Christ Through the Ages, 17: Pastorals—Gracious Guide

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/christ-through-the-ages-17-pastorals-gracious-guide/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>Learn about <i><strong>Christ, Our Gracious Guide to Eternal Life</strong> </i>(19 minutes) from the 5 "trustworthy sayings" of the Pastoral Epistles.</p><img src="http://www.douglasjacoby.com/wp-content/uploads/CR71.jpg" alt="CR7" /><p><strong>Christ our Gracious Guide to Eternal Life</strong></p><ul><li><i>Pastoral</i> epistles<ul><li>Shepherding</li><li>Leaders advising leaders</li><li>Good spiritual leadership helps us to experience salvation, to attain eternal life.</li></ul></li><li>Christ guides us to Eternal Life<ul><li>His grace</li><li>We begin to live it <i>now </i>(John 17); we taste it now (Heb 6)…</li></ul></li><li>I chose this theme because it is reinforced in the 5 trustworthy sayings of the Pastoral Epistles.</li><li>We will study them in the canonical order (1 Tim, 2 Tim, Ti), not chronological order (1 Tim, Ti, 2 Tim).</li></ul><p><strong>(1)  1 Tim 1:12-17</strong></p><ul><li>Ties in to lesson 2, and more indirectly to lesson 1.</li><li>We learn about Christ:<ul><li>Grace</li><li>Immense patience</li><li>An eternal, immortal, invisible, divine King</li></ul></li><li>Notice the way Paul exemplifies spirituality<ul><li>Humble</li><li>Appreciates grace</li><li>Though Paul was a man who meant business, a strong character and powerful leader, he had a soft heart. From his sufferings, and from knowing Christ, the high-powered apostle knew patience.</li><li>“The triad of blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent person was obliterated by the triad of mercy, faith, and love that Paul now possessed through his relationship with Christ.” – William Mounce</li><li>Notice again the emphasis on eternal life. This comes from God. We are not innately immortal. No one lives forever apart from Christ.</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>(2)  1 Tim 3:1 </strong></p><ul><li>Spiritual leadership is vital. It can make all the d