Law of Love
Letters to Timmy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Letters to Timmy
Letters to Timmy
5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,
7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers
10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Timothy was a deliver of the Gospel
The purpose of the Bible is not just for simple knowledge
Knowledge wont save us, the Devil has knowledge…
But an inward radical change of the heart, one that leads to
radical love
pure heart,
a good conscience,
and sincere faith.
This love is both of choice and the new heart.
We can choose to love the hard to love folks in our lives.
It is characterized by action of self-denial, and self-sacrifice for others. It looks like Jesus
Again we can read the Bible all day long, but
knowing more of God’s Word means a hill of beans if a person is not becoming more like Christ and conforming to God’s ways and purposes.
This should also not discourage anyone from diving into the word either.
This Good Conscience:
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The Gr. word for “good” refers to that which is perfect and produces pleasure and satisfaction.
God created man with a “conscience” as his self-judging faculty. Because God has written His law on man’s heart man knows the basic standard of right and wrong.
When he violates that standard, his conscience produces guilt, which acts as the mind’s security system that produces fear, guilt, shame, and doubt as warnings of threats to the soul’s well-being
On the other hand, when a believer does God’s will, he enjoys the affirmation, assurance, peace, and joy of a good conscience
Prevenient Grace means that before salvation man does not have to sin, even though he probably will, but because the Law is written on his heart he can choose to do what is right. But because of the sin nature he will more times than not choose the sin.
6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
fruitless discussion. Refers to speech that is aimless and has no logical end.
It is essentially irrelevant and will not accomplish anything spiritual or edifying to believers.
False doctrine leads nowhere, but to the deadening end of human speculation and demonic deception.
Its like a oncologist telling a patient that they have no cancer ( The dr even has the means to cure then but doesn’t because it is offensive to call out the cancer)…
the person keeps on living as they are, doomed to die of cancer, because they have been told by an “expert” they don’t have cancer because thats not loving and accepting to tell them that.
But which false teachers was Paul writing about here…
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
wanting to be teachers…The false teachers wanted the kind of prestige enjoyed by Jewish rabbis; but they were not concerned at all about truly learning the law and teaching it to others
Instead, they imposed on the believers in Ephesus a legalistic heresy that offered salvation by works
They wanted to keep the liturgical tradition and the rites, without the Holy Spirit behind them.
Ritual can be a great thing and very beautiful, but when it takes place of Jesus, it is as pagan and worthless as a black mass.
8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The law is good or useful because it reflects God’s holy will and righteous standard which accomplishes its purpose in showing sinners their sin and their need for a savior.
The law forces people to recognize that they are guilty of disobeying God’s commands, and it thereby condemns every person and sentences them to hell
9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
The law is not for one who drives 45 in a 45… but it is for the one doing 133 mph in a 45 who is possibly about to get a class H felony.
More than once I have heard “I can’t help who I am attracted too”
No but you can help what you do with it, and if you allow it to grow.
A man or woman who feels attracted to someone not their spouse doesn’t have dwell on it or proceed to try and go out with them…
vs 6 talks of speech with no logical end… if the phrase I can’t help who or what I am attracted too and you need to accept me is followed to its full logical path… that would mean that one is arguing that a pedo can’t help who they are attracted too and so on.
I don’t mean to sound callused, but what the Word of God calls unlawful or sinful cannot be sugar coated.
Violate the LAW
The unholy and profane covers the first 5 of the Law,
The next sins are violations of the second half of the Ten Commandments—those dealing with relationships among people.
These specific sins undoubtedly characterized the false teachers, since they are characteristic behaviors related to false doctrine (v. 10).
Killing of “fathers” and “mothers” is a violation of the fifth commandment which forbids everything from dishonor to murder.
Murder is in violation of the sixth commandment
“Immoral men” and “homosexuals” violate the seventh commandment which prohibits any sexual activity outside the marriage bed.
Because the theft of children was commonplace in Paul’s day, he mentions “kidnappers” in connection with the eighth commandment which prohibits stealing. Coveting also leads to steeling which violates the tenth.
“liars” and “perjurers” are violators of the ninth commandment
Sound teaching…
MacArthur Study Bible NASB Commentary
“Sound” refers to that which is healthy and wholesome. It is the kind of teaching that produces spiritual life and growth, which implies that false doctrine produces spiritual disease and debilitation.
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
The Glorious Gospel
God is Holy and sin cannot even be in the same room as Him.
Sin is a voluntary transgression of a known law of God
Sin is not wrong doing; it is wrong being; deliberate and emphatic independence of God.
-Oswald Chambers
Holiness is God’s hate of sin, He is set aside from it
Justice is the need of retribution to be paid for it. (Jesus Paid It) ( He fulfilled the LAW)
Grace is the forgiveness of Sin for those that take possession of the Gift that Jesus paid it all.
When we take hold of the Gospel we like Paul will be strengthened.
Take Home?
Have You Taken Hold Of The Gospel?
