Tonight, some friends and I began a study on 1 Timothy that we’ll be continuing, once a week, for the rest of the summer. Four of us dudes met up at the local Starbucks to think through and discuss the first chapter, which was really great. As I was reading through the 1st chapter beforehand and again in our group discussion, I was reminded of a simple truth–doctrine matters.

1 Tim 1: 3-5
As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

I don’t have a real solid grasp on the letter, but I’m wondering if the “stewardship from God that is by faith” is a reference to the gospel message itself. It seems that whatever was being taught by these questionable teachers, it was anti-gospel, leading only to unhealthy speculation.

As I thought about this I recalled a conversation I had with a friend last year. He was talking about his ministry values and personal perspectives and said something like, “I’m trying not to get so hung up on doctrinal kinds of issues. I’m more concerned with just loving God and loving people.” At the time, that didn’t seem so bad, but at the moment, I’m thinking otherwise.

It just seems interesting that Paul says his “aim” in having Timothy confront these teachers, and their doctrine, is to bring about love stemming from a right heart. So, maybe right doctrine is very important if we’re really to love God and love people, and maybe this is the case because right belief is to lead to right living. And conversely, maybe wrong belief will most likely lead to wrong living. Check out what Paul says again:

1 Tim 1: 9-10
…the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

I couldn’t help but notice Paul’s description of a lifestyle and how it relates to doctrine. The sinful lifestyle is inconsistent with sound doctrine, which seems to imply that there is a lifestyle that ought to be consistent with sound doctrine. I’d imagine Paul is concerned about these doctrinal issues because the gospel in Ephesus is at stake–wrong teaching leads to wrong belief and wrong belief leads to wrong living.

This just seemed worth mentioning, especially as I read about and listen to conversations concerning doctrinal issues more and more. It seems that long-held and foundational doctrines are being re-evaluated these days. I suppose it makes me a bit more cautious in evaluating the ideas that are being thrown around. The ideas we form and internalize will most likely be reflected in how we live our lives.

“The gospel of a glorious, other-oriented triune God giving Himself in love to his people in creation and redemption and re-creation is the core of every doctrine–of the Bible, of God, of humanity, of salvation, of ecclesiology, of eschatology” (Tim Keller: The Gospel and the Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World).

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