ntItimothy3

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Drake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it? Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
published at http://www.theseason.org/

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

Remember that Timothy is one of the doctrinal books, and it is written to let us know how the church is to operate within the confines of the Word itself. This third chapter of First Timothy tells us how to select those people that are to be the leaders of the church, after God has already selected them. Only our Heavenly Father can choose a person to be a leader in the church. However, today we have certain churches where by men pick those that will be the leaders, by other standards than what is important to our Father.

The way that this works, is that God gives us the qualifications as to who is qualified to stand in the position, then man can choose for those that are qualified for those positions. So with this having been said, lets see what those qualifications are that God has said, through Paul that we are to pay attention to.

I Timothy 3:1 "This is a true saying, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."

This is a faithful saying of something that we can count on. The bishop is the overseer of the body of Christ, and he is the man in charge of the congregation.

I Timothy 3:2 "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

The person chosen to be the bishop should be one that is above reproach, and a person that has but one wife. We are told in Isaiah, and Hosea that God is a divorced man. He divorced His wife Israel. If it meant that God could never marry again, than we are in trouble. Symbolically, at the crucifixion God [Jesus Christ] can marry again by biblical law, but there is more to it than that. The law teaches that if a man had a wife, and she committed adultery and left him, then he was never married in the first place, in the eyes of God. Then when he remarries, he is still the husband of one wife; not two.

There are many times a local church refuses to use a person because he or she had been divorced. This is a popular form of bondage the church houses like to use today. However the most beautiful thing about Christianity is that Christ forgives, though it does say that if a woman marries and becomes divorced, and marries again, she commits adultery. But this does not take into consideration if she had repented, for if she had, the sin of the first marriage would be removed. What they have overlooked was the fact that the woman Jesus was referring to in this lesson had never repented of her sins. Divorce is not the unforgivable sin, and in people's ignorance they harm Christianity a great deal when they try to put people in bondage over sins that have been confessed and removed from the eyes and remembrance of the Father.

What is important in the selection of a bishop is that they understand the Word of God to the point of rightly dividing the Word with love and understanding, as Christ had for those He taught. When the wrong man is placed into office it is possible to have more harm done than good, when he uses the Word to bring bondage rather then presenting the freedom that we have in Christ.

To be "vigilant" means to be watchful, careful and alert to what is going on around them. When someone comes into the church and tries to mislead and confuse with strange doctrine, he has the wisdom to see what is going on amongst the flock. He should be one that knows how to welcome the stranger and make them feel right at home, and the right way to treat the guests.

"Apt to teach", comes from the Greek word "didaktikos", and it means that the bishop is "able to teach". Before you are able to teach, you have to know what it is that you are teaching, and if it is the Word of God that you are teaching, then you must be schooled in the Word to where you understand those teachings on all three levels that should be taught. It applies to the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. It requires that you know those mysteries that Paul refers to, as well as the entire plan of God. He must be able to understand the three world ages, what happened in them, and just where we are today in God's overall plan.

We are to be very careful of those that claim "the Holy Spirit placed everything in my mind at the time that I needed it", when they have not gone back into the languages to study the Word of God. If that person has not taken the time to study deeply the Word of God, the Holy Spirit did not give him every thing he needed with that lazy attitude. The Spirit of God does not work that way. The Holy Spirit places the understand in people's minds as the study and search the scriptures, and He reveals the meaning through the Word of God. So be aware of the one that shows up on your church doorstep and claims to be a preacher without proper study, for the spirits that are leading him are not the one that we are to follow, the Holy Spirit.

However, it is the Holy Spirit that gives the gift of understanding to the one that He is choosing. It is good to seek after the gift and desire the gift of teaching to prepare yourself for that position. An accreditation of a minister is to document that they have prepared themselves for the position and that they are able to teach. That person must have been trained to teach certain subjects which he or she has with full understanding. The bishop must have been trained in the Word to be able to handle the questions and problems that may come up in the congregation, and he or she is able to skillfully use the Word of God to give the appropriate direction that should be taken.

The penalties for misleading the flock are very harsh, not only in this flesh life, but especially when you stand before the Heavenly Father in Judgment.

I Timothy 3:3 "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;"

Paul is warning that you had better not be seeking the position for fame or for money, nor for the desire to get other peoples properties. There is no one that is perfect, but there are some good men that sure try hard to live a life as Christ would have us live. Jesus Christ is the only one that lived a perfect life while in the flesh. Even when the Holy Spirit chooses a man to serve, that person may need some straightening before he is ready to teach. Paul was on his way to kill and persecute Christians when the Holy Spirit struck him down and changed his life. Then it took time of study and teaching in preparation before God had Paul ready to be His apostle.

Even when it is time to teach, and accept that position, there will be correction and learning as you study and prepare for your teaching. The purpose of teaching is to make the person that is being taught better off just for hearing what is being taught. When the Word is properly taught, it gives us the foundation to build our faith upon. Bad teachers hurt Christianity, and they usually end up in putting people into bondage, rather than freeing them from the bonds of their sins.

I Timothy 3:4 "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;"

If a man tries to follow the Word of God the best He can, there are still going to be a few problems from time to time. You don't have to worry, your children will still respect you for the effort you are giving. From time to time it requires discipline, and if you love your children you will discipline them in the appropriate manner. Without discipline in a child's life that child is heading for serious problems in life. Once a person is taught discipline in their life, that discipline continues right into adulthood, and the basic standards are established for living within the instructions of God's Word.

Children love the discipline from their parents for they know that it shows their love for them. They know that as long as they stay within the limits that mom and dad set for them, they are not going to get hurt. It demonstrates the wall of love that is build up around the child. In time young people are on their own and then they have those walls that they never forget to rely on, as they go out in life to live life to the fullest. It is all part of the maturing process.

So what this verse is saying, is that the man being selected to fill the role of the bishop must have the respect of his own family, and that respect is demonstrated by the bringing up of his children properly and with discipline, according in the Word of God.

I Timothy 3:5 "(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"

The answer is obvious, the man simply could not. If there is no control of the few members of a family, how in the world can there be any control within the body of the church membership? In time there would be nothing but confusion, and a life without order. That control is what is necessary in the church service, and that is why Paul gave the instruction in the prior chapter for men and women to keep silent in the church, then the Word can be taught as it should be taught, with understanding. When there is no control in the church family and things get out of control, they will make a mockery of you the Bishop. It is easy to see why the ability to use the authority that is placed on you is one of the qualifications of the Bishop. It is through the authority that God gives the Bishop through His Word, that order is maintained in the church.

If the Word is really taught in that church, there will be happiness amongst the members. The children of God are the children of Isaac, and "Isaac" means "laughter", and the children of God love laughter.

I Timothy 3:6 "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."

This is also very important that the Bishop not be someone that is new in the Word of God, and a babe in Christ. A person that has been lifted to an office higher than he or she is prepared to handle with the wisdom and knowledge of the Word of God, will fall just as the devil fell. So what caused the devils pride that brought him into the condemnation that God placed on him? This is given in Ezekiel 28:17, 18. The condemnation or that which condemned him to death was his pride.

Ezekiel 28:17 "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee."

Satan's heart was lifted up in self pride. Satan must have received much praise for the things that he had done and the position God had placed him in, Satan believed his own lies, and self-righteousness took control of him. Brightness, wisdom, and beauty can be the downfall of any person, if they don't realize that everything they have is from God. God should get all the glory in all that we do, and have.

Jesus Christ is coming back to earth very shortly after Satan plays his role as the fake Christ, or Antichrist, and then this judgment that God placed on Satan will be carried out. Then the whole world will see him for what he is."

Ezekiel 28:18 "Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee."

Satan had every chance for salvation but he rejected God. He tried to strive to gain control and rule in God's place. As he sinned over and over his pride kept growing because of this God said that He is going to set a fire within ["in the midst"] of him, to devour him. Satan will be the first to walk into the lake of fire on that final day, at the close of the Millennium age.

Revelation 19:20 "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

This is known as the second death in the manuscripts. It is not the death of the physical body, but the soul. The warning has been out on the earth since man's beginning, however, like Satan, man strives to do it his own way. This striving to reach God in any form, but bypassing the way that God set forth through the shed blood of His son, is what we call religion. God's way is reality, and that only way is when we by faith believe in Jesus Christ, and repent to the Father in Jesus name. That is the only way to escape the destruction that will come upon all those that are eaten up with their pride like Satan was.

So if you are selecting some novice and put in an office that he is not fit nor prepared to handle, you are setting him up for the fall, just like Satan placed himself in when he though he could take the place of God. Mature and age does not figure into this selection. When you were a child you spoke as a child, but when you matured in Christ, then you have the maturity and wisdom to handle the responsibilities of the office.

The novice is one that is not trained nor apt to teach the Word of God. He is not qualified to handle duties of the office, however at times they are very sharp in their thinking. If you have the gift of teaching, it is the Holy Spirit that gives you the gift and the knowledge through your studying, so no man can personally take the credit of any wisdom that he has attained. Any knowledge is from God's Spirit and He gets all the praise and honor.

Any time the Bishop or the pastor helps an individual, naturally they will praise and lift up the man. However, if the man of God is not careful, he will become prideful, and boasting of the praise given him, and forget that it is God that gets all the praise for all good things; and not the man. If you have a gift of teaching, in your heart you should know that all knowledge and wisdom comes from God, and that is where all the credit goes. All credit goes to the Christ that died on the cross.

Revelation 4:11 "Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."

Through Christ's death on the cross we have the freedom in Christ, and the pastor or teacher is only the conveyor of the message. When you keep these thoughts in your mind as you serve, it has a very humbling effect when you keep the position that God is using you in.

I Timothy 3:7 "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

This means that wherever this man serves as the Bishop or the pastor, even those unbelievers will hold this man in high respect. They know that this person is honest and of a good character. They know he pays his bills and that he is really well thought of in the community. Remember that the nonbeliever has a different standard that he judges other by, and he will judge your action within the church, by what you say and do when you are away from church. The nonbeliever judges the entire body of Christ by the way that you life and conduct your personal life when you are in their midst.

This is to say that you are to be fair and honest in all that you do. In the long run, the community will give you respect for your holding the line in matters dealing with God's Word. This does not mean that you have to be a walking mat for the rest of the world, and God never intended that you come to this end. Nobody walks on a man or woman or a child of God, because that is part of the pleasure of serving God. In your success God will bless you in your life. Christianity is not a religion but it is the reality of life, and that is why we should let it show forth your life. The Bishop and the pastor must have this in his life.

I Timothy 3:8 "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;"

Paul is now addressing the position of the deacon here. The word "deacon" come from the Greek word "diakonos", and he was a servant as seen active in service. "Diakonos" comes from the word "dioko" which in the Greek means "to pursue". The two words deacon and servant are interchangeable for they mean the same thing. Though the minister is also a servant, and interchangeable, the Minister and the deacon are two separate offices.

The deacon must fit the same set of requirements for the Bishop and minister as to the character of the one chosen to be the deacon. He must be honest in all his dealing with the public and in his personal life. He must not be given over to drunkenness, but he or she must be in moderation in all things. Paul is saying that the one serving in the position of deacon or deaconess must not be in this position for the money, but for the service to the law and Word of God. If money is given for this position, then the service is for the wrong thing, for there should be no price set on the teaching of God's Word.

However, the minister is worthy of his hire, when he is fulfilling the duties of the pastor of a church. That could be his only source of income, and if the congregation expects a full time pastor, than it is expected that the needs of the pastor and his family will also be taken care of by the congregation. Jesus instructed His disciples how they should go out and minister, and when they go, what they should take with them.

Mark 6:7 "And He called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;"

Mark 6:8 "And command them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:"

Mark 6:10 "And He said unto them, "In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place."

Mark 6:11 "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."

These are the instructions of Jesus Christ, when you are preaching the Word of God, don't carry a begging bag with you when you go out to minister in any form. God is able to bless and and take care of His own and in His service. If you do not believe that God is able to do this, than you don't belong in His service, and in reality you are not in His service but your own.

The reason that the rule for qualifying the deacon are the same as those for the Bishop, is that in many cases the the Bishops came from the ranks of the deacons.

I Timothy 3:9 "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."

This verse is just loaded with wisdom and beauty. First of all, what is the "mystery of the faith"? This is what is spoken of in Matthew 13, when Jesus spoke of the mystery and secrets that had been kept from before the foundations of the earth. These things had to do with the first earth age, what happened there, the seed planting of this earth age, and it has to do with the parable of the tares that Jesus had just given to Pharisees and scribes that were needling Him.

Matthew 13:34 "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parable; and without a parable spake He not unto them:"

Matthew 13:35 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

The mystery of this full truth should be held in a full conscience, it should be well known to anyone that fills the position of either deacon or bishop [minister]. You do not need to apologize for any part of God's Word, for it is written to those that have the understand that is given only by the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus said earlier in verse thirteen;

Matthew 13:13 "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand."

In the tenth verse Jesus was asked by the disciples why He spoke in parables. As Jesus taught in parables, he did not take the time to explain their meaning, except to His disciples, and that is why afterwards He would take them aside and given them the understand of what He had just said. If you are a disciple of Christ and saved and study His Word it is intended for you to understand, however, if you are a Kenite, or an unsaved person, it is not intended for you to understand Jesus' parables and mysteries. This is what Paul is calling attention to in I Timothy 3:9; the deacons and the bishop must have the understanding of the these mysteries that Jesus taught and hold them in the very highest esteem. Those mysteries must be understood, or how can there be any teaching of the truths of God's Word

Matthew 13:14 "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:"

This was prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 6:9, 10; "Go, and tell this People, 'Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed but perceive not.' " [9] "Make the heart of these People fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." [10]

Our Heavenly Father has sent us His Son, Jesus Christ and He performed great and many miracles in their sight, and yet these blind and dumb scribes and Pharisees, after seeing and hearing Christ with His many wonderful acts yelled out, "show us a sign". Thought they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears, they understood nothing that was going on around them. Their minds were closed, and they perceived nothing. The prophet Isaiah prophesied it, Jesus is saying it here, and Paul is calling our attention to these mysteries that he expects those people that fill the position of deacon and minister to have knowledge of.

The minds of those Kenite religious leaders were closed, and these are the same people that were in a stupor, and ignorant to the birth of Christ and the times that they were living in. Jesus said that they had "fat hearts" which is translated "thick minds".

Matthew 13:15 "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

God didn't close their eyes, they closed them themselves, then God sent the stupor on them. They made the choice and then God acted on their choice. This is also what will happen again very shortly in our generation. Those that choose to study and know the truth will be sealed in their minds with the understanding of God's Word and His prophecies of the end times, and those who choose to believe Satan's lies, God will send into a stupor, and they will be deceived.

Matthew 13:16 "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."

The reason for God allowing this stupor to come over even Christians, is for their own protection, so that they would not commit the unpardonable sin, which is the refusal of allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through them when they are called up to bear witness. This is what is discussed in Hebrews 5:11, 12; that they become dull of hearing, until the time of teaching. That time of teaching is the Millennium Age, for if they understood now, and committed the unpardonable sin while Satan is here, that Millennial time would then be closed to them because they would have committed the unpardonable sin.

The unpardonable sin will be a thing of the past when the Millennium age starts because Satan will be in the pit.

Matthew 13:17 "For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Jesus Christ is the subject here, He is the one that did the great works of healing and teaching, and it is Christ that all those prophets of old had desired to see and hear in person. The prophets heard the words of God in parables, and in most cases they wrote, and did understand what they were writing, but not the meanings of those parables. Prophecy is to be understood in the time that the events are happening, because people are looking for those events and trusting that the prophecies are true.

When Jesus walked, healed and taught, He did things in a simple way, by using parables. When He healed, there was a lesson in the healing he had done. When men watched and heard these things, and did not understand them, it is not intended for them to understand. However, some of you do have a destiny and purpose, and you have the knowledge that things were not right since you were a child. When the Word is explained it then comes to life in your mind with understanding. That is how it was for Christ's disciples because they have eyes to see.

You do not have to apologize for any part of God's Word when you teach it, you will never be ashamed. Even though some try to shame you, it is all right for when you know that God has closed they minds and cause their actions towards you, you more or less find pity for them, and not anger. Those mysteries are not for the masses to understand, and even the prophets were closed in understanding many of the things that they wrote. Remember what God told Daniel after he had written all the prophecies concerning our time, of the one world system, or the Antichrist that would come and even the days, times and events that we are living through today. Daniel was bothered by them but God told him it was not for Him to understand.

Daniel 12:4 "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.' "

When people are biblically illiterate there is no way that they can see what is going on today. If there is a blame to be given, it should be aimed at the teachers and pastors for not being better teachers to those of the flock that are under them. We are living in the day and season where these prophecies directed to the final times are passing before is in a rapid pace, it is a time when people will either be sealed with the truth, or wander around in confusion.

This is why the selection of a Bishop and deacon is important, and that they have the knowledge of the mysteries of the Word of God, for if they don't have that knowledge, neither will the congregation be taught. It is important that these mysteries be taught in good taste and protect their dignity. However the important thing is that they know the mystery well enough that they can teach it. If you don't know those mysteries, then you are a novice.

I Timothy 3:10 "And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of the deacon, being found blameless."

It is important that the one that you select to have authority be proven in their knowledge and wisdom. If you wait until you have someone one hundred percent blameless, there will be no deacons or deaconess. It is as important to chose a deacon with the right qualifications, as it is the Bishop, for they are both in a position of great responsibility. The proving of ones self is by how they live their lives, and as they strive to live as Jesus Christ taught us to live. The deacon board and the bishop over a church, often have the responsibility of choosing the pastors over the congregations. So what you have here is the helper over the overseer. The so called man of God must answer to the servants that are in service to him.

Any church that is geared this way, to where the teachings are under the control of a democracy type action, there is going to be many problems within that congregation. You will probably be seeing the pastors come and go a lot faster. This is why it is important to keep those not qualified, and not grounded in the Word of God off the deacon board, for the selection of a pastor is nothing more than a popularity contest. In the peoples church system, the deacon chooses the pastor, and the pastor become responsible to the board and not to God. If the pastor does something that the deacons don't like, he is out of there. This is not God's church. This is man's traditional church structure.

However there should be some set of rule that can rid the congregation when the pastor gets to far out of line. But there is one condition, other than God Himself, which can interfere with a pastor teaching God's Word as it is written in the manuscripts. The leading of all spiritual matters and directions should be in the hands of the pastor, once he has been selected, and he should be open to questions from the congregation on matters of spiritual concern. The only determination of whether a pastor is doing well should be on whether he is teaching the Word as it should be taught, and that the congregation can understand his teaching.

The deacon should always be well informed and proved in the Word of God. For the direction of the entire congregation depends on the wisdom and knowledge of those doing the choosing of the pastor. When you allow a church to take the approach of selecting of a pastor, then the requirement for the deacon must be the same is it is for the pastor. Under God's law the deacon board that choose the pastor, takes the same responsibility, and is judged under the same limits that a pastor is, and those are very strict guidelines. A pastor is judged severely by God Himself, and God has made it very clear that that is where God starts His judging, and not the drunk, and robber.

The deacon is not an office that should be taken lightly, as it is utilized in the church today. Those serving on the deacon board should be very sober minded, with the knowledge that they will be judged eternally for the decision that they make filling that office. So in the long run the deacons that are choosing the pastor are the ones that are responsible for what is taught and going on in their church. The deacons not only has to have the knowledge of selecting the pastor, but they have to have the ability to see with understanding when the pastor has out stepped his duties, lost his mind, and turned away from the Word of God. They have to have the boldness to take a stand to remove that pastor when it is necessary.

I Timothy 3:11 "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things."

There are many private and personal things that come up before the deacon board, so the one filling the position must be able to hold private matters in confidence. He must not be one that spreads rumors, and gets involved with those that do. It is also important that his wife is just as he is for when the deacon confined in his wife, it is expected that she can hold her tongue also, and be faithful in the matters of the church.

I Timothy 3:12 "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well."

This is the same law as the Bishop, because many Bishops came from the ranks of the deacons.

I Timothy 3:13 "For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."

The deacon must also train themselves and study for themselves to the point where they can speak in the absence of the pastor. At times, he may be called upon to fill the pulpit when the preacher is gone.

I Timothy 3:14 "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:"

Paul is saying that these are the rules and these are the regulations for being either a Bishop or deacon. He is saying that he will be there in person shortly, and then he will go into more detail.

I Timothy 3:15 "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

This is Paul speaking here and he is reminding all of the people, the deacons as well as the congregation that when they are in the house of God, you are worshipping before a living God. He hears and sees everything that goes on there, and is spoken in His house. Your church should be the pillar and the very ground of the truth of God's Word. When anyone comes amongst your congregation, they should be able to see that the foundation of truth taught there is from the very Word of God. There should be no doubt as to what you believe and where you are getting your truths from. If God's Word is not taught there, chapter by chapter with understanding, than you don't have a church, but a group sitting under a one verse Charlie. That is teaching the traditions and words of men, not of God.

However if it is a house of God, it should be taught chapter by chapter and verse by verse, line upon line and precept upon precept, and all with understanding. Don't let anyone rob you of that. It is a blessing from God to all the members of the congregation when the Word is taught in this manner. This is the number one commission of God to His servants.

I Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed in the world, received up into glory."

You have the choice now to chose for yourself whether you will follow Jesus Christ or Satan the devil. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father today, as our Advocate and Savior, and all you have to do is call upon Him in repentance.

If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father. Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh, that came to dwell amongst men.

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

God "Elohiym, el-o-heem; in the superlative, the offices of God, and the angels" (# 430 in the Strong's Hebrew dictionary) made man, and at the appointed time God was made also in the flesh and dwelt amongst us. He dwelt with us in the flesh through His Son Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:26 "And God said, "let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He him."

If you have ever wondered what God and the angels look like, look at your self, for we are made in the image of God and His Angels, who are us. The image is what you see in the mirror. God said let us make man, and they They made man in a manner just like themselves, speaking of God and His angels. The image of the Father is exactly as the image of the Son of God, for when you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father.

It is important that you are not in a place that plays church, because the entire foundation and being of the house of God, is to teach God's Word with understanding. It is important that the teaching be with understanding, and this is how the house of God is to be conducted, and those in authority are to be selected for their offices within the church.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals. We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

doctrine of many of our Christian churches, (The Man on a White Horse)
political direction of our country, (The Man on a Red Horse)
economic direction our country has taken, (The Man on a Black Horse)
and teaching of our schools and media, (The Man on a Pale Horse)

The Four Hidden Dynasties of the New World Order Revelation 6:1-8
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
Did you know all four are being ridden by Satan?