Honoring God In Word And Walk (6:1-5)
Neal Pollard
Paul discusses two more classes of individuals who make up God’s house–employees and employers (1-2). The cultural framework of Paul’s works is slaves and masters. Arichea and Hatton say, “Slaves were numerous during New Testament times; many people had become slaves by being captured in war, or by being sold into slavery because of economic reasons. The children of slaves would also be slaves, and many if not most of the slaves in New Testament times were of this latter category” (UBS Handbook, 135). Unlike employees, these folks could not choose their job or their boss. Yet, many other principles correlate to today.
The apostle urges Christian slaves to treat their non-Christian masters “as worthy of all honor” (1). It was not for the master’s sake, but for The Master’s sake! So much of 1 Timothy is about Christians maintaining an ethic and morality that casts Christianity in the most positive light possible. It was not about compromise, as “the teaching” had to be upheld and maintained. It was about Christ!
Divine exhortation is also given to Christian slaves with Christian masters. The slave was not to take advantage of the spiritual relationship as ground for disrespect (2). They were not to slack off because of their religious oneness, but were to work even harder. Love and fellowship was to drive the relationship. How many times have Christian employees taken advantage of the fact that they go to church with their boss and felt like they could get away with special treatment or less than their best. Again, this reflects negatively on Christ.
These instructions, like so much of the foregoing, is about conduct–the “walk.” In verses three through five, Paul returns to the Word. There were other things being taught. Paul calls it “different doctrine,” saying it disagreed with the sound words of Jesus and its fruit was ungodliness (3). Therefore, doctrine is about more than the role of women, church organization, worship, and the like. It is about conduct and being godly, a major emphasis of this letter. But, notice that the two dovetail. Paul describes the peddler of different doctrine as one not only inaccurate in message, but ungodly in action. His message is false, with different and destructive words (3-4). His motives and methods are corrupt, being conceited, ignorant, hungry for controversy, argumentative, and divisive. Ask yourself, “How much like today’s world does that sound?!” The mark he leaves is envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction (4-5). He attracts the depraved and deprived (5).
Whereas teachers of truth, like Timothy is to be, transform their hearers into Christlikeness, these teachers find likeminded hearers and move them further from Christ and godliness. A significant way they do that is through materialism and greed, which Paul will spend much of the rest of the letter devoted to discussing. But his message to Timothy is, preach the right word in the right way and you’ll help people have the right walk!
The Preacher Pollard Blog 