Departing From the Faith (4:1-5)

Here Paul gives a warning to Timothy and the believers at Ephesus

• Is it possible to depart from the faith (v1)?
• Who states and how clearly do they state this (v1)?
• What does it mean to “give heed” (v1)?
• What kind of spirit promotes this (v1)?
• How would one “speak lies in hypocrisy” (v2)?
• What would be the result of having a conscience seared with a hot iron (v2)?
• Can we err in what we forbid and command (v3 and Matthew 5:19)?
• Why are we tempted to forbid and command things?
• Was everything that God created good (Gen 1:31 & v4)?
• Can we make something good, bad by misusing it?
• How are we to receive things (v4)?
• Is it easy to forget to be thankful?
• What does it mean for something to be sanctified (v5)?

A Good Minister (4:6-11)

• What does Timothy need to do to be a good minister (v6)?
• By what were they nourished (v6)?
• Do we focus more on nourishing our physical self than we do our spiritual self?
• How had Timothy followed the good doctrine (v6)?
• How would we reject profane and old wives’ fables (v7)?
• How would we exercise ourselves toward godliness (v7)?
• Should we focus (spend more time on) bodily exercise than spiritual exercise (v8)?
• How does it promise life now (v8)?
• How does it promise life to come (v8)?
• Because he trusted God, what did Paul do (v10)?
• What is the difference between commanding and teaching (v11)?

Take Heed to Yourself (4:12-16)

• How was Timothy supposed to prevent people from dispising his youth (v12)?
• In what ways was Timothy to be an example (v12)?
• To what was Timothy to pay attention (v13)?
• Is it a danger to neglect what we’ve been given (v14)?
• How was this gift given to Timothy (v14)?
• What does it mean to meditate on these things (v15)?
• How would we give ourselves entirely to them (v15)?
• What will be the result of meditating and giving ourselves to these things (v15)?
• Should our progress be easily visible (v15)?
• Is it enough to just watch out for ourselves (v16)?
• Can our actions affect others' salvation (v16)?

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