Thoughts on 1 Timothy: Biblically-based Love

The Ephesians may not have been confused about love relative to the confusion of our day. We have no concept of what love means. And that term has long since been tortured and stretched to reflect anything a human being can now imagine. All behavior, no matter how low, is instantly elevated in our present thinking once the word “love” has been attached to it.

We have a low view of love that directly corresponds to our low view of God. Our present expression of love is all immediate, all temporal, all consuming and all self-realization.

Paul would have none of that. Neither should we settle for non-potable water. In the first chapter of 1 Timothy, he says:

But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and an unfeigned faith, from which some have wandered away.

His statement is easy to follow. A love that mirrors God’s has three, conjunctive roots. A pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. The heart and mind and belief — well something must have happened in order for them in tandem to produce the “aim of the command.”

A pure heart is one that has been swept clean; it’s clean from guilt, and void of evil. A pure heart is both ceremonially and morally clean. How does one become clean like this? You must come to Jesus (“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.”). And we come to Jesus because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7. In fact, without the shedding of his blood, there is no remission of your sins. Hebrews 9:22.

So this first root of love requires the blood of Jesus . Simply put, if a man has not come to the cross of the Messiah, Jesus, he is none of his, is not cleansed in his heart, and cannot, and will not love, biblically. See Romans 8:9. And, this impure, unbiblical love will have no permanence when Christ comes to judge the living and the dead.

A clear conscience means a good conscience and a virtuous one. Jesus defined clear this way: “if you fathers who are evil know how to give good gifts” and “every healthy tree bears good fruit.” A clear conscience encompasses a positive quality as opposed to a bad one, and a moral quality as opposed to an evil one. But nothing good dwells in us, that is, in our flesh; for while we may have the desire to do what is right, we are unable to do it. Romans 7:18. And yet we have been admonished to let our love be genuine, to abhor what is evil, and to hold fast to what is good. What’s the answer to this dilemma?

Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:19-22.

Again, as with the first root, this second root of a clear conscience is grounded in the blood of Jesus, which if we do not accept that sacrifice for our sin, whatever it is, there is no more sacrifice for sin, only a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries of God. Hebrews 10:26-27.

So this second root requires the blood of Jesus.

FInally, unfeigned faith. Unfeigned faith is real faith, sincere faith, without pretense or show. But in what? How can we draw near to God, if we don’t believe in his goodness expressed on the cross? We must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. This begs the question: are we seeking him or someone else, or something else? With faith it is impossible to please God. Peter frames this best:

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22.

So, this last root is ground in obedience to the truth of Jesus Christ. All three roots are centered in Christ.

No Christ, no three-fold root to allow true, biblical love to germinate, much less grow. No faith in Christ, no clear conscience before God, and no purity in heart (from God’s point of view), then you do love in accordance with Scripture.

Call it what you will, it isn’t love, grounded in God, and reflective of his glory. Such “love” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have self at the fore, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the love that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. See James 3:14-17.

Next, love is not abstract. It is not a feeling as most suppose. This biblically-based love can be seen. First, this love must issue in entreaties, prayers, and spending time with God, for all people. See 1 Timothy 2. If you do not have an active prayer life, you do not love according to God’s word. An active prayer life is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Let’s leave off for now. Grace be with you.