Now that we have done a biographical study of the life of Timothy to whom Paul wrote two letters, let’s take a look into those letters to learn more about him and his ministry.
It is clear from 1st Timothy 1:3, that Paul appointed him to be a teaching pastor in the church of Ephesus. Evidently there were some who had become involved in the life of the church who were teaching false doctrines as well as myths and endless genealogies. Their teaching was causing controversies to arise in the church and this usually leads to divisions and destructive outcomes.
To do this corrective ministry would take “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (verse 5). Paul knew the dangers in this kind of assignment so he starts by pointing out the importance of heart and mind preparation. In other words, make sure you are in a healthy relationship with God yourself before you try helping others get into or restore a healthy relationship with God.
In the rest of the chapter Paul points out that the law is good if one uses it properly – to expose the need for a healthy relationship with God. He goes on to give his own testimony – to explain how he experienced a healthy relationship with God. Then he exhorts Timothy – to exercise the gifts God gave him to fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. That is, to maintain a healthy relationship with God while fulfilling your mission in life.
Paul warns Timothy that some haven’t followed this path and have ended up with a shipwrecked faith. A challenging introduction to this letter.
