“The Command To Love!”

“The Command To Love!”(I Tim.1:5-9a).
Paul left Timothy in Ephesus so that Timothy “may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer…” False doctrines only promote controversies while God’s word is retrogressing.
Today’s text, following on these first words says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Those who wander away from these, starts engaging in meaningless talk.
Love is innate, emanating from God himself who is the paragon of love. Any law which is promulgated intentionally silencing some people is already an instrument of enslavement. When people suffocate under the burden of any law, and when such laws were formulated with discriminatory intentions, then there was no love in the hearts of those who drafted such laws.
The goal of any command should be love. As it is, love is a commonly used word, but quite often without commensurate loving action.
It is common to see the very people who were responsible for somebody’s death weeping seemingly seriously at the person’s funeral, and using words like, “we loved you but God loved you more.”
Unadulterated love should come from a pure heart. A pure heart means your thoughts, desires, character and purpose is one with God. Those with pure hearts have no hidden agendas, and they do not begrudge others.
Secondly love should come from a good conscience. When storms and persecution assail a believer, a good conscience is the one thing that will keep him going. A good conscience gives boldness and confidence to move on. A good conscience puts you right with man and God; not because you are a perfect person, but because your penitence attracts God’s forgiveness and his mercy falls on you.
Thirdly, such a love comes from a sincere faith. A sincere faith is a faith without hypocrisy; it is honest and genuine. But again it is not about being a perfect person. It is about submitting your weaknesses and incontinence to God, knowing that by grace you have been put right with him.
Dear friend, once you wander away from these three above, you turn to meaningless talk.
The gospel and the church is about Christ, existing for the purpose of Christ. Christ is love. Any love that is a reflection of Christ’s love must come “from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
We create chaos and mayhem through meaningless talk when we deviate from the command to love. But when we use the law properly, it becomes useful for orderliness and peaceful coexistence.
Weekend prayer: Lord Jesus Christ make us good learners, that we should not teach and confidently affirm what we do not properly understand. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.