Series: N/A

Service: Other

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Colton Hamlett

Teaching in Love: Insights from 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians

Instructor: Colton Hamlett

Date: 2025-08-05

Topic: Teaching in Love – Insights from 1 Timothy 1 and 1 Corinthians 12-13

🧠 Key Learnings

The Importance of Love in Teaching and Instruction

Paul instructs Timothy to remain in Ephesus to combat false teachings with instruction rooted in love rather than pride or fear. Teaching should not be about self-promotion or intimidation but about producing love in others, reflecting Christ’s love.

The Greater Gift: Love Over Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12-13 highlights that spiritual gifts like prophecy, knowledge, and speaking in tongues are temporary and meaningless without love. Love is described as patient, kind, humble, and enduring, and it is the ultimate attribute that gives meaning to all actions and teachings.

Producing Love Through a Pure Heart, Good Conscience, and Sincere Faith

Paul emphasizes that the goal of instruction is love that arises from three qualities: a pure heart (free from sin and contamination), a good conscience (morally excellent and aware of right and wrong), and sincere faith (genuine, transparent, obedient, and active faith). These qualities help believers navigate false teachings and live godly lives.

The Role of the Conscience in Maintaining Faith

A good conscience acts like a radar, alerting believers to sin and guiding them away from spiritual shipwreck. Maintaining a good conscience is essential to avoid falling into false teachings or moral failure.

Sincere Faith as Transformational, Obedient, and Active

Sincere faith transforms individuals, leading to humility and obedience, as exemplified by Jesus and the centurion in Matthew 8. It is not passive but involves active labor motivated by love and sustained by hope in Christ.

Understanding Truth Amid False Teachings

Paul concludes by affirming the trustworthy truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, highlighting mercy and grace as the foundation for faith and teaching. This truth should be the anchor amid conflicting doctrines.

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: Teaching in Love

Definition: Instruction that seeks to build up others through love, not pride, fear, or empty speculation.

Key Points:

• Combat false doctrines with love-based teaching.
• Avoid prideful or fear-based methods.
• Aim to produce love in both teacher and listener.

Example / Analogy:
Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to remain in Ephesus and teach with love despite false teachers’ prideful attitudes.

Concept 2: The Greater Gift of Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Definition: Love is the supreme spiritual gift that surpasses all others and gives meaning to all actions.

Key Points:

• Spiritual gifts are temporary; love never ends.
• Love is patient, kind, humble, and rejoices in truth.
• Actions without love are meaningless.

Example / Analogy:
Speaking in tongues or prophecy without love is like a noisy gong or clanging cymbal—annoying and empty.

Concept 3: Pure Heart

Definition: A heart free from sin and contamination, fully devoted to God.

Key Points:

• Sin contaminates the heart regardless of proportion.
• Purity involves removing both obvious and hidden sins.
• Encouraged by fellowship with others pursuing purity.

Example / Analogy:
A glass of water mixed with poison is harmful no matter the amount; similarly, any sin contaminates the heart.

Concept 4: Good Conscience

Definition: A morally excellent conscience that guides believers away from sin and false teaching.

Key Points:

• Acts as a radar to detect spiritual dangers.
• Must be maintained and not ignored.
• Helps navigate difficult decisions with biblical guidance.

Example / Analogy:
A shipwreck occurs when a vessel hits an obstacle or leaks unnoticed; similarly, a poor conscience leads to spiritual failure.

Concept 5: Sincere Faith

Definition: Genuine, transparent, obedient faith that actively works and endures.

Key Points:

• Faith without pretense or covering cracks.
• Transforms and humbles believers.
• Motivates active labor in love and hope.

Example / Analogy:
The centurion’s faith in Matthew 8 shows humility and trust in Jesus’ authority; sincere faith is like a light that cannot be hidden.

Concept 6: Truth Amid Speculation

Definition: The foundational truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, which anchors faith and teaching.

Key Points:

• This truth is trustworthy and fully acceptable.
• Mercy and grace are central to salvation.
• Provides assurance amid conflicting teachings.

Example / Analogy:
Paul’s own testimony as the worst sinner saved by grace demonstrates the power of this truth.

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: How do we distinguish truth from false teaching amid many speculations?

Answer 1: By holding onto the trustworthy truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners and by teaching with love rooted in a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.

Question 2: Why is love considered the greatest gift over prophecy or knowledge?

Answer 2: Because without love, spiritual gifts are empty and meaningless; love endures forever and gives true value to all actions and teachings.

Teaching in Love: Insights from 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians

Instructor: Colton Hamlett

Date: 2025-08-05

Topic: Teaching in Love – Insights from 1 Timothy 1 and 1 Corinthians 12-13

🧠 Key Learnings

The Importance of Love in Teaching and Instruction

Paul instructs Timothy to remain in Ephesus to combat false teachings with instruction rooted in love rather than pride or fear. Teaching should not be about self-promotion or intimidation but about producing love in others, reflecting Christ’s love.

The Greater Gift: Love Over Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12-13 highlights that spiritual gifts like prophecy, knowledge, and speaking in tongues are temporary and meaningless without love. Love is described as patient, kind, humble, and enduring, and it is the ultimate attribute that gives meaning to all actions and teachings.

Producing Love Through a Pure Heart, Good Conscience, and Sincere Faith

Paul emphasizes that the goal of instruction is love that arises from three qualities: a pure heart (free from sin and contamination), a good conscience (morally excellent and aware of right and wrong), and sincere faith (genuine, transparent, obedient, and active faith). These qualities help believers navigate false teachings and live godly lives.

The Role of the Conscience in Maintaining Faith

A good conscience acts like a radar, alerting believers to sin and guiding them away from spiritual shipwreck. Maintaining a good conscience is essential to avoid falling into false teachings or moral failure.

Sincere Faith as Transformational, Obedient, and Active

Sincere faith transforms individuals, leading to humility and obedience, as exemplified by Jesus and the centurion in Matthew 8. It is not passive but involves active labor motivated by love and sustained by hope in Christ.

Understanding Truth Amid False Teachings

Paul concludes by affirming the trustworthy truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, highlighting mercy and grace as the foundation for faith and teaching. This truth should be the anchor amid conflicting doctrines.

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: Teaching in Love

Definition: Instruction that seeks to build up others through love, not pride, fear, or empty speculation.

Key Points:

• Combat false doctrines with love-based teaching.
• Avoid prideful or fear-based methods.
• Aim to produce love in both teacher and listener.

Example / Analogy:
Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to remain in Ephesus and teach with love despite false teachers’ prideful attitudes.

Concept 2: The Greater Gift of Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Definition: Love is the supreme spiritual gift that surpasses all others and gives meaning to all actions.

Key Points:

• Spiritual gifts are temporary; love never ends.
• Love is patient, kind, humble, and rejoices in truth.
• Actions without love are meaningless.

Example / Analogy:
Speaking in tongues or prophecy without love is like a noisy gong or clanging cymbal—annoying and empty.

Concept 3: Pure Heart

Definition: A heart free from sin and contamination, fully devoted to God.

Key Points:

• Sin contaminates the heart regardless of proportion.
• Purity involves removing both obvious and hidden sins.
• Encouraged by fellowship with others pursuing purity.

Example / Analogy:
A glass of water mixed with poison is harmful no matter the amount; similarly, any sin contaminates the heart.

Concept 4: Good Conscience

Definition: A morally excellent conscience that guides believers away from sin and false teaching.

Key Points:

• Acts as a radar to detect spiritual dangers.
• Must be maintained and not ignored.
• Helps navigate difficult decisions with biblical guidance.

Example / Analogy:
A shipwreck occurs when a vessel hits an obstacle or leaks unnoticed; similarly, a poor conscience leads to spiritual failure.

Concept 5: Sincere Faith

Definition: Genuine, transparent, obedient faith that actively works and endures.

Key Points:

• Faith without pretense or covering cracks.
• Transforms and humbles believers.
• Motivates active labor in love and hope.

Example / Analogy:
The centurion’s faith in Matthew 8 shows humility and trust in Jesus’ authority; sincere faith is like a light that cannot be hidden.

Concept 6: Truth Amid Speculation

Definition: The foundational truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, which anchors faith and teaching.

Key Points:

• This truth is trustworthy and fully acceptable.
• Mercy and grace are central to salvation.
• Provides assurance amid conflicting teachings.

Example / Analogy:
Paul’s own testimony as the worst sinner saved by grace demonstrates the power of this truth.

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: How do we distinguish truth from false teaching amid many speculations?

Answer 1: By holding onto the trustworthy truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners and by teaching with love rooted in a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.

Question 2: Why is love considered the greatest gift over prophecy or knowledge?

Answer 2: Because without love, spiritual gifts are empty and meaningless; love endures forever and gives true value to all actions and teachings.