Rick Roberson, guest speaker

True to the Faith

Contending for the Faith

Text: 1 Timothy 3:14–4:16

introduction

A. The 2,000 year-old Problem (1 Timothy 1:3–7; Acts 20:29–30)

B. The 21st Century Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2 Peter 2:1–3)

C. Our Consideration
• The Substance
• The Seduction
• The Salvation

the substance

A. What is “the faith”? (1 Timothy 3:16; 6:3-4)

16And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness:
• He who was revealed in the flesh, (Incarnation)
• Was vindicated in the Spirit, (Vindication)
• Beheld by angels, (Observation)
• Proclaimed among the nations, (Proclamation)
• Believed on in the world, (Affirmation)
• Taken up in glory. (Glorification)

The seduction

A. A Falling Away (1 Timothy 1:19; 4:1; 6:3–10, 20-21)

B. Nothing new under the sun.
• Judaizers – ascetism; legalism
• Gnosticism – secret knowledge and elitism
• Montanism – super Christian

C. The Source of Our Seduction

• Pride (Acts 14:8–18; 20:30)

• Prosperity (1 Timothy 6:3–10)

• Disillusionment (2 Timothy 3:6-7)

The salvation

A. The future of “the Faith” rests squarely on the shoulders of the Church.
(1 Timothy 3:15; Jude 3–4; 1 Timothy 6:12)

B. We must know the Truth we are tasked to defend. (2 Timothy 2:15–18; 3:14–17)

C. We must count the cost and consider the consequences.
(1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 4:1–8)