Copr. Bruce N. Cameron, J.D., 1996.
INTRODUCTION: THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT THE 6TH AND LAST CHPT OF 1 TIM. LETS
GET INTO IT.
I. MASTERS AND SERVANTS
A. READ 1 TIM 6:1-2. DID PAUL SUGGEST THAT THE SLAVES SHOULD REVOLT
FROM THEIR MASTERS? (NO. HE SAID THEY SHOULD RESPECT THEIR MASTERS.)
B. WHY? ISN’T SLAVERY AN UNJUST AND UNBIBLICAL INSTITUTION? (HE SAYS
THAT GOD’S NAME AND “OUR TEACHING” SHOULD NOT BE SLANDERED BY
A SLAVE REVOLT.)
C. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD JUST LET UNJUST THINGS HAPPEN AND
NOT ROCK THE BOAT BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE GOSPEL WILL GET A BAD NAME?
D.
1. LETS ROLL BACK THE CLOCK. DOES THIS MEAN THAT IF WE LIVED A LITTLE
MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO HERE IN VIRGINIA THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE
OPPOSED SLAVERY?
2. EGW HAS SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS IN 1ST VOL OF TESTIMONIES.
SPECIFICALLY SHE WRITES ABOUT THE NATIONAL FASTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED
BY THE GOV’T LEADERS TO BRING THE CIVIL WAR TO AN END. SHE THEN SAYS THAT
SHE WAS DIRECTED TO IS 58:5-7 (GET SOMEONE TO READ THIS) AND THEN SHE SAYS:
I SAW THAT THESE NATIONAL FASTS WERE AN INSULT TO JEHOVAH. HE ACCEPTS OF
NO SUCH FASTS. THE RECORDING ANGEL WRITES IN REGARD TO THEM: “YE FAST
FOR STRIFE AND DEBATE, AND TO SMITE WITH THE FIST OF WICKEDNESS.”
I WAS SHOWN HOW OUR LEADING MEN HAVE TREATED THE POOR SLAVES WHO HAVE COME
TO THEM FOR PROTECTION. ANGELS HAVE RECORDED IT. INSTEAD OF BREAKING THEIR
YOKE AND LETTING THE OPPRESSED GO FREE, THESE MEN HAVE MADE THE YOKE MORE
GALLING FOR THEM THAN WHEN IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR TRYANNICAL MASTERS.
3. CAN THIS BE RECONCILED WITH PAUL?
E. I HAVE READ THAT THE CHURCHES IN GERMANY AROUND WWII DID NOT DO ENOUGH
TO STOP THE GOV’T FROM ROUNDING UP AND MURDER OF JEWS AND OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WERE SOCIALLY AND POLITICALLY OUT OF FAVOR.
1. WOULD PAUL AGREE THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE?
2. IF YOU WERE IN GERMANY IN WWII, WOULD YOU HAVE PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO
RAN THE DEATH CAMPS?
3. IF YOU BELIEVE, AS I DO, THAT ABORTION IS MURDER, DO WE DO NOTHING?
4. LAST WEEK WE HAD A REQUEST FOR SPECIAL PRAYER FOR DR. TILLER, THE
ABORTIONIST WHO HAS KILLED THOUSANDS OF UNBORN CHILDREN. I WAS ON THE PLATFORM,
BUT DID NOT HAVE THE MAIN PRAYER. IF I HAD, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO
PRAY FOR A SLOW RECOVERY.
F. IS THIS ADVICE THAT WOULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT?
(THE TEACHERS’ HELPS HAVE A QUOTE FROM BILL BARCLAY THAT SURE SOUNDS
RIGHT TO ME. HE SAYS THAT IF THE CHURCH IN PAUL’S TIME ENCOURAGED A SLAVE
REVOLT IT WOULD HAVE WREAKED THE CHURCH, CAUSED MASS MURDER AND THE WHOLE
THING WOULD HAVE FAILED. INSTEAD, CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES ENTERED THE HEARTS
OF THE PEOPLE AND THEY ULTIMATELY DID AWAY WITH SLAVERY. HE SAYS YOU HAVE
TO CHANGE HEARTS FROM WITHIN AND THINGS HAPPEN IN GOD’S TIME AND NOT OURS.
THIS ADVICE IS VERY DEPENDANT UPON THE LOCAL SITUATION. IN PAUL’S TIME
REBELLION BY THE JEWS WAS A VERY BIG ISSUE. JESUS TOOK MANY STEPS TO SHOW
THAT HIS WORK WAS NONPOLITICAL AND NONTHREATENING TO THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.
PAUL DID THE SAME. I DO NOT THINK THAT IN A DEMOCRACY WE MUST NOT APPEAR
TO BE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THIS DOES NOT BAR US FROM ATTEMPTING
CHANGE. CONSIDER THIS QUOTE FROM 1 TEST p. 201-202: WHEN THE LAWS OF MEN
CONFLICT WITH THE WORD AND LAW OF GOD, WE ARE TO OBEY THAT LATTER, WHATEVER
THE CONSEQUENCES MAY BE. THE LAW OF OUR LAND REQUIRING US TO DELIVER A
SLAVE TO HIS MASTER, WE ARE NOT TO OBEY; AND WE MUST ABIDE THE CONSEQUENCES
OF VIOLATING THIS LAW.
G. FORGET THE GOVERNMENT FOR A MINUTE: VERSE 2 ENVISIONS A SITUATION
WHERE YOU HAVE A MASTER AND SERVANTS WHO ARE CHRISTIANS. DOES PAUL SAY
THAT THE CHRISTIAN MASTERS SHOULD RELEASE THE SLAVES? (NO HE SPEAKS ONLY
TO THE SLAVES.) 1. HE SAYS THAT THE CHRISTIAN SLAVES OF CHRISTIAN MASTERS
SHOULD NOT SHOW LESS RESPECT BECAUSE THEY ARE BROTHERS. INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD
WORK EVEN HARDER BECAUSE THEY ARE BENEFITTING ANOTHER CHRISTIAN. WHY ISN’T
THIS A TWO-WAY STREET? WHY CAN’T THEY ACT MORE LIKE BROTHERS AND LET THE
SLAVE STOP BEING A SLAVE? (PAUL WAS NOT UPSETTING THE EXISTING SOCIAL ORDER.)
H. HOW ABOUT CHRISTIANS AS EMPLOYEES? WHAT KIND OF AN EMPLOYEE DOES
v. 1 SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD BE? (PAUL SAYS THAT GOD’S NAME AND OUR TEACHING
IS ON THE LINE HERE: SO WE NEED TO BE THE BEST EMPLOYEE POSSIBLE SO THAT
IT WILL BRING HONOR TO GOD. THIS FITS IN WITH BARCLAY’S POINT ABOUT CHANGING
HEARTS.)
I. I READ AN ARTICLE SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT SAID THAT MOST EMPLOYEES
ARE NOT FIRED BECAUSE THEY ARE INCOMPETENT, BUT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET
ALONG. DOESN’T THIS ATTITUDE OF WANTING TO BE THE BEST KIND OF EMPLOYEE
VIRTUALLY GUARANTEE GETTING ALONG?
II. FALSE TEACHERS (AGAIN) SKIP TO THE NEXT UNLESS NEED MORE TIME
A. PAUL WRAPS UP HIS LETTER WITH A FEW MORE BITS OF ADVICE: SOME ON
TOPICS ON WHICH HE EARLIER WROTE. READ 6:3-5.
1. PAULS SAYS TWO THINGS ABOUT THESE FALSE TEACHERS: ONE THING ABOUT
THEIR PERSONALITY AND ANOTHER ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THEIR FALSE TEACHING.
a. TELL ME WHAT PAUL SAYS ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITY? (THAT THEY ARE CONCEITED
IDIOTS!)
b. WHY? (APPARENTLY THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO OTHERS)
c. WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF THEIR TEACHING? (THEY CREATE CONTROVERSY AND
TROUBLE.)
III. CONTENTMENT
A. VERSE 5 HAS AN INTERESTING SEQWAY TO PAUL’S NEXT TOPIC: HE SAYS THAT
FALSE TEACHERS CREATE FRICTION AMONG THOSE “WHO THINK THAT GODLINESS
IS A MEANS TO FINANCIAL GAIN.”
B. ASK YOURSELF, ARE YOU HAPPY? DO YOU FEEL CONTENT? DO YOU FEEL SECURE
ABOUT THE FUTURE? THE NEXT FEW VERSES SAY A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
C. READ 6:6-7. WHAT DOES PAUL SAY IS THE GOAL FOR TIM AND US? (GODLINESS
AND CONTENTMENT. IN FACT HE SAYS THIS IS “GREAT GAIN”– WHICH
HE SAYS IN THE CONTEXT OF FINANCIAL GAIN.)
D. WHAT ARGUMENT DOES HE MAKE IN SUPPORT OF BEING CONTENT? (HE SAYS
THAT WE CANNOT TAKE IT WITH US.)
E. IMAGINE GOING INTO A STORE AND BEING TOLD THAT YOU CAN HOLD ANYTHING
AND USE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT WHILE YOU ARE IN THE STORE, BUT YOU HAVE
TO LEAVE IT THERE. WOULD YOU BE REAL CASUAL ABOUT THE STUFF THAT YOU PICKED
UP IN THE STORE? I THINK THAT IS WHAT GOD HAS IN MIND FOR US.
F. READ v. 8. WOULD YOU BE CONTENT WITH THIS? SHOULD WE BE? IS THE GOAL
TO GET DOWN TO JUST FOOD AND CLOTHES? (NO. I THINK HE IS LAYING OUT THE
WORST CASE SCENARIO: THAT EVEN IF WE HAVE ONLY FOOD AND OUR CLOTHES WE
WILL BE CONTENT. IF YOU WERE STRIVING TO GET DOWN TO FOOD AND CLOTHES IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE CONTENT.)
G.IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS JUST INSTRUCTION FOR TIM? (NO. GO ON)
H. PAUL TELLS US ABOUT THE IDEAL, NEXT HE GETS INTO THE DOWNSIDE PROBLEMS
WITH NOT BEING CONTENT. READ 6:9-10.
I. PAUL SEEMS TO OUTLINE WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT CONTENT.
WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP IN GOING ASTRAY ON THIS ISSUE? (WANT TO GET RICH/
FOOLISH AND HARMFUL DESIRES.)
J. WHAT IS NEXT? (ARE TEMPTED. THEY FALL INTO TEMPTATION.)
K. LETS EXPLORE HOW THIS WOULD WORK AS A PRACTICAL MATTER:
1. I SEE THIS NEW CAR AND I SAY IF I WERE RICH I COULD GET THAT CAR.
FIRST STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
2. NEXT I DECIDE THAT I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THAT NEW CAR.
I WOULD THEN LOOK RICH. OR AT LEAST RICHER. AND I PLAN HOW I COULD GET
THAT NEW CAR. I COULD WORK A SECOND JOB.
3. AND WHEN I HAVE THAT SECOND JOB I DON’T SEE MY WIFE AND FAMILY ENOUGH,
ETC. I COME TO GRIEF AND DESTRUCTION. AND THIS IS THE FULLY LAWFUL PATH
TO MORE WEALTH — I HAVE NOT EVEN MENTIONED THE UNLAWFUL PATH.
L. PAUL SUMMARIZES THE PROBLEM IN v. 10, SO LETS READ IT. AND THEN v.
11: THE SOLUTION.
M. WHAT DOES PAUL SUGGEST IS THE SOLUTION TO WANTING TO GET RICH? (PURSUE–WANT
TO GET–RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE ENDURANCE AND GENTLENESS.)
N. THE OLDER I GET THE MORE I AM CONVINCED OF THIS. WHILE I AM FAR FROM
BEING OVER THIS SIN — I STILL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A NEW CAR — TOLD WIFE
NOT HAVE TO PRAY THAT WE COULD REPAIR THE HONDA BECAUSE THIS WAS PART OF
GOD’S HUMILITY/CONTENTMENT PLAN FOR ME, THIS WHOLE IDEA MAKES PERFECT SENSE
TO ME. WHEN I HAD NEW CARS I WAS ALWAYS SWEATING DOOR DINGS AND FENDER
SCRAPES. I WANT MY CAR TO LOOK NICE, BUT WHEN I DRIVE OLDER CARS I CAN
PARK ANYWHERE.
O. PAUL CONTINUES TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC IN v. 17-19. LETS READ THIS.
1. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WISHING TO BE RICH, BUT ARE RICH, SO
A DIFFERENT SIDE TO THIS ISSUE.
2. WHY DOES PAUL SAY THAT THE RICH SHOULD BE COMMANDED NOT TO BE ARROGANT?
IS THAT TYPICAL OF THE RICH PERSON?
3. WHY DO YOU THINK THE RICH TEND TO BE ARROGANT? (THEY THINK THAT THEY
DID A BETTER JOB IN LIFE: THAT BY EARNING MONEY THEY SHOWED THAT THEY WERE
BETTER.)
4. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ATTITUDE AND WITH DEPENDING UPON WEALTH?
(THAT IT IS FICKLE. “UNCERTAIN” TO QUOTE PAUL. IF THE STOCK MARKET
CRASHES AND YOU LOSE YOUR WEALTH, ARE YOU SUDDENLY A WORSE PERSON?)
5. WHAT IS THE ONLY DEPENDABLE THING TO DEPEND UPON? (PAUL SAYS THAT
THEY SHOULD HOPE IN GOD. THIS GETS BACK TO THE IDEA OF CONTENTMENT. YOU
JUST DEPEND UPON GOD AND SAY WHAT YOU GIVE ME GOD WILL BE SUFFICIENT.)
P. READ v.18-19. PAUL TELLS US HERE HOW WE CAN TAKE OUR MONEY WITH US.
DO YOU SEE IT? (HE SAYS THAT THE REAL HOPE FOR WEALTH IS TO LAY IT UP IN
HEAVEN. AND WE DO THAT BY SHARING IT HERE.)
Q. READ v.20-21 IN CLOSING.
R. (IF WE NEED MORE TIME, I CAN’T IMAGINE IT, THEN GO OVER v.12-16.
THE CONFESSION OF CHRIST IN FRONT OF PILATE IS MARK 15:2) IV. NEXT WEEK:
AN NEW BOOK. READ TITUS 1: THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
R. (IF WE NEED MORE TIME, I CAN’T IMAGINE IT, THEN GO OVER v.12-16.
THE CONFESSION OF CHRIST IN FRONT OF PILATE IS MARK 15:2) IV. NEXT WEEK:
AN NEW BOOK. READ TITUS 1: THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
