1 Tim 1:5   The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

 

 

This looks an ordinary enough verse until we put it in context. Paul was reminding Timothy that he had instructed him to stop various men in the church teaching false teachings and myths. Now, says Paul, those things cause division, but instead we want to promote love in the church. So often in church life there are disputes or arguments and there shouldn't be. The Church should be a place of peace and harmony that flows out of love.

 

Paul then gives three characteristics of the Christian life that should promote love. First there is a ‘pure heart'. That means a good heart that is free from anything negative or twisted. If your heart is tainted, you cannot love. Then there is a ‘good conscience' which means having nothing that makes you slightly uneasy or guilty about something you've done. If you have wrong attitudes towards others, you can't have a good conscience and you can't have love towards them. Finally a ‘sincere faith'. This means a faith that is true and real and without any pretence. If you are not genuine in your commitment to Christ you don't have a sincere faith and God's love will not be flowing through you.

 

Unity with love is vital to the life and testimony of the church. That love means you accept everyone in the congregation, and all visitors, unreservedly; you take them as they are and you bless them and are blessed by them, and you let nothing cause division.