1 Timothy 1:5—“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
Paul addresses Timothy as a pastor charged with safeguarding the church from those who misuse the law and pursue empty speculation rather than true godliness. In that context, Paul clarifies the true goal—the end—of God’s commandment. God’s instruction is never an end in itself; it is meant to produce a transformed life. The aim is not argument, superiority, or mere correctness, but “charity,” a self-giving love shaped by the gospel.
This love is not the product of natural affection or emotional impulse. Paul carefully traces its source. It flows from “a pure heart,” a heart sanctified by the Spirit and the Word and set apart for God. It is sustained by “a good conscience,” one shaped by truth and guarded from hypocrisy. And it is rooted in “faith unfeigned,” a sincere trust in Christ that is not merely outward or superficial. Where faith is genuine, love inevitably follows.
Obedience divorced from love misrepresents God, for it portrays Him as harsh rather than holy. When law is pursued without love, it hardens the heart into cold legalism. Yet love detached from truth fares no better; it slowly deteriorates into sentimentality and compromise. In God’s wisdom, His commands never separate what He has joined. They unite truth and love, shaping lives that display not only His holiness, but also the gracious beauty of His character.
Let us heed the call of our text to examine not only what we believe, but why we believe and how we live. Sound doctrine must lead to sincere faith, a clear conscience, and visible love. When these are present, God’s commands accomplish their gracious purpose in us.
