1) The document discusses Paul's letter to Timothy about combating false doctrines that were corrupting the church in Ephesus and undermining the gospel of God's grace. 2) Paul urges Timothy to confront those teaching myths, genealogies, and meaningless speculation instead of advancing God's work through faith, love, and pure doctrine. 3) The false teachers had departed from sound doctrine and turned to empty talk, not understanding the proper use of the law or the gospel of grace.

1. LESSON 2
July 12, 2015
The Gospel of Grace
Golden Text
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim1 is to
finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task
of testifying to the good news of God’s grace”. (Acts 20:24)
Useful Practice
The gospel of God's grace is par excellence the gospel of the liberation of
man through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading
1 Timothy 1: 3-10
3 - As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so
that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any
longer
4 - or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things
promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—
which is by faith.
5 - The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a
good conscience and a sincere faith.
6 - Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless2 talk.
7 - They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are
talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
8 - We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
9 - We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for
lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious,
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Objetivo
2
Sem sentido

2. for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
10 - for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave
traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the
sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the
blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
General objective
To explain what the gospel of the grace of God is.
Specific Objectives
I – To show why the false doctrines corrupt the gospel of grace.
II – To become aware that grace abounded with faith and love.
III – To understand the meaning of the good fight.
Introduction
When he left the elders3 of Ephesus, Paul expressed his feeling of
concern about the flock4 of God, because he was afraid that in his absence
the sheep of the Lord would be attacked (Acts 20: 29-30). No doubt it was a
feeling given by the Lord, because seven years later, Paul was leaving
Timothy in Ephesus, to combat the "savage wolves" who wanted to
"devour" the flock under his pastoral care. Today, there are churches that
harbor5 false workers, who pervert sound doctrine, killing or scattering6
the sheep.
I - FALSE DOCTRINES CORRUPT THE GOSPEL OF GRACE
1. The gospel of grace. It is the liberating Gospel that Christ brought into
the world by the goodness of God, independent of human works (Eph 2:
8,9). Paul referred to this Gospel in a very eloquent way (Acts 20:24). He
knew this Gospel, not just in theory but from experience. Inexplicably, a
blasphemer and a persecutor of Christians was chosen to be one of the
greatest preachers of the Gospel of Christ (1 Tim 1:12-14). Would we give
an opportunity to anyone with such a background?
2. False doctrines (v. 3). The false teachers would be elders, who were in
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Anciãos
4
Rebanho
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Porto
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Espalhando

3. charge of educating the church (1 Timothy 5:17; 3:2). False doctrines were
presented as "myths and endless genealogies" (1:4). The "myths" (Gr.
Mythoi) were imaginary narratives, legends, fiction. They have their place
in literature. But in the church, there should be no room for fables or myths.
In the text, it is not clear what the content of the "genealogies" was, but
together with the myths, they were about teachings that promoted
speculations and useless controversies which did not edify the brothers at
all. Timothy was the messenger sent by Paul to confront and fight these
teachings. There are evangelical churches that accept this kind of teaching
and allow emotionalism to take the place of true spiritual revival.
3. The "end of the commandment" and the purpose of the Law. Paul
called the attention of Timothy, sent by him to Ephesus, to the doctrine of
God and Christ, which he summed up into the "commandment" and its
purpose (1 Tim 1 : 5.6). Then, Paul teaches about the purpose of the Law,
and for whom it was intended by breaking down, in the text, a long list of
types of wicked people who were targeted by legal precepts (1 Tim 1: 9-
11).
II - GRACE ABOUNDED MUCH MORE WITH FAITH AND LOVE
1. Gratitude to God. One of the striking features of Paul's character is to be
grateful to God (Rom. 7: 25; 1 Cor 1:4 ...) In this part of the Epistle, he ex-
pressed his gratitude to Christ for choosing him and putting him in the ap-
ostolic and pastoral ministry, although he had been a terrible opponent of
the Gospel of Jesus (1 Tim 1:12,13). This demonstrates once more what the
"gospel of the grace of God" can make in a man’s life. God has his holy ways.
The gospel is the expression of God's love, in Christ Jesus, which reaches a
man at his lowest level of sin and makes him a "new creation" (2 Corinthi-
ans 5:17), and, furthermore7, it also makes him part of the "family of God
"(Eph 2:19). Paul recognizes that: "[...] The grace of our Lord was poured
out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus"
(1 Tim 1:14). It was Jesus who saved him and transformed him by His
grace.
2. Humility. Paul was no longer a new convert or neophyte when he wrote
his letters to Timothy. He was not using false modesty when he declared to
be the main sinner that Jesus came to save (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul was
convinced that he had been saved by grace and not by merit. Even as
someone who has been saved, the believer should know that we did not
deserve the gift (present) of salvation.
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Além disso

4. As a saved person in Jesus Christ, we take no pleasure in sin any longer.
He who still delights in sin has not experienced the new birth yet: "No one
who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in
them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God" (1
John 3.9).
III - AN INVITATION TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT (vv. 18-20).
1. The good battle. After advising Timothy about the hard mission of
fighting heresy in the church in Ephesus, Paul gives a word of consolation,
encouragement and incentive to the young pastor. As a true "father in the
faith", the apostle says, "Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in
keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling
them you may fight the battle well" (1 Timothy 1:18). Paul reminds
Timothy that his ministry was confirmed by prophecy. It is inferred from
the text that the prophecies were so consistent that Timothy should fight
"the good battle", or the good fight, based on what God had spoken to him
(1 Tim 1:18).
2. The rejection of faith and the consequences it brings (1 Timothy
1:5). Whoever rejects "sincere faith" and "good Christian conscience"
reaps8 the results of their bad choice. The outcome is the "shipwreck9 of
faith." Paul takes as an example Hymenaeus and Alexander, workers who
went down that route. As for Hymenaeus, his atitude is so terrible that he is
quoted in 2 Timothy 2:17. His name derives from Hymen, "god of
marriage", in Greek mythology. No one knows for sure what false "doctrine"
he sowed10. Scholars say that both of them were representatives of
Gnosticism among the Ephesian church. Regarding Alexander, ally11 of
Hymenaeus in sowing false doctrines, was so pernicious that Paul
considers him “gone astray12” or "wrecked" in the faith. Their influence was
so malicious that Paul handed them over to Satan, to be taught not to
blaspheme (1 Tim 1:20). May the LORD save his Church from false
teachers!
CONCLUSION
Christianity was born under persecution and confrontation with heresies
and distorted teachings. In the consolidation of the churches opened on his
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Colhe
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Naufrágio
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Semeou
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Aliado
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Extraviado

5. missionary journeys, Paul had to take a stand and decisive actions against
"savage wolves", who would rise, even within the church, as in the case of
the Ephesian church. With God's grace and the support of faithful men,
such as Timothy and Titus, the apostle Paul faced the false teachers who
came out to hinder the work started and developed in many churches.