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WHAT HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO?

Church is more like a household of God that represents the kingdom of God.

[A local church is] a group of Christians who regularly gather in Christ’s name to officially affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Jesus Christ and his kingdom through gospel preaching and gospel ordinances [baptism and Lord’s Supper]. —Jonathan Leeman

1 Timothy 3:15

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

1 Timothy 1:18–20

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy,

according to the prophecies which went before on thee,

that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience;

which some having put away

concerning faith have made shipwreck:

20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander;

whom I have delivered unto Satan,

that they may learn not to blaspheme.

PAUL GIVES AN ENTRUSTED CHARGE…

1 Timothy 1:3

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

1 Timothy 1:11

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

1 Timothy 1:15

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Q: Would you be okay if someone in the church lovingly gave you a biblical “charge”?

ACCORDING TO PREVIOUS PROPHESIES…

1 Timothy 4:14

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Acts 13:1–3

1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers… 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Acts 21:10–14 KJV

10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Q: Have you ever received a warning or encouragement through other Christians that helped you obey God when it was difficult? In a different but similar way, that is what Timothy seemed to have receive early in ministry.

TO WAR A GOOD WARFARE…

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Q: Do you see Christianity as urgently definitional to your life purposes and devotions?

HOLDING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE…

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

2 Corinthians 10:4–5

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations [arguments], and every high [proud] thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Q: How important to you is to hold fast to faith in the gospel and a good conscience?

WHICH SOME HAD PUT AWAY…

Q: How okay are you with going against your conscience when it convicts you about living inconsistent with the gospel you profess?

RESULTING IN BLASPHEMOUS SHIPWRECK CONCERNING THE FAITH…

Exodus 20:7

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Q: Have you considered the danger of bearing God’s name and gospel in vain?

AND THE NEED FOR LOVING CHURCH DISCIPLINE…

1 Corinthians 5 KJV

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you [within the church body], and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

2 And ye are puffed up [proud and full of air], and have not rather mourned [grieved for what has been done], that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you [removed from the church body].

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed [like in 1 Timothy],

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ [as instructed by Jesus in Mathew 18:17-20 when “gathering in Jesus’s name”],

5 To deliver such an one [unrepentant professing Christian] unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh [remove him from the church body as though he is not in the kingdom of God], that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus [so that he repent and be saved or give evidence of being a new creation in Christ before it is too late].

6 Your glorying [boasting] is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven [unrepentant professing Christian] leaveneth the whole lump? [makes the whole church appear to be false]

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven [the unrepentant professing Christian], that ye may be a new lump [sanctified], as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us [making us sanctified in Him]:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast [the Feast of Passover as an analogy for living purely according to the atonement of Christ], not with old leaven [the unrepentant professing Christian], neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth [true believers].

9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11 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 [in general affirming fellowship, which includes and may focus on the Lord’s Supper].

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? [outside the church and kingdom of God] do not ye judge them that are within? [within the church body and kingdom of God] 13 But them that are without [the church body and kingdom of God] God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves [from the church body] that wicked person [unrepentant professing Christian].

Passages related to formative and corrective church discipline: 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Matthew 7:1-6; 16:17-19; 18:15-20; 2 Corinthians 2:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15; Galatians 6:1; Titus 3:10-11; James 5:19-20; Acts 20:28-32; Romans 15:14; 16:17-18; Hebrews 3:12-13; 10:24-31; 12:1-29; Revelation 3:19; 2 Timothy 2:17-26; 3:13-4:8; Ephesians 5:11; Jude 22-25; 1 Peter 4:8; Luke 17:3-4; 1 John 1:8 | Samples of OT wisdom related to it: Proverbs 9:8; 15:31-32; 25:12; 27:5; 28:23; Ecclesiastes 7:5; Leviticus 19:17

Q: How could it be loving to affirm or ignore teaching and conduct that wrecks lives, churches, and public testimonies of the gospel?

AS A HOUSEHOLD OF GOD.

Q: Is it right for churches to “market” themselves and the gospel as a product or service to consume? If we do that, how might that affect not only our churches but also our own households? How does it help you to understand the local church to be “a household of God”?

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Christians are called into personal and corporate stewardship of the gospel by guarding the teaching, conduct, and membership of their church (v3-11, 18-20) for the glory of God (v17), the good of all (v20), and the integrity of God's heavenly household on earth (v4; 3:15).