The Pattern.

[I Witness]

Welcome new and old. In today's religious community we find ourselves bombarded with a church on every street corner in the Americas and so many religions that in reality do not preach "The Way" and hold to the deep truths of the faith.

This topic will highlight all the instructions given by the Lord to his disciples to write down for us in a future generation so that we might "build according to the pattern I gave you."

 

[I Witness]

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

 

[I Witness]

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it...

 

[I Witness]

...for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

 

[I Witness]

Here is a trustworthy saying:

Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

Now the overseer is to be:
●above reproach,
●faithful to his wife,
●temperate,
●self-controlled,
●respectable,
●hospitable,
●able to teach,
●not given to drunkenness,
●not violent but gentle,
●not quarrelsome,
●not a lover of money.
●He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him,
●and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
●He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
●He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

 

[I Witness]

Christ himself gave

-the apostles,
-the prophets,
-the evangelists,
-the pastors
-and teachers,

to equip his people for works of service

so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

[I Witness]

God created everything to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Command and teach these things

 

[I Witness]

Teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

●Teach the older men to be temperate,
●worthy of respect,
●self-controlled,
and
●sound in faith,
●in love
and
●in endurance.

 

[I Witness]

Teach the older women

●to be reverent in the way they live,
●not to be slanderers
●or addicted to much wine,
●but to teach what is good.

Then they can urge the younger women

●to love their husbands
●and children,
●to be self-controlled
●and pure,
●to be busy at home,
●to be kind,
●and to be subject to their husbands,

so that no one will malign the word of God.

 

[I Witness]

Encourage the young men

●to be self-controlled.

In everything set them an example by doing what is good.

In your teaching

●show integrity,
●seriousness
and
●soundness of speech that cannot be condemned,

-so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

 

[I Witness]

Teach workers, employees, servants

●to be subject to their masters in everything,
●to try to please them,
●not to talk back to them,
●and not to steal from them,
●but to show that they can be fully trusted,

-so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

 

[I Witness]

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works.

 

[I Witness]

The saying is trustworthy, and insist on these things

-so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.

These things are excellent and profitable for people.

 

[I Witness]

God's steward, must be

●above reproach.
●He must not be arrogant
●quick-tempered
●a drunkard
●violent
●greedy for gain,

●but hospitable,
●a lover of good,
●self-controlled,
●upright,
●holy,
●and disciplined.

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught,

-so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

This testimony is true.

Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.

 

[I Witness]

God’s work

which is by faith

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

 

[I Witness]

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, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.

 

[I Witness]

A woman

●should learn in quietness
and
●full submission.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

 

[I Witness]

Elders

●are to be worthy of respect,
●sincere,
●not indulging in much wine,
●not pursuing dishonest gain.
●They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
●They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

women

●are to be worthy of respect,
●not malicious talkers
●but temperate
●trustworthy in everything.

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

These instructions are written so that, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household,

which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

 

[I Witness]

You know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

●It is God’s will that you should be sanctified:
●that you should avoid sexual immorality;
●that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
●not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;
and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.

The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

 

[I Witness]

Make it your ambition

●to lead a quiet life:
●You should mind your own business
●work with your hands, just as we told you,

-so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.