1 Tim 1:11

An Exposition of 1 Timothy
Sermon 3
1 Timothy 1:11
“…sound doctrine,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust…”

1. “…Sound Doctrine…”

a. “….Sound Doctrine…”Literally means “healthy teaching, or (1 Tim 6:3) “wholesome teaching.”

(1) “Sound…” refers to good health, soundness, not in need of a doctor. It is where we get our word “hygiene.” —(Luke 5:31) "Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."


b. The Sound Doctrine about salvation—Eph 2:8-10—
(1) By Grace, Through Faith, Unto Good Works
(2) The False teachers taught and lived NOT in accordance with sound doctrine, and there are those today who are unsound, and who believe that a consistent lifestyle is not required of believers. That idea is a distortion of Grace
(3) Check out this passage: (1 Tim 6:3-5)
(4) What did Paul tell Timothy and Titus to do about Sound Doctrine, Healthy Teaching?

(2 Tim 1:13) "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."

(2 Tim 4:3) "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;"

(Titus 1:9) "holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict."

(Titus 1:13) "…rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,"

(Titus 2:1-2) "But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;"


b. So, there is a body of beliefs that is a sacred trust

(1) Jude refers to it as “the faith once delivered to the saints…”
(2) The Bible refers to “the faith” many times.

Acts 6:7 "… great company of the priests were obedient to THE FAITH."

Acts 14:22 "… and exhorting them to continue in THE FAITH…”

Acts 16:5 "And so were the churches established in THE FAITH…"

Rom 1:5 "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to THE FAITH …”

1 Cor 16:13 "Watch ye, stand fast in THE FAITH, …”

2 Cor 13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in THE FAITH…”

Eph 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of THE FAITH…”

Phil 1:27 "… with one mind striving together for THE FAITH of the gospel;"

Col 1:23 "… continue in THE FAITH grounded and settled,…"

Col 2:7 "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in THE FAITH, …”

1 Tim 1:2 "Unto Timothy, my own son in THE FAITH: …”

1 Tim 3:9 "Holding the mystery of THE FAITH…"

1 Tim 4:1 "… in the latter times some shall depart from THE FAITH,…”

2 Tim 3:8 "… men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning THE FAITH."

2 Tim 4:7 "… I have kept THE FAITH:"

Titus 1:13 "… rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in THE FAITH;"


Heb 4:14 "… let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."

c. What is “…the faith …?”

(1) The Basis of the Faith—The Holy Scriptures
(a) The Old Covenant writings
(b) The New Covenant writings

(2) The Form of the Faith—doctrine, Truth about What Jesus has Done for us.
(a) 1 Tim 1:12-13, 3:16
(b) Summed up best perhaps, in 1 Cor 15
(c) Christ Crucified, Risen, Returning!
(d) A summary of the most important parts of the faith.
(i) Jesus is Lord
(ii) He was virgin born
(iii) He never sinned
(iv) He died as our substitute
(v) He was buried
(vi) He rose on the 3rd day
(vii) He ascended to the Father
(viii) He is interceding for us now
(ix) He is coming back for His people, then to rule and reign.

(3) The Faith is knowledge that results in conduct and character that is Christlike—(Eph 4:13) "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;"

(Phil 1:27) "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"

(Col 1:23) "if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister."

(Col 2:7) "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

(a) This is mentioned a lot in 1 Timothy

(1 Tim 1:2) "To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."

(1 Tim 1:19) "having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,"

(1 Tim 3:9) "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience."

(1 Tim 3:13) "For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."

(1 Tim 4:1) "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,"

(1 Tim 5:8) "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

(1 Tim 6:10) "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

(1 Tim 6:21) "by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen."


2. The Glorious Gospel, The Blessed God, Committed to Every Man of God—1:11

a. Glory
(1) The External expression of the inward reality of a person, place, or thing.
(2) God’s Glory—the revelation of Who and What He Is

(a) We cannot see the Father—His Glory must always be reflected to be visible—but we can see the glory of His moral, creative, and spiritual glory by the things he has made.

(b) The primary exhibition of the Father’s Glory during the earthly ministry of Christ was Christ Himself, excelling in moral, ethical, and spiritual glory, who had no sin, did no sin, and knew no sin—John 1:14-18

(c) But the primary exhibition of God’s Glory in this dispensation is in the glorious ministry of the Spirit, revealing Christ to lost people, saving them, and discipling them—2 Cor 3!!

(d) The Gospel is the ultimate expression of the glory of our God, because his Mercy, Love, Grace, Power, Omniscience, Sovereignty, Holiness, and Providence are all involved in His unfolding of the glorious plan of redemption.

(e) There is to be Glory in the Church—Eph 3:21—Because it is through His church that these things will happen.

b. The Blessed God—the word here is…Markarios!

(1) God is fully happy and pleased with Himself all the time

(2) Of Course God is happy

(a) He never needs counseling, though many of us have tried to Give Him advice from time to time!
(b) He has no “issues” within Himself
(c) He has enjoyed eternal communion and harmony within His 3 persons
(d) All His works are perfect
(e) All His ways are right

(3) Piper’s list (partial)

(a) God is happy with His Son

(Mat 17:5) "While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!""

(b) God is happy with His own works

(Psa 135:6) "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."

(c) God is happy with His Creation

Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

(d) God is happy with those he has Chosen

(e) God is happy with the Cross

(Isa 53:10) "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."

(f) God Is pleased at doing good to all who trust in Him.




c. A sacred trust of doctrine to be handed down. 2 Tim 2:2 “…the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”