and complete dependence upon
the Lord for all needed help this morning. I wish to direct
your very prayerful attention to the second epistle of Paul
to Timothy. And our text is found this morning
in verse 13. The second epistle of Paul to Timothy,
chapter 1, verse 13. Hold fast the form of sound words
which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus. Hold fast the form of sound words
which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus in 1861 Mr John Charles Philpott Joseph
Charles Philpott set forth a treatise that caused no inconsiderable
stir it was that of the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ and we notice that when these
things which would appear to many to be inoffensive when we
get to the crux of the matter When it comes down to it, we could say, cause real
division, because we must know whom Christ
really is, in his person, in his work, and
as a substitute for our sins. There were those well-known words
of Mr. John McNee at Garstang, who only
died some 13, 14 years ago. He said, we very much need to
seek for a mediatorial interest in the blood of Christ. And that encompasses the very
whole of this verse and even of this chapter that we have
before us. Now, by way of context, let us
examine the situation that we have before us. Here was Timothy, who was receiving
instruction from his father in the faith, the Apostle Paul. And we can see that pattern is
set down from the very beginning. In chapter 2 that we read, he writes
in verse 2, "...and 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." You see, this demonstrates the pattern in the
church. Here we can see that Paul was
writing to Timothy and we make this clear. I said this to somebody
in the Brethren some time ago and they were silenced. Timothy
was undertaking his pastorate at Ephesus. He wasn't one of
many elders, he was the pastor. That's what he was. And here
we can see that he is receiving the instruction of a father in
the faith. And what is the situation? It is one of a young man being
prepared for what is before him. He speaks of enduring hardness
as a soldier of Jesus Christ. He exhorts him to consider what
he says and the Lord gives the understanding in all things. He speaks of learning in Christ's
school. learning in Christ school. And
you see he had this prayerful concern, didn't he? You see,
each church should have its own pastor, the under-shepherd. That is what is set forth here.
If we consider our church situation, we've been favoured here at Portsmouth
Chapel over the years of generally having a regular ministry. And you can see this is the pattern
that is set forth. And I raise and echo the concern
of Mr. Popham when he wrote in the 1930s
and said, Friends, we have become, for the large part, satisfied
with the supply system. It is not an end in itself. It
is simply a stopgap. It should not be used as a permanent
situation. Then here, a young man undertaking
his pastorate with many things before him. What is the undergirding
here? What is the foundation that Paul
is instructing Timothy in? Well, it's found in our text,
is it not? Hold fast the form of sound words
which thou hast heard of me. in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus." He'd heard these things of Paul. Paul had been
a loving example unto him. But this holding fast, is this
not a similar principle to that which we heard on Thursday evening
of being steadfast in the faith. To hold fast is to hold dear,
to keep to, to be close to, to hold on to, to embrace. And this embracing is both mind
and heart. holding fast to keep going, to
keep going, to keep going, to keep going on the same principles. I said to the friends at Bexley
yesterday that it's always a joy to my heart to see a cause of
truth go on in exactly the same form and holding to exactly the
same doctrinal principles on which it was founded. We don't
have to go very far to find the case otherwise. And in that respect,
we just make this observation in terms of holding fast to the
form of sound words. There are those who call us antinomians. And we would examine their situation
and they're usually the people that have taken our chapels from
us and turned them into something else. It's not the form of sound
words, is it? The form of sound words as we
have it here are those who continue on exactly the same principles
in which they had heard. Following that good tradition.
as Paul exhorts elsewhere, to continue on in those good things,
to speak those good things. Holding fast the form of sound
words. What is this? Well, it's the
truth of doctrine, practice, and experience, is it not? To keep to, to hold on to, those
things which are of sound instruction. We would make just a general
observation here that there were many controversies
surrounding Paul's preaching. There were those who opposed
him. There were those who slandered him. wrongfully in the Gospel. And
we can all expect that. We can expect that. Woe unto
you when all men speak well of you. It's not unusual to find
that those who oppose us, sometimes bitterly, are those who profess
to believe the very same things. But God will deal with them.
God will deal with them. We've said it before here, we'll
see our enemies brought to nothing and we won't even have a hand
in it. Such is the case. The Lord says, touch not my anointed,
do my prophets no harm. Didn't Paul see that? Didn't the Apostles see that?
Hold fast the form of sound words. We keep to these things. not
turning unto the right hand nor the left. The form of sound words,
in principle, must we not say, before we come to the ecclesiastical
matters before us, that, as we noted, Paul's preaching was much
opposed to the people who spoke lies against him. God's people will be those who
speak the truth. God's people will be those who
speak the truth. If we are the Lord's people, we will speak
the truth. The form of sound words. Now,
in the context that we have before us, it's speaking of sound doctrine. Sound doctrine. Sound instruction. And where can we find sound doctrine? Paul was known for sound preaching. And this is the principle. Soundness is always to take precedent
over conjecture and over compromise we must take a stand for the
truth that is what it is to hold fast
the form of sound words to instruct people faithfully to speak those
things that are not necessarily popular but to speak those things
which are right sound words can that be said
of us? are we solid in the faith? are
we grounded upon the truth? when you occasionally make acquaintance
with someone who professes religion you might ask them what they
believe and their response is sometimes a sanctimonious one
they'll say something like, oh well I believe the Bible well
yes we believe the Bible but what do you believe? what do
you really believe? where do you stand? what is your
position? and thus we can see here that
this is it not a proof text for having articles of faith and
a statement of those things which are surely believed among us. They are surely believed among
us. That's the form of sound words. Friends, every single one of
us this morning we're quickened from darkness into life, should
be able to give an account of the hope that is within us. To
state what we believe and why we believe it, doesn't mean we
have to be masters in Greek and Hebrew and the original languages. We may not be a theologian in
the accepted sense, but every believer is to be, to some extent,
a theologian. We have to set forth what our
hope is, where it lies, whom we believe God to be, what we
believe we are in relation to the Lord, and where salvation is to be
found. The form of sound words. In 1 Timothy 6 there is a marginal
reference to verse 3. If any man teach otherwise and
consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness. and it goes on to say he is proud
knowing nothing and so on. It's the speaking of the knowledge
not just a mental knowledge but an experiential knowledge of
whom and what we are. It speaks to us here of acknowledging that we are nothing and that
the Lord himself is everything. that we cannot approach unto
God of flesh but He reaches down unto us and takes us from the
miry clay and sets our feet upon a rock. The form of sound words. It's found in this chapter. Who hath saved us and called
us with an holy calling, in verse 9, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace, which is given us
in Christ Jesus, before the world began. You see, we are His workmanship. The Lord is sovereign. and will
do with us precisely what he please. There's a hymn in Well's
selection. The God of heaven maintains his
universal throne. In heaven and earth and hell
he reigns and makes his wonders known. Jacob that he loved, who
knows the reason why, but he saw his heart he left depraved. And who can dare reply? That's the Lord here that we
are speaking of in our text. A form of sound words. Timothy
had to preach to his people that they were nothing. But Jesus Christ was everything. The form of sound words. You
see, our God is a God of order. It's not a free-for-all. It's
not a free-for-all. The church is not a free-for-all.
We have order. Here we have order. We have order
of the church. In Timothy undertaking this position as the under-shepherd
at Ephesus. And he would speak to them in
their condition. He would speak to them where
they are. And you know the people that
Timothy preached to, they're no different to you and I. They're
no different to you and I. They might have lived in a different
time. They might have lived in a very
different climate. They might be living in a different culture. But they're no different to you
and me. They were sinful people. But you know, the Lord came unto
this world not to deliver the righteous, but repentant sinners. The form of sound words. Do we seek out those things which
are sound? Do we seek out the Lord's absolute
sovereignty? Do we seek out a ministry that
speaks to our souls? Do we seek out a ministry that
aims to separate between life and death? Between
the flesh and the spirit? Between reality and that which
may look to be real? but is in truth stony ground
that's what's so solemn isn't it about the parable of the solemn
that's what's so solemn about the parable of the wise virgins
they all look the same but you know there's a difference
and there's a difference in you and I this morning but you know
if we are those of whom the Lord has dealt with and those who
he's called with a holy calling will seek the form of sound words,
will seek those things which were right. It won't do for us
to hear of erroneous doctrine, it won't do for us to hear a
duty faith. It won't do for us to hear a
universal offer. It won't do for us to hear of
the error that the Lord Jesus is altogether spiritual. It won't do for us to hear that
the Lord himself was created an inferior in any way in the
Trinity. It won't do for us to hear that
he had a pre-existent soul. We will desire to hear the form
of sound words. The form of sound words. And that is what we seek. I think of these words as, in
my own case, I mentioned it last time, I remember reading Acre's
Gloomy Vale by James Wells. And he spoke of going to various
places of worship. This is in the middle of the
19th century. But he found no rest for his soul until he heard
a full and a free and an absolute salvation. You see, that's what
this text is speaking of. Isn't it? And that's what people don't
want. They don't want a pure gospel. They don't want an absolute
salvation. God has done his bit, now you
must do yours. But we don't find that here.
We find a form of sound words that thou hast heard of me. Paul, not perfect, but a faithful
servant of the Lord. a faithful servant of the Lord,
solid in the truth. And we see here that he spoke
to Timothy's heart, which thou hast heard of me in faith and
love." You heard him in faith. You heard him in faith. Now if
we hear preaching in faith it will have an effect upon us. I chose very deliberately that
second hymn because we must be mindful nobody I trust is more
zealous the main respect of hearing sound doctrine and those who
are according to our distinctives, as you know, it's my conviction
the only people who should preach in our chapels are those who
will sign our articles of faith before they enter the pulpit.
It's just how it should be. But you know, sound creed, as
vital as that is, is no guarantee that the Spirit
would move. Paul was heard in faith and love. Faith and love. We must speak to the hearts of
God's people. We must speak to their very soul. We must speak to them in a way
that sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as all and in all. We must not be under a misapprehension.
It's not the man that gives the blessing. John Kershaw often
used to pray, God speak through this worthless pipe. That was
his northern way of saying. In my weakness, may the Lord
speak. And that's what we want. That's
what we want. That the Lord would speak to
hearts and minds, holding fast the form of sound words, laying
that foundation. You see, you must lay a solid
doctrinal foundation. And that's what the Lord uses
in respect of an experimental religion. Our preaching is rooted
in the Word. It's not rooted on a dream. It's
not rooted in a vision. It's not rooted in some strange
aberration. It is rooted in the Word. We hear that, don't we, at the
very beginning of Hebrews. God who in sundry times and in
divers manners hath spoken unto us by the prophets, hath in these
latter days spoken unto us by His Son. And when the Lord speaks,
He always reveals Christ. When a preacher comes and he
preaches, he must preach Christ. That's the difference we were
saying in the vestry. That's the difference between
the sermon and the lecture, surely. Surely it must be. That there
must be some heart. Something at the root. It must speak of Christ. Faith,
you see, identifies with these very things. Faith identifies
with exactly where we are surely it speaks unto us in our situation
it speaks unto us in the very experience that we
are found and this was the mercy this was the mercy here that
we see that Paul in speaking had been
a real blessing to Timothy's soul. He'd been a real blessing
to his soul. Now, let us ask the question,
every one of us, me included, when was the last time we came
into the Lord's house and had a real feast for our souls? the doctrine of sound words meeting
us in faith and love. When was the last time we came
into God's house and we drank in every word? We identified
with what was said in man's total inability. The Lord's sovereignty,
a crucified Christ, an absolute salvation, when was the last
time? you know we must be continuously
fed if we're living epistles if we have the faith that is
spoken of here we must understand something
of these things we must see through I was speaking yesterday to one
of the Lord's servants who preaches, the pastor in the chapels preaches
more often than I do. And I said, we travel all these
miles and we see all these faces but where's the fruit? Where's
the fruit? That's what we look for. It's
a privilege to be asked to preach the Lord's Word. It's a privilege
to go many miles, to preach even unto a few. That's the way I
look at it. But you know, we must seek for
fruit. We need more than just eloquent sermons. We need more
than words. We need the Lord to speak unto
us. We need the Lord to speak unto our generation. We need
the Lord to speak into exactly where we are. Hold fast the form of sound.
We'll keep preaching the old truths. In faith and in love, which is
in Christ Jesus. Now here we have something else,
don't we? Love. Love. What does Christ's love mean? What does it mean? Well, to be
in possession of living faith means we must love the Saviour
surely we must love Him and as we've come into this chapel this
morning we've come either because it's the Sabbath day and we feel
we must do we must keep up appearances and we must be seen to be doing
that which is right or we love to be here We love to be here. We love to
hear the form of sound words. We love to hear the doctrines
expounded. We love to hear the chapter opened. And we love to hear the Saviour
speak unto us. You see, love is a continuous
living exercise and a continuous living relationship, isn't it? there must be a continual feeding
upon the Lord's Word if we love somebody naturally
speaking it would be a strange way of
expressing it if we went long periods of time but without thinking,
without speaking without interacting in any way with them And thus
it is found here. For Timothy to hold fast the
form of sound words, to keep preaching these things. And why
does he keep preaching these things? Because he loves them.
Because he loves them. And because he loves the people
of whom he's preaching to. But you see that love is based
upon a person, isn't it? Elsewhere when we read, we brought these words before
the people at Horsham just a week or two ago, that there will come
a time when they will not endure sound doctrine in chapter 4,
verse 3. But in verse 2 we read, preach
the word. Be instant, in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. That word doctrine, notice it's
in the singular. There. In other places it appears
in the singular. Because it's speaking. The word
is a person. The word is living. It's living. Christ is found
in all the scriptures. He's found here. It's living. Preach the word. Preach the word. is to preach a living Savior
who saves from death, from hell, and from the grave. You see, Paul was speaking, he
suffered these things in verse 12. But he said, I am persuaded
that He is able, He is able, He is able to keep that which
I have committed unto him against that day. He'd keep going and
keep going. He'd continue. He'd venture on
in faith and love. Oh, that there would be more
love in the ministry. People today don't really know
what love is, do they? they have this sort of strange
view that it's sentimentality and mush really. But that's not
what's spoken of here. This is a whole taking up. This is a heart, to quote the hymn writer, that's
set on fire with the love of Christ. that
must be fed from heaven. You see, we can't be fed under
lies, can we? We can't sit under untruths,
mongrel Calvinism and moderate gospel. We must have real things. We must have the Lord undertaking
for us in everything. We must have The Lord's sovereignty made known.
You see, this is the blessing. This is the blessing that through
the preached Word, the Lord does grant repentance and faith. The Lord does make us to know
these things. We notice here in verse 7, it's
a biblical truth and men might frown when we say it. For God
hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of a sound mind. The fear of the Lord, the filial
fear is right, but we don't labour as those who continue with no
guarantee of victory. You see, isn't that the mercy
that if we preach a sovereign God and we hold fast the form
of sound words, The Gospel will accomplish exactly
that which it was intended. I couldn't preach if I didn't
believe in the sovereignty of God and in an absolute salvation. There would be no guarantee of
anything. And what's more, to make anything dependent upon
our will is to make something dependent
upon the weakest element of human nature. You examine yourself.
What could be weaker than our will? What could be weaker than
our will? But here we have a heart that's
taken up in faith and love. You see, faith takes us out of
flesh, doesn't it? Faith takes us out of self. Faith
and love, as we have it here, takes us out of that which is fallen. You see, if you've had a hand
in your salvation this morning, I'll tell you this, it will not
take you to heaven. But if the Lord has undertaken
for you, from first unto last, won your affections and bound
your soul fast. It will take you to heaven. Can't
take you anywhere else. Can't take you anywhere else.
Because the Lord uses the preached word, that form of sound words
for His glory. For His glory. He might have
been brought out of error. Again, we have to make this point.
It's not where we've come from. It's where we are now. where
we are now we might have sat under the soundest ministry but
where are our souls? Has it spoken to us in the power
of the Spirit? Has it spoken to us in the power
of the Holy Ghost? Is it our joy? Did we come this
morning in earnest expectation that the Lord would speak? Or have we come in an indifferent
spirit? I know some people, they just
come to criticize what he's said. Friends, do we really seek these
things? Faith and love, which is in Christ
Jesus. That's the object. That's the
object of faith. But you see, the blessed object
of faith is made known subjectively. And that's what we need, isn't it? Sat in the vestry yesterday
at Bexley. There were pictures of all the
previous pastors that they'd been over the years. Again, it's
a chapel that's generally been favoured to have a regular ministry. And what struck me was this.
Those men lived in different circumstances and quite different
times, each from the other. But they believed in the same
Christ. They believed in the same Gospel.
They loved the same truths. And they all knew the reality
of this text here. How vast a form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in
Christ Jesus. Amen.