The Goal of Our Instruction is Love
The context in which Paul wrote the Christian motivation for ministry of God’s Word was false teaching (1 Timothy 1:3–11). Sound teaching is essential for the Christian faith to flourish. We must speak the truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Paul wrote, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Tim 1:5).” We must have each of these components to thrive in our stewardship of the Gospel and be found faithful and true.
First, Christianity is taught. Our instruction passes the faith on from generation to generation of newly born again believers in Jesus. We possess the knowledge of God in Christ, who is the wisdom of God. We must learn Christ, which surpasses all other knowledge and every other pursuit. God brings mature Christians to help babes in Christ, to grow with the milk and then the meat of the Word. He has also appointed elders in the churches. These men of God should be apt to teach. This is an aptitude of learned content, and it must include capable delivery through preaching and teaching.
Second, the messenger must possess a pure heart. The Bible teaches us that the human heart is desperately wicked and sick (Jer 17:9). Sin pollutes every intention of our hearts and bends our will to do evil. We need a clean heart. David asked God to create that anew in him (Ps 51). David knew his sins and knew that only God could wash him clean. We are in the same position as David. We are not good people (Rom 3:10–12), and our works are as murderous and adulterated as the second king of Israel (1010–970 B.C.), according to Jesus’ interpretation of the Law (Mt 5).
Paul knew the churches had been infiltrated by opportunistic wolves in sheep’s clothing. Legalistic Judaisers and Antinomian Libertines operated on opposites ends of the spectrum. Their instruction had little to do with the doctrines of grace. It requires a pure heart to honestly present a holy God and His Gospel of peace toward sinners. False teachers plagued Israel (Ezek 34), and the church has been riddled with them in every generation.
A pure heart is made by God, who has shined the light of Christ and poured out His love within our hearts (Rom 5:5; 2 Cor 4:6). In having mercy upon us (Rom 9:15), God has given us a heart for Him. We have become new creatures with new heart affections (2 Cor 5:17). Our hearts have been invaded by the Holy Spirit and converted through preachers of the Gospel message. The washing of the water by the Word has purified and continues to purify our hearts (Eph 5:26). We love the truth.
Third, we need a good conscience to be teachers of God’s Word. We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), and we have the indwelling Spirit (Rom 8:9, 11), who governs our conscience. Conscience is self-awareness. Sin causes delusion of the mind (1 Cor 2:14). It causes people to think wrong thoughts. Sinners are plagued with a guilty conscience, but the blood of Christ cleanses the Christian conscience to free us to serve the living God (Heb 9:14). Paul was conscious that he was the chief of sinners, and he confessed to the Romans that he struggled with sins (Rom 7). John encouraged his readers to confess their sins because God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9). If we sin, we have advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous (1 Jn 2:1). His banner over us is love.
Fourth, we need a sincere faith. Faith is a gift of God (Eph 2:8–9; Phil 1:29). Faith is founded on the truth of God’s Word. It is not a blind leap, but it is established by evidence deemed acceptable. God is true (Rom 3:4), and He has made promises to His people. A measure of faith has been given to each believer in Jesus Christ (Rom 12:3), but even as we believe we need to have more faith. The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith (Lk 17:5). Faith comes with assurance, and it serves as our mark of approval (Heb 11:1). We cannot please God without faith (Heb 11:6).
Faith must be tested, as it was in those who have gone before us (Heb 11). For us to instruct others in the faith, we must possess faith in a sincere manner. We need God’s help when our faith wavers (Mk 7:24). Jesus often accused His disciples of having too little faith. If a man does not have faith, then he does not belong in the position of a preacher or teacher. Faith is key (1 Cor 13:13), and faithfulness is the fruit of His Spirit (Gal 5:22). God has demonstrated His love toward us (Rom 5:8), and we must believe His testimony that Christ’s death on the Cross was an act of love.
Fifth, we have a goal in the instructive ministry of God’s Word. Goals are intended ends. We set them, in order to hit the preferred mark. Paul only lists one goal in writing to Timothy. Other goals could have competed with this one goal. Knowledge could have been a goal, but knowledge puffs up the ego. We need the knowledge of God in Christ, but without Paul’s stated goal, knowledge will have its own prideful end. What we need is the greatest thing of all…love.
Sixth, the goal of our instruction is love. Jesus summed up the Law, as loving God first and loving our neighbors, too. If teachers speak with eloquence, but do not have love, it is nothing. If a teacher preaches the Word of God with all knowledge, but does not love people in the process, it is nothing. Living out the social gospel or self-sacrificing oneself, even to the point of death, without love is nothing. Paul argued for love in the preaching ministry to the Corinthians (1 Cor 14). Love was essential in John’s view of the ministry, too (1 John).
Love is the end goal objective. It is what is produced in the recipient of our teaching. Thus, we teach with love as our motive, and love is produced in our students. Love does not dilute the truth, rather it rejoices in the truth. God is love, and God is true. God sent love and truth to us, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In these latter days, God has spoken to us through His Son (Heb 1:2), the Word of truth made flesh and made to dwell among us (Jn 1:14). We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man, with all wisdom that we may present every man complete in Christ (Col 1:28).
Love is the means. Love is the end. Love came into the world. Love came into our hearts. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love will eat its fruit (Prov 18:21). Paul encouraged Timothy further, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (2 Tim 1:7).” Love is powerful. Men promise hope and change, but only love can transform the heart and change a person from within. People need to learn this again and again.
Finally, it is our instruction. “Our” instruction is set against those who teach strange doctrines (2 Cor 11:3–4). Paul does this with the disjunctive conjunction, “But…” Teachers of God’s Word possess the biblical message, the Word of faith and truth. We have learned it together from our fathers in the faith, and we are passing it on to our spiritual progeny, in love. For us to love one another, we must stir up one another to love and good works. This includes the next generation of Gospel preachers and teachers. We must love one another, so the world might know us for who we are in Christ…the beloved.
In conclusion, we need more love. We must not let our love grow cold. As we deliver heat and light, let us deliver it with love…or it is nothing.
David E. Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 17, 2020
