I’ve been studying the topic of love lately.  As I jump from passage to passage I come across ones that I find are applicable over here.

I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is known by faith. But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk,
(1Ti 1:3-6 NRSV)

Paul tells Timothy to deal with a problem in Ephesus.  Some people are teaching “different doctrine.”  The word is heterodidaskeleo.  The meaning of hetero is much like it is English.  It means simply different or another.  Homogeneous means everything is the same, and heterogeneous means things are different.   The 2nd half of the word means teaching or doctrine.  Literally it isn’t as strong “false teaching” although some of the major translations render the word this way (NIV, NET, TNIV).  When the word false is used to describe testimony, teachers, prophets or Christs the word pseudo is used. 

I don’t believe Paul’s concern was that the people in Ephesus were teaching things directly contrary to apostolic doctrine, just that it was futile, vain and empty.  They promoted meaningless speculations or controversies.  What they taught distracted people from the grand purpose of apostolic teaching.

The purpose is love.  Love that comes from:

• pure heart
• a good conscience
• sincere faith

I think Paul is giving us some guidelines which we can use to test  teaching.  Does the teaching lead me to love or something else?  Does it tempt me towards showmanship and pretension or sincerity?  Is my conscience clean as I apply it?  Is it about faith or fear?

It has never been my goal with this website to trash any particular stream in the body of Christ.  I have to say though that the Charismatic stream really needs to consider this passage.  I’m watching a video of a prophetic conference and it is filled with teaching that amounts of meaningless speculation.  None of it seems like an obvious false teaching, it just places so much emphasis on things that  don’t matter all that much. 

Here are some blurbs I heard tonight:

• 2011 is a year of transition as 11 is a the number of transition
• Every word that came out tonight opened a gate for a new level of intimacy with God
• Enter in and experience a deeper level in the spirit realms

None of these kinds of things are in direct opposition to orthodox Christian teaching.  But when all the teaching and direction we receive is like this when it seems to crowd out the basic biblical doctrines.  

They seem to be distractions that take us away from Christ and they can subtly lead us away from precious and plain truths in the Christian faith.  People don’t need to go to the next conference to receive the next word to gain a new level of intimacy with God.  The plain truth is that sincere faith leads to love of God and intimacy. 

The covering teaching starts off like this.  It tempts with promises of increased favour, authority, blessing and protection.  I think where it ends up is more like straight up false teaching.  Is the purpose of the covering teaching love or control?  Not just appreciation or friendliness but love that comes from pure heart.  Is the love real, or is it manufactured to fit in with a system?  Is the faith or trust sincere or is derived from coercion or fear? 

If what motivates us to act is manipulation or legalism we won’t be acting out of a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith.

I was looking up some information on Greek language tenses and came upon these passages.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

One of the great things I discovered I came to when researching for this website was that our salvation begins in this life and it is entirely accessible through faith in Christ.  In verse 3 Peter says we have been given a new birth and living hope through the resurrection.  A living hope is a hope that continues and is available to us through what Christ has done.

We are the same people that are protected by God’s power through faith.  Which is also stated by Paul in 2Tim 1:12-14.  There is no reason to fear those who say you are no longer protected if you leave a church or come out from under someone’s authority.  Your faith in Christ is what protects all the precious things granted to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The servant leader. Jesus chose a servant as the countermodel for His followers. Nothing could be farther from our idea of greatness or leadership. We tend to see, as did the disciples, the pomp of power. The TV cameras focus on the great seal of the United States, a hushed quiet falls, the band in the background plays “Hail to the Chief,” and the announcer’s voice is heard: “Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.” We feel that is greatness. That is what being a leader is all about.
But then Jesus directs our attention to a quiet person standing off camera; a person in overalls with the working tools of his trade. And Jesus says that is greatness! That is what being a leader is all about.
This graphic contrast must have jolted the disciples just as it jolts us. Yet Jesus clearly wants us to see each of these people as leaders. Each of them is to be seen as having authority and the power to move other men. What, then, are the significant contrasts between the two?
While the secular ruler is above those he leads, Jesus said, “Not so with you” (v. 26). Instead of relational distance, there is relational closeness. The Christian leader must seek to be one with those he or she is called to serve.
Instead of “exercising authority” as a ruler who demands and enforces conformity, the Christian leader is to abandon coercion. Jesus said firmly and plainly, “Not so with you.” Force, manipulation, demand—all are ruled out in the way by which the servant leader exercises Christian authority. Outward force can produce conformity, but it can never produce that inner commitment which moves people to choose to follow Jesus.
How, then, does the servant lead? By serving! The secular ruler speaks the commands, but the spiritual leader demonstrates by his example the kingdom way of life into which he is called to lead others. No wonder Peter picked up this same theme and wrote as an elder to fellow elders, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care … not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2–3). By serving, the Christian leader demonstrates the greatness of the love of God, and gently motivates others to follow him. “Whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27–28).

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary (576). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.