Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Summary: Teaching others is a wonderful calling and profession, if we are teaching God’s truth. For those who teach otherwise, there are consequences.
Now that we have discussed what evil actually is and have a better understanding of what the law is, let’s look at what it means to be a “teacher of the law.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:7 – Part III: Teachers of the Law”
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Summary: Deciding what is “evil” seems easy to most of us. “Evil” is anything we don’t like or don’t approve of. But what about God’s definition of “evil?”
If the law is a signpost that warns us against evil, what is evil? This is the next BIG question. Did the serpent lie about that, too?
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:7 – Part II: What is Evil? “
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Summary: The topic of the law opens the door to many related questions. The first one we will deal with has to do with the nature of the law itself.
In our last meditation, we discussed the meaning of the verb “judge.” The Bible instructs us to make good judgments about the things we say and do, but warns us against making moral judgments about other people.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:7 – Part I: What is the Law?”
Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
Summary: With this passage, Paul dives into the deep end of the pool and invites us to follow. As we consider his words, we pause and think about the nature of judging.
At this point in his letter, Paul is quite blunt. He begins to call out the difference between people who “teach false doctrines” (1 Tim 1:3) and those whose lives reflect a “sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5).
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:6 – Our Struggle”
[The goal of this command is love, which comes from]… a sincere faith.
Summary: Wrapping up our discussion of Paul’s three reasons for his “command,” we come to the question of faith. What is it and why is it important?
Writing to Timothy about the need to “command” misguided believers in Jesus not to do certain things,* he says the goal is love (agapē). He then explains that there are three sources, three artesian springs if you will, where the headwaters of love spring from. The three sources are:
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:5d – The Headwaters of Love”
… and a good conscience…
Summary: Paul’s words are intended to guide us to a better understanding of godly love (agapē). The second key to success that he provides deals with having a good conscience.
Where are we again? (It is easy to get lost in these word studies…)
Paul’s whole sentence reads, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience …”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:5c – Conscious of Conscience”
[The goal of this command is love]… which comes from a pure heart …
Summary: Understanding how love comes from a pure heart requires that we understand what the Bible means by the word “love.”
In 1984, Tina Turner had a hit song called “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”* The chorus went like this:
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:5b – Love’s Pure Heart”
The goal of this command is love, (which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.)
Summary: When Paul tells us that the goal of the command he has given to Timothy is love, he forces us to think deeply about what love is and who we are supposed to love.
Before we dive into a closer look at what Paul says in this verse, let’s step back for a moment to gain some perspective.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:5a – Commanded to Love”
[… advancing God’s work] — which is by faith.
Summary: Advancing God’s work by faith might sound simple, but some aspects of this task can be incredibly hard.
When we talk about “God’s work,” we are talking about something very different from what we normally think of as “work.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:4c – By Faith”
Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—
Summary: Understanding Paul’s intent in this passage provides us with a valuable opportunity to reflect on what God wants us to do with our lives.
If we are correct in our analysis so far, Paul has instructed Timothy to command “certain people” who claim to be followers of Christ* to stop promoting “controversial speculations.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:4b – God’s Work”