Five ‘Faithful Sayings’
1. 1 Tim 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
2. 1 Tim 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
3. 1 Tim 4:9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labour and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially of those who believe.
4. 2 Tim 2:11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
5. Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
These were sayings current in the apostolic church, and written down to equip Timothy in his pastoral work in the church at Ephesus where Paul seems to have left him in order to oversee the church there.
As missionaries we need to know how to pastor in the situations in which we find ourselves. The second faithful saying tells us that this is a worthwhile role - it is a “noble task”. The other four faithful sayings are the contents of faithful pastoring. It is interesting that in these pastoral letters – three of these five faithful sayings are simple statements concerning one’s personal salvation through Christ. Repetition and re-emphasis of these truths are the foundation of discipling and pastoral ministry – whether in preaching, or in one-on-one discipling and counselling (fifth saying). They answer questions concerning sin and our unworthiness; concerning in whom we have to put our faith; concerning the temptation to give up - or to think that Christ has given up on us; concerning what actually happens in our salvation.
Meditating on these great truths is a good inoculation against error. Many of the different scientific disciplines are grounded on a few simple principles which are expanded out into wider disciplines and studies. If you know the basic principles the rest can be worked out. So it is with the Christian and pastoral life. Take the first one …
· Firstly, our gospel message is TRUE and trustworthy. You have given up everything for this truth - it is not a man-made myth. This statement is of course utterly reliable.
· Secondly, this gospel is available for all. It is worthy of “full acceptance” That is why you are training to take it to all the peoples of the earth.
· Thirdly, this gospel saves all sinners. The law and our lawlessness condemns all of us – and the gospel in Christ is sufficient to save all sinners who believe.
Concerning #1, the first convert in England, to the new Protestant faith in 16th century, to the gospel of free grace – Thomas Bilney - was converted through reading this verse. He later wrote: “This one sentence, through God’s instruction and inward working, which I did not even then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that even immediately I seemed unto myself inwardly to feel a marvellous comfort and quietness, insomuch that “my bruised bones leaped for joy. After this, the Scripture began to be more pleasant unto me than the honey of the honeycomb”.
· Bilney was thoroughly converted and went on to lead to the Lord many of the leaders of the great English Reformation which changed the world. King Henry VIII later burned him at the stake for his evangelical preaching. Not only was Thomas Bilney a great evangelist but he was clearly an outstanding mentor and pastor as many of his converts were also burned at the stake for their faith.
· Later John Bunyan of Pilgrim’s Progress fame wrote the book, ‘Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners’ – based on the King James Version of these verses.
· One of the things I have enjoyed about Brethren Assemblies since coming to New Zealand is that communion is served every week. The scriptures are opened and the reason why we are taking communion is repeated. We need these basics – not just once, but many times. We are reminded yet again that we need to be saved; we need to know that we are saved; and we need to know that we are only saved through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We forget. We leak the greatest spiritual truths from our being. Here is one of the greatest.
· Timothy, the man whom Paul had left in charge of churches was probably at a huge church at Ephesus. This Timothy who had walked with Paul and heard him preach many times – who had probably seen some great apostolic miracles, this Timothy still needed to be reminded of these basics yet again. Not because he was theologically stupid – or had not been taught, but because that is the human condition. Human self-righteousness suppresses the great truth of God’s grace to us. Timothy, like us, needed to hear these basic truths again and again.
· Why do we need to hear these basics? Why do pastors need to pastor? If we don’t teach these basics, believers easily go off the rails. The context in which Paul was reminding Timothy of this great truth here is the context of the false teaching swirling around the churches. In Acts 20, Paul in his farewell to them, prophesies to the Ephesian elders that:
Acts 20:26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
· The first thing that is denied in false teaching is the finished work of Christ, and the second thing is that the finished work of Christ is the only reason a believer is saved.
Some of this doctrinal truth seems to have sunk in because later on in Revelation (perhaps written at the end of the 1st cent.), Jesus tells the Ephesian church: Rev 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans which I also hate.
By not accepting these great truths – some people had ‘shipwrecked’ their faith, like Hymaenus and Alexander who had gone off the rails - they taught that there was another way to God, another way to be saved. We need these faithful sayings more than ever - Read them! Study them!