This is the last of a series of exhortations that Paul has been giving to young Timothy. It starts back there in verse 11, where we give a letter C to all of these. So there is a command that is in verse 11. There is conduct in verse 12. There's conscientiousness in verse 13. There's carefulness that is highlighted in verse 14. In verse 15, there's first of all contemplation, meditate upon these things, and then commitment, give thyself wholly to them. And then that brings us now to the last of these exhortations. And we have put the title, Caution, upon this particular verse. And you'll see that from the opening words, take heed unto thyself. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. I have joined this verse all together. You could maybe separate that out because there's a natural sea that follows on there, continue in them. But as it's one clause in my estimation for what it's worth, we're going to take it just as one. That makes seven in total. here of these exhortations. We're going back there to really verse 7, if I can remind you a little here of the outline of this chapter, where first of all Timothy was to exclude some things from his life, where it says, refuse profane and old wise fables. So there was something that he was to put out. Then there was something he was to be exercised about. Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. And then there follows on this set of exhortations that Paul gives to him in verses 11 through to 16. This 16th verse is of particular personal importance. I don't know if those who were here almost 24 years ago at my ordination remembered what Dr. Paisley preached on, but this was the text that he preached on. I still have the outline. I went hunting for it during the week and was able to retrieve it. And what I noted down that he preached on. I'm not using his outline, I can tell you that. You're a fool to try to do that for he had a unique way of breaking down a verse. And other than to say his point started with the letter C as well. I hadn't remembered that until I went looking for the notes this week. But this was the text that he preached on almost 24 years ago. Now this month, if we get to the 23rd, of this month was the ordination night. So it's a verse that certainly has a personal application more than normal because of that. significance that night when he preached at my ordination meeting here in this place. But we're really only going to look at the first thought here this morning, and that is this instruction that Timothy is to take heed. Because that's a very interesting term that Paul employs for the simple reason that it's not the usual term. that he employs when he wants his readers to take heed to something. This is a word that he only uses twice in all of his writings. And when you consider that Paul has written 14 out of the 27 books of the New Testament, and that he only uses a word twice, Well, that in itself will make you, or at least ought to make you, to stop and think, well, what's the significance of that? Why is he just picking out this word when there's another word that he could have used and has in numerous places? But here's a word that only he uses twice. And in fact, it only appears five times in all the New Testament. Luke is the other writer who uses it three times. Paul only uses it in one other place, and we'll get to that in a moment. But when you think of some of those exhortations that he gives in his other writings, I would say very well-known verses. For example, in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 12, That's a different word to what he employs here. What about Hebrews 3, verse 12? Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. That's a different word to hear. Colossians 4 verse 17, say to our kippahs, take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it. Those are all a different word that he uses. It's the same. translation in our English language, because that's the nearest the English translators can get to the meaning of it. But in the New Testament language, there is a difference. For example, those that I've just quoted to you there, take heed lest ye fall. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in you an evil heart of unbelief. Archippus, take heed to the ministry. That comes from a verb to see or to behold, either physically or in your mind's eye. That's what that particular term appears. It appears 135 times in the New Testament, so it's a word that's used multiple times. You could even say that's the common word, the general word that is used in the New Testament language for this idea of taking heed. And it comes from that verb, to see things. We might use language like that. If we're telling somebody to be careful, maybe to take heed, maybe there's a step or something, or maybe it's slippy or something, and you might even give a word of caution to an individual, just be careful there, take heed, take care. Well, we can understand the meaning behind that word. What we're saying to them is, look, observe, watch, see what's before you, see the danger that there might be there, either with a step or with a slippery slope or whatever. So that's a common word that appears in our English Bible, too, that lies behind this thought of take heed. But here, in addressing Timothy, Paul uses a different word with a totally different meaning. Totally different meaning. As I say, it only appears five times in all the New Testament. Paul uses it twice. Timothy uses it the other three times. So that in itself, to me at least, in reading that portion, makes me want to stop and say, well, why did Paul use that word? Why did he not use the word that he normally has employed? Many times in his writing, in those verses that I've quoted to you there just a moment ago, Why does he change and use a word that he only in one other place employs? Surely there has to be some significance in that. And the meaning that it lies behind this word that he here uses in 1 Timothy 4 and verse 16 that we're summarizing under this term, caution, it has the meaning of taking hold of yourself. in the sense of taking something that is fixed in your mind, or even restraining yourself, holding yourself back from what you would want to do and be inclined to do, but restrain Restrain yourself. I'm going to give you the five places where it appears, because in each one of those, it brings out something of the meaning that is here. Luke, as I say, is the other writer who uses it. So you need to go back to Luke chapter 14 and verse 7. It's one of the parables of the Lord Jesus. It says, he put forth a parable to those which were bidden when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms, saying unto them. Luke 14 verse 7 is the verse, and the corresponding word, totally different English translation, when he marked, when he marked So this is what lies in behind this word, take heed to Timothy. Timothy, you've got to mark it in your mind. The Savior took knowledge, it says, he put forth a parable to those that are bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief room. So he had observed what had taken place, and having observed what had taken place, then he's going to speak that parable to them. So there is this thought of something registering in the mind, taking a hold of the mind, And as a result of something taking hold of the mind, then something else is going to be done. As in the case there with the Lord Jesus, it was that he was going to speak the parable. With regards to Timothy, we'll come on to Timothy to see what Paul has to say to him in that regard. Then we go over to the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 3, verse 5. And it's the man lying at the beautiful gate. Remember the lame man? who had been brought there day after day. Peter and John were going up to the temple, and it says, He gave heed unto them. Acts 3, verse 5. He gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. So it wasn't just a casual looking on the part of that lame man to Peter and John. They spoke to him. Oh, he hoped to gain some money. some alms. That's why he's there. He's begging. He's in need. Peter was going to give him much, much more. Remember what Peter said, silver and gold have I none, but what I have do I give unto you. But it tells us there about the attitude of the man lying at the beautiful gate. He says, he gave heed unto them. As I say, it wasn't just a casual looking in the direction of Peter and John, as that man would have looked at many a passerby going into the temple. How many people would have passed him by day after day after day as he sat at that gate begging. But having heard what Peter said to him, he looked at them in a particular way. It says, he give heed, he give heed, expecting to receive something off them. So it's more than just something casual here. This man was fixed on Peter and John, thinking he's going to get, and he did. He received something that transformed his life, and it wasn't money. So there's the second use of it. Acts 19.22, We come over here to Paul himself, now Acts 19, 22. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus. But he himself stayed in Asia for a season. The word stayed is the same word here. As I said, it's this thought of restraint, taking hold of yourself. Paul would be inclined to have gone with those men. He enjoyed their company. He didn't like being on his own. We know that from what he says in his writings, because he sent word that on other times that they would come and join him quickly. He even sent, if we go over into 2 Timothy, well not, but I'm sure you know the verses there in 2 Timothy, where Paul was in prison, and he sent word to Timothy to come, come to me, and come before winter. So Paul liked the company of believers. He liked the company of his fellow laborers, He wasn't one who was some kind of a loner, that always wanted to be out on his own. That's not the impression you get of the Apostle Paul. So the natural inclination would be to go with those men. It says that he sent two of them to Timotheus in Erastus. He sent them on, but he himself stayed in Asia for a season because he knew that was beneficial to the people. And there's that thought and that word of him restraining himself. The natural thing would be to say, no, I'll go. We'll all go together here. We're all traveling together. We're all in this together. But he knew that it was for his good and for the people's good that he would stay a little longer in Asia and preach there and minister to them. So there's a thought in that word, you see, of restraint, taking a hold of yourself, and not giving in to the natural inclinations. Because there's something more important, the work of God. The will of God is more important than just giving in to our own ideas and our own notions and think, well, that's what I want to do. And that's what just seems the natural thing to do. That might not be the will of God, Christian, in our lives. We're not to lean on our natural inclinations and say, oh, just because I'm inclined to do that, so that's the will of God. It might not be. The Lord might want you to restrain and hold back on something. because it's not as well to do that and go that way. And then the other place is where, if you turn back to Philippians chapter 2, is where Paul here employs it. As I say, only twice does he use this word, and here's the other place. Philippians chapter 2, and Well, the sentence begins at verse 14, do all things without murmurings and disputings, that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. And then the opening words of verse 16, holding forth the word of life. This is this word, take heed. take heed. As I say, it is the idea of taking hold of something, more often than not yourself, your own thoughts, your own mind, your own heart. But here, it's taking hold of the Word of Life. Paul has been highlighting there in the 15th verse how they are to be a witness in the world. How do you be a witness? You hold forth the words of life. You take hold of what God has said, and you hold that forth as a witness to the world. So those are the only five places that this word appears. So there is a difference in the one that he commonly uses, many, many times in his writings, and to this word that only appears these few times. And as I say, there is this idea of, in this word here, getting a hold of something, or maybe more accurately, something getting a hold of us. Something getting a hold of us. I suppose we have that concept amongst ourselves in our own language. We might say somebody gets it. Somebody gets it. Maybe we're explaining something. Maybe there's some who don't see it, don't understand it. And there's others, just get it. There's others who just see it. Whatever it might be, it could be across a breadth of subjects and matter, but there's just somebody who sees it. Maybe sees it instantly or sees it with very little explanation, but they get it. Well, in a sense, that's what lies here behind this word. Paul is saying to Timothy, Timothy, do you get it? Have you got it? Have you got what I'm saying? All these exhortations, going back there to verse 7 where we started, pointed out there where he was to exclude some things, and then he was to exercise his heart about some things. Now he's exhorted about a number of things. Timothy, have you got it? Have you got it? Does Paul have to continue on explaining it and reinforcing this point? Or has he got it? Because Paul leaves the subject here and returns, as we'll come now to chapter 5 in the next little while, he returns then to issues affecting the church. So we can see why he's concluding here in verse 16 of chapter 4 with this thought, this caution, and expressing it in that way. Timothy, have you got all this? And it would seem that Paul is concluding that he has, because he moves on then. as I say, to return to what was his subject before. This is kind of a little interlude here because we've already highlighted back there in chapter 3 at the end of chapter 3 into chapter 4, the beginning of chapter 4 as well, where he's speaking about Timothy's ministry in the church. But now he's digressed a little bit and he's become much more personal. We've highlighted, for example, there in the 16th verse, the double use of the word thyself will underscore that these are much more personal words. Take heed unto thyself. So there has to come a time, Christian, in our lives where we get what it is the Lord is saying to us. I'll change the picture a little bit. Remember a little later on in the New Testament where Paul had to lament that he had to speak to some Christians who were still on the milk of the Word and had never progressed. They'd never grown up. They were still babes in Christ. He says, I fed you with milk. And the question is to progress. We know that phrase appears in the New Testament, the meat of the Word. And the picture is of a child, little newborn child. It's only going to take milk at the start. And as it grows and develops, it's going to get on to more solid food and eventually on to stronger food, on to meat or food, more solid food. There has to come a time when we get it. There has to come a time when the Word of God has entered in. Yes, we learn, and we have still many things to learn, but we're convinced of this. We know this. We're buying into this. Now, there's two things here that he wants Timothy to take particular heed onto. First of all, onto himself, and then onto the doctrine. It tells us there in verse 16. So he's to take heed unto himself. And again, he's emphasizing generally the importance of a Christian's testimony. We have considered that as we have worked our way through these exhortations, so we're not going to repeat that. But there is that little reminder that the testimony of a Christian complements or is to complement the witness that they have for Christ, or it can destroy the witness they have for Christ. one or the other. And Timothy is to live in such a fashion as become of the gospel. Paul said that In writing to the church again at Philippi, we've already looked at a verse there that he uses this word. But in verse 27 of chapter 1, he says, "...only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be 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." That your conversation or your your general conduct be as it become of the gospel of Christ." Our conduct has to be as become of the gospel if we want to be a witness for Christ. So Timothy has to apply this to himself. So within his own heart and his own mind, he has to come to this place where he is convinced of these things. Paul can tell him so much. Paul can teach him so much, but there comes a time when Timothy has to, in a sense, step forward and stand up and act as if, I've got it, I understand it, I know the importance of it, I know the significance of it, I know the truth of it. And Christian, we all have to get to that place as maturing Christians. We all have to get to that place. We have to determine for ourselves what we ought to do and get on with doing it. What's the will of God for me and you personally, individually? Get on and do it then. In a sense, too, Timothy has to take responsibility for his own actions. He's left here in this work, and again, Paul is not there. Paul can write and say so much to him and give him advice, but again, Timothy has to step forth and take responsibility. The thought is of maturing as a Christian, maturing as a Christian. And we all are always maturing as a Christian. Nobody's ever going to get to the place where we can say, well, I'm a full grown Christian now. I've reached the state of entire sanctification and there's nothing more to accomplish. We're not going to get there, but we need to be on the way. We need to be making progress along the way, growing and developing as a Christian. Getting to that place where we take responsibility and step out for the Lord. We are accountable, personally and individually. That's true of unconverted and converted. We often say that to the unconverted. They're accountable for their sins. They're going to answer for them before God. He's the judge. They're going to meet Him. But that accountability Also, that principle of accountability applies to a Christian too. We're going to give an account, not for our sins, Christian. Christ has taken our sins and borne them away. We're never going to have to give an account for our sins, but we are for our service. Paul writing to the church in the city of Rome, Romans 14 verse 12, he said, so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. And he wasn't directing those words at the unconverted. He didn't say every one of them is going to give an account of themselves to God. He puts it in the first person. He makes it applicable to himself. He says, so every one of us shall give an account of himself to God. You're not going to be asked to give an account for somebody else. You're just going to be asked to give an account for yourself. Same with me. Each individual is going to give an account of their service for themselves, not somebody else's service, just your own, just my own. So there is most certainly then a need to take on board what Paul is here saying to Timothy. Timothy, there is a need here to take hold of this and to step out And if you need to restrain yourself in some way in order to do the will of God, well then you do that. But do it always conscious, we're going to give an account someday. Personally, before God, for our service to God. We live in a day, I think you will agree, where the concept of personal responsibility is being played down. It's always somebody else's problem. It's always somebody else's fault. It's always somebody else's responsibility. It's the spirit of the age or one of the spirits that characterize this age in which we live. But the Bible has a concept, Christian, about us stepping forward and taking responsibility, taking responsibility primarily for ourselves with the help and grace of God, but that we get it. that we see it, how it is with ourselves. Timothy has to, as I've already indicated a little bit here, but I want to expand a little bit on this. Timothy has to control his own spirit. There's that thought in this word here about restraining, as I showed you there in Acts, where Paul stayed in Asia. He restrained that natural tendency to go with Timothy and Erastus as he sent them off. But that's a spirit that the Word of God highlights. For example, if you go back to Proverbs 25 and verse 28, it says, He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. Proverbs 25 verse 28. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down without walls. In other words, there's no defense. Isn't that what happens? A city without walls. If the walls are broken down, it's got no defense. The enemy can come in. There's nothing to hinder the enemy coming in of the city that is supposed to have walls. The walls are all broken down. Well, that is the picture that is here given of an individual who has no rule over their own spirit, who doesn't restrain their spirit and subject their own spirit to the will of God. John Gill, a well-known commentator, said this. His affections and passions of such a person as is mentioned there in Proverbs 25, 28, puts no restraint onto them, i.e., his affections and passions, as the word signifies, no guard against them, no fence about them, to curb his curiosity, to check his pride and vanity, to restrain his wrath and anger and revenge, and keep within due bounds his ambition and itch for vain glory. So a man that has no command of himself and his passions, but gives the reins to them, is exposed to the enemy of souls, Satan, and he is liable also to every sin, snare, and temptation. A man who can't control his own spirit is likened unto a city. The walls are broken down. Well, in a sense, that's what Paul is saying to Timothy. Timothy, you've got to take hold of this. You've got to take hold of this, even to the extent you may be restraining yourself in some way, the natural tendency. Because remember, we mentioned this at the start with regards to Timothy. What is Timothy's natural tendency here when we're thinking about this? What is Paul saying? Well, you have to curb that natural tendency. Well, what was it with regards to Timothy? He was a very reticent individual. He was a very reticent individual. He was timid. He was timid by nature. He drew back. He was the very opposite of Paul in how he conducted himself. And many times, you get picture here in the letter that Paul is sending to Timothy, that Paul is endeavoring to put a little bit of backbone in Timothy. Timothy, stand up. And that continues on over into the second letter as well where he says, Endure hardship. Endure hardness as a good soldier. So if you put all of those exhortations together, and we did a little at the start of our studies in Timothy, and we said the Bible pictures him as a timid individual. He was reticent. He drew back. That was a natural tendency of his character. Now Paul is saying to him, Timothy, that might be the natural tendency of your heart, but you've got to step up. You've got to step forward here. You've got to take heed to yourself, Timothy. These things are to get a hold of you, and you're to step forth and serve the Lord. Yes, he has to do it by the grace of God. Paul has made that abundantly clear already in writing to him. There is a strength that the Lord imparts. But that doesn't take away from the aspect of personal responsibility here. neither does it with us, Christian. Whatever the natural tendency of our character may be, there may be a need to restrain it one way or another to do what the Lord wants us to do. That's bringing our spirit under the rule of the Lord. And in light of what we were mentioning there in Proverbs, a man that hath no rule over his own spirit, who can't do that is like a city. The walls are broken down. He's open. It's open season with every enemy. Now you think about what Paul is saying here to Timothy. First of all, to himself. Secondly, he's to take heed onto the doctrine. Onto the doctrine. And if you Refresh your memory there from some of those previous exhortations. Verse 13, he was to give attendance to these things. In verse 15, he was to give himself wholly to them. So there's a little bit of progression here in each one of these stages. And now we've come to a third stage. And having given attendance to these things, and having wholly committed himself unto them, unto that truth that was revealed to him, these things are to take hold of his life. and he's to step forth. He's to step forth. It's as if Paul is here preparing him for these labors that he has left him to engage in in Ephesus. I mentioned to you Luther as well, that quote from Luther at the Diet of Worms, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe." There's an example of somebody who the truth of God got a hold of him. Take heed to the doctrine. Take heed to all of these things that you've been taught. Going way back to his childhood, when he was first taught the Scriptures by his mother and grandmother. But all of those things that you've taught, all that he's learned from Paul, Timothy, take heed to all of this. Get a hold of it. Let it get a hold of you. I'll give you an example, Christian, from the Old Testament of a man who got it, got it to the extent that he wouldn't give up a divinely bestowed inheritance, even for a king, and even when it would cost him his life. I'm talking about Naboth. Remember how Ahab set his covetous eyes upon Naboth's vineyard because it was near to his palace in Samaria. And he wanted, he offered him money, offered him whatever he wanted. He said, whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Just give me the vineyard. And Naboth said, I'm not giving it to you. It wasn't because Naboth was stubborn and thran. And he just wouldn't give in. That's not why Naboth wouldn't give Ahab the vineyard. He wouldn't give Ahab the vineyard because that was his inheritance from God. That was his inheritance from God. The land had been divided by lot at the direction of God. And that portion that Naboth had come down to him from his family. And it was his by divine right. And he wouldn't give it up. And no matter what the king said to him, I'll give you whatever you want for it. You just name your price, and I'll give you it. I just want your vineyard. And Nabal said, I'm not giving it to you. And he wouldn't give it because he had a conviction. He got it. He got that the land had been given to him and his family by the Lord. And it wasn't his to give up to anybody. Wasn't his to give up. And he wouldn't. It ended up costing him his life. Because we know what Jezebel did. Jezebel said to Ahab, I'll soon get it for you. And she set about lying and scheming. And ended up getting Naboth stoned to death. Made false accusations against him. And he ended up being stoned to death. But he was a man who got it. He had a conviction about it. Even when a king came persuading him otherwise, he wouldn't give in. He wouldn't give in. Christian, we need to be persuaded. We need to be persuaded. Persuaded of the things that we have read in His Word. These matters that we have been covering here in 1 Timothy chapter 4, we need to be persuaded, altogether persuaded. or else in the time of testing and trial we'll give them up. If we're not persuaded of them, if we're not altogether persuaded of them, in the time of testing we'll give them up. They're expendable. They're expendable. God's Word and God's ways and Bible principles cannot be expendable. We have to take hold of them, and they in turn take hold of us.