The Pastoral Epistles & Philemon
Victory Fellowship Bible Study
273 23rd St. S.W., Barberton, OH 44203
Wednesdays at 10am and 7pm - Rev. Roderick D. Grabski (330) 858-0223
Email: PastorRod@victoryfellowshipministries.com FACEBOOK: Roderick Grabski
Webpage: victoryfellowshipministries.com
Lesson Six: Finding Contentment in God
1) GATHERING and OPENING PRAYER
2) READ / LISTEN to 1st Timothy 6:1-21
A) What are your initial impressions? Questions?
i) Are there notable differences in various translations?
3) SLAVES and MASTERS (6:1-2)
A) Slave or servant? (douloi = douloi) Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1
B) Paul on slavery:
i) (1st Corinthians 7:20-24; Galatians 3:26-29; 5:13; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25;
1st Timothy 1:9; Titus 2:9-10; Philemon 10-17)
C) Peter on slavery: 1st Peter 2:18-25
D) It’s all about the Christian work ethic – motivated by love.
4) TRUE CONTENTMENT (6:3-10)
A) Avoiding False teachers (vv. 3-5)
i) Gnosticism (see info sheet)
B) (vs. 6) autarkeia = autarkeia (contentment; sufficient) In the N.T. used as a noun only here and 2nd Corinthians 9:6-11
C) (vv. 7-8) True contentment (see 2nd Peter 1:2-3; Matthew 6:25-34)
D) (vv. 9-10) The opposite of true contentment.
i) riza = rhiza (a root) No definite article “the” here in the Greek
5) ENCOURAGEMENT TO TIMOTHY (6:11-16)
A) (vv. 11-12) Four Imperatives: Christianity is an Active Faith
i) Flee - feugw = pheugo (v. 11)
ii) Follow After - diwkw = dioko (v. 11)
iii) Fight - agwnizomai = agonizomai (v. 12)
iv) Firmly Grasp - epilambanomai = epilambanomai (v. 12)
B) (vv. 12-16) Four Reasons for Timothy to Persevere:
i) He is called to eternal life (v. 12)
ii) His Christian life was confirmed by baptism and witnesses (v. 12)
iii) Follow the same example of Christ in his good confession (vv. 13-14)
iv) Timothy serves an awesome God (vv. 15-16)
C) (v. 16) Who alone possess immortality is a similar idea to the unique name for God the Father in the book of Revelation: ‘o wn kai ‘o hn kai ‘o ercomenov (haw ohn kai haw ain kai haw arkomenoh) Him who is, who was, and who is to come (only in Rev. 1:4, 8 & 4:8)
6) INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RICH and A FINAL CHARGE TO TIMOTHY (6:17-21)
A) (vv. 17-19) What are true riches? (see Jeremiah 9:23-24)
B) (vv. 20-21) What to guard and what to avoid.
7) APPLICATION
A) The Christian has a work ethic from God regardless of the kind of employer we have. (1st Corinthians 15:58)
B) We are to bloom where we are planted. (Romans 8:28)
C) What is our “good confession?” (John 1:12-14)
D) Do we have money or does our money have us? (Mark 8:36)
8) WRAP UP and CLOSE IN PRAYER
NEXT LESSON:
Remaining Faithful to Christ - Read 2nd Timothy 1:1-18 to prepare
