THE ‘TIMOTHY’ PRINCIPLE

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on March 15, 2023 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: March 15, 2023 from Acts 16:1-5

Theme: Timothy’s story teaches us to be sensitive to the scruples of others in proclaiming the gospel.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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In our last study, the apostle Paul’s second missionary journey was begun. Sadly, it involved a split of the first missionary team into two. But God’s leading can clearly be seen in this split. Where there had only been one missionary team before, now there were two. Barnabas had chosen to take his cousin John Mark with him to revisit Cyprus; while Paul—with the expressed blessings of the church leadership—had chosen to take Silas to revisit the cities of Syria and Cilicia, “strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:41).

Paul’s new ministry partner was a remarkable man. But as it turned out, Paul and Silas didn’t travel alone. They felt led by God to take with them another young man. This young man has grown to be very important in the story of the Bible. As Luke tells us in Acts 16:1-5—at the very beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey;

Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily (Acts 16:1-5).

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Now; we may read those words and think, “But wait a minute! I thought that Paul and Silas were going to the churches they had been to before to tell them the news from Jerusalem: ‘Gentiles did not have to be circumcised in order to be saved’. So then; why did Paul circumcise Timothy? Didn’t that contradict what Paul and Silas were going out to proclaim to the churches?”

When you look at the churches that they were going to, you realize that these are the churches to which he, years later, wrote the Epistle to The Galatians. These were the churches that he had to rebuke in that letter, because they were ‘believing another gospel’ (Galatians 1:6); and were acting as if they needed to earn their salvation through the Jewish religious rituals and ceremonies. He wrote and told them,

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love (Galatians 5:1-6).

So; given that he had to write such a strong letter to remind these churches that they are saved by grace through faith—and that they would have apostatized from the faith if they thought that they can be saved by being circumcised—then why in the world did he circumcise this new ministry assistant Timothy?

Paul’s action toward Timothy actually teaches us a very important spiritual lesson—not about salvation, of course; but about evangelism. It’s a lesson that he expressed in 1 Corinthians 9; when he wrote;

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some 1 Corinthians 9:19-22).

Timothy did not have to be circumcised to be saved. But we should remember that everywhere Paul went to preach, he went first to the synagogue and preached the gospel to his Jewish kinsmen. And in order to be able to do that, the young man that he was now bringing along with him had to be circumcised—otherwise, the unbelieving Jewish people would never let him in or listen to him. And in addition, there were many Jewish Christians who were already struggling with the idea that Gentiles could be saved. It didn’t ultimately matter—as far as Timothy was concerned—whether he was circumcised or not. As Paul put it in Galatians 5:6, “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” But though circumcision didn’t mean anything with respect to salvation in Christ, it would most definitely mean something with respect to loving others to Christ. Therefore, Paul circumcised Timothy—with Timothy, no doubt, willingly submitting to the act.

Timothy’s story has a very important lesson to teach us. It teaches us that—in so far as it is possible for us to do so—we must be sensitive to the scruples of others in proclaiming the gospel to them. We should do our best, when it’s possible with full integrity to God and His holy word, to become all things to all men, that we might,  by all means, save some—removing whatever unnecessary barriers may stand in the way, so that they can hear us as we tell them about Jesus.

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First, Luke tells the story of …

1. WELCOMING TIMOTHY ONTO THE TEAM (vv. 1-2).

He writes of Paul and says, “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy …” (v. 1). It must have been around the time when Paul had first visited these cities. Paul later reminded him of the trials he underwent; and said;

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me (2 Timothy 3:10-11).

So; it seems reasonable to think that Timothy grew up in this region. And what an upbringing he must have had! We’re told in verse 1 that he was “the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.” It must be that his Greek father didn’t think it was necessary to circumcise him. But apparently, he still received a strong influence in his Jewish roots from his mother. Paul reminded him in verse 15

… that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (v. 15).

Apparently, Paul had led Timothy to the Lord. He often referred to him as his ‘son in the faith’ (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2). And later he wrote to him and said,

I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also (2 Timothy 1:5).

Timothy was a remarkable young believer. Acts 16:2 tells us “He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.” Paul also mentored him. He wrote to tell Timothy, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me” (2 Timothy 1:13). And eventually, the leaders of the church felt led by the Lord to appoint him for ministry. Paul may even have been present to help commission him to ministry (see 2 Timothy 1:6 with 1 Timothy 1:18, 4:14).

Timothy was the right young man for Paul to take with him on his journeys. You might say he became Paul’s “John Mark”.

But there was a problem. Timothy had not yet been circumcised. And that would stand in the way—not of his salvation—but of his full usefulness on the mission field. And so, that’s where we read of …

2. REMOVING THE BARRIER SO THE GOSPEL CAN BE HEARD (v. 3).

Verse 3 says, “Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.”

As we read on about the events that happened during this second missionary journey—as Paul and Barnabas went from city to city to deliver the news from Jerusalem—we can see that this was a very wise strategy. In Acts 17, they went to the city of Thessalonica, and went immediately to speak in the synagogue there. And then, they went to the city of Berea, and went into the synagogue that was there. Then, in Chapter 18, Paul went to Corinth; and once Silas and Timothy met him there, he went into the synagogue and began preaching there. Clearly, the fact that Timothy had been circumcised opened up opportunities for Paul to freely preach the gospel in the synagogues of the Gentile cities that he went to.

And so, we see the team …

3. GOING FORWARD UNHINDERED TO PROCLAIM GOD’S GRACE (vv. 4-5).

Verses 4-5 tell us, “And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

And again, Timothy’s circumcision was not in any way a compromise of the gospel. It didn’t affect Timothy’s salvation one way or the other. He was free to be circumcised, or he was free to remain uncircumcised. But it must be that he himself saw the advantages to the gospel, and willingly submitted himself to be circumcised.

It was not motivated by law; but was rather motivated by love.

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Now; it’s unlikely that we would ever face a situation like the one described in this passage. But there are many other similar situations we might encounter. There are things that we may be free to do, or may be free not to do, that are completely ‘indifferent’ where our salvation is concerned. Some may feel free to celebrate a particular holiday. Some may feel free to attend a certain event. Some may feel free to eat certain foods or drink certain drinks. And none of those things, in any way, place us out of fellowship with Jesus. We are free to enjoy them or to refrain from them as we wish.

But this story causes us to ask a very important question: “What are there of my freedoms and liberties in Christ that I would be willing to give up to advance the kingdom of Christ?” In Timothy’s case, it involved giving up his freedom not to be circumcised in order to freely bring the gospel to those who were circumcised. With us, it may be a completely different issue.

It would be very unwise to try and make a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ in this matter. But instead, Paul gives us the guiding principle of love. In Romans 14:13-21, Paul gave us a standard to follow when he wrote;

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak (Romans 14:13-21).

If we’re truly walking in love, we’d never want to do anything that would hinder the gospel. So; let’s learn from Timothy’s story. As much as we can, let’s be all things to all men so that we might, by all means, save some. When love demands it, let’s be sensitive to the scruples of others in proclaiming the gospel. Let’s practice ‘the Timothy principle’ for the cause of Christ.

AE