Year 2, Week 48, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 48, Day 5

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Timothy 1-4.

Today’s reading covers the opening chapters of 1 Timothy. The Book of 1 Timothy is a personal letter of instruction to one of Paul’s proteges, Timothy: “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:2). Timothy, who had been sent to the church at Ephesus to assist in the work, received guidance from Paul containing how the church was to conduct itself: “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15). 1 Timothy 1 says much about false teachers and their false teachings: “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3). 1 Timothy 2 spends much time addressing facets of corporate worship: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). 1 Timothy 3 focuses on qualifications for the offices of elder and deacon: "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task…For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 3:1,13). 1 Timothy 4 consists of several particular pieces of counsel to Timothy: “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was Paul’s counsel concerning what is the intended outcome of teaching that is faithful to the Scriptures: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). The specific charge that Paul is speaking of was a charge to Timothy as to what he should do in response to false teachers and their false teachings: “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine.” False teachers must be stopped and their false teachings must stop. Paul labels what must be stopped as a, “different doctrine.” Paul will use that same term at this end of this same letter: “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” (1 Timothy 6:3-4). Paul adds further clarity as to the meaning of a “different doctrine.” Any teaching that hasn't come from Jesus is aberrant, and teaching that does not come from Jesus will not produce godliness. Jesus’ teachers, which He taught to the Apostles, were  preserved and transmitted to the Apostles by the Holy Spirit: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). So, a “different doctrine” is doctrine or a teaching provided by Jesus, and therefore promotes true godliness. Paul charges Timothy to stop those who taught anything different. 

The design behind Paul’s charge is love. The aim or goal of Paul telling Timothy to tell the false teacher to stop their false teaching is love. To tell someone to stop doing something wrong is not the first thing that comes to mind when considering what love consists of. But error is never connected to true love and it is never loving to allow someone to promote error: “Love…does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:4,6). Error does not produce love; love is never built on the foundation of error. Only truth fosters love; love is always to be built on the foundation of truth. So, negatively stated, the reason you would stop a false teacher and false teaching is because a false teacher and false teaching never produces love. Stopping the false teaching from being promulgated gives optimism of how love could be produced. Positively stated, we could just simply say that the goal of faithful Christian teaching, the end game of faithful Christian doctrine ought to be the manufacturer and the creation of love in our hearts and lives. The goal of teaching the truth and the goal of countering falsehoods is love.

Paul gives some defining qualities of love. Paul is talking about a kind of love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. The qualities of love consist of hearts that are pure, that is, fully devoted to Jesus; a good conscience, that is, a conscience that is regulated by Jesus; and a sincere faith, that is, a life that is truly reliant on Jesus. It takes a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith to be a person of love. Only the Apostolic doctrines derived from and oriented around Jesus can foster a life of love. Error can never produce love; thus, it is loving to refute and rebuke error.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe