The first chapter of this letter addresses the issue of false teachers and reminds Timothy of the amazing salvation we have from sin in Jesus Christ.
The following points strike me from this letter:
1) Remain in Ephesus.
In verse 3, Paul urges Timothy to “remain in Ephesus.” Clearly there are many issues in this church, and Timothy surely felt overwhelmed at times, particularly without his mentor Paul there to help and guide him.
But the fact that Paul encouraged Timothy to remain in Ephesus, despite its sinful environment, rather than going somewhere more receptive to the Gospel, is encouragement to those of us living in places where there is opposition to the Gospel. It is good for God’s people to be in the world, witnessing like lights in the darkness.
It can be enormously discouraging at times to see the lack of fellow believers and to have many friends who are hostile to God, but it is often God’s will for us to remain in these ‘Ephesuses’ and continue to witness and live as an ambassador for Christ.
(This is to say nothing of our brothers and sisters facing true persecution for their faith, and they remain in our thoughts and prayers always.)
2) Oppose false doctrine.
The reason Paul urges Timothy to remain in Ephesus is so that he can “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (v4).
‘Stewardship’ can also mean ‘orderly plan’ so in this verse it can refer to: a) God’s orderly plan for salvation or b) Human responsibility to partner with God in this orderly plan for salvation. Either way, the point is that God has set out our salvation for us in Jesus Christ and the church should respond by proclaiming this Good News, not anything else.
We should always oppose false doctrine. The church is meant to proclaim the truth (and there can only be one truth) and any additions or perversions of this should be cut off immediately. The “myths and endless genealogies” might indicate an early form of Gnosticism (which was a second-century movement suggesting that salvation was ‘accessed’ through ‘secrete knowledge’).
As Calvin points out: “Paul will not acknowledge the Church except where God’s truth is exalted and plain.”
I think this speaks to many churches today, but I especially think of the Prosperity Gospel; this is clearly a perversion of the truth.
We preach Christ crucified. We preach the Good News. We proclaim God’s truth. We should not add to this, we should not twist it for our gain.
“Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” (D.T. Niles).
3) Remain motivated by love.
In verse 5: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Our goal is love; we should be motivated by love, not pride or greed or legalism or any other selfish desire.
A pure heart manifests itself by showing love to others (not just professing faith which doesn’t impact our lives). We can have a good conscience because we know that in Christ Jesus we are free from the crushing guilt of sin. We show that our faith is sincere by depending on God and not ourselves. These things lead us to love.
Paul points out the danger of swerving from these things: wandering to vain discussion (idle talk), wanting to be teachers of the law which they do not understand (pride can be very dangerous), making confident assertions which can lead others astray.
These warnings are unfortunately very relatable. I am so often motivated by pride instead of love. Even in church my pride can guide my actions. I think of Jesus: “seek first the kingdom of God.”
In days of social media accounts ‘for the Lord’, and young celebrity preachers, and debates on women in leadership, pride is an easy and lethal trap to fall into. But we should be guided by love. Leave everything else aside. Jesus, all for Jesus. I write and I speak and I tell others about Jesus because I love Jesus. And when I find myself slipping, I come back to Him, kneeling by the cross, confessing my sin again.
4) There is no sin too great to separate us from Jesus.
Paul ends this chapter with an incredible encouragement: salvation is for all. There is no sin too great to separate us from Jesus.
He points to himself, calling himself ‘the foremost sinner.’ But “the grace of our Lord overflowed for [him] with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (v14).
Paul asserts that through his own testimony, God is able to show his exceeding mercy. Paul was a persecutor of the church; he was as hostile to God and His people as he could be. And yet God saved him. His mercy covers our sins. We are never ‘too far gone’ for forgiveness.
Furthermore, his former sins were not held against him. He became one of the greatest missionaries to ever live. As Spurgeon explains: “After Paul was saved, he became a foremost sinat. The Lord did not allot him a second-class place in the church…the Lord did not say ‘I save you, but I shall always remember your wickedness to your disadvantage.’ Brother, there is no reason why, if you have gone very far in sin, you should not go equally far in usefulness.”
God has an amazing pattern of repurposing broken sin for His glory. Paul’s testimony reminds us that we are never too far from Jesus.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
