. I like what your thinking here though, and I like what your challenging us to do. I am feeling like the potetial value of this time is...well...invaluable. So thanks and lets git'er done!!
I hear what you're saying about sound theology and propisitional truth but I think that good stories incorporate truth and theology. I think the challenge is to tell stories that contain truth and theology in such a way that it becomes Personal and not just about knowing stuff about God. The stories/narrative are examples of how that truth/theology is lived out.
I hear what you're saying about sound theology and propisitional truth but I think that good stories incorporate truth and theology. I think the challenge is to tell stories that contain truth and theology in such a way that it becomes Personal and not just about knowing stuff about God. The stories/narrative are examples of how that truth/theology is lived out.
i like the idea of humble-confidence for truth/story telling. the idea that we can know what we believe, and yet it is a mystery to some degree; we believe by faith, but our faith has allowed us to enter into a relationnship with the Living God.
how we tell others about this reality can be a fine line between information spewing and testimony. it was Jesus' confidence in what he had spoken that allowed him to let the rich man walk away...and it was his story of how he was living water that transormed a woman and her community.
in the hebrew culture questions were almost always answered with another question. to that end, i like to help people answer their own questions by asking them questions which hopefully help them clarify their need or reason for asking the question. to that end i see my role as more of a coach than a referee.
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