You only need to look at the religious section in your local bookshop to see that our society is still interested in religion. There is a massive appetite to learn about the meaning and purpose of life, God and the universe, and there is enormous confusion too! We have a great deal in common with Paul. The world of his day was stacked full of different religions and philosophies, so when Christianity emerged, it had to compete with any number of rivals. It wasn’t easy to establish a church, and Paul knew better than anyone how tough the fight was.

In this letter, Paul was keen to encourage his young friend Timothy as a church leader. We get the impression that Timothy was a gentle and rather timid man, so Paul was keen for him to be clear on what his role was. He had left Timothy behind in Ephesus so he could oppose false teaching. Timothy needed to be tough in standing up for the truth, but Paul knew that there was no point in having correct doctrine if it wasn’t bathed in love. For Paul, that kind of godly love flowed from three things: a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. Love flows from people who know they have been forgiven, who are trusting God completely, and who are committed to single-minded obedience to God.

It's incredibly important that we seek to understand Christian truth and become increasingly effective in sharing it with others, but more important than anything is that we are filled with love.

Why is love so important that Paul can describe it as the purpose of his instruction?

Lord God, thank you for the way in which you have shown me perfect love through your son Jesus Christ. Help me to pass on your love to those I meet today. Amen.