***1 Timothy 1:5 (NLT) The purpose of my instruction is…

***1 Timothy 1:5 (NLT) 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.***

Paul expanded his instruction to Timothy by reminding him and anyone else who would read the letter that the correction of the false teachers would do them good, not harm. The false teachers were motivated by mere curiosity and a desire to gain prestige as intellectuals. In contrast, genuine Christian teachers are filled with love.

There are three sources of real love:

1. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus said, “God blesses those whose hearts are pure.” A pure heart is devoted to God and free from guilt and corruption. We must keep ourselves morally straight. God purifies us, but there is action we must take to keep morally fit. Daily application of God’s Word has a purifying effect on our heart and mind. It enables us to love freely.

2. In order to love properly, our conscience must be clear. First, it must be clean from unconfessed sin so that guilt doesn’t hinder us. Second, our motives must be free from pride and personal gain. Then we can love openly.

3. When we attempt to love others without sincere faith in Christ, our efforts to minister become hollow and self-serving. Sincere faith enables us to love genuinely. The commands and instructions in this letter to Timothy reveal Paul’s desire to maintain the purest truth in all the church’s teachings. As a mother nourishes her child with pure foods, so is Paul nourished the infant church with only pure teaching—the truth of God’s Word. He focused on the truth and love of the gospel (see 1 Corinthians 13).

The false teachers were motivated by a spirit of curiosity and a desire to gain power and prestige. By contrast, genuine Christian teachers are motivated by sincere faith and a desire to do what is right. It may be exciting to impress people with our great knowledge, but high status based on falsehood is ultimately empty.