1 Timothy 1:4, 5

1:4 – “…not to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith”

Paul gives a little bit of a description of the false teaching that Timothy was to silence. I’m really not sure what exactly people were doing, but it seems like the false teachings led to 2 things.

1) False teaching led to speculation. Thinking and meditation surely is a good thing – but guessing games are not. Consider the words of the Psalmist in worship towards God: “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation”(Ps. 119:99). Our thoughts should be controlled by and given substance by Scripture. Timothy’s charge was to make sure that happened, lest we think wisdom and truth comes from us.

2) False teaching neglected the ‘stewardship from God that is by faith.’ A ‘stewardship’ is a set of responsibilities in someone else’s house – in this case, God’s house. When someone comes to faith, then, they are given responsibilities in God’s house.

What false doctrine does, then, is to move us away from our responsibilities towards God. We get lost in our thoughts and extra-Biblical stuff, and don’t obey God.

Again, here – Timothy is instructed to silence false teaching and promote the gospel. (1:11)

Why?

1:5 – “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith”

Paul tells us why. The goal of Timothy’s ministry is that Christians would live in love. He gives us three sources for this love – a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. They all have one thing in common – they’re genuine. This isn’t love that’s a show. This isn’t just being ‘nice.’ This is real soul-heart-mind transformation that results from believing the Gospel and results in genuine love.

So to summarize –
1) Pastors are charged to get people to meditate on God’s word, not their own thoughts.
2) God has given us a responsibility: love. This comes from faith in the gospel.
3) The ‘aim’ or ‘goal’ must be kept in mind.
4) God truly does transform lives through the proclamation of his word.