Around AD 66–67, the apostle Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy to instruct him on how people ought to conduct themselves in the church. Some time earlier, Paul had entrusted Timothy with the care of the church in Ephesus. His task was to address and correct the problems that had arisen there—but instead of diminishing, those problems continued to grow (1 Timothy 3:14-15).
The Church of Christ, pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15-16)
The Church of God is vitally important because it serves as a pillar and foundation of the truth in society. It stands upon Christ, who was revealed in the flesh and gave His life for His Church. He was raised from the dead, exalted at the right hand of the Father, and is now proclaimed and believed in throughout the world.
A serious problem: false leaders and false teachings (1 Timothy 1:3-7)
In the church, there were leaders who taught doctrines different from those of Jesus Christ and Paul. Pretending to know the law, they distorted it. They gave heed to deceitful teachings—doctrines inspired by demons—and were led astray. In their desire to become rich, they fell into greed and wandered from the faith. This generated foolish disputes, envy, and constant friction that threatened the spiritual growth of the church. (Read 1 Timothy 1:19-20; 4:1-5; 6:3-10).
To deal with this problem, the church needed to keep in mind:
The law is part of the complete Gospel of Christ (1 Timothy 1:8-20)
Paul taught Timothy that God’s law is good as long as it is used correctly. The law reveals our sinfulness, and Christ came into the world to save sinners. That is the complete Gospel. Therefore, having a correct knowledge of the function of the law is healthy for the spiritual growth of the church.
Correct worship and public prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-15)
The public prayers of the Church were impacted by the false teachings. Therefore, Paul instructs Timothy in the correct public worship of God. Men should pray without anger or strife, praying for all people, including the authorities, so that the church might worship in peace and society would come to the knowledge of the truth. Likewise, women were to reflect the role they had in the church, praying without vanity and with all submissiveness.
Leadership with a good testimony (1 Timothy 3:1-13)
To combat false leaders, Paul mentions various qualities that should be present in people desiring to take up a leadership role (elders and deacons). They should show, through good testimony, that God called them to the ministry. Only males could serve as elders, and those who devoted themselves to preaching and teaching were to be regarded as worthy of double honor. In the diaconate, women could also serve (read 1 Timothy 5:17-21).
Let’s exercise ourselves in a life dedicated to God (1 Timothy 4:6-6:21)
In this part of the letter, the apostle becomes more personal, and advises Timothy to exercise piety. He should train for a life dedicated to God; in his speech, his conduct, his love, his faith and in purity. He should spend time reading, exhorting, and teaching the Word and abide by it. He should be respectful towards both the old and the young in church, and honor old and helpless widows. He should be impartial when making decisions. And he should cling to eternal life, fighting the battle of faith with his hope in the glorious return of Jesus Christ.
Paul, through Timothy, encourages young widows to marry, have children, and run their homes well. He urges servants to respect their masters. And he encourages the rich to use their money to do good, being generous. In this way he also exhorts the church to exercise godliness.
“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.” (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Get a good introduction about the Bible in What is the Bible?