1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.
2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. – 1 Timothy 1:1-2 ESV
Timothy was Paul’s disciple. Paul evidently led him to the Lord during one of his missionary travels to Lystra. During Paul’s second missionary journey, Timothy accompanied him to Troas, Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth. Timothy also accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey to Ephesus and was later sent by Paul to minister on his own in the region of Macedonia. When Paul was under house arrest in Rome, Timothy visited him there. He was well-traveled and well-respected by Paul, having earned the apostle’s trust.
He was ministering in Ephesus when he received this first letter from Paul. Timothy had evidently written Paul, sharing his desire to rejoin him and accompany him on his travels. But Paul would break the news to Timothy that he was needed right where he was. In fact, verse 3 tells us that when Paul and Timothy went to Ephesus on that third missionary journey, Paul went on to Macedonia, leaving Timothy behind with a job to do.
When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. – 1 Timothy 1:3 NLT
By this time, churches were being established all over that area of the world. The gospel was spreading fast, and people were coming to faith in Christ at an incredible rate. The problem was that too few men were equipped to minister to the large number of churches springing up. Infant believers were everywhere, and no one was there to instruct and care for them because there was a paucity of spiritually mature leaders.
Despite his zeal and high capacity for work, Paul couldn’t do it all. Much of his time had been spent in prison or under house arrest. He couldn't be everywhere at once, and no seminaries existed to prepare the next generation of pastors and teachers. No organized strategy existed to raise up and equip elders for the local churches. Yet there seemed to be no shortage of false teachers and ill-informed individuals with potentially destructive viewpoints on a wide range of topics. So, Paul turned to Timothy. Yes, he was young and inexperienced, but he was needed. Knowing this young man was probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by the task at hand, Paul reminded him of the true purpose of all biblical instruction.
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. – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
Paul's letters to Timothy have less to do with teaching doctrine than with defending it; the content is practical, not theological. Paul wants Timothy to know how to encourage the believers in Ephesus toward true life change, marked by a love that manifests itself in daily life. Paul is looking for practical expressions of love, and he knows there are three things that will prevent that from happening in any believer's life: an impure heart, a conscience burdened by shame, and a lack of trust in God.
These are the basics, and they trump a head full of theology and doctrine every time. But Paul warns Timothy, "Some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions" (1 Timothy 1:6 NLT).
Somewhere along the way, they became obsessed with things that did not result in increased faith and love. Debating had replaced serving, and controversy had become more popular than showing mercy and expressing love to one another. Paul had warned the elders in Ephesus, "some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following: (Acts 20:30 NLT). He went on to say that these "false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29 NLT).
The main problem seemed to revolve around incorrect teaching regarding the law of Moses. Some were presenting their interpretations of the law and its application to believers' lives, and their teaching was wreaking havoc on the church’s health. Their focus was not on increasing the love and faith of God's people, but on being seen as experts on the topic at hand.
Paul told Timothy, "They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently" (1 Timothy 1:7 NLT). These individuals were cocky and confident, assured that their view was the right one. But all this discussion and debate was causing confusion and conflict within the church. Paul reminded Timothy that love should be the primary motivation for any teacher of God’s Word. Teaching that does not edify and instruction that does not increase faith are misapplied and miss the point. Debating doctrine is useless if it fails to foster more love for God and others. If “godly” instruction doesn’t produce increased devotion to and dependence on God, it’s a waste of time.
That is why the church at Ephesus needed Timothy, and the church today needs men and women who understand that increasing the love and faith of God's people is the primary responsibility of those who teach God’s Word. Knowledge alone is not enough; it produces pride. Doctrine by itself is insufficient; it can become sterile and little more than head knowledge. Theology, even that which is sound and biblically based, is incomplete if it does not result in more love and greater faith.
Paul warned the believers in Corinth that their obsession with spiritual gifts was worthless and unwarranted if it was devoid of love.
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NLT
Paul needed assistance, so he turned to his young protégé, Timothy. This relatively inexperienced young man was a work in progress, but he represented the next generation of spiritual leadership for the rapidly growing church. Paul knew that the future health of the body of Christ would require new leadership; one man could not keep up with the explosive growth of the gospel. Too many fledgling congregations were popping up all over the place, and there were not enough qualified men to lead them. So, Paul took it upon himself to train and prepare the next wave of missionaries and pastors who would minister to the flock of Jesus Christ.
Father, here we are two millennium later and the gospel is still spreading across the planet because faithful men and women have continued to raise up the next generation of leaders. The kind of godly discipleship Paul modeled has been carried on by countless individuals who have poured into the lives of young people, training them to do the work of the ministry faithfully and fearlessly. Over the years, You have used godly men to challenge and teach me. Their lives of faithful service encouraged me and their love for Your Word inspired me. And You have given me that same desire to pour into the lives of others. I teach because I have been taught. I share because someone shared with me. I am reminded of the words of the Psalmist: “We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders” (Psalm 78:4 NLT). We have work to do because there are still so many who have not heard the gospel. But we must equip and prepare the next generation of leaders to know Your Word and to rely on Your strength. The spread of the gospel will continue to be unstoppable, but only as long as it is based on truth, accompanied by love, and fueled by faith in You. Amen.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.