Suggestions for leading a study:

• Familiarize yourself with the passage in context, including the book itself.  Who wrote it to whom, and why?
• Read through the study guide a couple times to get the “big idea” as well as the flow of the argument
• Have the group read through the passage in it’s entirety before beginning the study.  One of the goals is to try to get your members to learn how to study Scripture methodically, and this is an important step.
• Be prayed up
• Have fun!
  

Gripe or Go

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
²To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
³As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer ⁴nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith. ⁵The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. ⁷They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.  (New International Version)

Discussion Questions

-According to verses 3&4, what were the false teachers trying to encourage in the church?

            -These were clearly un-Christian ways of thinking.  Do you think that we can argue over things that may not be un-Christian, but still create “controversy”? 

-According to verse 4, what should good teaching promote? 

            -Why is it important that God’s work be “by faith?”  How does that avoid controversy in the church?

-Do you think that a church with a common focus on getting the work of God done by faith is less susceptible to internal arguments and controversy over doctrine?

-According to verse 5, what is the goal of working together? How does doing the work of God promote that?

-Name the 3 things that should motivate our love:

            1._____________________________

            2._____________________________

            3._____________________________

-Now name what your would consider to be the opposite of each of these attitudes:

            1._____________________________

            2._____________________________

            3._____________________________

-How does each of these attitudes that are opposed to what should motivate us promote controversy in the church?

Leaders' Guide

This lesson points out the contrast between a church that spends its time arguing  over doctrine and a church with a common focus on mission.

According to verses 3&4, what were the false teachers trying to encourage in the church?

            The simple answer is false teachings.  Apparently, in this context in the church at Ephesus, that had something to do with genealogies and mythologies.  What precisely these were remains unclear, and since they are, in fact, “false”, there is no particular reason why they  shouldn’t remain so.  Just get the simple answers for this one and pass on to the next question, which brings the application into the present day.

            -These were clearly un-Christian ways of thinking.  Do you think that we can argue over things that may not be un-Christian, but still create “controversy”? 

            Obviously, doctrines that are clearly un-biblical need to be rejected in the church.  This asks the question about those many areas in the church where well meaning people think differently.  In other words, the so-called “non-essential” doctrines that can promote so much controversy and division in the church. The term in the original language denotes questions, or uncertainties.  Things that make people unsure of how they should really be thinking.  Sacraments, charismatic gifts, end times, methods of church governance, styles of worship are some areas that have raised questions in the church.  The make up of your group will determine what sorts of things have created controversy in their own contexts.  Trying to identify specific areas will help bring this lesson home.

-According to verse 4, what should good teaching promote? 

            This translation  says, “God’s work—which is by faith.”  Some say edifying, or ministering, or administration.  The bottom line is a contrast Paul is making between fruitless arguments over doctrine in the church and fruitful efforts that really accomplish something.

            -Why is it important that God’s work be “by faith?”  How does that avoid controversy in the church?

            Clearly there are works, and there are works.  Paul qualifies the work he is talking about to make sure that they are efforts grounded in our faith in Christ Jesus.  When people do their works in the church because they want to show off, or wield power, or any other self-centered motivation, then that can promote division rather than ministry in the congregation.  Try asking, “what other motivations might there be for our ministry other than our faith?”  Anyone who has had to listen to a solo by someone who is clearly demonstrating their own ability rather than giving God the glory, or been in a business meeting when someone had an axe to grind, should be able to come up with some illustrations.  Be sure to avoid naming names or letting people grind their own axes, especially if specific people are involved.  Don’t ever let your group degenerate into a gripe session—this lesson is meant to promote precisely the reverse.

-Do you think that a church with a common focus on getting the work of God done by faith is less susceptible to internal arguments and controversy over doctrine?

            One of the best ways to promote unity in any group is to have a common outward focus.  Without that, any group tends to turn their focus inward and often-times degenerates into squabbling over things that just aren’t as important as getting the job done.

-According to verse 5, what is the goal of working together? How does doing the work of God promote that?

            The goal is love.  Keep in mind that in biblical thought, love is not primarily an emotion as we tend to think of it, but rather an action that expresses concern for other people over our own self interests.  Clearly, that is a good synopsis of the ministry God calls us to.  The wonderful thing about that kind of action is that while it is certainly motivated by an attitude of love, engaging in it also helps to encourage and mature that attitude in us. 

-Name the 3 things that should motivate our love:

            These are listed in verse 5:

            1.a pure heart

            2.A good conscience

            3.a sincere faith

-Now name what you would consider to be the opposite of each of these attitudes:

            People will come up with different antonyms to these terms, but some examples might be:

            1.an unrighteous heart

            2.a guilty conscience

            3.a self-centered faith

-How does each of these attitudes, which are opposed to what should motivate us, promote controversy in the church?

            Anything goes here.  Works from an impure heart could (and have) resulted in real relational dysfunctions in churches, sometimes even abuse.  Being motivated by a conscience that isn’t clean often makes us critical and judgmental as we attempt to paint other people as even worse than we are to make ourselves feel better.  A faith that lacks sincerity will motivate ministries that accrue to our own benefit, or build up our own egos rather than God’s kingdom.

-How can we as a church focus on getting the work of God done with right motivations, rather than arguing over things?

            Just a practical application question to make sure that as a body we are always using an outward focus for ministry and mission to keep us from internal squabbling and division over things that aren’t as important as winning a hurting world for Jesus Christ.