Agree with the Sound Words of Jesus Christ

by Edwin Crozier

“Teach and urge these things,” Paul tells Timothy. He’s already told him the purpose of this letter is so folks will know how to behave as members of the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth. He’s also told Timothy he needs to pay careful attention to himself and his teaching so both he and his hearers will be saved. No wonder Timothy needs to “teach and urge these things.” But then Paul explains why.

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing” (I Timothy 6:3-4 ESV).

Wait! What? What does Paul mean by “the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ”? True, in I Timothy 5:18, Paul quoted Jesus from Luke 10:7. Otherwise, the rest of this letter is Paul’s own writing. He’s not quoting Jesus. Jesus didn’t teach anything about church rolls for widows. He didn’t talk about the character traits of elders and deacons. He didn’t mention men praying with holy hands or women dressing with godliness and good works. How will Timothy (or we, for that matter) agree with the words of Christ if he teaches what Paul has written?

Stop and consider Paul’s claim here. Paul claims he is speaking on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ in this letter. In I Corinthians 2:12-13, Paul said he imparted “words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit” (ESV). Recall that Jesus explained the Spirit would take what belonged to the Son and reveal it to the apostles, guiding them into all the truth (see John 16:12-15). Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Paul is providing the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please, grasp what this means about the Scripture. The red letters are no more Jesus speaking than the rest of the Bible. They are not any more important than the rest of the Bible. Every word, red or black, is the word of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we disagree with any of it, we are disagreeing with the Lord Jesus Christ. And anyone who disagrees with Jesus Christ is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing, even if he or she has the title “teacher of the Law.” Even if the person can speculate with myths and endless genealogies on a high plane. Jesus Christ is Lord, His Word is true. Everything else fails. That’s why, as Paul also began this letter, we must teach no other doctrine but Christ’s.

Let’s get into all the Scripture as the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, not just the red letters. All the letters.