Sermon or Lesson:  1 Timothy 2:4-7 (NIV based)
[Lesson Questions included]

TITLE:  Appointed To Be A Herald
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READ:  1 Timothy 2:4-7, with vv.1-3 for context

BACKGROUND:
- - The world has plenty of people oppositional to the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel, Scriptures, or sound doctrines.
- - Believers are to be interceding in prayers for others and live peaceful and godly lives among our authority and community people, which pleases God and serves purposes in the furthering of His Kingdom.
- - Let's look at the next verses to learn the dynamics of what else believers are instructed or appointed to do.

v.4 - READ

[Lesson Question:  In this context, why do people need "to come to a knowledge of the truth"?  And what are some common beliefs people hold that are contrary to this "knowledge of the truth"?]

SECTION POINT:  People need to acquire an adequate knowledge of the truth information about Christ Jesus before they can be saved.

- - A main objective God is desiring and working towards is to persuade all people to be saved or delivered from their deserved eternal consequences for their sins.  (from Strong's #2309 "wants"; #4982 "saved"; v.6)
- - Through the "ransom" paid by Christ Jesus on the cross, God has previously set up the way or means by which all people can be saved.  (v.6)
- - Now God is working to persuade people to believe and receive this way He has set up.

- - But this objective to persuade people is not readily accomplished because people do not possess knowledge of the truth necessary to believe and receive.
- - "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."  (2 Corinthians 4:4)
- - Unbelieving people either are not exposed to the truth about Christ Jesus, or they do not fully discern its truth, or they do not acknowledge its reality, or they do not recognize its value, or they do not acquire a sufficient full knowledge.  (from Strong's #1922 "knowledge")
- - Other common reasons why people do not believe are because: they do not want to give up their sins; they do not like religion; they have some other religion; they do not think there is a God; they will wait to deal with whatever is in the next life when they get there; they do not like Christianity; they do not like Christians; they do not like Jesus; they believe there are other ways to get into heaven; and etc.
- - The Kingdom of Darkness is actively working in conjunction with the natural independent self-serving thinking of humans to effectively blind their minds and hinder their clear thinking in order to prevent them from coming into or "entering into" a full knowledge of the truth about Christ Jesus and His ransom-paying death on the cross.  (Strong's #1519 "to")
- - By implication, it takes a direct action from God to enlighten each person's mind by cutting through the spiritual blindness inflicted by the Kingdom of Darkness, thus individually and personally "helping" each particular person to believe enough to qualify to receive salvation.  (2 Corinthians 6:2)
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vv.5-6 - READ

[Lesson Question:  What role does the information in these verses fill in regard to the "knowledge of the truth" cited in verse 4?]

SECTION POINT:  Before they can be saved, people also need to acquire an adequate knowledge of the truth information about Christ Jesus being the mediator between God and men and that He gave Himself as a ransom.

v.5
- - There is only "one God", and He is "our Savior", the one who saves us humans who believe.  (vv.3,4)
- - For the means He has set up to save us, God "also" is the mediator, the only one who stands "in the middle to mediate, reconcile and intercede between" absolutely perfect holy God and absolutely sinful corrupted humans.  (Strong's #2532 "also" (omitted in NIV); #3316 "mediator"; cf. Matthew 5:48, Romans 3:10)
- - God is perfect, and Christ Jesus is God; so as the mediator between God and humans, Christ Jesus perfectly represents perfect God.  (Matthew 5:48; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:3)
- - However, Christ Jesus cannot perfectly represent humans in this mediation unless He is human.
- - So to solve and fulfill this requirement, Jesus "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" humans.  (John 1:14)
- - Being fully God and deity, Jesus took on and also became fully human, living a perfect life on this earth as a human.  (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- - Being perfect God and thereupon also being perfect human, Christ Jesus the God-man now is perfect as mediator between God and humans.

v.6
- - Jesus voluntarily gave Himself to suffer and die on the cross, not being under any kind of compulsion or obligation to anyone for anything.
- - As the perfect God-man, Jesus successfully paid in full the ransom, taking upon Himself to suffer the punishment for the sins committed by humans.  (cf. 1 Peter 2:24)
- - The punishment Jesus endured on the cross as the ransom payment is sufficient to adequately cover all sins of all humans over all of time, but this only applies to just those persons who correctly "believe on him and receive eternal life".  (v.1:16; cf. Romans 3:22,25)
- - By God's design and timing, the crucifixion of Jesus occurred in public, to testify and "give evidence" visible to the world that Jesus was paying the ransom for the sins of humans - "on the behalf of" those who would believe in Him.  (Strong's #3142 "testimony"; #5228 "for")
- - Perfect God-man Jesus interceded on the behalf of the sinful humans "who would believe on him", and through His work on the cross He successfully mediated and accomplished reconciliation with perfect God, as evidenced by His resurrection from the dead on the third day.  (v.1:16; cf. Acts 5:29-32)
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v.7 - READ

[Lesson Question:  What way has God instituted for this "knowledge of the truth" about Christ Jesus to be dispensed to people around the world?  And for what purpose?]

SECTION POINT:  God has appointed us saved believers to herald and teach this truth information about Christ Jesus to unbelieving persons around us so that they can get saved as well.

- - Paul has been designated and appointed to herald and teach this information about Christ Jesus to the nations of Gentiles (non-Jewish), in effect exerting prolonged heralding action and efforts to intercede on the behalf of unbelieving Gentiles for their benefit.
- - God took action to intercede on the behalf of and for the benefit of us humans, and He has appointed Paul to also intercede on the behalf of and for the benefit of others through the heralding and teaching truthful information about this faith in Christ Jesus.
- - Like Paul, we who have believed and benefited from this reconciliation are now appointed to similarly intercede on behalf of those humans around us who have not yet believed and benefited from His reconciliation.
- - We who have believed and benefited from this reconciliation are to likewise herald and teach truthful information of this faith to "all men", all unbelieving persons around us.  (v.6)
- - And the lifestyle and interactions and relations of us believers among the watching unbelievers also serve as a herald to the truthful information of this faith.  (v.2)
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BIG IDEA:  Believers are to live, herald, and teach an adequate knowledge of the truth information about Christ Jesus so that unbelieving persons around us can get saved as well.

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APPLICATIONS:

- - For those of you who do not believe in Christ Jesus, can you detect that your mind has been blinded and that your thinking has been hindered in regard to knowledge of the truth about Christ Jesus?
- - Or alternately, have you repeatedly heard and acquired a full knowledge of and clearly understand the truth information about Christ Jesus but yet you choose to still not believe?
- - What reason do you stick to that blinds and hinders you from choosing to believe in Christ Jesus?
- - Have you considered and embraced the sound doctrines described in this passage regarding the nature of Jesus and His role as mediator between God and humans?
- - Or do you hold some false or wacky doctrine that blinds and hinders you in these regards?
- - Remember that the Kingdom of Darkness wants to keep your mind blinded, whereas Christ Jesus wants to enlighten your mind.  What is your response going to be about that?

- - For those of you who do believe in Christ Jesus, is your life testifying daily to the salvation that is in Christ Jesus?  (vv.2-4)
- - Are you in some substantial concrete way contributing to the dispensing of truth information about Christ Jesus, His mediation, His ransoming, and His salvation work on the cross?  (vv.4-6)
- - If your neighbors, friends, relatives, and peers were asked about you, would they say your life and your speaking openly and excellently testify to your faith in Christ Jesus?  And would they say you are consistently exhibiting your faith in all godliness and holiness?  (v.2)
- - Are you properly fulfilling the functions God has appointed you to do?  Or are you doing your own thing and selectively ignoring what God wants you to do?

- - All of us believers are to live, herald, and teach an adequate knowledge of the truth information about Christ Jesus so that unbelieving persons around us can get saved as well.
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Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.

“Strong's Greek Dictionary.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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File name: 1Timothy2_4-7-SermonOrLesson.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV, quoted or referred to in various places within this document
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated: September 21, 2016