Day 73 - Issue 42
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1 Timothy 1:5-6
'The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point.'
You only need to look at the religious section in your local bookshop to see that our society is still incredibly interested in religion. There is still a massive appetite to learn about God, the universe and the meaning and purpose of life. But there
is enormous confusion too! That means that we have a great deal in common with Paul. His world was also stacked full of different religions and philosophies and so, when Christianity emerged, it had to compete with a number of rivals. It wasn’t at all easy to establish a church; Paul knew better than anyone how tough the fight was.
In this letter, Paul was keen to encourage his young friend Timothy as he led a fledgling church. We get the impression that Timothy was a gentle and rather timid man, and so Paul was keen that he had clarity on what his role was. He had left Timothy in Ephesus in order to oppose the false teaching that was in circulation. Timothy needed to be tough, to stand up for the truth and give clear instructions but, at the heart of everything, was love. There was no point in having correct doctrine if it wasn’t bathed in love. For Paul, that kind of godly love flowed from three things: a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. That is to say love flows from people who know that they have been forgiven, who are trusting God completely, and who are committed to single-minded obedience to God.
It’s incredibly important that we seek to understand Christian truth and become increasingly effective in sharing it with others, but it is more important that we are filled with love.
Question: Why is love so important that Paul describes it as the purpose of his instruction?
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the way in which you have shown me perfect love through your son Jesus Christ. Help me to pass on your love to those I meet today. Amen.
Released on 22 Sep 2022
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