A life of eating and feeding - 1 Timothy 4:6

God just finished giving Timothy via Paul, and us who are ministers, details of false teachings that would spring up in the visible Church on earth.

Verse 6 says, "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed."  

Timothy's job as a pastor is to warn them about these false teachings.  Why?  Because these false teachings deny the Gospel.

People were making up rules that didn't exist and treating God's world as if it were evil.

Rather, God says in verse 5, that as Christians dwell in the Gospel and respond in prayer, they put God's world to holy use.  After all, Jesus came in the flesh to die for our sins, and was raised in a physical body!  Now, reconciliation with God is through faith in him.

So when people make up rules that make this physical world 'evil' - make all pleasures sinful - rather than fountains of thanksgiving and praise to God - they rob God of glory and deny the good news that Jesus saves sinners.

Now, the job of a pastor is to continuously teach right doctrine and warn against false doctrine.  Or 'teaching' if you prefer that word.  We're not talking about some stuffy, passionless systematic theology - but rather the teachings from God!

The teaching is to be continuous, which implies that the danger is continuous until Christ returns.

Now, Paul says that if Timothy does this he'll be a good servant of Christ.  This implies several things - first, that Christ will be pleased with Timothy's service.  Think of it!  The God of the universe happy because of us communicating his words!  Second, that pastors doing this are representing Christ, doing his bidding on earth, serving as his representatives.  And this is a massively important calling.

So the pastor's call is to represent Jesus' teachings such that Jesus will be pleased, as he should be, since he is King, God, Loving Savior, forever.

How's that for a motive at promoting right teaching?  The pleasure of Christ?  Not bad, huh?

In the next phrase, Paul instructs Timothy on the foundation for that continuous teaching - continuous feeding or 'being trained.'

The word here indicates 'eating' - and it is a continuous action - not something that one does once or even once in a while - this is a lifestyle.  He is feasting, savoring, getting strength to work.

What is he eating?  The words of the faith and good doctrine.  It could be that here he has in mind the distinction between Jesus' commands and Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

However, that distinction doesn't matter for us; both are in the Bible and the Bible consists of both.  Pastor, get soaked in the Bible.  Saturate yourself with it.  Feast on it.  Starve for it, yearn for it, take it and eat it.  Then, you will have a foundation for your continual proclamation of it to others.

Paul takes a moment to note that Timothy made a choice in the past to follow this 'doctrine' - really, to become a Christian - to bend his knee to Christ Jesus.  We did this in the past - and we are to continually return to those truths and the teachings of Christ.  He is our loving savior and holy king.

So, ministers of the Gospel, feed on the Scriptures all the time and communicate the Scriptures all the time.  And Christ himself will be represented to his beloved bride, his Church, and he will be pleased.