Outline of the Book of I Timothy - The Floral Heights Church of Christ

Chapter 2
way to thee." The "prophecies" of Christ, His Kingdom, eternal salvation, and the suffering saint
would be teachings that would lead Timothy to his current state of standing in Ephesus and waging
war with the ungodly.
2. Seeing that Timothy is an evangelist we find the beginnings of the work of a preacher as Paul will
latter mention at II Timothy 4:5. The evangelist is divinely appointed to "charge" (command and
order) men not to do the above mentioned things (see study # 6; The Work of an Evangelist).
When said charging, commanding, and ordering takes place there will be those who do not
appreciate being spoken to in such ways. Paul reminds Timothy of the prophecies of Christ, the
reality of grace, and the wickedness of men who are guided by the flesh. There will be, therefore,
warfare even with those who profess to be Christians. Paul admonishes Timothy to "war the good
warfare." Seems odd that people's lifestyles and acceptance or teaching of false doctrines would be
referred to as "warfare;" however, the true characters of men come out when forced to uphold
absolute truth or one's opinions.
B. "Holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck
concerning the faith: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they
might be taught not to blaspheme" (1:19-20).
1. One way of waging effective warfare against brethren who would teach false doctrines, give heed
to fables or endless genealogies, or use the Mosaic Law unlawfully was to "hold the faith in a good
conscience." Paul held to faith at one point in his life with a good conscience; however, it was
wrong (see Acts 26:9). One's conscience can only be a proper guide to sanctification and
justification when it has been trained in the purity of truth alone. (see study # 7).
2. Paul states that some Christians have "thrust from them" the one true faith (sound doctrine). This
thrusting of true faith away from oneself is considered making "shipwreck concerning the faith."
When true faith is not the product of one's conscience trained by divine revelation then a shipwreck
occurs in one's life. Two examples of men who shipwrecked their faith for various doctrines of
men were "Hymenaeus and Alexander." These two names were very common during these early
New Testament days. Some have associated this Hymenaeus with the false teacher of II Timothy.
3. One thing for sure, these two men were publicly know heretics in the Ephesian church. These two
were dealt with just as the sinner of I Corinthians 5:1ff. Paul handed both of them over to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh that they might be "taught not to blaspheme" (i.e., one who participates
in disrespectful and reproachful railing language - see I Tim. 1:13). Note several important things
regarding this verse:
a. These two men were involved in the very things that Paul charged Timothy to teach people not
to be involved with (i.e., they had involved themselves in blasphemous words against God's
divine revelation in that they were apparently teaching doctrines that were not sound or of
divine origin).
b. Secondly, these two men were not concealed or protected so as not to embarrass them. Many
today are upset when the names of false teachers are publicized because they feel that it puts a
negative stigma upon the person in the eyes of other brethren. Such identity is undeserving
because, from their perspective, the person is not intending to lead people astray through a
spirit of malicious behavior. Let all note that Paul is not dealing with one's intentions in I
Timothy chapter one. Paul tells Timothy to charge all to keep the doctrine of Christ in all of its
purity because the sanctification of men's souls are at stake (see I Tim. 1:10). Purity and
soundness of doctrine is under consideration! False teachers must thereby be shamed that they
might feel the shameful consequences of their doctrines (see study # 11).
c. Paul had publicly marked these men (see Rom. 16:17; II Thess. 3:14) so as not to allow
brethren to be infected with their diseased doctrines and secondly that they might be saved (see
I Cor. 5:1ff). To deliver one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh is to withdraw from that
individual that they might feel the shame of being in the world (separate and apart from the
fellowship of God and brethren).
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