HERE’S THE GOAL
1 Timothy 1:3-5 CSB
3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine 4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. 5 Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
Paul is writing to Timothy, his protege and a young man whom Paul considered a true son in the faith. Timothy was leading a mega church in Ephesus and experiencing some challenges. Paul’s letter is encouraging the young pastor and giving him instructions as to how to help the church move forward. Paul’s letter is both instructional and personal.
Paul instructed Timothy to command some of the teachers in the church to stop teaching doctrine that was not accurate. Paul of all people knew what proper teaching consisted of and what was erroneous. One of the areas of false teachings was the endless genealogies. The Jewish teachers were constantly referring to their natural heritage as Jews, and Paul knew this was a waste of time. Couple that with the promotion of fables and myths, and these false teachings were generating disputes and division. The contrast to all this worthless teaching was the truth, which consisted of godly edification or building up that came as a result of a message that produced faith in the hearers. This is always a good way to measure a teaching. Does it produce questions and disputes, or does it build up our faith and strengthen us spiritually? Paul instructed Timothy to put a stop to the false and promote the true.
And here is the goal of true doctrine, true teaching. This godly instruction will produce love from a pure heart in the believers. True teaching will produce a good conscience and genuine faith. All three of these qualities are valuable.
Love from a pure heart is a sure way to stay inside the will of God. Paul did not just single out faith but placed a strong emphasis on the divine kind of love that Jesus commanded us to walk in. In the letters to the Thessalonians, Paul was constantly referring to the faith and love of the believers. We have often looked at love as an option, but Paul considered love an important necessity.
A good conscience. Our conscience is that inner witness of our heart that lets us know when we are doing right or doing wrong. When a person receives Christ, their conscience becomes an excellent guide, provided they listen to it. When a person comes to the Lord, they know when they have sinned and missed it because their conscience will let them know. Often, we have accused the Holy Spirit of condemning us when, in actuality, He is there to help us get back on track, and it’s our own conscience that’s giving us the trouble. But when our conscience is clear, then we have confidence with God and we can lie down at night and sleep in peace.
Sincere or genuine faith. Faith that is real, not put on. Faith that is not for show. Faith that stems from God’s Word and good teaching. This faith was what Paul wanted to see in the lives of the believers in Ephesus. Genealogies and fables will not produce this kind of faith; thus, Paul’s admonishing Timothy to make the correction.
There was a goal that Paul was shooting for in the churches that he founded. Pure-hearted love. A good, clear conscience and sincere faith.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I purpose to pursue love, a good conscience, and sincere faith in my life. Show me what I can do on my end to grow in all three of these.