1 Timothy 1:5-10
"4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. 5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;"
"How does one lawfully use the law?" is the question that naturally arises from this information. From this selection, there are several things I think we can gather, the first thing I see is this:
1. The end goal of our use of the law should be charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Here, I see a uniting of the Old and New Testaments again, where the physical of the Old is working towards thoughts, intents and motivations in the New. I wonder, though, why did Paul stretch this out into three different qualities instead of just one? I think the Bible defines these three that he mentions: heart, conscience and faith (I'm underlining the part of the verse I think is defining) and that by digging deeper I can understand this verse better:
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Pure heart:
Psalm 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Merriam Webster:
Pure: free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes (2) : containing nothing that does not properly belong.
Heart: "the central or innermost part"
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Good conscience:
Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Merriam Webster:
Conscience: "the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good"
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Sincere faith: (faith unfeigned) This seems to always be combined with "pure heart." Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Merriam Webster
sincere: "whole, pure, genuine," and
faith: "firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust"
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So I would read it like this: We are to show love to others that is clean, undirtied all the way to our innermost being, (pure heart) with the active desire to do right, (good conscience) and this love should genuinely believe in God's plan (sincere faith) for them.
In my opinion, a pure heart addresses how we approach others to love them. Good conscience seems to address what keeps us balanced and continuing to extend this pure love (and not eventually warping it) and sincere faith addresses our attitude towards their future and belief in God's ultimate good plan for them.
May I learn to approach others with a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith.
2. We should not desire to know the law out of pride, to get respect as a "teacher of the law," but instead, to draw closer to God for ourselves... pride turns into "vain jangling, ministering questions" and not "godly edifying in faith." With that basis, I see this statement addressing the motivations, showing how the pride and control behind the desire to teach forfeits what is taught because it is done in the wrong spirit, one that goes against the whole spirit of the law: "Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." One can't teach the writings that point us away from ourselves and to the betterment of others while at the same time trying to lift up oneself with the very act of teaching.
3. Righteousness and sound doctrine do not need the law, but only because they already follow it, as far as I can understand. I see this part as saying on should use the law to address what is sin, not to, as Jesus accused the Pharisees, burden men with loads they themselves would not carry.
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