3 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,

This indicates the existence of a perverting class of brethren in the Ephesian ecclesia, whose evil influence had been perceived by Paul, while still among them, and the tendency of whose exhortations and expositions he says was to "minister questions rather than

"godly edifying which is in faith."

Herein we have a hint for our guidance, in a day when Paul no longer lives to give us a father's counsel. There are "questions" whose agitation is hurtful, because they are doubtful in themselves and unimportant in their bearings when solved, while the agitation of them interferes with the spiritual result called "godly edifying."

The attainment and preservation of "godly edifying" is the great object of the truth, and will be the cue of every true brother's policy. What is this?

It is building-up in godliness—a strengthening of the mind in the (things pertaining to God. What are these? The hope he has given of us; the obedience he requires of us in the many things commanded; the faith he would have us repose in him; the love he seeks at our hands towards himself and our "neighbours;" and the intercourse he desires us to hold with Him in prayer.

These, of course, are founded in knowledge of who He is, what He has promised, and what He has done and said, and the commandments He had given by His servants the prophets and the apostles, and of His Son Jesus Christ.

Knowledge of these made effective in the spiritual results for which it was given, is the essence of godly edifying.

Whatever imparts this knowledge and strengthens the determination to abide in godliness, in all reality of sentiment and action, helps the process of "godly edifying:" whatever distracts the attention from these, or weakens resolution in relation to them, is to be avoided as a profitless and positively hurtful strife of words.

There is need for applying this principle. There is danger of men using "points" and "questions" involved in the truth to the frustration of the whole objects of the truth itself, and this not, perhaps, from evil intent, but from certain peculiarities of mental constitution which impels to the discussion of matters best let alone, because in their nature insoluble in the special way they are presented for discussion, or unreducible to a form that will embody the general thought.

Against this tendency we must be on our guard.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1873

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Godly edifying

There are "questions" whose agitation is hurtful, because they are doubtful in themselves and unimportant in their bearings when solved, while the agitation of them interferes with the spiritual result called "godly edifying."

The attainment and preservation of "godly edifying" is the great object of the truth, and will be the cue of every true brother's policy. What is this? It is building-up in godliness--a strengthening of the mind in the things pertaining to God. What are these? The hope He has given to us; the obedience He requires of us in the many things commanded; the faith He would have us repose in Him; the love He seeks at our hands towards Himself and our "neighbours"; and the intercourse He desires us to hold with Him in prayer.

These, of course, are founded on knowledge of who He is, what He has promised, and what He has done and said, and the commandments He has given by His servants the prophets and the apostles, and of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Knowledge of these made effective in the spiritual results for which it was given is the essence of godly edifying. What ever imparts this knowledge and strengthens the determination to abide in godliness, in all reality of sentiment and action, helps the process of "godly edifying": whatever distracts the attention from these, or weakens resolution in relation to them, is to be avoided as a profitless and positively hurtful strife of words.

Bro Roberts - Unprofitable questions

Turning away from fables

I never ceased the reading [of Elpis Israel] (at my leisure intervals) until I got through. I rose early in the morning to have more time. My mother, who was grieved and angered beyond measure at the change that had come over me, said I would not get up so soon to read my Bible: but in this she was mistaken, for the effect of Dr. Thomas's writing, while causing me to lose all taste for the religious literature which had for six months been my sustenance, was to impart a keen interest in the Bible, which before had been uninteresting to me, and to lead me to its daily and early, and persevering perusal.

Bro Roberts - My Days and My Ways Ch 2

11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The Anglo-Saxon word gospel is euanghelion in the Greek. This is a word compounded of eu, an adverb of quality signifying good; and anghelia, a message delivered in the name of any one: euanghelion, therefore, signifies a good message, which becomes good news to those previously unacquainted with it. It is styled "the gospel of God" because it is a good message emanating from Him.

It is also called "the glorious gospel of the blessed God," because it is a good message of future glory on account of which all that partake in it will call him blessed.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, FEB 1852

Timothy was to concentrate the attention of the believers on the practical purposes of the law, about which some were disposed to jangle in an abstract and theoretical way.

He was to teach them that the law was not for righteous men, but for the lawless and disobedient, the ungodly and sinners, unholy and profane, whoremongers, stealers, liars, perjured persons, and anything else contrary to sound doctrine, ACCORDING TO THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL; whence arises the reflection that sound doctrine, according to Paul's use of that phrase, is comprehensive of correct teaching in matters of duty or morals, as much as in those elementary matters known as "the things concerning the kingdom."

Bro Roberts - Unprofitable Questions

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

‭ ‬Conscience has no perception whatever as to what is true or untrue.‭ ‬It is a blind faculty,‭ ‬which simply produces a desire to do what is right,‭ ‬without any power to weigh evidence,‭ ‬or determine which is the true course.

‭ ‬It may lead a man to sin against God as well as to obey Him.‭ ‬Of this the Scriptures furnish evidence.‭ ‬Did all who crucified Christ violate their consciences‭? ‬The petition on the Cross‭—

‭"‬Father forgive them,‭ ‬for they know not what they do‭" (‬Luke‭ xxiii. ‬34‭)

‭—‬supplies a negative answer,‭ ‬and the Apostle Paul confirms it when he says,

‭ "‬Had they known it they‭ (‬the princes of this world‭) ‬would not have crucified the Lord of glory‭" (‬1‭ ‬Cor.‭ ii. ‬8‭)‬.‭

Was not Saul of Tarsus as conscientious in persecuting Christians,‭ ‬as he was after conversion,‭ ‬in preaching Christ‭? ‬Let his inspired declaration reply‭?

‭ "‬Who was before a blasphemer,‭ ‬and a persecutor and injurious‭; ‬but I obtained mercy,‭ ‬because I did it ignorantly,‭ ‬in unbelief‭" (‬1‭ ‬Tim.‭ i. ‬13‭)‬.‭

And were not the apostles cruelly treated by conscientious,‭ ‬but mistaken Jews‭? ‬Christ's own words set the matter at rest‭—

‭"‬They shall put you out of the synagogues‭; ‬yea,‭ ‬the time cometh,‭ ‬that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service‭" (‬Jno.‭ xvi. ‬2‭)‬.

These testimonies are practical warnings against an exclusive reliance on conscientious conduct.‭ ‬Fidelity to conscience is necessary to Divine approval,‭ ‬but it is not the only requisite.‭ ‬If it were,‭ ‬a revelation of God's will would be superfluous.‭ ‬A

‭ "‬conscience void of offence toward God and toward men‭" (‬Acts‭ xxiv. ‬16‭)‬,

‭ ‬involves a knowledge of God and His ways,‭ ‬and a hearty compliance with His injunctions.

The Christadelphian, Jan 1887. p19

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Who made the Soul Immortal? The Pope!

An extract from a canon which was passed under Leo X, by the Council of Lateran, shows that the doctrine of an "Immortal Soul" that lives when the man is dead, was supported in those days, as it generally has been since, by the authority of creeds rather than the truth of God—

"Some have dared to assert concerning the nature of the reasonable soul, that it is mortal; we with the approbation of the sacred council do condemn and reprobate all such seeing according to the canon of POPE CLEMENT THE FIFTH, the soul is immortal: and we strictly inhibit all from dogmatizing otherwise; and we decree that all who adhere to the like erroneous assertions, shall be shunned and punished as heretics."—Caranza, page 412, 1681.

Martin Luther

"I permit the Pope to make articles of faith for himself and his faithful, such as he is Emperor of the world, King of Heaven, and God upon earth; that the Soul is Immortal, with all those monstrous opinions to be found in the Roman dunghill of decretals."—Defence, 1530.

The expression "Immortal Soul" is not to be found in the Bible.

"The Immortality of the Soul is rather supposed, or taken for granted, than expressly revealed in the Bible."—Bishop Tillotson's Sermons, vol. 2, 1774.

The term "Immortal" occurs only once in the Bible, 1 Timothy 1:17, and is applied to God,

"The king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God."

Men seem to think sermons or prayers have but little power, unless they spice them with "Immortal Soul;" and they stare at you, as though they thought you an infidel, when you tell them that the Bible nowhere calls the soul immortal.

The term immortality occurs only five times in the Bible, and is never spoken of the wicked; but is brought to view as something to be sought after, and to be found alone in Christ,

"to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for honour, glory, immortality, eternal life."—Romans 2:7.

Why, I pray, are men to seek for it, if it is the inheritance of all? It is easy to say, as some do, that it is a "blessed" immortality we have to seek for; but that is adding to God's word, unwarranted by any other portion of that blessed volume.

The Testimony of Richard Watson

"That the soul is naturally immortal is contradicted by Scripture, which makes our immortality a gift dependent upon the giver."—Institutes, vol. 2, page 250.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jun 1860

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

There can be no cessation in the controversy with error till the warfare is accomplished. It would be pleasant to abandon it and live at peace with those who corrupt the way of the Lord: but a man so acting could not at the end of his career, say what Paul said,

"I have fought a good fight."

‭

The Christadelphian, Jul 1875

A good warfare

The letter is sent to Ephesus (where Paul had left Timothy), after the effective labours in that city ten years before. Those labours, it will be recollected, so widely affected the community as to stop a trade in silver shrines, which had beforetime flourished, causing, in consequence, a great stir among "the trade," and a public uproar, in which several of the brethren suffered violence.

Bro Roberts - Unprofitable questions

The‭ ‬Christadelphian Ecclesia knows she has a great conflict with foes within and without - the world, the flesh and the devil - the lusts of the flesh - the lust of the eye, and pride of life; and if she can be the victor in the warfare, through Christ who strengtheneth her, she will receive an eternity of blessed life for her reward, and this the gracious gift of God through Christ.

She knows the gate is strait and the way narrow that leads to life,‭ ‬and though there be few who find it, she is not discouraged. She strives to the end with an honest,‭ ‬sincere, and pure motive, and what she lacks through the weakness of the flesh,‭ ‬her Redeemer, in whom she trusts, will supply by his all-prevailing righteousness to her unspeakable joy,‭ ‬and everlasting blessedness.

TC 04/1887

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

If Paul stationed Timothy at Ephesus to neutralize the influence of "some" who were troublers, we need not wonder if nineteenth century experience should disclose a similar necessity (though, unfortunately the necessity cannot be supplied, as it then was.)

The class will not, necessarily, present the same features. It differs with the circumstances in which it exists. In Paul's day, there were Talmudical and Pagan legends on which to expend their pertinacity and ingenuity, as to the question of their credibility; also questions of pedigree, which, in those days were something thought of; also significances of the law, about which they vainly jangled, understanding neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed, turning aside in the process, from that charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience and faith unfeigned, which Paul declares to be the end of the whole matter.

In our day, by a different process, the same class reach the same wretched result of withering their own souls and that of their neighbours, as in a furnace of burning heat, and destroying the healthy and joyous vitality that comes from the pureness and fulness of the blessed hope which teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the Lord from heaven to change our vile bodies, and to set up the kingdom of God.

Questions as to the day when the Lord was glorified; the state of his blood when he entered the divine presence; whether Moses is living or dead; the meaning of certain types in the law; the relation of death to the millennial population; the quality of wine used at the breaking of bread and the bread itself; the precise value of the sacrifice from a divine point of view; the relation of God's foreknowledge to free agency, &c., &c., &c., &c., are all matters that may be the casual topic of conversation or even the subject of earnest thought, but which are misplaced when seriously debated, as matters affecting the standing of such as believe and obey the Lord Jesus; and placed out of the category of usefulness if treated with the incessant zeal of a hobbyist.

The crowning glories of the truth shine with the brilliancy of the mid-day sun; and it indicates a strange obfuscation of mind when men neglect its noonday brightness, to burrow in the caverns of doubtful questions with the dark lanterns of speculation.

It looks like a case of loving darkness rather than light.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1873