Everyone naturally wants to be in charge and do things for their own self-fulfillment. We want to set our own schedule, plan our own activities without regarding others. Life, however, is not that simple. Everyone must willingly submit to various authorities. A lack of humility is the primary reason why we find submission so difficult. Today's passage clearly conveys this important truth. The Bible says that the younger believers are to clothe themselves with humility thus enabling them to submit themselves to the elder. Yet, pride wants to rule our hearts and squash any humble spirit. Pride wants to sit on the throne of our hearts. The Devil displayed this attitude when he was lifted up with pride and many young Christians elevated too early in life fall into this same condemnation (1 Timothy 3:6). The Devil sought to make himself like the most High (Isaiah 14:12-14) and rob God of His rightful position. Those who want to please God must do so by submitting to Him and to others in authority. Humbling oneself before the Lord is the only means of submission.
Many things have changed since Old Testament times. For instance, the Lord visited His people in the temple or tabernacle in the Old Testament by dwelling between the cherubims on the ark of God (Psalm 80:1). This ended especially with the onset of the New Testament and the permanent indwelling of God's Spirit within believers. The Lord stressed, “. . . that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16). For this reason, the New Testament does not place as much emphasis on reverence in the physical house of God. Regardless, the Lord is not silent concerning our behaviour in His house. We should behave ourselves both respectfully and properly (1 Timothy 3:15). Of all people, Bible believers should demonstrate reverence in the house of God so that others get a sense for our awe of God and His goodness.
The church meetinghouse has historically been viewed as a spiritually safe haven. Unfortunately, the Devil has increasingly been able to turn this haven into a place of abuse by those with impure motives. It all began when “Christian” men allowed themselves to deal with ladies in ways that lead to impure thoughts, resulting in impure actions. In today’s passage, Paul warned Timothy about these dangers and provided wisdom on how to safely deal with these relationships. He told Timothy to treat the elder women as though they were his mother. Concerning the younger ladies, Paul told Timothy to treat them as he would his sister. Christian gentlemen naturally avoid improper thoughts toward their mothers and sisters. Paul was aware that such dangers within a body of believers would exist between men and women so he cautioned Timothy and the church how to behave appropriately.
Timothy was a young man who had been nourished up on the pure words of God since childhood (2 Timothy 3:15). His mother and grandmother invested the necessary time to teach him about good and bad, right and wrong. This early development helped him to understand the importance of purity (2 Timothy 1:5). Because these two women brought him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Timothy had been shielded from much of the wickedness and filth to which others were exposed. With this upbringing in mind, Paul called upon Timothy to be an example in purity. Paul stressed the importance of Timothy maintaining his purity so that other believers might be able to see his life and follow in his example.
Believers should seek to be pure in every facet of life. One might consider limiting this to the places he goes or the things he hears and sees, but purity demands a much greater focus. Believers ought to think on pure things (Philippians 4:8) with pure minds (2 Peter 3:1) and pure consciences (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3). In particular, believers should have pure hearts before the Lord (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22). A pure heart will lead to a pure conscience and a pure mind. A pure heart changes where a man goes, what he looks upon, and the things he allows to enter into his ears. Every Christian should strive to make sure that all things are pure.
Salvation brings God's peace to His enemies by transforming them into His allies. However, “the peace of God” mentioned in today's passage involves a daily work in the believer's life. “Peace with God” remains an indissolvable bond, yet experiencing the daily “peace of God” entails an ongoing blessing that may be gained and lost. The “peace of God” comes through prayer and the Bible says this peace is beyond mortal comprehension. It truly comforts a believer’s heart and mind through Christ Jesus. This is why the Lord admonishes believers to “let the peace of God rule in” their hearts (Colossians 3:15). The saved will always be at peace with God, but each Christian must “let” the peace of God work effectually in him on a daily basis.
The New Testament sheds light on two types of peace: peace with God and the peace of God. Peace with God is “through” the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20). According to today's passage, this “peace with God” is experienced only upon one’s justification at the moment of salvation. Trusting Christ's payment through His death, burial, and resurrection remains the only basis for grasping this peace. Before a man trusts in Christ, he is God's enemy (Romans 5:10), but after salvation, he has been gloriously reconciled to God through the work of God's Son. No man earns this peace and no man can lose this peace to again become God's enemy because this peace is an everlasting peace.
Likely, no mere mortal endured more difficulty over a short period of time than did Job. Job suffered several awful trials with most of them coming simultaneously. Perhaps Job should not be remembered so much for the trials, but for how he handled those trials. When Job received the news that his children had perished, he said, “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). The verse which follows Job’s statement conveys volumes, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Job’s endurance of such trials led the Lord to point to Job as an outstanding example of patience (James 5:11).
Today's text includes the exhortation to be “patient toward all men.” Every sincere Christian realizes and recognizes the graciousness that God displays toward His children. Regardless of the goodness of God toward us, it still remains difficult to consistently demonstrate patience toward others. However, exhibiting patience is especially important for anyone in a leadership position, especially those involved in the work of God. According to God's word, the apostle Paul exemplified patience in his dealings with other believers (2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:12). This should come as no surprise since one of the basic requirements for the man of God involves patience (1 Timothy 3:3; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:24). God's people ought to be known for their patience toward others. In the homes, we should be patient with our spouses and children. At work, we should be patient with our coworkers, employers, and employees. In the Lord’s work, we ought to be especially patient with those striving to grow in the Lord.
Have you ever heard that it is unwise to pray for patience? Since “tribulation worketh patience” (Romans 5:3), it is thought to be dangerous to pray for patience. The idea may be quaint, but it does not make for good advice. The word patience is historically connected to the word passion which is biblically defined as suffering (Acts 1:3). True to its association, the word patience means to suffer or endure some time of trial. No wonder doctors and hospitals refer to a person suffering from health issues as a patient. The Bible bears further testimony to these truths by associating patience with waiting (James 5:7) and enduring (2 Thessalonians 1:4; James 5:11). The Bible also combines patience with the word longsuffering (Colossians 1:11). These words may appear the same, but they are not. Longsuffering has to do with the quantity (or length of time) of endurance, while patience has to do with the quality of endurance.
