Timothy, Sound Doctrine will Produce: Sacrificial Love, Godly Conscience, and Unhypocritical Faith (1 Timothy 1:5)

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart
and a good conscience and sincere faith”
(1 Timothy 1:5, ESV)

In 1 Timothy 1:3-4, the apostle Paul writes against “different doctrine.” He warned Timothy and the church of Ephesus to rejects false doctrines and stay away from meaningless myths and endless genealogies. Now Paul is calling their attentions instead to sound doctrine or more accurately, the product of sound doctrine. The “aim” or “end” here is the goal. Thus, as we preach and teach and live God’s Word, it will produce these results:

#1 “Love that issues from a pure heart…” as you know, there are three Greek words for love. First, eros has to do with sensual passion, sexual involvement (our word erotic is from this). Secondly, philo, meaning ‘affection, human feeling or tenderness.’ We live in a society which can’t seem to tell the difference between these two and can’t seem to move from first to the second. Thirdly, is agapao and refers to divine love, love which is measured by sacrifice (remember Jesus). It is the main word in John 3:16. This is the word which is used here. Sound doctrine produces God’s love in our hearts. This love comes from a “pure heart,” a heart that has been cleansed and made pure by the blood of Christ.

#2 “…a good conscience…” ‘Let your conscience be your guide,’ someone advise. Ever hear that? For many, this is the rule of life (‘Ikut gerak hati atau nanuri kamu’). Good advice? Not necessary, not always. You see, your conscience can be influenced. Or let me put it this way: Your conscience acts on the basis of the knowledge it has. In the Old Testament, when the pagan Canaanites worship their gods, they would sacrifice their babies into the fire. Their consciences would have hurt them if they had not done it. However, child sacrifice is wrong! Their consciences were wrong! They had been feed the wrong information, indoctrinated. “A good conscience” here is one which has been purified by the blood of Christ from “dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). It is now give guidance to the believers like us based upon the right information in the light of God’s Word as applied by the Holy Spirit.

#3 Finally, sound doctrine will produce “…sincere faith.” In another word, the result is unhypocritical faith. How much the testimony of Christ has been hurt because of people who professed a faith they did not possess. Their lives – words and actions – have denied what their lip professed. In contrast, when a sinner genuinely comes to Christ and believes the “sound doctrine” of the Scripture, he or she no longer has to ‘play act’ (meaning hypocrite) at being a Christian. He or she now has an unhypocritical faith, sincere faith! 

Is your kind of Christianity produces love which is measured by sacrifice (pure heart)?

Is your conscience cleansed by Christ’s blood and based on God’s Word (good conscience)?

Is your faith is unhypocritical faith (sincere faith)?

Sound doctrine will produces all of the above. Examine your life.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.