1 Timothy 1:5: A Pure Heart, A Good Conscience, Faith Unfeigned
2021-08-31
Godly edifying results is real charity. Paul states, “Now the end of the commandment is charity” (1 Timothy 1:5). The reason for his charge to Timothy for avoiding speculative and divisive teaching is charity. The source of this charity is threefold: “out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (1 Timothy 1:5).
A Pure Heart
The first of the three is “a pure heart.” Now, for the record, let us say that no human being has a pure heart. The famous verse that tells us this is Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Psalm 24 states that only one with a pure heart can enter the presence of the LORD:
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? (4) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:3-4).
Surely this refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Only He truly had a pure heart of His own. Proverbs 20:9 says, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” The imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and the new birth gives us that pure heart, acquired completely by faith in the Son of God.
Now, as new creations in Christ, we can love with a pure heart. The Spirit says elsewhere, “See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22). In other words, loving others is done in His strength; it is the Lord who loves others through us. Charity, or love, is sacrificial service towards others.
A Good Conscience
The second source of this divine charity is of a “good conscience.” Paul told the chief priests’ council that he had a good conscience that he was doing God’s will (Acts 23:1). Having a good conscience means living honestly (Hebrews 13:18). Having a good conscience also means when you are falsely accused of evil, you are confident that you are still in the right (1 Peter 3:16). Our identifying (“baptism”) with Jesus’ resurrection gives us a good conscience toward God (1 Peter 3:21). “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
Faith Unfeigned
The third source of divine charity is “faith unfeigned.” This is sincere, non-hypocritical faith. This means there could be faith that is insincere and hypocritical. People can fake it. But true faith is going to be centered on the Lord and is selfless. Divine charity is sourced from and empowered by the Lord Himself. We trust Him to perform selfless love through us.