1 Timothy 1:3–11 | The Charge of the Church

First Irving Sermons

Main Point. The Church’s charge is to guard sound doctrine by faith, promote Christlike love, and use God’s law to reveal sin and lead us to the gospel. Driving Question. Why is it essential that we guard the sound doctrine? 1. Because sound doctrine protects the church from false teachers (3–7) 1 Cor 4:1–2 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 2 Peter 1:2–4 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 1 Cor 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2. Because sound doctrine promotes the true purpose of the law and the gospel (8–11) How does one use the law lawfully? By recognizing the intended function of the law is to point out our sin. Takeaways. We need the law everyday to show us our sin. We need the gospel everyday to remind us that Christ’s righteousness fulfilled the law for us, and the reminder that he paid the penalty of the law for us because of our unrighteousness. We need the gospel every day in order to love God and love people (which fulfills the law). We need to realize that the gospel (and the law) lead us to live a life aimed at the glory of the blessed God.