As Paul the apostle
continued to instruct young Timothy, his “son in the faith”,
he gave him the commission to “charge some that they teach no
other doctrine” and “neither give heed to fables and
endless genealogies”. Doing so would only lead to “questions,
rather than” building others up in the faith. In chapter one
and verse six of his letter, Paul tells Timothy “the end of the
commandment is charity”, “a good conscience” and
“faith unfeigned” where we read:
Now the end of the
commandment is charity out of a pure heart,
The
verse begins, “Now the end of the commandment is charity
out of a pure heart,” Paul
began this verse with, “Now the end”
or “the limit at which a thing ceases to be, the finish, the
last in succession or close” “of the commandment” which
refers to an “announcement or proclaiming of a message or law”
“is charity” which is the Greek word “agape” and means
“affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love and
unconditional love”. Those who were promoting “fables and
endless genealogies” were known as “Judaizers”, and they
were only causing disturbances or “questions” among the
church at Ephesus with their stories and lineages when the original
intent of the “commandment” or “law” of God was to
promote love toward God and others. Jesus said in the gospel of
Matthew in chapter twenty-two and verses thirty-seven through forty,
“You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments
hang all the law and the prophets.”
Paul went on to add, “out
of a pure heart” or springing
out “clean, free from corrupt desire, free from sin and
guilt, free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine,
blameless, innocent, unstained with the guilt of anything”. This
attitude is far from the “heart” of the “Judaizers” who were
using the law to promote the bondage of legalism to relate to God and
others.
The verse continues, “and
of a good conscience,” The
second trait given by Paul was, “and of a good”
or “useful, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent,
distinguished, upright and honorable” “conscience” which
is a reference to “the soul as distinguishing between what is
morally good and bad”. Not only was the “commandment” to
bring a person to love God and others, but it would also keep them
with a “happy, joyful, upright and morally good soul”. There is
no comparison to a clear“conscience”, and we are never
happier than when we are free from guilt and shame.
Finally the verse says, “and
of faith unfeigned:” Finally
Paul adds, “and of faith” which
is the “conviction of the truth of anything and belief particularly
relating to the conviction that God exists and is the creator
and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal
salvation through Christ” and with “a strong and welcome
conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we
obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God”. Paul said this
“faith” should be “unfeigned” which
means “sincere and undisguised”. “Faith” should
not be “hypocritical, dead, and unfruitful faith, but faith which
works by love”.
As we meditate upon these
words of Paul, let us ask ourselves whether our ways promote love
toward God and others. Let's also examine whether we have a “good
conscience” which is free from guilt and shame, and let's look
at our “faith”. Is it “unfeigned”, sincere and
undisguised? May the Lord shine the light of His love upon us, direct
us where needed, and remove any ways about us that do not represent
Him as Paul has said lest we be known as those who lead others
astray.
Next
time Paul shares about “vain jangling”, so read ahead, and
we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment