As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. - 1 Timothy 1:3-5 (ESV)

This passage represents the overall message of First Timothy. There is a real danger that Paul’s pastoral protégé might be unhelpfully influenced by wrong teaching, let it take over, or otherwise forget or neglect the core charge that he has from the Lord regarding his ministry. 

In First Timothy, the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to focus his ministry on the right things and never swerve from them. He also urges Timothy to be careful to avoid pitfalls into which many stumble, all in order that Timothy may be an approved workman and God glorified. Paul seems most concerned with Timothy’s avoidance of false knowledge. He also wants Timothy to be aware of all the duties and services necessary to pastor faithfully. Pastors today are the closest parallel, but all believers do well to listen. They also do well to evaluate their pastors according to this criteria. 

 The Big Idea of 1 Timothy

I have taught the big idea of First Timothy as the following: Pastor faithfully and wisely. This is Paul’s basic concern for Timothy as he engages in pastoral ministry. The letter is full of practical and important instruction that is helpful for all pastors. It is also helpful for Christians in general who can take Paul’s letter to Timothy as guidance for themselves. 

An Outline of 1 Timothy

1:1-20 - Be Faithful

In chapter one, Paul charges Timothy to be faithful in his pastoral work. This is epitomized in the end of the chapter, where he concludes his opening of the letter by warning Timothy against making a shipwreck of his faith. Paul describes in this chapter how important it is to remain faithful to the ministry as Paul entrusted it to him and not to be distracted. People have gone off in different directions, and many of them are unhelpful and wrong. Paul describes how grateful he is to have been appointed to the service of Christ.

2:1-3:16 - Be Godly

Paul instructs Timothy to be godly in chapters two and three. He describes how people everywhere should pray for those in authority. Men should be marked by prayer and peacefulness, and women should be marked by submissive godliness. Paul goes in on the third chapters to describe the prerequisites for the offices of elder and deacon, which are similar. The main exception is that elders must be able to teach and deacons do not. This section ends with Paul’s summary, saying that he has written these things so that Timothy would know what behavior is appropriate in God’s household, the church. Then, Paul connects that statement with a kind of hymn or creed that Paul calls “the mystery of godliness.”

4:1-16 - Be Wise

Paul pivots in chapter four to warn Timothy to be wise. The Spirit has made clear that people will come into the church but depart from the faith. They will teach things that are not true, but Timothy must keep his brothers and sisters in Christ aware of what is good and true. Timothy must be wise, pursuing godliness rather than myths, and teaching what helps others to make the same kind of progress that should be apparent in Timothy. 

5:1-6:2 - Lead Well

Paul presses the importance of leading well in chapter five and the very beginning of chapter six. There are instructions for how to interact with and relate to people of various ages and stages in life, including older and younger widows, people who refuse to work, elders and potential elders, and slaves. 

6:3-21 - Be Discerning

Paul concludes his letter to Timothy by urging him to be discerning. There are many potential dangers and different doctrines from the ones Paul teaches are to be considered dangerous. Timothy must avoid strange doctrines and the vices that inevitably accompany them. Rather, Timothy should pursue all that is right, good, and true, looking to Christ Jesus and his appearing. Timothy should warn the rich against trusting in their wealth rather than God and be discerning enough not to swerve from the faith. 

Benefits of 1 Timothy

First Timothy teaches us what a faithful and wise pastor looks like. Just as there are many challenges to living well as a Christian, so there are many challenges to pastoring Christians well. Many of the issues with which a pastor needs to deal are little different from what every other Christian does. The distinction is not so much in the moral expectations as they are in the distinctive leadership role among Christians that pastors have. 

While all Christians are responsible for their own behavior, pastors bear a level of responsibility for the behavior of others that is distinct from other Christians. Pastors are to lead, guide, and protect the flock of Christ, the church. If pastors are going to do this well, then they need to be following Christ faithfully and wisely. But pastors must not shrink from hard or complex conversations with others, either. As the church grows and gathers, there will arise issues of belief and behavior that the pastor must address. He must have the overall status of the church in mind in addition to that of the person in front of him. 

Given the above analysis, it is easy to see why Paul focuses so much on Timothy’s personal faithfulness and devotion to God. Without this, the pastor’s ministry is hamstrung. All Christians need to pursue faithfulness and wisdom. But if pastors are to help others be faithful to God and wise in living, then they must set an example to follow.