The goal of teaching the law

1 Timothy 1:5   Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

 

The Commandment:

      God gave the commandments to us through Israel to show us the difference between what we naturally think and do and His ways of righteousness. We do not naturally do the right because of the fallenness of our nature. We do those things that are contrary to God’s ways (Eph 2:2-3; Jude 10) and unless we are changed by the power of God, we will continue to do them. Paul contrasts proper teaching against false doctrine and teachings. Paul says that Christ is the goal of the law for righteousness (Rom 10:4). But to Timothy, he tells us that the goal of teaching God’s law will result in three main traits.

 

Charity:

      The Greek word agape is elsewhere translated love, but it iss not just love, but love out of a pure heart. Paul says that the proper teaching of the commandment will produce love out of a pure heart. The issues of life proceed out of our hearts and they need not only to be changed by the born again experience, but the cleansing of the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. God is love and it is because He is love that we are able to be saved (For God so loved . . .). John tells us that if we have God within we will love (1 Jn 4:11-16). Our love is to be pure which means it is not false or pretend (1 Pe 1:22).

 

Good conscience:

     Our conscience was given to us by God so that we might have an inner principle to guide us prior to conversion. Every one is given a good conscience and it is this that will often lead people to seek the Lord. Children are good examples of this truth. They do things that are wrong and do not know that some things are wrong, except by our proper instruction. They begin lying because of fear of the wrong they have performed. We help them to have a clear conscience by the discipline and punishment we administer to them when they do wrong things. Through years of wrong doing and not experiencing punishment or discipline, people develop a seared conscience (Eccl 8:11; 1Tim 4:2). Proper teaching of the law will produce a good conscience – one that has been set free from the condemnation of sin. When we see the law and the punishment for breaking it, we see our need for confession, repentance and restitution. The law teaches us to keep the path clear between us and others and when this is accomplished we again experience a good conscience. A good conscience also is one that is properly instructed in the law and the things of the law. Paul says that improper teaching produces ill effects (1 Tim 1:3-4).

 

Unfeigned faith:

     The third goal of proper teaching of the law is unfeigned faith – a real, genuine faith. It is a faith that is not hypocritical – based upon our works and outward actions, appearance. It is a faith of the heart. It is a personal faith, perhaps what we learned from others, but it will be our own if we make it our own (2 Tim 1:5).

     When Paul speaks of faith he is not speaking our trust element, although that is included, but of the body of faith – our belief system as opposed to that of false doctrine (1 Ti 1:4, 6). Peter says we have not followed fables, but the truth as recorded in the word (2 Pet 1:16). It is a faith that will keep us through the trials and temptations of life as well as the persecutions.