Download 1 Timothy Theme Study #1

1 Timothy Theme Study #1 STUDY GUIDE
GOD OUR SAVIOR
1 Timothy 2:3–6a; 4:3–4 (1:1,12–17; 3:16; 4:10; 6:13–17)
Key Verses: 2:3–4
The title of our 1 Timothy study is “Be A Good Minister of Christ Jesus,” based on 4:6. Each of
our four theme studies is developed around this major theme. In this first study we want to learn
Paul’s understanding in this letter of who God is, and, who Jesus is.1 God our Savior and Christ
Jesus our hope are the foundation of God’s household (3:15; also, see diagram). It is most
essential for a good minister of Christ Jesus to know God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope.

WHO GOD IS
Paul begins and ends this letter with a doxology of praise to God (1:17; 6:15–16). He describes
God as the King eternal, immortal, invisible, as unapproachable and the only God; the blessed
and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He further describes God as Creator and
Provider (4:3–4; 6:13a,17). He also calls God “the living God” (3:15; 4:10), in contrast to the
idols that ruled the people’s hearts and minds (Jer10:8–10). No one has ever seen God, nor can
we see God. Yet God is the Sovereign Ruler over individuals, nations and history. God alone is
worthy of our worship. All praise, glory, honor and power belong to him.
Throughout this letter, it is noteworthy that Paul refers to God as “God our Savior” (1:1; 2:3;
4:10). The word “Savior” emphasizes that God wants to save people. God’s saving nature is
revealed throughout Scripture—35 times in the Old Testament, and 24 times in the New
Testament. For example, God revealed himself to Moses by saying, “The Lord, the Lord, the
compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Ex34:5–6). The
prophet Isaiah proclaimed God as the only Savior: “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me
there is no savior” (Isa43:11). In this letter Paul emphasizes this truth that God is our Savior to
correct false teaching. Some false teachers took advantage of the law and distorted the true
character of God (1:7–11; 4:2–5). They made God seem legalistic, demanding and judgmental.
But God is our Savior who wants to save all people (2:4; 2Pe3:9b). God wants good ministers of
Christ Jesus to know his true character.
Knowing the fundamental truths about God lays a basic foundation for Christian life and
ministry. Without knowing these fundamental truths, it is easy to stray into false doctrines. This
was a serious problem in the Ephesian church, and the same is true in our time.

WHO JESUS IS
There is only one true God, and there is no other (Isa44:6b; 45:5). From him and through him
and for him are all things (Ro11:36). God provided one way of salvation for mankind through his
1 The Apostle Paul mentions the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, only five times in the Pastoral Epistles
(1Ti3:16; 4:1; 2Ti1:7,14; Tit3:5). However, we see in Acts that it is the Holy Spirit who gave birth to the church
(Ac2:1–4,42–47), who enables his people to speak God’s word boldly and who continues to guide the church
(Ac4:31; 8:29; 13:2; 16:6). In 1 Timothy 3:15, the expression “church of the living God” implies the living presence of
the Holy Spirit among his people (1Co3:16). It is the Holy Spirit who makes people overseers of God’s flock
(Ac20:28). In 1 Timothy 4:1 the Holy Spirit warns people about deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. In 2
Timothy 1:7 the Holy Spirit gives a minister the power, love and self-discipline he needs to serve God’s people. He
also enables us to guard the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus (2Ti1:13–14).
2
Son Jesus Christ (Jn14:6; Ac4:12). Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind
(1Ti2:5). A mediator must understand both sides (Gal3:20a). So Jesus, who is fully God, took on
human flesh and became a man to be our mediator (Jn1:14a; 1Ti3:16a; Php2:6–7). He is the
only one who can reveal God fully to us because he came from God (Jn1:14,18; 14:10–11). In
addition, he is able to empathize with us because he became one of us (Heb2:17–18; 4:15–16).
To be the mediator between the holy God and sinful men, Jesus had to do more than
communicate with both sides; he had to solve the problem of sin that separated us from God.
The wages of sin is death (Ro6:23a). In order to solve the problem of sin, a ransom was
required. So Jesus our mediator gave himself as a ransom for all people (1Ti2:6a).
In the Old Testament, the holy God had established a system of mediation between himself and
his sinful people through the priesthood and sacrifices. However, the priests were imperfect;
they were sinners, too, and they died; they were just a shadow of the priest who was to come.
Jesus is a priest forever because he always lives to intercede for us and truly meets our need
(Heb7:24–26). Furthermore, the Old Testament sacrifice was imperfect; it was merely animal’s
blood, which can never take away sins (Heb10:4,11); it, too, was just a shadow of the sacrifice
to come. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, became the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for our
sins (Heb4:15b; 7:26; Jn1:29; 1Jn2:2). He offered himself for our sins, once for all (Heb9:26b;
10:10,12,14). He became the new and living way opened for us to God (Heb10:20). Now we
can come to God freely by the blood of Jesus (Heb10:19; 4:16).
Another key teaching about Jesus in 1 Timothy is in 3:16. This verse seems to have been a
confessional creed of the early Christians. Everyone agrees that Jesus is indeed the great
“mystery from which true godliness springs” (3:16a). This mystery “was hidden for long ages
past, but now revealed and made known” (Ro16:25b–26a) through his life and ministry, death,
resurrection and ascension (3:16b). He is God Incarnate (“He appeared in the flesh”—KJV:
“God was manifest in the flesh”). He rose from the dead (“was vindicated by the Spirit”; Ro1:4).
He is the Lord of angels (“was seen by angels”; cf. Lk2:13–14; Mk1:13; Lk22:43; Mt28:2–5;
Heb1:6). The mystery of his identity as God is continuing to be revealed as his gospel is
preached among the nations and people believe on him. His glorious ascension gives all
believers a living hope to see him again (Ac1:9–11).
Knowing God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope cannot be merely academic or theoretical
head knowledge; it is based on a personal experience of Jesus’ saving grace in one’s life (1Ti
1:14–15). This grace is accompanied by apostleship (Ro1:5). Paul himself was a good example
of this, giving hope to all sinners through his personal testimony of a changed life (1Ti1:16). To
experience Jesus’ saving grace, therefore, is crucial in becoming a good minister of Christ
Jesus. Personally knowing God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope inspires us to praise God
and to lead others to do so as well.