“Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” 1 Timothy 1:5
Dear Ones:
When Paul wrote his two letters to Timothy, he did so in view of his soon departure to go and be with Christ. He is writing to his “son in the faith” a letter that seeks to clarify the great issues that are facing Timothy, who will in very real sense, succeed the Apostle. In these two letters Paul again and again writes concerning Timothy’s calling, his gifts, and responsibility. And though there is the dealing with a good many issues with regard to the church, its functioning, and how one is to act and live in the body of Christ, there is a central theme which he brings to light as fundamental to all else. It is that of the love of Christ. He writes to Timothy that the “end” or purpose for the commandment, or charge that Timothy has received from God, is LOVE. Paul qualifies this word, “love” by using the word in Greek which refers to the Love which God gives by the Spirit. It is the love of the Father towards the Son, and vice versa. It is a love which is NOT of this world, but has its origin only in heaven in the One who has created us all, and whose desire is to redeem us all. Why is the great objective of all teaching, ministry, and commitment according to the truth, the experience of the love of God? It is because it is the greatest manifestation, or revelation, of the holy life and nature of God. Without it, we are nothing. With the revelation of it comes the realization of the purpose of our existence.
In our consideration of this unexpected purpose, and reason, for all ministry and building up of the church, what is the basis for every believer to believe God for a knowledge and experience of this love? It begins with a promise, the promise of the Father, and declared by the Son. Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection: “…but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, you have heard of Me.” (Acts 1:4) Before the crucifixion, He had told his disciples: “It is expedient for you that I go away:…if I depart, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) unto you.” (Jn.16:7) What is so very important about the promise of the Holy Spirit who was to come at Pentecost? In the coming of the Spirit, the mystery and miracle of the birth of the church occurred when Christ, by His Spirit, came to dwell IN the believer. This baptism into Christ immediately meant that the same LOVE that was in Christ, was now IN the believer. The love that Christ called on Peter to have, and the disciples to live in loving God and their neighbors, now dwelt in the heart of every believer, by virtue of the presence of the Spirit of God. From a doctrinal standpoint, at Pentecost there was created an inseparable union between Christ and His church, specifically every believer. The believer became eternally “complete” in Christ, so that he might live by Christ’s sufficient, and indestructible life…and love. How then was this to be practically realized?
Again in Paul’s first letter, he tells Timothy that this experiential knowledge of the love of God comes only when the heart is pure, or clean. There can be no unconfessed sin, no cloud between the believer and the Lord. Secondly, the believer must be of a “good conscience.” Paul wrote to the Romans that anything not of faith is sin. The conscience is God’s umpire to reveal that which is not of faith. A good conscience is to have no contest with God on anything. Thirdly, the believer is to have a faith, “unfeigned.” Faith can never be with mixed motives. True faith is personal trust in a Person alone, with no ulterior motives. True faith is that which is wholly, unreservedly in Christ, and Him alone.
Dear Father, Enable us to use these three criteria as stepping stones to know this love of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad