1 Timothy 1:3

Letters to the Faithful - 1 Timothy 1:3

Berean Standard Bible

As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines

King James Bible

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

Greek Text:

Καθὼς παρεκάλεσά σε προσμεῖναι ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, πορευόμενος εἰς Μακεδονίαν, ἵνα παραγγείλῃς τισὶν μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν.

Transliteration:

Kathōs parekalesa se prosmeinai en Ephesō, poreuomenos eis Makedonian, hina parangeilēs tisin mē heterodidaskalein.

-----------------------------------

As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia

Paul's urging reflects the apostolic authority he held and the personal relationship he had with Timothy. Macedonia was a significant region in the early church, including cities like Philippi and Thessalonica, which Paul had previously visited and established churches. This phrase indicates a transition in Paul's missionary journey, emphasizing the importance of Timothy's role in Ephesus. The urgency suggests a pressing need for leadership and doctrinal purity in the church.

you should stay on at Ephesus

Ephesus was a major city in the Roman province of Asia, known for its temple to Artemis and as a center of commerce and culture. It was also a significant location for early Christianity, where Paul had spent considerable time teaching and establishing the church (Acts 19). The instruction to stay indicates the strategic importance of Ephesus in spreading the Gospel and combating false teachings. Timothy's presence was crucial for maintaining the integrity of the church in this influential city.

to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines

The early church faced numerous challenges from false teachings, including Gnosticism, Judaizers, and other heresies. Paul's concern was to preserve the purity of the Gospel message. The phrase "certain men" suggests that specific individuals were promoting these false doctrines, which could lead believers astray. This instruction aligns with other New Testament warnings against false teachers (e.g., Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Peter 2:1). The emphasis on sound doctrine is a recurring theme in Paul's letters, highlighting the need for vigilance and discernment in teaching and leadership.

------------------------------------

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, saints washed in the blood of the Lamb and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, we come now to the living Word of God, that eternal flame which lights our path and pierces even to the division of soul and spirit. In this sacred hour, we turn our attention to the apostolic instruction handed down by the Apostle Paul to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy. This is no casual correspondence, no fleeting thought written in haste, but the Spirit-breathed counsel of a seasoned soldier of Christ to a young servant entrusted with sacred duty.

Paul’s voice in this verse is not tentative, nor is it polite suggestion. He speaks with the weight of heaven’s authority, saying, “I urged you…” And what did he urge? That Timothy remain—not move, not abandon his post, not grow weary and fade into the crowd—but remain at Ephesus. The call to remain, dear friends, is often the harder command. It is easier at times to run to new pastures, to chase fresh fields, to escape where the soil seems unyielding. But the apostolic charge is to stay where God has stationed you, to dig deep, to endure, to shepherd the flock even when wolves prowl nearby and the work feels unfruitful.

Why remain? Not for Timothy’s comfort. Not for prestige. Not for personal gain. Paul tells us plainly: “So that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine.” Hear the urgency in his words. There are teachings that are different—other, foreign, deviant from the faith once delivered. And there are people, even within the gathered assembly, who may begin to spread such things. The danger is not merely that the truth would be ignored, but that it would be replaced with something counterfeit. That which masquerades as light, but leads to darkness.

This charge is not simply for Timothy in Ephesus; it is for the Church in every generation. For false doctrine is not confined to a single century, a single city, or a single heretic. It rises again and again, subtle and seductive, packaged in pleasing words and offered in palatable portions. But its end is ruin. Paul knew this. The Spirit knew this. And so Timothy was to stand—not to suggest, but to charge—to rebuke, to correct, to preserve the truth in the midst of confusion.

Doctrine matters, beloved. We live in an age where many seek to minimize truth, to blur distinctions, to exchange precision for popularity. But the Church is not built on shifting sand. It is built on the Rock—Christ Jesus—and the confession of His name. A different doctrine, no matter how well-meaning, no matter how eloquently presented, is a defilement of the gospel. It is poison in the stream, a leaven that corrupts the whole lump. Therefore, we must guard the deposit entrusted to us. Not only the pastors. Not only the theologians. Every believer must be rooted in truth, shaped by truth, and ready to contend for the truth in love.

Let us learn from Timothy’s commission that the charge to defend sound doctrine is not a secondary task. It is central to the life of the Church. It is not opposed to love—it is the expression of true love. For what greater love can we show than to protect souls from error and to point them faithfully to the cross of Christ? If we allow another gospel to be preached, or another Christ to be presented, we do not love—we abandon. We do not shepherd—we scatter. We do not serve—we betray.

O Church, let us not be naive. The enemy does not always attack from the outside. He often works from within, cloaked in religious garments, quoting Scripture out of context, appealing to emotion rather than truth. But Paul would not have Timothy fear. He would have him stand. And so we too must stand—firm in the Word, filled with the Spirit, faithful to Christ. Let our pulpits not be places of speculation, but strongholds of truth. Let our songs not be filled with empty phrases, but grounded in the gospel. Let our fellowship be shaped not merely by friendliness, but by a shared foundation in the truth that saves.

And let us not despise the call to remain. You who labor in hard places, do not flee. You who minister among people who seem slow to grow, do not lose heart. You who are tempted to believe your work is in vain, hear the voice of Paul: Remain at Ephesus. Remain where God has planted you. Remain with your eyes on Christ. Remain in prayer. Remain in sound teaching. Remain until the work is done, or the Lord calls you elsewhere. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

And if there are any among us who have wandered into different doctrine, we plead with you today: return. Do not be carried about by every wind of teaching. Do not trade the riches of Christ for the dust of human wisdom. There is one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one gospel. Come back to the ancient paths. Come back to the voice of the Shepherd. Come back to the cross, where all truth finds its center and all grace flows freely.

So then, beloved, let us be watchful. Let us be faithful. Let us be rooted. And let us be courageous, like Timothy, to stand firm for the gospel—not with arrogance, but with bold love. Not with quarreling, but with conviction. And may we all, on that great Day, be found having held fast the Word of life, and having finished the race—not chasing novelty, but clinging to the truth that saves.

To Him be glory, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

------------------------------------

Holy and righteous Father, eternal God and King of all ages, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest and Shepherd of our souls. We bow before Your throne of grace with reverence and godly fear, acknowledging that You alone are holy, You alone are wise, and You alone are the fountain of all truth. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God, and Your Word is settled in the heavens. Your commandments are pure, enlightening the eyes, and Your precepts are trustworthy, making wise the simple. You have not left us to wander in darkness or confusion, but You have given us the sure word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, the faith once delivered to the saints.

Lord, we thank You for the faithful witness of the Apostle Paul, a servant and messenger of Jesus Christ, who bore Your truth with boldness, tears, and endurance. We remember his charge to Timothy, that he remain in Ephesus to command certain persons not to teach any different doctrine. We receive this charge not as a relic of history, but as a living word for Your Church today. For we know, O Lord, that the enemy of our souls has not ceased his work, and that deception still creeps in under the guise of wisdom, that falsehood still disguises itself in religious garments, and that many are being led astray by teachings that do not accord with sound doctrine.

Therefore, O God of truth, we cry out to You: awaken Your Church. Raise up men and women with the heart of Timothy, who will remain at their post, who will not be moved by fear or fatigue, who will not be seduced by the applause of men, but who will speak the truth in love and guard the deposit entrusted to them. Fill Your servants with the boldness of the apostles, the clarity of the prophets, the faithfulness of the shepherd, and the humility of Christ. Let every elder, every teacher, every leader and layperson be bound to the gospel as to a sacred trust, never to be diluted, never to be altered, never to be exchanged for another message.

Lord, we confess before You that we, too, have often faltered. We have tolerated teachings that tickle the ear but do not transform the heart. We have been slow to confront error, quick to compromise, and timid when we should have spoken. Forgive us, merciful Father, for allowing the truth to be diluted in the name of peace. Forgive us for fearing the face of man more than we fear the judgment of God. Forgive us for treating Your gospel as common, when it is the very power of God unto salvation.

O God, renew in us a love for sound doctrine—not cold or proud knowledge, but living truth that conforms us to the image of Christ. Let us be a people who tremble at Your Word, who hide it in our hearts, who meditate on it day and night, who test all things by it. Let Your Word dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing us in all wisdom. And let our lives bear the fruit of that truth in holiness, in love, in humility, in good works, and in endurance.

We pray now for those who have strayed from the truth, for those caught in the snare of false doctrine, for those who have embraced another gospel which is no gospel at all. Lord, have mercy. Open their eyes. Soften their hearts. Bring them back, O Shepherd of Israel. Let the truth shine in the darkness. Let the voice of Christ be heard again through faithful preaching. Let the fire of repentance burn. Let broken altars be rebuilt. Let deceived hearts be delivered.

We also ask You, Lord, to preserve the next generation. May our children not inherit a compromised faith. May they not be raised on a gospel of moralism or self-help, but on the unshakable truth of Christ crucified, risen, and returning. Give wisdom to parents, courage to pastors, discernment to teachers, and conviction to all Your people. Let the spirit of Timothy rise again in our time—faithful sons and daughters who will guard the flock, fight the good fight, and finish the race without wavering.

Let us not be a Church that merely survives in the last days, but one that shines brightly with the truth, that endures in purity, that stands even if all others fall. And when You come again, Lord Jesus, may You find us holding fast to the Word of life, not having turned aside to myths or teachings of demons, but standing firm on the gospel that has saved our souls.

Now unto You, O God, who is able to keep us from falling and to present us blameless before the presence of Your glory with great joy—to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.

Amen.