1 Timothy 1:1-11 / Entrusted with the Gospel
📘 Scripture
1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2. To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
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.
8. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
9. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
10. for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
11. that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
🔍 Scripture Summary
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, writes to Timothy, his son in the faith. Paul urges him to stay in Ephesus to command certain people not to teach false doctrines or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
💬 Memory Verse
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. – 1 Timothy 2:5–6a
💬 Reflection
Guard the Truth (1:1–4)
Paul begins his letter to Timothy by instructing him to stay in Ephesus and address the challenges the church is facing. These challenges stem from false teachers and their doctrines, which contradict the gospel and cause division rather than advancing God’s work. Paul urges Timothy to take action, speaking as someone who has received God’s command to faithfully carry His good news of salvation and hope. Paul’s letter aims to remind Timothy of this service and hope that they share, and to encourage him to guard the truth of the gospel. We who acknowledge God as our Savior and look to Christ as our hope have also been entrusted with the gospel. We, too, are tasked with holding firm to it and helping others grow strong in it.
Reflection Question: What does it mean to you that God entrusted you with the gospel? Reflect on the ways you need to grow as a steward of the gospel.
False Holiness (1:5–11)
A false understanding of the Law leads to meaningless talk within the church and clouds the truth of the gospel. Unlike the true apostles of Christ, these so-called teachers of the Law failed to grasp its core: loving God and loving one’s neighbor. They misunderstood its purpose as well, claiming the Law is the way to salvation. These false teachers’ lack of understanding of the gospel, salvation, and the Law resulted in their inability to have a right relationship with God. The Law is not the basis for salvation. Rather, it reveals sin and restrains it. Those who have been made righteous in Christ have been given a new nature on which sin no longer exercises control, and which therefore no longer needs to be under the Law.
Reflection Question: What kinds of conversations are taking place in your church? Pray that your community will gain a deeper understanding of the truth of the gospel.
🙏 Prayer
Lord, thank you for entrusting me with Your gospel. Help me grow in my knowledge and love of Your truth so that I may help others grow as well. Protect Your people from the lies that seek to make us turn away from following You. In Your name, amen.
✍ Essay
One in the Gospel
One of my regular tasks as a missionary is writing and sending prayer letters. Since I started writing these letters, I have been able to relate more deeply to the letters of the apostle Paul and the heart behind them. Paul wrote many letters to both churches and individuals, praying for his readers, answering their questions, addressing issues, and teaching them what to believe and what to confront. In all of Paul’s letters, we see his genuine love and concern for his readers.
Although the content of my letters differs from Paul’s, when I write, I strive to share my heart with my family, friends, churches, and anyone who is reading. I share how God is working in my life and in the mission field where I serve, and I ask for the readers’ prayers. I also thank and bless them for joining me in this mission that is not only mine but—primarily—God’s.
As I was reading the opening verses of Paul’s first epistle to Timothy, I was deeply touched by the strong connection between Paul and Timothy in the gospel. United by one Christ, one gospel, and one faith, Paul sincerely hopes that Timothy, his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2), will be just as zealous in guarding the truth and nurturing the church. Paul’s words radiate confidence in the gospel, which he has received from Christ Himself. On this foundation, he exhorts Timothy. His exhortation extends to all of us who read this epistle. Through Paul’s words, the Holy Spirit invites us to join in this divine mission, which we, too, have been entrusted with.
Written by Juyoung Kim
💬 Today’s Inspiration
“Truth is important to God and should be to His people.”
– David Guzik