1 Timothy 1:6-10

 

1 Tim 1:6 (KJB)

From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

 

Swerved - Turned aside, turned from, or forsaken

Vain Jangling - Empty, vain, or idle speech - fruitless discussion

 

Paul warns Timothy that there are those among this church which have forsaken the true faith and the true teachings and instead have adopted vain or useless philosophies. It is like many preachers today who have forsaken the true gospel and instead teach New Age, Self-Esteem, Positive Thinking, Roman Catholic mysticism, Health, Wealth, Prosperity, Dreams, Visions, Tongues, Signs and Wonders. All of these amount to nothing but vain jangling because the essence of the true gospel is the cross of Christ and the sinfulness of man and his/her need of a Savior. These are absent in all these counterfeit gospels. There are two basic reasons why many have forsaken the true gospel and have chosen to teach these false teachings. 1) The teachers are unsaved, 2) there is much money for these false teachers to make if they pander to the flesh of their listeners. It is unfortunate that many Christians have fallen for these counterfeit gospels. If they would assess their spiritual lives, they would realize that they are no farther along today than they were when they chose to follow the counterfeit gospels. A counterfeit gospel cannot save nor can it help grow a Christian and therefore would fall under the category of fruitless discussion because only the true gospel will bear eternal fruit.

 

1 Tim 1:7 (KJB)

Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

 

They affirm - Speak confidently or assert strongly

 

Here Paul points to the Judaizers who come along with their false gospel of adding works to the grace of God. They do this to make themselves sound so scriptural, yet by twisting the Scriptures they really do not know what they are teaching. They have a desire to be a teacher of the law but their understanding of what they are teaching has become clouded by the false teachings they adopt and append to the Scriptures. The last two words in this verse are very important, “they affirm.” The false teachers take their false teachings and over-justify them by asserting these theories strongly and the stronger they proclaim them, the more they are received as being genuine or true teachings. The reason they must write many books or dwell excessively long on certain teachings is to try and give credence to their teachings.

 

(Prov 10:19 KJV) In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19 teaches us plainly that in the multitude of words, there is no lack of sin. Whenever someone teaches a false system, they must over-justify it with many words. An example is Harold Camping of Family Stations in California is claiming that Christ will return on May 21, 2011 and has written many books on the subject of that date. If he was absolutely sure that is what the Bible was teaching, then he would not have to over justify with 7 or 8 books on one theme. A true Biblical doctrine does not have to be shrouded in thousands of words and require over-justification to make the point. When false teachers write excessively on a single subject, it shows that they really do not have true understanding of it or they are twisting the Scriptures to adapt to their teachings.

 

1 Tim 1:8 (KJB)

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

 

The law is good when it is applied to a person’s life. For example, if a Jew in ancient Israel was not sure about a certain action, they could go to the written law and check it out so they would not break the law of God. Another way the law of God was good was that it showed man that they are unable to keep the law and needed a Savior. (Gal 3:24-25 KJV) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. {25} But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. The law was the schoolmaster which showed us our need for a Savior but once a person became saved, they were no longer under the law because Christ fulfilled all the demands of God’s righteous law. (Mat 5:17 KJV) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The law becomes misused by means of adding to it to manipulate the people as the Pharisees had done. They added so much to the law that pretty soon there was no distinction between the commentary on the law and the law itself. Of course, the leaders became very rich by misusing the law to their advantage. Paul was a Pharisee and would have known the workings of those who were the leaders and their profiteering from the twisting of Scriptures. Today books which are written by false teachers like Joel Osteen or Robert Schuller which make man the center yields millions of dollars for the false preacher.

 

1 Tim 1:9 (KJB)

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,

 

(Gal 5:22-23 KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Paul gives a list of the types of sins which are law breaking sins. All sin is law breaking sin but Paul is giving this list as an example which basically covers the whole gamut. However, he starts out stating that he knows and he wants Timothy and his hearers to know that the law is not made for a righteous man and that means a saved person. As we said in the previous verse that Christ came to fulfill all the demands of the law and therefore the law no longer applies to those who have become saved. Galatians 5:22-23 detail those who are saved as having fruits of the Holy Spirit which has no law against it. This does not mean that Christians have a license to sin but it means that, because of Christ, they are no longer faced with the penalty of breaking God’s law. The list of sins which Paul gives teaches that all sins will be judged according to the law of God on the last day. The lawless ones break God’s law without conscience and the disobedient refuse to come under authority. Those who fall into these two categories will definitely carry out the sins which Paul gives in this verse and the next. The entire unsaved human race can fall under the description of “unholy and profane” without prejudice.

 

1 Tim 1:10 (KJB)

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

 

Paul continues the list of named sins and those that are not named carry with them the same penalty as all other sins. Paul names homosexuals, fornicators, those who visit prostitutes because in Ephesus the temple of Diana was there and it was the type of cult which featured prostitutes of both male and female persuasion. The list he gives us is not just for back then but is apropos to all generations down to the end. These sins never ceased and are probably much more prevalent today. Menstealers may also be translated as “kidnappers” and much kidnapping goes on today, whether it be for ransom, parents stealing their own children, or people being kidnapped to be raped and then killed. This list is not by any means exhaustive but Paul is giving this list as types of sins which are culpable to God’s holy law and if the people partaking in these sins do not become saved, then they will be judged out of that law. All sin is contrary to sound doctrine and even motives will be judged out of the law. (Prov 21:27 KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? In Proverbs 21:27, we read about the sacrifice the wicked make and then bring it before the Lord with a wicked mind which equates to being unsaved. Many people in churches today are unsaved but they buy their positions in the church with huge gifts. Their desire is not to glorify God but themselves which means they have selfish motives that will be revealed on the last day in judgment.

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