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Q5. (TITUS 3:5-8) If "regeneration" is necessary, what does that imply about our spiritual state before salvation? What is "new" after salvation? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation? In our sanctification? We are all born sinners, and are spiritually dead, only deserving eternal punishment from God. But God saved us because of His great mercy, lovingkindness, and earned salvation for us by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. He made us spiritually alive by giving us new-birth, regeneration – we are now a new creation, a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). Regeneration was necessary because of our deprived state. After salvation we now have a new heart, a new mind, and a new will - old things have passed away, all things have become new. We are not the same anymore, the Holy Spirit has given us new life, we are now living in union with Christ (Col 2:6-7). We have the Holy Spirit as a deposit who will help us in our Christian journey as we strive to be daily more and more like our Lord Jesus. There will still be battles with sin, but the fruit of the Spirit starts becoming more visible to us and to others in our life. Sanctification is the progressive work in which the Holy Spirit helps us become more and more free from sin and continues throughout our earthly lives. Our sanctification will never be completed in this life. But once we die and go to be with the Lord, we are set free from indwelling sin and are made perfect.

Q4. (TITUS 3:4-5) Why is it important to stress that our salvation has nothing to do with our righteous actions? How can otherwise "good" works be corrupted by self-serving motives? How can pride and self-deceit keep us from salvation? Every person born into the world is enslaved to sin – spiritually dead (Eph 2:1). Dead meaning that in no way can we come to God or save ourselves – dead is dead. Sin has affected our mind, heart, and will; we have no interest in seeking God (Rom 3:11). Our salvation is completely a work of God, our righteous actions play no part at all – it’s all God’s kindness, love, mercy, and grace. Not the result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph 2:9). Before our conversion our actions, deeds were under the influence of Satan and therefore in total disobedience to God. This includes our so called good deeds, which are tainted by self-serving interests and hidden agendas. Our pride and self-deceit gets in the way of our salvation thinking we can do it all. We don’t want to be dictated to by anyone even God. We put our trust in self-righteousness to our own downfall.

Q3. (TITUS 3:1-2) What should be a Christian's response to civil government, even government by those who do not share our values? How does an anti-government stance hurt the cause of Christ? How does gossip or backbiting hurt the cause of Christ? How does it hurt the unity of the church? I live in a country that is ruled by a criminal government that has plundered our country to the position that we are on the verge of being a failed state. Everything they touch has been sucked dry of all finances; combined with incompetence our roads are full of potholes, our water supply is threatened, and some areas are without electricity for days on end. There is no law and order. On top of this they increase our rates and taxes. People are angry and those that can are emigrating. Romans 13:1 tells us that every person should obey the government in power. These instructions are without any exceptions, so no matter what type of government is in power, we are told to “be subject to the governing authorities.” The reason is that the authorities that exist have been established by God. I feel that as Christians our proper response in this pagan society is not to confront the situation by trying to change moral values. People don’t like to be told what to do, or what they are doing wrong. Confrontation won’t change anything but will bring more harm to the cause of Christ. The whole world system is in the hands of the wicked one, and has been condemned by God (1 John 5:19). Jesus Himself said: “My kingdom is not of this world” (Joh 18:36), and as His ambassadors, we should represent this truth to the world. To bring about change it has to happen from the inside out. This we do by bringing people to God. Our chief goal is to lead people to our Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. To do this we have to be living a life that honours our Lord (Tit 2:8). We live by example – displaying God’s saving power. What good advice: "If you can't say something good about someone, don't say it." As Christians we should speak evil of no one. Think of all the grief and trouble that would be avoided. We should be thinking of others and putting others first. Replacing gossip, backbiting, slander, ridicule, insult, verbal abuse with gentleness, kindness, humbleness, graciousness, politeness. As we grow in faith all this fruit of the Spirit should start to become more prominent. If not, we risk the chance of being called a hypocrite. Also, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:18). The righteousness of God is not worked out by hostility and anger.

Q2. (TITUS 2:14) According to verse 14, what are the two purposes of Christ's redemption? Why do we need to purified so that we can do truly "good" works? Firstly, Christ wanted to make us “a people that are His very own.” For this to happen it was necessary for Jesus to redeem us “from all wickedness.” We need to remember what we were like: we were dead in our transgressions and sins; we followed the ways of this world; gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts; we were by nature objects of wrath (Eph 2:1-3); we were without hope and without God in the world (Eph 2:12). Christ saved us not only from the guilt and penalty of sin but also to redeem us from every lawless deed. Secondly, He wanted “to purify a people that will be His very own, eager to do what is good.” This control sin had over our lives also had to be neutralised, and this was also achieved by Jesus giving of Himself. Being made new creatures: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17); the old sinful nature has been replaced, and now we are keen to do good deeds. Our hearts are purified and out of the love for our Saviour we want to do deeds that will bring glory to Him.

Q1. (TITUS 2:12-13) If we were convinced that Christ would soon return, what effect would that have on the way we conduct ourselves? Why is this hope "blessed"? In what way will Christ's return exhibit His glory? If we truly believe Jesus is coming soon, this will have an effect on all that we do. A believer who truly loves Christ, and who is convinced and understands these things will want to live a godly life. Knowing what Jesus has done and why He has done it, we look forward to His return, and will not want to disappoint Him. On the other hand, ungodly living in a believer is a clear sign that they do not fully understand what is going on, or even that they don’t actually believe in Christ’s Second Coming. As sinners, we had no hope beyond the grave, but all who die in Christ will be raised from among the dead. This is our blessed hope, the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the fact that we will be taken home to heaven to be with Christ and to be like Him forever. It is blessed because of the blessings that come with it. One commentator calls the blessed hope “the link between our present and future.” At His coming we shall see Him in all His glory - His perfection. When one thinks of the glory of Christ, we are reminded about His great love and the great work He has accomplished for us, His disciples. His glory is completed as His enemies are made His footstool, and He is surrounded by His chosen ones. He who has been exalted to the right hand of God, will return in glory for the judgment of all mankind.

Q4. (TITUS 2:11-12) How does a wrong understanding of God's grace seem to give us a license to be sloppy in our behaviour? In what ways should God's grace motivate us to good behaviour? Once we have been saved; all our past, present, and future sins are forgiven; some might think that since all their future sins are already forgiven, they can be a bit careless in behaviour. But it doesn’t work that way, once we are saved, we will have become new creatures (2 Cor 5:17) and our goal will be to glorify God in all ways we can. We will be looking forward with hope of spending eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace motivates us to live a righteous life turning away from worldly lusts – **** for sex, wealth, power, pleasure, fame amongst other. And we will want to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

Q3. (TITUS 2:2-8) What are the weaknesses are younger wives and husbands need to be careful of? How about employees? What positive qualities should substitute for these sins? Why is Titus's example so important in teaching good Christian behaviour and morality? How does our behaviour impact Christ's reputation? A weakness for a young wife would be not loving or caring for their husband and children, and neglecting their household duties. Not being submissive to their husband. The younger husbands not taking responsibility for their role in marriage. Examples of weaknesses are laziness, not careful in money matters, irresponsible, insincere, drunkard. Employees are to be honest, hardworking as to working for the Lord. Positive qualities would include faithfulness, loving, responsibility, prudence, integrity, dignity, self-respect, and a strong work ethic. All are to be sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. Without good Christian qualities the world will have lots of reasons to criticise us and see us as a bunch of hypocrites.

Q2. (TITUS 2:2-3) What seem to be the predominant sins of the older men and women in the churches of Crete? What specific behaviours does Paul urge in place of these sins? Older men drank too much, bringing disrespect upon themselves as well as the congregation. They did not act with proper seriousness or dignity; often being carried away by carnal desires and hysterical excitement – showing signs of immaturity. The older women as well needed to behave with dignity, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, to be teachers of what is good. The apostle also refers to their conduct and overall behaviour, to the entire appearance of the older women. Both older men and older women should display the characteristics of maturity in their behaviour. Older men are to be temperate, worthy of respect, and self-controlled. They should be sensible, using sound common sense in all situations in which they might find themselves. They must show firmness of character, making them reliable and trustworthy at all times. Older women are also to live lives of respect, to control their gossiping as well as their wine consumption, and being a good example to younger women. This mature behaviour should be complemented by godliness, displaying the Christian virtues of faith, love, and endurance. In faith by placing their trust not upon their feelings, but upon the eternal and unchangeable Word of God. In love by letting all their good works be to the glory of our Lord, and not striving for recognition of others. In endurance, the willingness to be faithful also in the midst of persecutions and afflictions. Living in a pagan world this is easier said than done. We need the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom and discernment we need, and the fruit of self-control to control our wills, tongues, and passions, so that we do not dishonour our Lord Jesus Christ.

Q1. (TITUS 1:9) Why do pastors and elders hesitate to correct false doctrine today? What is the result of laxity? What is the result of gentle but firm discipline with regard to doctrine? Maybe the main reason is being scared of losing a member of the congregation. Could be that there is so much false doctrine floating around that it’s best ignored. I feel that today our churches are being attacked from within by unbelief, watered-down faith, and false doctrines. We are also busy seeing our true doctrines deteriorating into a type of social gospel, where God centred principles are being abandoned with a strong tendency downward into the debts of man centred naturalism or secularism. The end result of this laxity will be atheism/apostasy. To save the gospel this downward decline has to be stopped by gentle but firm disciple – somehow?

Q5. (1 TIMOTHY 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around? If we remain faithful to the Word of God, I cannot see us ever becoming narrow-minded, backward-looking, opposing change, and complaining people. The truth is the truth, no matter what. Today, more than ever the Christian truth is under attack; we encounter daily opposition to the truth of God’s Word - we must be wide awake and ready to guard it at all cost. At the same time, we are to watch out for being led astray by so called new ideas. Some of which are falsely called knowledge, or so-called intellectualism, rationalism, modernism, liberalism, and every other “ism” which disregards or waters down Christ. There will be subtle inroads of error. We are to reject anything that is against the truth as garbage. To remain positive, loving, and pleasant is not always that easy. I live in a country rife with corruption and amongst the highest crime rate in the world. It is so easy to become negative about what is happening to our people. The only way to counter all this negativism is to put our trust in God. Knowing that God is sovereign we put our trust in His promises, His faithfulness, His goodness, and His mercy, amongst many other. We serve a mighty God!! With the help of the Holy Spirit, I’m reminded to see life from an eternal perspective. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), reminds me that the object of this life is to love, worship, and serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Q4. (1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families? I think we should be aware of the dangers of the love of money. Instead of trusting our riches we should rather put our trust in our Lord and Saviour. Money has a way of sprouting wings and flying away. Great resources give the appearance of providing security; the fact is that the only sure thing in this world is the word of God. Many of us are experiencing this truth in our present economic crisis. To cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, we are to be generous and ready to share. We can be rich in good deeds which will not harm our families financially. This will act as evidence of our overflowing gratitude to God for His gift of eternal life. We can be generous in giving our time and labour to help others. Not only by our words, but also by our lives, we should show that we are children of God. John Wesley has been said to say: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Never forgetting that it is not our money, but God’s – we are to look after it as His stewards.

Q3. (1 TIMOTHY 6:7-10) How does love for money grow? How does it become a trap? How do you escape this deceptive trap? We mistakenly seek the power and status that we think riches will bring, so, not content with all that God has provided there is a great desire to be rich. But we know that the love of money is a root sin (6:10); that is to say, it lies beneath the surface and nourishes any number of other sins. Such sins may include theft, fraud, perjury, gambling, speculation, and even murder. This desire to be rich leads us into being tempted to resort to these dishonest means to achieve our goal, and this then leads to: temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge us into ruin and destruction. We have to confront our love of money and remove it by the roots every time we see it spring up in another area of our life, if not we can be sucked into the desire to make more and more money. This desire starts to grow, and becomes stronger and stronger, leading us into a snare or trap which we are unable to escape from. We might have set an initial target and promise to stop once this has been reached, but we cannot stop - this desire grows as we desire for more and more. Before we realize it, this desire can completely control and destroy our lives. Things can spiral out of control ultimately ending in our total ruin and destruction. The reason the pursuit of riches deceives is that money does not last, and it never brings true happiness. It has been said: “Money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation; a passport to everywhere but heaven.” To escape this deceptive trap, we should first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mat 6:33), and God will make sure we have all we need for life. There is nothing we can take with us into eternity. Why then do we strive after temporal things that cannot bring us lasting satisfaction? We should realize that money will not bring true happiness; it can’t reconcile us to God, because it doesn’t deal with our sinful self-will that alienates us from God and others. Only Christ through His death on the cross can forgive our sins. Only Christ can deal the deathblow to our love of self as we enthrone Jesus as our rightful Lord. “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self” (Luke 9:25)?

Q2. (1 TIMOTHY 6:6) Why should we seek contentment? Doesn't contentment keep us from trying to get ahead so our families can have what they need? What's the balance between contentment and the quest for improvement? The truly godly person seeks contentment and is not interested in becoming wealthy beyond their needs. They realise that they possess inner resources which furnish riches far beyond that which the world can offer. They have peace with God, spiritual joy, and assurance of salvation. They know that: “...in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Therefore, they feel no need to store up earthly goods - which can never satisfy the soul (Luke 12:19-20). They are content with what they have (Philippians 4:10-13). They realize that: “...naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart" (Job 1:21a). This does not prevent them from doing the best for their family by providing for all their needs, but not their greed. In other words, they are content but are also free from the love of money (Heb. 13:5). They are content no matter what their circumstances are (Phil 4:11-13), and they are fully dependent upon His grace (2 Cor 12:9-10). This contentment combined with godliness is indeed of great gain – more than money can buy. We live in perfect balance between contentment and our quest for improvement as we realise it is our responsibility as believers to live for the Lord, trusting Him for the future with unshakable confidence that He will provide.

Q1. (1 Timothy 6:5) Why do you think people are so susceptible to distorted Bible teaching concerning financial gain? Admitting that there is some truth in popular teachings in our time, what are the distortions that you may have heard? How do they differ from the truth? Maybe it suits them to pretend not to understand, so that they can continue living their ungodly life of greed. Greed being the core motivation for dishonest financial gain (Titus 1:11). They are ungodly people who follow their own evil desires (Jude 1:16), never thinking of the harm they are doing. There is a commercialism which has become so common in Christendom. I think false teachers have become more numerous in our day; this is perhaps due to the mass media made available. These teachers also notice our greed and the way we always are looking for easy answers to our problems. They have found out that religion can be very profitable – to them; often displaying their own wealth as proof that it is God’s will for all to be financially successful. Paul reminds us that teachers who promote gain rather than godliness are not from God. Sound doctrine is not focused on personal financial gain. We err in living self-centred lives instead of a God-centred live. We must be careful not to see God as the servant of mankind; remembering that He is the sovereign, omnipotent creator-God. All this prosperity teaching is not based on the true Word. It is mostly based on a lie. The closer we get to our Lord Jesus the more we start to realise and experience that true godliness produces contentment and spiritual riches. We are truly content with what we have and don’t need anything else. We rather seek the true riches of spiritual contentment that come from complete trust in our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. A godly person is motivated not by the love of money but by our love of God. The richest person is the one who desires the least, “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).

Q5. (1 TIMOTHY 6:1-2) In what ways has the Gospel sown the seeds that will eventually destroy slavery? Why does Paul seem to condone slavery in this passage? What is Paul's motive? I don’t think Paul was condoning slavery; but he also did not call for its dissolution. We may ask why Paul, as a Christian leader, tolerated the existence of slavery without denouncing it. We must note that the timing was not right for the liberation of slaves; that would come later. He did not want outright revolt by the slaves nor the continuation of the situation as it was. He wrote that the slave was to honour his master and the master was to be kind to the slave. The ill-will, dishonesty, and laziness of many slaves would be replaced by willing service, integrity, and hard work. The cruelty and brutality of many masters was to be replaced with kindness and love. Thus, the grace of Christ, working from within, would eventually bring an end to slavery. We are all one in Jesus: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). As the teachings of Christianity spread, we notice the abuses of slavery being abolished. We should, however, remember that as a true believer we are a bondslave of Jesus Christ - we have been bought with a price; we no longer belong to ourselves; and Jesus Christ owns us - spirit, soul, and body.

Q4. (1 TIMOTHY 5:22-25) Why does Paul say, "Don't be hasty in the laying on of hands"? What are the dangers in doing so? How can these dangers be lessened? Paul is warning us not to be too hasty in recognising newcomers to the church without getting to know their character first. We should use caution in, for example, accepting wealthy or prominent people. They need to prove themselves as being acceptable first. The lesson is that the church should take the time to judge a person’s true character before accepting them and appointing them to any senior position. He points out that the sins of some men are quite evident. But then there are men whose sins are no so obvious; it is not clear that they are living in sin, only to be shown up later. With time, however, a man’s true colours will emerge for all to see.

Q3. (1 Timothy 5:19-21) Why was it necessary to make formal accusations and "try" the false teachers? Why were the temptations to compromise and not go through with it so great? Why is it so difficult to exercise church discipline today? It is most important that we guard against any false teaching that causes believers to deviate from the true Word. Our teachers speak for God, and if what they say contradicts or dilutes or rejects any aspect of the faith, their teaching is false. This teaching may be extremely subtle or very direct. No matter, it must be firmly reacted upon so as to avoid church members being led astray. And they should be publicly rebuked because of the harm they do to the testimony of the church. Hopefully this will impress others with the seriousness we take on avoiding any error. Elders often become special targets of Satan, and one has to be very careful about false accusations. Once it has been proved beyond doubt that the elder has sinned, then he must be rebuked publicly in front of the congregation. Hopefully this will act as a deterrent and warning to others. This, however, can be easier said than done. It takes courage to do this, but it must be done for the integrity of the church. Today we find elders sin with impunity and then move on to other churches to do the same thing. Sometimes I get the feeling that there can be the temptation to compromise because of the loss of church membership. Church politics and money may be involved. Partiality because of wealth, status, or personality. Another reason may be that there is an “inner circle” in the church that are above being disciplined.

Q2. (1 TIMOTHY 5:17-18) In what circumstances should elders be compensated financially? What is the Scriptural support for such a practice? Any elder that is working full time preaching and teaching the true Word, is due a double honour of respect and financial payment. Often, we take them for granted; we do not think of their needs; we don’t support them financially; and we are quick to subject them to heavy criticism. Instead, faithful church elders should be supported and appreciated – most work hard at teaching and preaching. They should be receiving enough financial support to allow them to live without worry and to provide for the needs of their families. Ever since the Law of Moses, God’s plan has been that His people use part of their crops or herds or income to pay those whose full-time work is serving in His house. But there’s more to it than making sure that the preacher gets a decent allowance, or that the missionaries have adequate support to meet their needs. The issue of honour and respect, which was obviously of great concern to Paul, is very important. Jesus emphasized the importance of this in Luke 10:7, saying that they deserve their wages. Paul echoes this same thought in 1 Cor 9:4-10. We have the responsibility to care for our elders, pastors, preachers, teachers, and other spiritual leaders. It is our duty to see that those who serve us in the ministry are fairly and adequately compensated. They deserve to know that we happily, gratefully, and generously pay them. Appreciating that their work has eternal consequences for us. Many of us have been deeply influenced by the men and women whom God has called into His service, and whose life’s work was the work of Christ.

Q1. (1 TIMOTHY 5:1-16) What responsibilities do we have to help aging family members? According to Paul, in what way is this our Christian responsibility? In what way is this a "repayment" of a debt? To what does Paul compare those who refuse this responsibility? Family members have a generally recognized duty and responsibility to care for each other - especially the older members. Even unbelievers acknowledge this. We obey the law of Christ when we offer our family a helping hand (Gal 6:2). Jesus states this law in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” The important thing is that we show love and concern and do all we can to help each other. If the need arises, we should show practical godliness at home by repaying our parent/s, grandparent/s for all that they have done for us. So, by not helping, we commit a sin of omission. As a believer we then lack the most precious Spiritual fruit of all - love. If we as Christians fail here, we behave contrary to the teaching of our faith, and it is a poor testament to our Christian faith if we neglect this duty. Failure to provide for our own family, especially our parents and grandparents, is compared to an unbeliever.

Q4. (1 Timothy 4:12b) Rigid, unsmiling orthodoxy can teach right doctrine, but cannot produce godliness. Why not? Why is a strong example of godliness in church leaders essential to a healthy church? We need to be enthusiastic about our walk with God. We might have plenty of enthusiasm for a football match, or an election campaign, but so little of it for the service of God. It is only when we have the love of God in our hearts that we will get excited about reading and studying the Bible, prayer, meditation, and witnessing to others. Our care for others must be in love, in faith, and in purity. There must be a sincere interest in their wellbeing. Others should be able to see the results of our faith. Only then will godliness be produced in our lives. When maintaining fellowship with our Lord becomes a burden, we know we will not grow spiritually. We look up to our church leaders to lead by example. If this does not occur it can have a demoralizing effect upon the whole church community and cause huge problems. This reminds me we should look at ourselves: It doesn’t say much for our godliness if people are always asking if we are a Christian. It not visible for all to see, I would be worried if we are truly saved.

Q3. (1 Timothy 4:7-8) How would you define "godliness"? What produces godliness in a person? How is godliness different from embracing a strict morality? To me godliness is a deep devotion to God, and a great awe of God. Which results in living a godly life centred on God Himself - glorifying Him, honouring Him, fearing (reverencing) Him and respecting Him. Our spiritual goal would be complete devotion to God in Christ. Exercising ourselves in the Word increases our godliness. It is an active obedience to the Word that springs from this deep devotion to our Heavenly Father. We become doers of the Word. This involves strict discipline. Spiritual exercise involves, amongst many other things, reading and studying the Bible, prayer, meditation, and witnessing to others. For example, we could do yearly Bible reading plans, and memorising Scripture – perhaps 100 verses yearly. To maintain such a state of godliness involves a continual intake of the Word, with a consistent submission and obedience to the Word of God. By God’s grace and power, we spare no effort to reach our goal - we discard everything that encumbers our spiritual progress. The result is life, fellowship with God in Christ, the love of God in our heart, the peace of God which passes all understanding, complete devotion, and godly living. Everyday walking with the King of kings, Lord of Lords – our Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the essence and wellspring of godliness. Strict morality is self-centred whereas godliness is God-centred.

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel? It is attractive because these people believe that salvation demands or depends upon total obedience to the letter of the law. We see this in their concern of minute details of the law as well as their obsession with human traditions. They feel they can do it – self-righteousness! These people often neglect their own body in the belief that through self-denial or self-torture, they can achieve a higher state of holiness. The law is good when it is used to produce the knowledge of sin, but it is worthless as a saviour from sin (Rom 3:30). They forget that whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10). By living this life of legalism, some may begin to have concerns about having followed every letter of the law, and start doubting their own salvation. I would think this obedience to these legalistic requirements can produce a form of self-control in a person’s life. But this is not the Spiritual fruit as we know it. No love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Legalism is self-centred, but living by grace is God-centred. The legalistic heart does it to gain merit with God, whereas the true believer does it because of the love for God, and the need to please Him. In Philippians 3:9 we read, that all our religious effort, self-improvement, discipline, or keeping the law cannot make us right with God. We have to repent and put our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Righteousness comes only from God - He exchanges our sin for His complete righteousness. There is no self-righteousness. That is, we are made righteous by putting our trust in Christ. It’s all about the grace of Jesus Christ.

Q1. (1 Timothy 4:1-2) Why does Paul remind Timothy (and the church) of predictions concerning widespread apostasy? What effect should this knowledge have on his ministry and the church's perception of the situation? Paul reminded Timothy of the apostasy that Jesus Christ had foretold, this was to equip him to identify it and to deal with it. The Holy Spirit clearly states that some will depart from the faith. Years before the Holy Spirit had also warned Paul that this would happen in Ephesus: “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock” (Acts 20:29). This was given to Paul by divine revelation – it will and has happened - as can be seen today in all the false teachers who actively teach false doctrines. It is inevitable and totally predictable. Their words contradict the Bible and are a direct threat to the church; often causing believers to dilute or reject an aspect of their faith. It can be very direct or extremely subtle. This firm warning may at least keep potential victims in the congregation, from the disastrous results of apostasy that Paul describes. If Timothy did not take this warning to heart, it could have disastrous effects on the church. False teachings operate like gangrene in the body. Timothy must realise that leadership must spring from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith; and if his bad elders do not have these three things, then they were not only propagating errors, but they were also presenting a bad example. One way to discern if the truth is spoken is to find out what they teach about Christ. Instead of pointing to the Lord Jesus, they always seek their own honour and glory. They often say things that people love to hear.

Q4. (1 TIMOTHY 3) According to our text, do you see differences in qualifications between overseers/elders and deacons? What are they? The qualifications for deacons are very similar to those of elders, but perhaps not quite as strict. The one notable difference is that the deacon is not required to teach. His role is rather that of an administrator – caring for the day-to-day running of the church. Both of course should be leaders of integrity. From Acts 20:28 we learn that one becomes an elder through the Holy Spirit. “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). The qualifications of an elder stress four main prerequisites: personal character, the witness of the home, teaching aptitude, and some experience. They are God's standards for any who would exercise spiritual leadership in the local church.

Q3. (1 TIMOTHY 3; TITUS 1:6-9) Why are tendencies to anger, intimidation, force, and pride so important to consider in selecting church officers? What happens when you don't consider these factors? Self-control is a must for every church officer. Paul mentions this as a necessity for leadership in Titus as well (Titus 1:8). In his, church officers, dealings with others, he must be just; in relation to God, he must be holy; and in respect to himself he must be self-controlled. It means that this person has every passion and appetite under control to obey Christ. And it is possible, with help from the Holy Spirit: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23). It is vital to select church officers who demonstrate Jesus’ love to all, who are not prone to anger and other forceful or violent behaviours. If this is not done it could be the beginning of the end of the church.