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Friday 16 December 2011

Day 351: Paul instructs Timothy

Ok, Timothy, it’s over to you.
Guidance for the church
1 Timothy 2:1-15
Qualifications of elders and deacons
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Timothy to be an example
1 Timothy 4:1-16
The work of a minister
1 Timothy 5:1-16
Value of godliness with contentment
1 Timothy 6:1-10
Paul’s charge to Timothy
1 Timothy 6:11-19
Conclusion
1 Timothy 6:20-21

This isn’t one of Paul’s top notch letters, it’s more about ecclesiastical housekeeping. There’s some instructions on worship, on the proper qualifications for leadership in the church (of those qualifications, I think I fail at least five ... don’t tell my bishop!) and on how Timothy himself should be an example to other Christians. Paul has never been shy of telling people to imitate himself, and he wants Timothy to be the same. Complete consistency is what he is after. Timothy can’t afford to be holy and righteous on Sunday, and a right so and so to his family and friends all week.
Timothy, though young, was entrusted with authority as a leader. Paul tells him how to exercise that authority so that people follow him willingly - not to allow people to look down on him, but not to lord it over them either.
So there you are, Timothy, get on with it.

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