Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”   “In spirit”: there is a difference between being born again (a time and place where you have repented of your sin, asked the Lord to save your soul, Him impart the Gift of Everlasting Life, the Holy Spirit making your dead spirit live) and living in that spirit. Many seem to let the flesh reign over the spirit. That is why the Bible says, “Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Each of us are to be an example of doing just that.

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”   Conversation: the way one lives daily. People are watching you at all times. They judge the reality of your profession by “all” of your actions. Example: if you use crude language, they think: “Maybe they are not clean in their thoughts and private actions.” Are you quick to gossip, harsh, quickly angry, make unclean jest, etc.?  Some say, “I don’t care what people think”. Sad. You represent Jesus and He does care!

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”   Believers are to choose the words they speak carefully, (Col_4:6) “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Remember, (Pro_25:11) “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. We will be judged by what we say, (Mat_12:36) “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”   Jesus told us one of the vital proofs of genuine salvation is the love we have for fellow believers: (Joh 13:35)  “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” That is because this love is not the flawed love of an unregenerated soul, but of the born again spirit, evidenced by the Holy Spirit living and thus loving through us: (1Jn 4:12) “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (13)  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”   

 (1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”  Pride blinds us when we judge a person based upon their age or in this case – lack thereof. This is overcome when a person shows by example godliness – Christ in us. One cannot deny one consistently walking with God.

(1Ti 4:10) “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”   Notice the last two phrases, “…Who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”  Jesus died for the sins of all that ever lived! Yet, He is embraced as the Savior of only those that believe by repenting and asking for the Gift of Everlasting Life. So, those that do not embrace Him as Savior go to hell needlessly, for their sins have been paid for. They love their sinful life so much they choose hell over heaven. What a display of wickedness and warped thinking!

(1Ti 4:10) “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”  Two things are held worthy of Paul’s efforts and sufferings: first, the glory of God the Savior; and two, the souls of men. One’s life is not wasted if their labors are for those two things – God’s glory and the souls of others!  

(1 Tim 4:8b) “….but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (9)  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.”  Salvation is not, “When I die I hope I will go to heaven.” Salvation is something given by God in this life that changes you, giving you a desire to please Him. The desire to live a godly life, pleasing the Lord by our actions is the result. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:17)

(1Ti 4:8) “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”  Once again we have the priorities of life. It does not say, “There is no profit in exercise.” It says in comparison, godliness is first and foremost if you wish to be blessed. What is godliness? It is seeking to think and act as God has revealed in His Word.