Scripture to Read: 1 Timothy 1:5
Today we read God’s goal for our lives in 1 Timothy 1:5. The goal of God’s instruction in our lives is LOVE. This goal should not surprise us because God has made this goal clear throughout His Word. When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:36 what the greatest commandment was of all of the commandments, Jesus answered, in Matthew 22:37-39, that it was to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, AND to love our neighbor as ourselves. So, love has always been the goal that God has had for us. Notice that love comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. A pure heart is only possible through a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Purity is never something we come up with on our own. We must pursue Christ and His Word (Psalms 119:9) so we do not sin against Him. A good conscience, again, comes through Christ alone. We must believe that we are completely forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14, Colossians 2:13-14) to walk without shame or guilt. A sincere faith is a faith that is real. The word “sincere” literally means “without wax.” An honest pottery-maker would put on their sign “sincere,” so people would know that they were getting a good product. Those trying to cheat people would take their cracked pottery, fill the cracks with wax, paint over the wax to hide it, and sell the pottery as brand new. Our faith in Christ must be real and not full of hypocrisy, attempting to hide who we are.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you about His goal for your life?
2. How are you currently walking with a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith, and fulfilling God’s goal of love?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!