1 Timothy – Page 11 – Three Minute Bible

February 5, 2026February 6, 2026

1 Timothy 1:10b – Sound Doctrine

Picture of the cross connected to seeds and fruit by colorful threads. (Grok)

… and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine…

Summary: Paul and Timothy both know what “sound doctrine” is. You can see it in the letter that Paul writes to Timothy.

Since this is part of one of Paul’s famous “paragraph long” sentences, let’s look back and see how we got here. He begins with an introduction: “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.” Then he starts his sentence with, “We also know that the law is made… for lawbreakers and rebels…” Eventually, he gets around to “…and for whatever else is contrary to … sound doctrine…”

February 4, 2026February 5, 2026

1 Timothy 1:9b-10a – Squinting

Picture of a digital rendering of the Ark of the Covenant (Pixabay)

[The law is made for]… lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers …

Summary: Paul’s list of examples of false teachers who violate the law closely parallels God’s Ten Commandments.

If you squint when you look at this passage, it is possible to “see” the law Paul is talking about.

February 3, 2026February 4, 2026

1 Timothy 1:9a – Challenge Enough

a picture of a kitten playing with a ball of colored "yarn" except that the words of 1 Timothy 1 are on the yarn. (Grok)

We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for …

Summary: As Paul leads us into his list of people the law was made for, it is good to pause and consider our personal role in the Body of Christ.

Paul’s sentences can be difficult to follow. He says: ”We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for …”

February 2, 2026February 3, 2026

1 Timothy 1:8 – Part II: Cleaning House

Picture of a farmer puzzled by various tools - rake, shovel, hammer, and saw. (Grok)

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

Summary: Using the law to clean up our behavior is a good thing. Before something can be cleaned, though, it has to want to be cleaned.

Now that we have briefly looked at the different kinds of law that both Paul and Timothy were aware of, let’s examine how the law is used “properly.”

January 31, 2026February 2, 2026

1 Timothy 1:8 – Part I: Which Law?

A picture of a Greek building labeled "Moral Law" on top of a foundation of "Covenant Law" which, in turn, is on top of a foundation label "Ontological Law" (Grok)

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

Summary: Paul continues to lead us into deeper and deeper waters with his instructions to Timothy about the use of the law.

Most of Paul’s letters are written to churches. The two letters he wrote to Timothy and his letter to Titus are different — very different!

January 30, 2026January 31, 2026

1 Timothy 1:7 – Part IV: Whose Law?

Moses carrying the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments on them (Grok)

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: When we talk about being a teacher of the law, it is important to consider the source of the laws we are teaching. They are not all the same.

Before we move on, we need to spend a few minutes talking about the difference between God’s laws and man’s laws.

January 29, 2026January 30, 2026

1 Timothy 1:7 – Part III: Teachers of the Law

A college professor stands at the blackboard writing the word "LAW." (Grok)

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.”

January 28, 2026January 29, 2026

1 Timothy 1:7 – Part II: What is Evil?

Picture of a hand holding a baby snake (Pixabay)

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?

January 27, 2026January 28, 2026

1 Timothy 1:7 – Part I: What is the Law?

Picture is of a woodland trail with a sign beside it saying "Stay Out! Evil Ahead!" (Grok)

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.

January 26, 2026January 27, 2026

1 Timothy 1:6 – Our Struggle

A picture of a balance scale. On once side is a bright, pure, heart, and on the other a dark object (Grok)

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).