1 Timothy 1:1-7

1 Timothy 1:1-7  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.  As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work — which is by faith.  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.  They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Today, we have many false doctrines in and around the church.  Within the church we have some people emphasizing only part of the Word of God such as the name-it-claim-it-people.  Outside of the church, but still influencing the church, are ideas such as believing that the power of the mind and positive thinking will reveal the God inside you.  Paul was battling variant philosophies and ideas in the first century as well; some spawned from the Greek culture, others from Judaism.  In the above passage, Paul urges Timothy to rid the Ephesian church of these errant ideas, for they just promote controversies rather than God’s work — which is by faith.  Paul emphasizes that faith in Christ brings love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience, not meaningless talk. 

Today, we also need to stick to the basics.  We believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  We believe that Jesus Christ is God's son.  We place our faith and trust in Jesus' work at the cross and in his subsequent resurrection.  We now live eternal lives IN CHRIST JESUS.  We are imbued with the power of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.  Our lives are committed one hundred percent to God NOW.  As He empowers us, we live his life the best we can.  His will is to be expressed through us, on the mountaintop or in the valley.  We don't hold onto this life dearly, but give it to him willingly.  Our daily activities include prayer, meditation, and reading the Word.  We participate in his body, the church, as much as possible, for we are functioning members of his body here on earth.  As we go about, we live holy, transformed lives, not giving any leeway to the devil to condemn us.  Our actions and reactions reflect his light and goodness to the world, expressing his love as much as possible.  We cling to his grace, mercy, and peace as living testimonies of his life.  

If the people of the world are to see God, they must see him through us.  Philosophies, ideas, and various opinions will not clearly reveal God, only a life committed to Jesus will do that.  Paul wanted Timothy to purify the church from errant doctrines so that the true untainted gospel of peace, mercy and love could be revealed to the people of Ephesus.  We, too, need to make sure that the pure gospel of Christ is resident in us and in our churches.  We should promote the essentials of faith rather than esoteric thoughts or ideas.  The essentials might not allow us to write a book on our newfound revelation or allow us to be lifted up above our brethren, but the basics will allow us to display the peace and mercy of God to a sick and dying world lost in confusion.  The world needs Jesus and his everlasting love, not our profound ideas.