Something Greater

Learning Godliness What has gone before... Paul asked the women in the Ephesian church to examine how their dress and adornment should genuinely reflect what is in their hearts . The word for "adorn" means to put in proper order , implying all that is deeply essential. "Modesty" means bashfulness toward men, or awe towards God, closely related to respect or reverence. "Self-control" means soundness of mind, or sanity. A woman who dresses simply, modestly and inexpensively, must depend upon personality in order to impress or attract others . Without skin-revealing dress or expensive decoration, a woman must express strength and goodness by her words and actions. Paul is not forbidding braided hair , gold, pearls or expensive dress. Rather, he's emphasizing the need to allow God's Holy Spirit to develop within us the inner qualities of respect, modesty and self-control, expressed by good works. We cannot rely upon outer appearances to ma

Truly Beautiful and Deeply Good What has gone before... Paul has urged the leaders, the men, to cease their angry, devisive control of the church in Ephesus. Using prayer as a model for holy leadership, he exhorts the men to pray with the right motives, with godly desires. Moving on... Paul's focus of concern for the men is how their prayers might be hindered by their angry, quarrelsome hearts . For women, Paul asks that they examine how their choices in dress and adornment should genuinely reflect what is in their hearts. "Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (ESV) Paul's exhortation to women begins with "likewise", meaning that his words to both men and women share something in common. The central truth of both admonitions is fo

Unholy Prayer What has gone before... Paul asserts his appointment by God, emphasizing that God did the placing, realizing that his life would be lain down for sacrificial service . He affirmed his honesty and sincerity, knowing that his reputation for violence and rigid religion still dogged his steps. Although still very much Jewish in pracice, Paul felt himself more and more drawn to ministry to the Gentiles, knowing that God had chosen for His own, people from every race, every ethnicity, every language. Moving on... Paul now returns to the theme with which he began this chapter: "I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling." 1 Timothy 2:8 (ESV) What led Paul to emphasize prayer without anger or quarreling? Paul's initial motivation for prayer was that "we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." (1 Timothy 2:2) Immediately following this exhortation Pa

Christ Is All, And In All What has gone before... Jesus Christ is appointed by God to be the mediator between God and Humanity , God's representative, sent by God to bring reconciliation with sinful, ruined creatures. At just the right time He gave Himself as a ransom for all, taking upon Himself God's wrath that we rightfully deserved for our sin. Moving on... Paul asserts his appointment by God: "For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." 1 Timothy 2:7 (ESV) "This" refers to " the testimony given at the proper time ". Some might see Paul as being defensive, desiring to emphasize his right to advise Timothy. His self-endorsement is an echo of earlier, similar statements: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus...I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judg

The Price Of Sin What has gone before... Sin makes shipwreck of our lives on earth, destroying joy and peace, ruining relationships and stealing wealth and property. But sin also reaches beyond our natural life, condemning us to a spiritual death , eternity apart from God and His goodness. Sin - disobedience and dishonor, adoration for creatures and things rather than the Creator - ruins our heart for God . We become His enemy. Our only hope is being saved: delivered and protected by God from the effects of our sin. God desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but the word "all" has a condition: all who are called by God , all who have their spiritual eyes opened by God, all who desire to be saved. "All" means all people who seek Jesus Christ as their Deliverer. Moving on... "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is