I Timothy 1:1-11

2010-11-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

(Contemporary English version of Bible is used)

1. "commanded" I often struggle with being told what to do by others. This word was bothersome for me when I first read it. My initial reaction is that it had a very dominant and harsh tone to it. "hope" I wonder sometimes if there is really anything in life to be hopeful about, or if it is better to just not have hope and accept reality each moment. I find myself trying really hard to not look to far into the future. I do not personally feel that I have gloom or hope for the future. It seems like for me "hope" is related to the future and not to the near present. Although I do have hope of see waking up each morning. Strange isn't it?
2. "because of our faith, your are like a son" the current rise in awareness of childhood sexual abuse came rushing to my mind as a reason why strangers would qualify their intimate relationship of parent/child. Also, is it just because they shared the same faith (doctrines/denominations) that they shared an intimate loving relationship? What if they were not of the same faith? I feel that our community often loves only those who believe what we believe and fit into our little world. I know this is missing the point of what Paul is trying to communicate, but it was my first impression in reading this.
3&4. WHAT SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT: "false teachings" what really is a false teaching...in our contemporary society is there really such a thing as false or wrong teaching...this has been a constant struggle for me ... i do not believe it is ethical for me to discount another person's experience while saying that my experience is the only one that is right or true ... are we really supposed to "warn certain people ... to stop spreading their false teachings ... and to warn them to stop wasting their time on senseless stories and endless lists of ancestors" ... if so, i have really failed in this task...i feel that Paul is attacking 3 important parts of human life - Scripture (teachings), Traditions (list of ancestors), Personal Experience (stories) ... which brings me back to the question of "what really is a false teaching"...I would agree with Paul in defining "false teaching" as anything that "only causes arguments. They don't help anyone to do God's work that can only be done by faith."
5. WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT: "...genuine love, good conscience, true faith"...I laughed when I got to this section...this is why we are taught to consider the passage as a whole and not just selective verses...now everything makes sense lol...LOVE is the most important message of the church to the world....GOOD CONSCIENCE is so important in bringing flesh to the message of love (helping the poor and needy, standing for justice and liberty, etc basically being aware of the brokenness of our world, repenting and then taking action to correct it)...this is ultimately TRUE FAITH
6&7. This is the problem of the 'visible church' today...we have "given up these for nothing but empty talk...we want to be teachers of the law...but we do not know what we are talking about, even though we think we do" ... wow ... major insight and connection with this verse...this is coming from a place of hurt within myself...years of feeling misunderstood and forsaken by my church...ouch!
8. "law is good, if it is used in the right way" ... interesting... is the converse true? ... "law is bad, if it is used in the wrong way"
9-11. (King James Version) the purpose of rule and regulations is not to muzzle those who are passionate about the vision God has placed on their heart, but rather for "lawbreakers, criminals, godless people, and sinners... It is for wicked and evil people, and for murderers, who would even kill their own parents...for sexual perverts...homosexuals...kidnappers...liars...and those who won't tell the truth in court...and for those who oppose what is good" in the eyes of God

Logos Rhema

I Timothy 1:1-11