LESSON 1:

The Bible is a perfectly balanced Book!

It reproves and rebukes the Child of God, as well as exhorting him or her. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2nd Timothy 4:2

The Text we are about to study, 1st Timothy 6:20-21, is negative at its heart! It's a warning actually. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. " Furthermore, these are the concluding verses of Paul's first Epistle to Timothy the young preacher.

It's opening words are touching.

"O Timothy!"

The short word "O" is interesting. Spelled in Greek with just an "omega," it says "O," but with the long vowel sound.

Technically "O" is an interjection. This "part of speech" is sometimes inserted into a sentence to show emotion or surprise. It could be doing so here in our Text.  "O Timothy!" Or maybe, "O! Timothy, keep that which ...."

But there's another job "O" can perform as well. It can be used in a "vocative" sense. Latin even has a vocative case for its nouns! Here in the Greek Text "Timothy" is a masculine singular noun also in the vocative case. This means that Timothy is the addressee of the Epistle, the letter written from Paul. In English we would call this a "nominative of address." So the "omega" here, the "O" may simply be part of the personal closing to the whole correspondence.

Either exclamatory or evocative, the "O" is divinely inspired of God. That I assure you! Paul is either excited (exclamatory) or personal (vocative) in his opening words. Or should I say his closing words? They are the opening words of our specific Text, but the closing words of the whole Epistle.

Then we must discuss Timothy's name. "Timotheus" literally means "honoring God!" The accent is on syllable two, tee-moth'-eh-os. We first meet Timothy during Paul's second missionary journey. He lived in Lystra, the city where Paul was stoned. Timothy, according to Acts 16:1, must have already been saved when Paul met him. His Mother Eunice and Grandmother Lois had a great impact on his young life, both being godly Believers in Christ Jesus. Paul took Timothy under his tutelage and often called him "his own son in the faith." 1st Timothy 1:2

Timothy was obviously called to preach and became a great helper to Paul in the ministry. Listen to how highly Paul evaluated Timothy. "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." Paul wrote those words to the Philippians.

Timothy, however, did seem to be "weak" in some areas. Who isn't?

Paul constantly had to "bolster" him in the work, at times even asking others to help. "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Timothy, do not be timid! Live for God!

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." A nervous stomach probably! The "wine" was medicinal, not a beverage here.

And Paul cautiously urged the Corinthians. "Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do." 1st Corinthians 16:10 

Whereas Titus, another young preacher whom Paul tutored, was the very opposite, constitutionally bold and strong! He was often assigned the hardest places of service too! He apparently thrived on such work! To Titus Paul wrote: "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." Straighten things out down there in that sensual place! After all it was common knowledge that ... "The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." Titus 1:12

Young Bible Preachers! Oh, how we should love them! They're our hope for tomorrow. Otherwise, may empty pulpits await the liberals!

Help some young Man of God today at Church!

Encourage him and pray for him!

Let him know you're doing so too!

Buy him a good Bible study book or mail him a card of encouragement or share with him some words of support! And if you can't so any of these things, slip him a twenty dollar bill!

God will bless you for caring! 

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2:

There are just some things that the Christian must "guard," vital aspects of his or her faith in Christ Jesus.

And what is true of the real Believer, vigilance, is especially so of the Man of God, the Preacher of the Word!

Paul the aged Apostle wrote to the younger Preacher Timothy, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust." These are the opening words of 1st Timothy 6:20.

The verb "keep" is "phulasso" in Greek. It means "to guard" or "to carefully watch" something. Twice in the King James Bible it is translated as "beware." Paul makes the verb an imperative here also, expressing a direct command! Totally found some thirty times in the New Testament, its usage ranges from "keeping" God's Commandments to shepherds "keeping watch" over their flocks to demons "keeping" their victims to Jesus "keeping" those whom God has given Him, the saved ones! Also using "phulasso," soldiers "kept" their prisoners, and the Lord "keeps" His children from evil. And for the saint of God, this "keeping" is done by the power of the Holy Spirit according to 2nd Timothy 1:14. Our verb here additionally gives us "beware" in two Texts, Paul's warning against Alexander the coppersmith and Peter's warning against apostasy! Finally, in Jude's next-to-last verse, God is able to "keep" us from ever falling!

One Greek teacher calls "phulasso" here an "aorist of urgency!" The term "aorist" centers on what we might call "tense" in English, this "keeping" being a settled fact. But the "urgency" part speaks for itself!

Then that which is "committed to thy trust" expresses one Greek word! "Parakatatheke" blends two prepositions and a verb into one powerful noun! "Tithemi" (to place) "para" (alongside) "kata" (down) ... taking something precious and firmly holding it down beside you, guarding it tenaciously!

This word was used in the ancient world to mean a "deposit" one made in his local bank! Twice elsewhere in the Textus Receptus (the Text that yields the King James Version of Scripture) this compound word is used. In 2nd Timothy 1:12 Paul writes: "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." And again two verses later, "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." The pertinent words have been capitalized for easier recognition. Precious "deposits" indeed!

What had been committed to Timothy's trust?

Sound doctrine!

Godly living!

A Christian heritage!

His soul's salvation!

The clear Call to preach God's Word!

Tutorship under Paul the Apostle!

And so much more!

Christian reader today, what has God committed unto your trust?

Are you guarding it with all your might?

Watching for the enemy to encroach?

Ready to defend the Faith?

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith." So wrote Simon Peter near the end of his first Epistle.

Amen!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3:

There are some things which simply must be avoided! At least for the Christian this is so.

Paul mentions one of them when writing a young Preacher named Timothy. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings ...." 1st Timothy 6:20

This verb, which I can only find five times in the New Testament, is very picturesque. "Ektrepo" means "to turn or to twist" (in Greek "trepo") "out of" the way (in Greek "ek") of something. Here apparently is meant some dangerous idea or concept.

In 1st Timothy 1:5 Paul sadly mentions some who have "turned aside" from the true Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ! As a synonym there the Apostles uses "swerved." These two verbs, "ektrepo" and "astocheo" have somewhat parallel meanings anyway. Of the latter term "a" means "not or no" and "stochos" means a "mark." Missing the mark! "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling ...." Here only "ektrepo" has been capitalized.

In fact, "astocheo" will surface in our context, 1st Timothy 6:20-21, in a few days, the Lord willing!

To be off target!

Then, in 1st Timothy 5:15 Paul mentions some young women who have failed to marry, bear children and guide their homes! These have "turned aside" after Satan! Here's "ektrepo" again. "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan."

Then again in 2nd Timothy 4:4-5 Paul admonishes us: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Here "ektrepo" is in the passive voice. Start a little of that "turning" from the faith ... and it gets out of control apparently! It "snowballs" into something you can't stop!

Next, in a medical sense, Paul employs "ektrepo" in Hebrews 12:12-13. "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." Here are legs or knees which have been wrested or twisted out of joint! They will have to be straightened by a physician. The word "maimed" means crippled!

Avoidance, a key term in the life of a growing Christian!

And in different words, but still teaching the same principle of "separation" from iniquity, see some other things Paul has said:

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing." 2nd Corinthians 6:17

"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." That's avoidance! Do not even eat with them! 1st Corinthians 5:11

Not once! "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints." Ephesians 5:3

Don't even talk about it! "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." Ephesians 5:11-12

Timothy, to be a growing vibrant Man of God, you simply must learn what to avoid!

And this principle still applies today!

                                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4:

The expression is "vain babblings." It is spelled "kenophonia" in Greek. "Kenos" means "empty." And "phonia" means a sound or a voice, especially in the sense of "that which gives light." In Greek "phao" means "to shine!"

Empty words!

Timothy, avoid these pointless speeches and theories and ideas!

Our Text, 1st Timothy 6:20, says in part: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding ... vain babblings." Remember that "avoid" (in Greek "ektrepo") means "to go out of your way" to circumnavigate any person or any thing disallowed by God.

In a parallel Verse, still written to Timothy though, Paul commands: "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." Here in 2nd Timothy 2:16 "shun" (in Greek "periistemi") means "to step around" these things!

In Paul's day religious groups like the Pharisees had so degraded themselves that they argued over the most minute subjects. Endless and fruitless discussions and verbose sermons on mere trivia! For example, arguments were held on whether one could eat an egg if the chicken laid it on the Sabbath! Since the said chicken was obviously "working "illegally! It was decided, after much discussion, that if the chicken started laying the egg on the eve of the Sabbath, before sundown you see, the egg was edible. However, if the chicken began the process after the Sabbath had begun, said egg was anathema! And the chicken a backslider!

Those, dear friends, are vain babblings!

Or another religious group, the Gnostics of Paul's time, debated on how one could contact God in Heaven! It was decided that Jesus was not the single Mediator, but hundreds if not thousands of intermediaries, most likely angels, had to be contacted to commune man to God above! These "emanations" as the Gnostics called them, were often named and numbered and discussed at length!

Again I say, vain babblings!

And today, in our lifetimes, the billions of dollars and countless hours spend advancing the "theory" of evolution, Darwinian style, promoting an unsustainable hypothesis, an outright lie ... amount to more "vain babblings!"

And all the political doubletalk about "pro-choice" abortion rights is too, just extra heavy "vain babblings!"

Truthfully, about 90% of what we spend so much time viewing on the "news channels" amounts to that as well, vain babblings!

Timothy, Preacher Man of God, the pulpit is not for politics or philosophy or comparative religions or any other form of capitulation to science or expediency or popular opinion!

Avoid such things!

Preach the Word!

Hey, evolutionists: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1

Hey, abortionists, "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." Jesus said that in Matthew 18:14.

Hey, Gnostics, and many still exist today! In fact, they are making a dramatic comeback! "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

Hey, Pharisees, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." And, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." Ephesians 2:8-9 plus Titus 3:5

These verses alone should stop a lot of vain babbling!

After all, we are to ... "Let God be true, but every man a liar," according to Romans 3:4.

That settles it!

Let the vain babblers go elsewhere!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5:

The word is "profane."

Paul uses it five times in his Epistles.

In adjective form it is spelled "bebelos."

It fuses two Greek words, "basis" or "baino," meaning "to walk" and "belos," their word for "door-way" or "threshold." The verbal picture here is that of a person who irreverently stands on the blood-stained threshold of God's House, trampling under his feet that which should be regarded as holy!

"Profane" to Paul thus became a word that described the irreverence and antagonism many of the heathen held toward Almighty God!

Ignoring God!

Rebelling against His Ways and Values and Commands!

That brings us to today's verse: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings." I will highlight, capitalize, "bebelos" for you. 1st Timothy 6:20

Young Preacher, stay away from that which is "profane."

Here are some examples.

Any explanation for the origin of life that omits God as Creator is profane! It tramples the first three chapters of Genesis! That includes Darwinian evolution too!

And a definition of marriage that ignores Jesus' words, "For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh," is certainly rebelling against God's Plan and perfect Will! So called same-sex marriages and civil unions are therefore profane and sinful!

Any analysis of the stock market and financial health of a Country, if that view assumes that God is not in charge, it too is profane!

Any form of health care that denies God's controlling influence on our lives is foolish and profane too!

Even the natural disasters we face from time to time as a Nation are portrayed as having happened by mere chance! God is so written out of the script that weather is now just a progression of "highs" and "lows" and "fronts" of various kinds, blown along by the wind! Yet Jonah 4:8 records: "And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind." Profane worldviews say "no" to such truth.

We have become a "profane" Nation!

"Secular" is the word in vogue nowadays. It means "belonging to this age!" This world and all its evil! No room for God! But it is still profane.

And, sad to say, a lot of Preaching has become just that too, profane!

God is omitted!

Or at least marginalized, sidelined!

But if we, like Timothy of by-gone years, are to be good and faithful Preachers of Jesus Christ, we will be expected to dodge and evade all attempts at such profanity in our lives and ministries.

When "creation" conversations arise, put God right in the middle of them! Start with Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." He did!

And marriage debates, tell them ... "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." Genesis 3:20 introduce us to a man and a woman!

When you get a raise at work, don't reference the Gross National Product, but thank the Lord! After all, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

And if your next Doctor's visit yields good results, don't gloat in your eating habits, thank God who is the Divine Physician! "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3rd John, verse 2

If the tornado missed your house, praise the Lord who "Who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind." Psalm 104:3

If any argument is long and verbose and absent of God ... it's profane! No matter how many Doctors of Education advocate it!

And we must neglect, no ... we must avoid, such profanity!

We Christians live by another creed, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17.

To us, Jesus is the Center that hold all things together!

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6:

"Oppositions," said Paul!

Some things absolutely oppose the Word of God!

And these lies must be ... quite surprisingly ... avoided!

Here's the verse in focus today. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." 1st Timothy 6:21

The noun "oppositions" is spelled "antithesis." The prefix "anti" used here can mean one of two things. It often suggests being "against" something, opposite it. Then again it can imply "instead of," a cheap inefficient substitute! Certain thoughts and principles and theories, here termed "science falsely so called," either OPPOSE the Gospel ... or seek to REPLACE the Gospel! Then the heart of the word "antithesis" is the verb "tithemi," meaning "to place" something, usually in a passive and horizontal position, rendering it inactive! By literal definition, this kind of "science" wants to put our faith "on the shelf!" Thus rendering it useless!

False "science" is then an outright enemy of our Faith, our Bible centered Faith! Paul just said so, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!

This Greek word, "antithesis," has now been imported! It's a direct "loan word" that's come to America! I simply quote the dictionary: "antithesis, the direct opposite!"

It is at this time we would normally see how "antithesis" is used elsewhere in the New Testament. This often reveals the latitude the Holy Spirit does or does not take with a word. However, in this case, there are no other occurrences of "antithesis," nowhere in Scripture. It then is called an hapax legomenon, literally a "once said" expression.

However, a synonym does exist, "anthistemi," obviously a blending of "anti" and "histemi." The idea here is "to stand up" to someone, more literally, to stand "against" him! All four New Testament usages of "anthistemi" are related to Paul, one way or another. For example, "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed." Or, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words."

False science seeks in some instances to even replace the Gospel with its humanistic philosophy!

Thus I say, it is an enemy of the Word of God!

It is a tool in the hands of the Devil!

It is a philosophy largely built upon lies!

And it is dangerous to one's Faith!

If you have any doubt, read the WHOLE Text we are currently studying: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith." 1st Timothy 6:20-21

And again today, in some science lecture hall or study lab, another young mind will be turned from the Faith, by a pseudo-intellectual who hates the Bible and its God!

Christians, when will we realize the cost of listening to the world?

When will we start avoiding the lies?

Before we lose our children ... or after we lose them?

The Scripture is plain on this issue!

Much of today's science, largely atheistic, hates what you believe! That is, if you are a Bible loving individual.

What else can "opposition" mean?

                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 7:

"Science falsely so called," that's what Paul named it.

The term represents a system of knowledge that must be avoided by true Christians!

It, this false science, consists of nothingness, at least nothing that really matters.

Paul parallels it with "profane and vain babblings!"

Look: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." 1st Timothy 6:20

The noun "science" here is spelled "gnosis" in Greek. It means "knowledge." More precisely, "the act of knowing." One Text says it's "a seeking to know, an enquiry or investigation."

It represents any branch of so-called knowledge that omits God!

A false religion in Paul's day was beginning to raise its ugly head, a religion later named "gnosticism." It generally ignored the Lord Jesus Christ, denying Him the role of Redeemer of lost souls! That certainly had to be avoided! And it particularly led to long genealogical lists that spawned much vain speculation.

The expression "falsely so called" translates one single Greek word, "pseudonumos." In Greek "pseudes" means "untrue." And "onoma" just means "name." Wrongly named science!

Science that misleads!

How appropriate this verse is for our age!

Science is perpetrating one of the greatest frauds of all time as it daily teaches the theory of evolution! Against all evidence too! Darwinian evolution is a farce, falsely named science!

So is much of medicine today. Doctors of ages now passed would have gasped to think of millions of abortions legally sanctioned in America! State sponsored murder of the unborn! Sacrificing whole generations on the altar of women's rights! But, remember, women can vote, little babies cannot!

And the raging epidemic of AIDS, how misleading the professionals have been! A disease that could have been controlled if the world had faced its main cause, sexual perversion, now is spreading its deadly tentacles around the globe! Highlighting the medical dangers of same-sex relationships is not "politically correct" ... so science has looked the other way!

That is, science falsely so called!

And I've not mentioned the tree-huggers' latest passion, global warming. While many of the same people a few years ago were harping about global cooling! Of course I too believe in global warming, the kind Peter mentions. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2nd Peter 3:10

If the "green" folks had really cared about the atmosphere, they could have kept tons of pollution from spewing upward by simply supporting nuclear power plants! We have been deceived about the "dangers" of such sources of energy.

And time will tell us all that we have been duped about the "extinction" rates of the earth's animal population too! Just recently once though "extinct" little creatures have reappeared! By the way, what's more important in God's eyes, a little unknown fish of some kind or a baby boy ripped to pieces in his mother's womb yesterday? "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

We are victims!

Victims of much science falsely so called!

I have an idea.

Let's get back to the Bible!

It's chapters and verses and accounts and parables and psalms and proverbs are not false or empty!

They are inspired of God!

Without error!

"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6

"Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar." Romans 3:4

Yes, I will continue taking my high blood pressure medication. No, I will not become an evolutionist or an abortionist or pervert of some kind!

I will try to obey Paul's admonition to young Timothy. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." I just had to repeat those words one more time!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 8:

In an unusual verbal construction, yet assuredly inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, Paul says it is possible for people to "believe" in science! They "profess" science, literally! Not true science, either, "science falsely so called!"

Read it with me, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith." 1st Timothy 6:20-21 here constitute the closing verses of the whole Epistle.

Whatever is meant here by "science," some belief system that opposes God's Word, it can wreck a man's or a woman's faith!

"Professing" in our Text is a present participle. The subjects involved, these "believers" in science, are currently erring from the faith, apparently because of their newfound interest, science!

The captivating thing about "professing," in Greek "epaggellomenoi," is the way it is verbally built. "Epi" here is a prefix, intensifying the meaning of the verb. Then the heart of the word is "aggello," to announce or to deliver a message. These people have so believed and trusted in science that they "talk about" it all the time, announcing its startling though untruthful claims again and again!

Furthermore "epaggello" here is expressed as a middle or passive voice verbal adjective. This is important too. Either they have so deeply "professed" science that they have been changed by their new worldview, or they have been "overpowered" by science and are now merely passive captives to its claims! It almost sounds like they have become "victims." In some Greek endings to certain words, the passive and middle forms are identical and only the context of a phrase can certify its meaning. The Holy Spirit often uses this rule too.

"Epaggello" or one of its verbal cognates is found fifteen times in the New Testament. Of those fifteen, eleven times it's translated "promise!" They have promised themselves to science, false science! Or, they have accepted science's promises, again false ones! Two more times it's "make promise" and twice again it's "profess."

Here's an example: "And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money." Mark 14:11 uses "promised" ("epaggello") in its middle/passive form here too! In fact, I cannot once find this verb in the merely active voice in all the New Testament! It's always either middle or passive!

Next is the word "erred." In Greek "astocheo" blends the prefix "a" with the root word "stoichos." It means "to not reach the mark" for which one was aiming. To swerve! To deviate from the path! To lose one's way! Here an aorist, the sad apostasy, this "erring," has already occurred! Only Paul uses this verb in the Bible, and even then only three times! Always in the context of departing from the truth too!

Science can pry a man from his faith in Jesus!

Or at least it did in the case Paul is describing.

Why?

Because this "science" is filled with lies!

It's "pseudo-science!"

Usually in the New Testament when the term "the faith" is used, our whole body of belief is indicated! The very fundamentals of our faith, the basics! What the Bible teaches!

Remember that Jude exhorts us to earnestly contend for "the faith" which was once delivered unto the saints!

I personally believe that much "science" today has become a "god." Undoubtedly many hold to evolution as their explanation for life simply because they wish to deny the existence of God! A God who demands moral living! A God who exercises control over the lives of His subjects!

Man, and woman, consummate rebels they are!

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Psalm 14:1,3

And of course Paul agrees in Romans 3:12. "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

The Word of God ...

Or false theories of Science!

Joshua's words, "choose you this day whom ye will serve," have never been more applicable! Joshua 24:15

                                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 9:

Paul, in 1st Timothy 6:20-21, closes his great Epistle to Timothy with a warning! "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith." With all the gravity and earnestness a writer can muster, Paul has delivered a profound sermon!

Then, suddenly, he explodes: "Grace be with thee. Amen." Those are literally the last few words in this deadly serious passage! Grace to you!

From negative to positive!

From warning to wonder!

From danger to delight!

From science to the Saviour!

Several lessons surely may be learned in this closing sentence, this benediction of grace.

Timothy, you must avoid senseless godless chatter, arguing over non-Biblical lies, so called science! And the power to do this can only come from one source, the Lord Himself ... and His Grace!

The implication is that Grace can empower us!

It can indeed!

Notice how Paul here links Grace with labor! "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." 1st Corinthians 15:10

Also, Grace can teach us!

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Titus 2:11-12

Grace can even help us suffer rightly, enduring difficulty for the sake of Jesus!

At least it did for Paul. Listen to what the Lord told him. "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2nd Corinthians 12:9

The list, things Grace can do for the Believer in Jesus Christ, goes on and on!

Without Grace, a gift of God anyway, the Christian life cannot begin ... or continue!

Furthermore, Paul ends every Epistle, all fourteen of them, with some form of Grace benediction!

A Letter to a young Preacher, with all that involves ... exhortation, reproof, advice, rebuke, instruction, warning, reinforcement for battle ... ending in a prayer for Grace!

Only God could have thought of such a glorious thing!

Praise His Name!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

The root word for "grace" in Greek is "charis," literally developing from "chairo," to rejoice! To be glad! To be cheerful!  For ages the standard definition of Grace has been, "God's unmerited favor to some undeserving soul!" Like you or me! "Grace be with thee."

God's Grace is simply part of His magnanimous Character!

The preposition "with" is "meta" and means something like "right in the middle!"

Grace must be allowed to "reign" in our lives! Paul uses that term of royalty in Romans 5:21. Grace on the throne!

Then even the pronoun "thee," indicating Timothy personally, is inspired of God! It is singular, this Epistle primarily being addressed to one young man!

We need God's marvelous Grace individually, as well as congregationally!

May it be so in our lives!

LESSON 10:

Paul used the word often, twenty-eight times in his New Testament Epistles alone!

"Amen!"

He closed our two-verse Text with it. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." 1st Timothy 6:20-21

Sometimes Paul is quoting others with his "Amens." For example, his view of an early Church service includes: "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" 1st Corinthians 14:16

But most often Paul himself employs the word by choice, always ending his great doxologies with it! "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36

The word itself, literally letter for letter, is taken into the Greek language from the Hebrew without alteration. For that matter so has it come into English, unadulterated! Terms such as this are called "loan words."

Therefore we must define "Amen" with a Hebrew lexicon in hand, or an English handbook that quotes Hebrew.

"Amen" means that which is TRUE!

The "Amen" of Hebrew it is believed comes from "Aman," meaning "to build up" something or strongly "support" it! Often we Westerners say the word either way, "amen" or "aman."

The Psalmists loved the word: "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen." Then again, "And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Or, "Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen." Even including all the Israelites, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD," too!

Jeremiah 28:6 even uses it, defining it in the process! "Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place."

Observe this Old Testament preaching service: "And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground." Ezra 8:6

Deuteronomy 27 is the "Amen" champion of Scripture, utilizing the word a dozen times!

But even more so, when Paul writes "Amen," he no doubt realizes that he is using one of God's precious Names!

Notice how Jesus identifies Himself to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:14-15. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works ...." Our Lord clearly just called Himself "the Amen!"

Watch these Old Testament verses in this light too.

"Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations." Here in Deuteronomy 7:9 Moses uses the word "Aman" and translates it "faithful!" One of God's Names or Titles! He is Faithful! Firm! Stable! Truth!

Here it is again, Isaiah 49:7, "Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee."

Twice Isaiah 65:16 calls God the God of Truth, the God of "Amen!"

It's proper to say "Amen" in regard to Scripture too! "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." That word "sure" is "aman" in Hebrew!

God's prophecies are all true as well! "Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be," preached Hosea! "Shall be" is just "aman" in participial form.

Almighty God even says "Amen" to His Own promises! "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." Isaiah 55:3 using "aman" here, translating it "sure!"

What a history this divinely inspired word has!

Maybe we Believers should say it, with full meaning and impact, far more often than we do!

After all, in Heaven eternally, the Redeemed will use the term perpetually! For example, "Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." This is celestial worship!

Get ready!

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

TWO VERSES, TEN LESSONS ... ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD! BEWARE OF SCIENCE FALSELY SO CALLED!