1 Timothy 1:8
Verse
Context
Correcting False Teachers
7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.9We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
Sermons
Ray ComfortRay Comfort
Bill McLeod
William MacDonaldBill McLeod
Bob HoekstraSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
But we know that the law is good - The law as given by God, is both good in itself and has a good tendency. This is similar to what the apostle had asserted, Rom 7:12-16 : The law is holy; and the commandment is holy, just, and good; see the note on Rom 7:12, etc. If a man use it lawfully - That is, interpret it according to its own spirit and design, and use it for the purpose for which God has given it; for the ceremonial law was a schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ, and Christ is the end of that law for justification to every one that believes. Now those who did not use the law in reference to these ends, did not use it lawfully - they did not construe it according to its original design and meaning.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But--"Now we know" (Rom 3:19; Rom 7:14). law is good--in full agreement with God's holiness and goodness. if a man--primarily, a teacher; then, every Christian. use it lawfully--in its lawful place in the Gospel economy, namely, not as a means of a "'righteous man" attaining higher perfection than could be attained by the Gospel alone (Ti1 4:8; Tit 1:14), which was the perverted use to which the false teachers put it, but as a means of awakening the sense of sin in the ungodly (Ti1 1:9-10; compare Rom 7:7-12; Gal 3:21).
John Gill Bible Commentary
But we know that the law is good,.... The apostle says this to prevent an objection that might be made to him, that seeing he bore so hard on such who were fond of being teachers of the law, he was himself against the law, and the preaching and proper use of it; but this he would not have concluded, for he and his fellow labourers in the ministry, and all true believers know, from the Scriptures of truth, from the agreement of the law with the Gospel, and from their own experience, that the law is good, provided it be used in a lawful way, and to lawful purposes: and this is to be understood not of the ceremonial law, which was now disannulled, because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it, so that there was no lawful use of that; but of the moral law, which must needs be good, since the author of it is God, who is only good; and nothing but good can come from him: the law, strictly moral, is a copy of his nature, transcribed out of himself, as well as with his own hands; and is a declaration of his will, and is stamped with his authority, and therefore must be good: the matter of it is good, it contains good, yea, great and excellent things; the matter of it is honestly and morally good, as to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with God: and it is pleasantly good to a regenerate man, who loves it, and delights in it after the inner man, and serves it with his spirit; though the carnal mind cannot be subject to it, but rejects it, and rebels against it: and it is also profitably good; for though obedience to it is not profitable to God, yet it is to men; and though eternal life is not obtained hereby, nor any reward given for keeping it, yet in keeping it there is a reward; and that peace is enjoyed, which the transgressors of it are strangers to: it is good in the uses of it, both to sinners and to saints. To sinners it is useful for the knowledge of sin, to convince of it, and bring them to a sense of it, and concern for it, which is effectually done, when the Spirit of God sets in with it, or brings this commandment home to the heart; and if it has not this use, it is sometimes a means of restraining men from sin, which is the use of civil laws among men; and if it has not this, it is of use however to accuse men rightly of sin, and to pronounce justly guilty before God for it, to curse them as they deserve it, and to sentence to condemnation and death: and to believers it is of use, though they are not under it as in the hands of Moses, and as a covenant of works, and are freed from its curse and condemnation, and under no obligation to seek for life and righteousness by it; to them it is of use, to point out to them what is the will of God, and what should be done, and not done; and it is a rule of walk and conversation to them, as in the hands of Christ; and is as a glass to them to behold their own deformity, the impurity of their nature, the plague of their own hearts, and the imperfection of their obedience; by which they see the insufficiency of their own righteousness, how far they are from perfection, and what carnal creatures they are, when compared with this law: and as this serves to put them out of conceit with themselves, so it tends to make Christ and his righteousness more lovely and valuable in their esteem; who has wrought out a righteousness as broad and as long as the law is, and by which it is magnified and made honourable, and has delivered them from its curse and condemnation. And this law is good as it is holy, in its author, nature, and use; and as it is just, requiring just things, and doing that which is just, by acquitting those who are interested in Christ's righteousness, and in condemning those that have no righteousness; and as it is a spiritual and perfect law, which reaches the spirit and soul of man, and is concerned with inward thoughts and motions, as well as outward actions; and especially the end of it, the fulfilling end of it is good, which is Jesus Christ, who was made under it, came to fulfil it, and has answered all the demands of it: so that it must be good, and which cannot be denied, if a man use it lawfully; for if it is used in order to obtain life, righteousness, and salvation by the works of it, or by obedience to it, it is used unlawfully: for the law does not give life, nor can righteousness come by it; nor are, or can men be saved by the works of it; to use the law for such purposes, is to abuse it, as the false teachers did, and make that which is good in itself, and in its proper use, to do what is evil; namely, to obscure and frustrate the grace of God, and make null and void the sufferings and death of Christ. A lawful use of the law is to obey it, as in the hands of Christ, the King of saints, and lawgiver in his church, from a principle of love to him, in the exercise of faith on him, without any mercenary selfish views, without trusting to, or depending on, what is done in obedience to it, but with a view to the glory of God, to testify our subjection to Christ, and our gratitude to him for favours received from him.
1 Timothy 1:8
Correcting False Teachers
7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.9We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Hell's Best Kept Secret (French)
By Ray Comfort3.5K56:00EvangelismEXO 20:3LUK 10:25JHN 1:45JHN 3:1ACT 2:1ROM 3:201TI 1:8In this sermon, the speaker tells a story about two men in a plane, one given a parachute and told it would improve his flight. The first man initially doubts the parachute's effectiveness and is humiliated by other passengers when he puts it on. He eventually takes it off, thinking the captain doesn't mean it. The second man, however, gratefully puts on the parachute because he knows he will be jumping out of the plane. The speaker uses this story to illustrate the importance of understanding the true motive and purpose behind our actions, particularly in the context of personal evangelization.
Hell's Best Kept Secret (Korean)
By Ray Comfort2.4K56:09EvangelismJHN 1:47ACT 2:5ROM 3:19ROM 3:24ROM 7:71TI 1:8In this sermon, the preacher challenges the popular teaching that the Gospel is solely about finding peace, joy, love, and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He uses a story of two men on a plane, where one is given a parachute and told it will improve his flight. The skeptical man eventually puts on the parachute and realizes its weight and difficulty, but he is assured it is necessary for a jump later. The preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the consequences of breaking the law of gravity, comparing it to the consequences of sin. He warns against a shallow commitment to Jesus based on personal benefits, and instead urges listeners to have a genuine understanding of the need for salvation and the consequences of rejecting it.
Building Up Yourselves
By Bill McLeod1.8K28:34Edification1CO 16:141TH 4:91TI 1:82PE 2:3JUD 1:20JUD 1:22In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of reviving the gift of God within oneself. He encourages Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord and highlights the three stages of faith: the blood of the Lamb, the word of testimony, and surrendering oneself to the cross. The speaker also emphasizes the need for believers to lay down their lives for others, just as Christ laid down his life for us. Additionally, he emphasizes the significance of sharing the message of Christ with others and how it is essential for maintaining a deep walk with God.
Studies in 1 Timothy-05 1 Timothy-5
By William MacDonald1.2K38:37DEU 25:4LUK 10:71TI 5:23The sermon transcript discusses various instructions given by Paul to Timothy on how to behave towards different classes in the Christian family. It begins by addressing the old and young, male and female, emphasizing the importance of showing honor and respect. The transcript then moves on to discussing the care and support of widows, highlighting the responsibility of the church in providing for them. It also touches on the role of elders in the church, emphasizing the need for financial care, caution in appointing men, and the importance of having multiple witnesses in cases of accusation. Overall, the transcript emphasizes the practical advice given by Paul to Timothy for the care of believers in the Christian assembly.
Prayer - Founded on the Law and the Gospel
By Bill McLeod98244:35PrayerMAT 6:33ACT 6:4ROM 3:10ROM 3:231TH 5:171TI 1:81TI 2:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of prayer in the church. He shares a story of a pastor who was struggling to see any results in his ministry until he called on a group of praying men to intercede. After their prayers, the church saw a significant increase in attendance and salvations. The preacher urges Christians to learn from this example and embrace a Book of Acts type of Christianity, where prayer is central. He also shares another story of a couple who prayed daily and believed for the salvation of their relatives, eventually seeing their prayers answered and their church growing. The sermon highlights the power of believing prayer and encourages believers to prioritize prayer in their lives.
Family God's Way #5 - Parents and Children
By Bob Hoekstra9421:01:491TI 1:8In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of following God's law and using it properly. He emphasizes that the law is not meant for righteous individuals, but for the rebellious and lawless. The speaker also highlights the significance of discipline in parenting, including the use of physical discipline when necessary. He cautions against parents becoming submissive to their children's demands and shares a humorous anecdote to illustrate this point. The sermon concludes with the reminder that even if children seem unresponsive to the law, it is still important to share God's standards with them, as God will eventually honor it.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
But we know that the law is good - The law as given by God, is both good in itself and has a good tendency. This is similar to what the apostle had asserted, Rom 7:12-16 : The law is holy; and the commandment is holy, just, and good; see the note on Rom 7:12, etc. If a man use it lawfully - That is, interpret it according to its own spirit and design, and use it for the purpose for which God has given it; for the ceremonial law was a schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ, and Christ is the end of that law for justification to every one that believes. Now those who did not use the law in reference to these ends, did not use it lawfully - they did not construe it according to its original design and meaning.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But--"Now we know" (Rom 3:19; Rom 7:14). law is good--in full agreement with God's holiness and goodness. if a man--primarily, a teacher; then, every Christian. use it lawfully--in its lawful place in the Gospel economy, namely, not as a means of a "'righteous man" attaining higher perfection than could be attained by the Gospel alone (Ti1 4:8; Tit 1:14), which was the perverted use to which the false teachers put it, but as a means of awakening the sense of sin in the ungodly (Ti1 1:9-10; compare Rom 7:7-12; Gal 3:21).
John Gill Bible Commentary
But we know that the law is good,.... The apostle says this to prevent an objection that might be made to him, that seeing he bore so hard on such who were fond of being teachers of the law, he was himself against the law, and the preaching and proper use of it; but this he would not have concluded, for he and his fellow labourers in the ministry, and all true believers know, from the Scriptures of truth, from the agreement of the law with the Gospel, and from their own experience, that the law is good, provided it be used in a lawful way, and to lawful purposes: and this is to be understood not of the ceremonial law, which was now disannulled, because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it, so that there was no lawful use of that; but of the moral law, which must needs be good, since the author of it is God, who is only good; and nothing but good can come from him: the law, strictly moral, is a copy of his nature, transcribed out of himself, as well as with his own hands; and is a declaration of his will, and is stamped with his authority, and therefore must be good: the matter of it is good, it contains good, yea, great and excellent things; the matter of it is honestly and morally good, as to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with God: and it is pleasantly good to a regenerate man, who loves it, and delights in it after the inner man, and serves it with his spirit; though the carnal mind cannot be subject to it, but rejects it, and rebels against it: and it is also profitably good; for though obedience to it is not profitable to God, yet it is to men; and though eternal life is not obtained hereby, nor any reward given for keeping it, yet in keeping it there is a reward; and that peace is enjoyed, which the transgressors of it are strangers to: it is good in the uses of it, both to sinners and to saints. To sinners it is useful for the knowledge of sin, to convince of it, and bring them to a sense of it, and concern for it, which is effectually done, when the Spirit of God sets in with it, or brings this commandment home to the heart; and if it has not this use, it is sometimes a means of restraining men from sin, which is the use of civil laws among men; and if it has not this, it is of use however to accuse men rightly of sin, and to pronounce justly guilty before God for it, to curse them as they deserve it, and to sentence to condemnation and death: and to believers it is of use, though they are not under it as in the hands of Moses, and as a covenant of works, and are freed from its curse and condemnation, and under no obligation to seek for life and righteousness by it; to them it is of use, to point out to them what is the will of God, and what should be done, and not done; and it is a rule of walk and conversation to them, as in the hands of Christ; and is as a glass to them to behold their own deformity, the impurity of their nature, the plague of their own hearts, and the imperfection of their obedience; by which they see the insufficiency of their own righteousness, how far they are from perfection, and what carnal creatures they are, when compared with this law: and as this serves to put them out of conceit with themselves, so it tends to make Christ and his righteousness more lovely and valuable in their esteem; who has wrought out a righteousness as broad and as long as the law is, and by which it is magnified and made honourable, and has delivered them from its curse and condemnation. And this law is good as it is holy, in its author, nature, and use; and as it is just, requiring just things, and doing that which is just, by acquitting those who are interested in Christ's righteousness, and in condemning those that have no righteousness; and as it is a spiritual and perfect law, which reaches the spirit and soul of man, and is concerned with inward thoughts and motions, as well as outward actions; and especially the end of it, the fulfilling end of it is good, which is Jesus Christ, who was made under it, came to fulfil it, and has answered all the demands of it: so that it must be good, and which cannot be denied, if a man use it lawfully; for if it is used in order to obtain life, righteousness, and salvation by the works of it, or by obedience to it, it is used unlawfully: for the law does not give life, nor can righteousness come by it; nor are, or can men be saved by the works of it; to use the law for such purposes, is to abuse it, as the false teachers did, and make that which is good in itself, and in its proper use, to do what is evil; namely, to obscure and frustrate the grace of God, and make null and void the sufferings and death of Christ. A lawful use of the law is to obey it, as in the hands of Christ, the King of saints, and lawgiver in his church, from a principle of love to him, in the exercise of faith on him, without any mercenary selfish views, without trusting to, or depending on, what is done in obedience to it, but with a view to the glory of God, to testify our subjection to Christ, and our gratitude to him for favours received from him.