“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 1:5
Paul’s first epistle to Timothy was a letter of instruction to his spiritual son and protégé, as well as to those under Timothy’s leadership. He reminded Timothy and the believers that they were to be fountains of love pouring out of an innocent, blameless, and true heart, with a clear conscience and a sincere faith.
That sounds lovely and encouraging. Believers, then and now, are to overflow with the love of Christ, encourage one another, and cheer one another on to greater growth and effectiveness for the cause of Christ Jesus. It is a beautiful purpose and calling for all Christ followers.
But we should step back a few verses to put Paul’s purpose statement into context.
In the preceding verses (3-4), Paul called out those who are caught up in a “different doctrine,” distracted by myths and endless genealogies. He said the distractions were pulling the believers into speculations and drawing them away from stewardship.
Speculation versus stewardship.
In verses 6-7, Paul stressed that there were people in the church who were swerving away, going in the opposite direction of truth and faithful stewardship of God’s Word. Those people wanted to be teachers and leaders in the church. They spoke with great certainty, but without knowledge or understanding. They were confidently wrong.
The believers were being drawn into speculative conversations and arguments by the wannabe teachers. The focus was on the intriguing, but misguided, speculations about the law, while the truth of grace was ignored.
Verse 5 is a call back to clarity of purpose and focus. Paul’s message was clear and straightforward: “You are to focus on the Truth of the Gospel of Christ. You are no longer under the Law. The Law is for lawbreakers, revealing their need for Christ. You have been saved by Grace ‘in accordance with the gospel of glory of the blessed God.’ (v.8-11, my paraphrase).”
You may ask, “How is this relevant to me today?”
My answer is, “This is every bit as relevant today as it was in Paul’s day, perhaps even more so.” We are bombarded by bits and pieces of truth muddled in misunderstanding, confusion, and speculation, but broadcast as absolute truth and certainty by “people in the know.” It may come from the pulpit, the internet, radio, television, print, or a myriad of other sources, but the reality is that there is a profusion of inaccuracy, speculation, and downright lies that present themselves as substantiated, Scripture-backed truth.
What are we to do? I’m guessing, you know as well as I what we are supposed to do—what Scripture has instructed us to do.
We are to diligently steward the Truth with the utmost attention and care. We cannot be negligent or careless with God’s Truth.
In Acts 17, we are given an example of what it means to be a diligent steward of the Word.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Act 17:11 ESV
The Jews in the synagogue at Berea, after hearing Paul and Silas preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, carefully examined the Old Testament Scripture to see for themselves what was foretold about the Messiah.
The Bereans wanted to be certain that Paul and Silas were not preaching anything that conflicted with, or was not supported by, the Word of God available to them. As a result, many of the Bereans became believers in Christ Jesus.
It’s easy to let things slide, to excuse a message that seems mostly right.
It’s much less work to accept what you always believed because you’ve always believed it—without ever investigating the Truth of Scripture to make sure you’re correct in your understanding.
It doesn’t ruffle feathers or make you uncomfortable when you allow misquoted verses, uninformed statements, and downright falsehoods to stand as Truth.
Let’s be honest and call it what it is. It’s lazy.
Friend, if you are a believer in Christ Jesus, you were never called to “easy.” You are called to be a steward (a keeper, one who cares for, a manager, one who tends and nurtures) of the truth. Not just any truth – the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It’s a privilege, an obligation, a duty, an assignment, and a high calling to know, steward, and spread the Truth of God.
Are you faithfully stewarding God’s Truth when it comes under blatant attack or subtle misuse?
Do you stand steadfast, willing to speak truth in love and kindness?
Are you diligently growing in God’s Word so that you are discerning and able to distinguish God’s Truth from Satan’s lies?
Don’t speculate, steward.