"So Do" 1 Timothy

"So Do"

To my own son,

a man

in the faith

of God our Father

and Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Of faith, make

not a shipwreck.

Have "no other doctrine"

steer your course.

Let not "what they say"

hold wind

to your sail.

To the fable's teacher,

question a destination.

To the endless genealogies,

turn from the power of their tale.

Know that these teachers'

vain janglings

hold no power of place,

And bend from the law

that bestows a course

of both mercy and grace.

From their

fruitless jabberings,

turn aside.

Remember

that charity,

from a pure heart

doth unfeigned faith abide.

Turn your hearts course,

back to faith's pattern,

let it tack across God's

open ocean.

Ministry with

a good conscience

play upon the wave of His law

with the steadiest of

emotion.

Set your sextant

upon the light

of God's brightest star.

Charge all who would

sail with you

to defend the truth

and war a good war.

Teach them that the law is not

meant to set fear to mutiny's race,

but to serve them

with edification's

of God's mercy and grace.

Hold strong to your pattern of faith,

let its course set you,

upon a steady current

of long suffering hope.

Keep,
my own son,

the King Eternal,

the only true and wise God

for ever and ever

within your scope.

Copyright Linda Conkey Shaw Sept 23 2010

Words and Phrases 

vs 1 which is our hope - Paul is writing a letter to Timothy.. He, as an apostle of Jesus Christ offers hope through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and God our Savior 

vs 2 my own son - Timothy was born of a Greek mother and Paul had all but adopted him "in the faith." This verse serves as a salutation to him and offers his well wishes of grace, mercy and peace. 

vs 3 teach no other doctrine - an apostasy had begun in the church. With Paul no longer there to oversee the affairs, the teachings, and the administration of the church other's had put their words, ideas, and teachings into circulation. 

vs 4 fables - long winded stories were the known vehicle of passage of tales and teaching. The written word was scarce and the education of people depended greatly upon those that could retell a story. As time would have it the "teachings" would be tweaked and changed to make it more enjoyable, more believable, or just more entertaining. What might have started as a true account through the passage of many tellings ends up becoming a fable. 

vs 4 endless genealogies - those that have carried the power in the past sought to retain the power in the future through the recitation of their genealogical ties to greatness. It worked because of the power of intimidation and awe that accompanied the fables and tales. 

vs 4 godly edifying which is in faith - faith brings edification not doubt. Faith uplifts ones soul and casts no doubt upon the good name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith must be adhered to by the law of Moses. 

 vs 4 so do: be sure to edify through faith in all of your teachings. Do not use fables, nor hierarchies of genealogies but rather lift up those by strict adherence to God's law. 

vs 5 the commandment - speaks that faith comes from charity of a pure heart. Real faith speaks of a good conscience and pure desire to do good. 

vs 5 faith unfeigned - real faith. 

vs 6 vain jangling - unproductive speaking. Words that have no purpose or direction.

vs 7 desiring to be teachers - many have tried to teach God's law, but those that teach it in truth have had experience with God's grace and mercy and can speak of experience. These that must be teachers must understand what they say and affirm what they teach by the power of faith within them. 

vs 8 - law is good - God's law of Moses is good when used correctly. 

vs 9-10 law is not made for righteous - Law of Moses is a standard set in place to help those that do not understand God's mercy and grace find his love and faith. By measuring their lives against the law, they can correct their behavior and find place in his love. The law is for those who are unrighteous so that they might be made aware of their errant attitudes. 

vs 11 committed to my trust -Paul was entrusted in the keeping of the gospel. It was given to him to keep it pure and clean and true so that those who went to it to find a relationship with Jesus might be able to do so. 

vs 12-15 counted me faithful - Notwithstanding all that Saul did... God entrusted Paul to the ministry. 

vs 16 - for a pattern - We look to those who live contemporary lives for examples of how we might obtain mercy, grace, faith and life everlasting. 

vs 18 war a good warfare - the battle has begun to not only keep the faith, but to keep the faith pure and clean of fables, of exaggerations, of falsehoods, and of power. Paul has entrusted the church at Ephesus. 

vs 19 faith have made shipwreck - there are those who have destroyed the faith by introducing all that is pagan and false. They do so because of their love of teaching, but they don't understand what they teach or how they will lead astray those that seek to know the truth.