When Doctrine Matters!

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Paul left Timothy in charge of an important church, the church in Ephesus. Though Timothy might have been tempted to leave the church and rejoin Paul, Paul urges him to stay put.  Paul had great regard for Timothy and knew the church needed his solid leadership.  Though Timothy was younger, Paul knew he was up to the task if he relied fully on God. 

The issue in the church was doctrine.  Some were taking the pure and simple gospel and complicating it with needless speculation about genealogies and other myths.  It became a huge distraction and not necessary for the Christian life or teaching.  These people needed to be corrected and perhaps Timothy was not ready to do this with them.  The main issue is that these distractions were diluting the true purpose of the church, which was to preach the gospel and make disciples of Christ.   

The gospel brings a righteousness that comes through faith.  Faith is trusting in God's promises in Christ.  The law does not bring faith, the law can only convict one of their sinfulness.  But the gospel is what saves people who are powerless over their sinful nature.  The result of faith in the gospel is a pure heart which demonstrates itself in love.  It is faith and love that advances God's work, not speculations about genealogy and legalistic discussions about the law.  

If you look through church history, you see how many divisions were created issues related to the gospel.  At other times when key doctrines were at stake, such as how we are saved, there was a need for the church to correct the teaching of false doctrine and those who did it.  But issues such as whether we serve wine or grape juice at communion, while not unimportant, should not take center stage.  One a personal level, what do you focus on?  Are you growing in faith and its expression love?  Paul sums it up quite nicely when he says in Galatians.

"The only thing that counts is faith working itself through love." Galatians 5:16