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)

The Need for Love

Everything that Paul commanded Timothy to do was grounded in a love that had been shaped by the Gospel. For Paul, love found its greatest demonstration in the Father’s sovereign act of sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in the place of godless, sinners (Rom. 5:6-8). The fulfillment and revelation of this act of love were empowered by the Holy Spirit, who unites sinners to Christ by faith. God’s love, then, is the archetype of all human expressions of love. God demonstrates His love for sinners so that they might come to value His glory in the Son through the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. As God showed His love, the beauty of His character was disclosed, and good for humanity was accomplished by directing all to Christ. This love, God’s love, compelled and shaped Paul’s love, which found both expressions in his commands for Timothy to stop the propagation of false and distracting doctrines and his expectation of the repentance by the false teachers.

What is Gospel-Shaped Loved?

But what is meant by a “Gospel-shaped love?” Paul answered by suggesting the source of his love, stating that it is from “a pure heart, a good conscience, and a genuine faith.” In other words, Paul’s command was aimed at producing a love that was shaped by a heart that was unaffected by selfish motives. Furthermore, such love should arise from a conscience that was able to discern spiritual truth, which was not characteristics of the false teachers who are explicitly called out later in 1 Timothy for possessing “seared consciences.” Lastly, this love was to issue forth from faithfulness to the Christian faith. In other words, Christian love begins with the gospel as opposed to trying to make the gospel fit with a societal concept of love.

Love as Motivation

Paul’s motivation is very informative for the work of the pastor. It is important to note that Paul’s end was the magnification of a love that reflected the transforming power of the gospel. In fact, Paul modeled for Timothy the type of love that he desired to see formed in the false teachers. Paul was not ultimately concerned with the magnification of his credentials, authority, or wisdom. Paul’s pastoral work began with love. He was self-aware of the source of his love, which motivated his decisions. In this particular case, Paul commanded Timothy to stop the false teaching for the sake of love – love for the Gospel, love for the church, and even love for the false teachers. His motivation was not selfish, undiscerning, or contrary to the Christian faith. Instead, Paul was motivated to stop the false teaching so that the glory of Christ would not be diminished and the good of the people not be forfeited.

Let the Gospel Guide You

Pastor, your decisions must be shaped by a love that has been forged in the furnace of the Gospel of Christ. Without the daily application of the gospel to your heart and humble self-reflection regarding your motives, your love will not spring forth from a “pure heart, good conscience, and genuine faith.” Instead, your pastoral work will be primarily motivated by a love marred by self-interest, moral ambiguity, and fear. Pastor, let the gospel shape your love as you seek to guide God’s people, lest you follow in the footsteps of false teachers who undermine the faith through self-interest.

CBH

For more resources on love in the context of the church, check out this post, entitled, “Nine Ways YOU Can Care for Others in the Context of the Church”

For other resources on love, check out this post at the ERLC, entitled, “Five Ways to Love Your Gay Neighbor“