ESOCS Devotional 13 July 2022
TEXT: 1 TIMOTHY 1:1-17
MEMORY VERSE: “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” 1 Timothy 1: 5 KJV
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
Paul had reminded Timothy (vs 1-4) that he had been instructed to challenge those who taught any other doctrines, which only served to create questions rather than promote godly edifying. Paul here told Timothy that the end of the commandment (law) is to understand charity, and love to God and man. This understanding of and commitment to charity, he said, comes from a “pure heart,” a “good conscience,” and “faith unfeigned.” The opposite is thus also true, if the law is turned into fables and questions rather than practical, applied charity. Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom. 13:8-10). Our hearts must be purified by faith (Acts 15:9). God regenerates our cold, dead hearts by grace through faith to enable us to will and to do His good pleasure. With a pure heart, we can call upon God so that we can display Christian virtue (2 Tim. 2:22).
Paul then spoke of a good conscience. Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death is our victory over sin and death. Because we truly believe in forgiveness, we have our conscience free from guilt.
We must also have a “faith unfeigned.” Professions of faith, which do not display pure hearts, good consciences, and charity are insincere. Faith is the evidence of God’s regeneration, which is never without effect. A regenerate heart will give a man a clear conscience and a proper understanding of his duty to obey God’s Word. This teaches him to love God with all his heart, mind and spirit. He then understands his responsibility to love his neighbor as himself. But some that taught “other doctrines” (v. 3) have not reached that goal of charity. Paul’s meaning is obvious: we are not to follow them or their ideas. These people professed to be experts on the law (v 7). Yet, they did not understand its end of charity. They had turned aside to make it a matter of debate. In the arrogance of their profession of wisdom, they became fools (Rom. 1:22). They were “proud, knowing nothing” (1 Tim. 6:4).
The end, aim, and design of God in giving this dispensation to the world is that men may have an unfeigned faith, such as lays hold on Christ crucified, and produces a good conscience from a sense of the pardon received, and leads on to purity of heart; love to God and man being the grand issue of the grace of Christ, and this fully preparing the soul for eternal glory. He whose soul is filled with love to God and man has a pure heart, a good conscience, and unfeigned faith.
- All pretended love, where a man knows that he is living in sin, is mere hypocrisy.
- God, fill my heart with love to keep your commandments out of a pure heart, in Jesus name
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: Exodus 32:15–29; Jeremiah 5:1–19; John 12:1–11
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 13 July 2022
