1 Timothy 1:1-11

1 Timothy 1:1-11 (New International Version)
1 Timothy 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. 8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

DEVOTION:
Isn’t it just like God to give Paul words thousands of years ago, that are still so needed today? In this letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul warns his congregation of false teachers. These teachers want to twist the law. They take love out of the equation. Even in our world today we can be bombarded by men and women who want to push their own agenda in God’s name. For me, the first question I find myself asking is how do they present the law? Is all about rules or is it about love? In Matthew 22: 37-40, Jesus reminds us that all of the law boils down to two things: Love God and Love Others. This can be the first test when weighing the truth behind a teaching. The second is to see how it lines up with what we read in scripture. Beyond that, it is important to discuss questions with our church leaders and other Christians. Just as we teach children to ask questions and be thinkers in education, so we need to be inquiring learners in matters of truth and faith.

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for your word which is still applicable today. Help me to understand your truths and to be aware when a teacher is not true to you. Help me not to blindly follow men, but to trust you and your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.