We should love reading, studying, meditating on, praying, and applying Scripture. Most of us do. Certainly, however, I am not the only one who, in times past, has grown weak in motivation and excitement when encountering certain books of the Bible. At times, reading through Leviticus and Numbers seems equivalent to parents forcing vegetables down their toddler’s throat. Transitioning to the New Testament, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus (the pastoral epistles) tend to come across as unequivocally irrelevant. And so the pages are quickly flipped in order to “return” to more necessary portions of the text.
Of course we know and exclaim that all Scripture is needful to our growth in the likeness of Christ. (This we actually derive from 2 Timothy!) But there is often a disconnect between what we say in this regard and how we utilize God’s Word. Perhaps we long to open the Word and immediately engage an Emmaus-type experience (Lk 24:27), but functionally our hearts bend to believe certain books follow a different road.
The problem is not with Scripture. (It is true that some portions of Scripture are easier to comprehend than others [see 2 Pet 3:16]). The Spirit still uses the Word to teach God's people (see Jn 14:25-26). The issue at hand could be that we are not staying on the road long enough. It could be that we don’t expect to see the glories of Christ on every page of God’s Word.
In an effort to help jump-start our appreciation and application of all Scripture, I’d like to offer 18 reasons why we should savor the pastoral epistles:
1. It’s an opportunity to reflect on God’s power in transforming those who once hated Him and His people into joyful co-laborers in the gospel.
1 Tim 1:1-3, 12-17; 1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 1-2; 2 Tim 4:10-13, 19-22; Titus 1:1-4; 3:12-15
2. It’s an opportunity to pray for: 1) those defending doctrinal purity, 2) the repentance of those straying from sound doctrine and conduct, and 3) the protection of those being tempted to believe false doctrine.
1 Tim 1:3-7, 18-20; 4:1-3, 6-16; 6:20-21; 2 Tim 1:3-18; 2 Tim 2:1-10, 14-21, 25-26; 2 Tim 3:1-15; 2 Tim 4:1-8, 10, 14-16; Titus 1:10-16; Titus 2:1, 15; 3:9-11
3. It’s an opportunity to learn/recall the purpose of the law, thus growing in our ability to use it in evangelistic efforts.
1 Tim 1:8-11
4. It’s an opportunity to relish the glorious attributes of our King and ascribe Him honor for the blessings that come from Him.
1 Tim 1:1-2, 12-17; 4:4-5; 6:15-16; 2 Tim 2:10-13
5. It’s an opportunity to meditate on the purpose for which Jesus came into the world.
1 Tim 1:15; 1 Tim 2:3-6; 2 Tim 1:8-10
6. It’s an opportunity to obey God in praying for that which is important to Him, and in a pleasing manner.
1 Tim 2:1-3, 8
7. It’s an opportunity to learn/recall the discipline of holiness as God’s chosen people.
1 Tim 2:8-15; 3:15; 4:6-10; 6:11-12
8. It’s an opportunity to pray for God to raise up godly men to care for His Church.
1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 3:5-9
9. It’s an opportunity to pray for existing leaders to be strengthened by the Lord to continue exhibiting holy conduct (along with their wives) while fulfilling their God-given ministry.
1 Tim 3:1-13; 2 Tim 2:22-25; 2 Tim 4:17-18
10. It’s an opportunity for men to evaluate whether the Lord may have them desire the noble task of leading.
1 Tim 3:1; Titus 1:5-9
11. It’s an opportunity to learn/recall the central message God’s collective people confess in both word and conduct.
1 Tim 3:15-16; Titus 2:11-14; 3:3-7
12. It’s an opportunity to reorient our thinking if our hope is not set on the living God.
1 Tim 4:10; Titus 2:13
13. It’s an opportunity to learn how God’s people are to interact with another, given various stages circumstances, and responsibilities in life.
1 Tim 5:1-25; 6:1-2a; Titus 2:2-10; 3:1-2
14. It’s an opportunity to praise God for and invoke His ongoing care for local expressions of His Church.
1 Tim 5:16
15. It’s an opportunity to learn/recall the grotesque nature of sin and the bliss of obedience and contentment.
1 Tim 5:1-25; 6:2b-12
16. It’s an opportunity to repent of a lack of contentment/sinful conduct and prayerfully pursue righteousness.
1 Tim 6:6-19; 2 Tim 3:1-9
17. It’s an opportunity to pray for the propagation of sound doctrine.
2 Tim 2:2; 2 Tim 2:9b
18. It’s an opportunity to relish every portion of God’s Word as necessary in maturing in the likeness of Jesus.
2 Tim 3:16-17
Undoubtedly, if we were to continue squeezing the pulp from these 3 brief letters, our list would grow exponentially. But what we have before us is more than enough to convince us of Scripture’s exceeding value and utility—every word. The goodness of Jesus is to be observed on every page. The Person of Jesus is to be embraced on every page. Let us stay on the road and expect great things of our great God!
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