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:”

This is speaking of the aim of God’s commandments since God’s law used as intended is a guide to having such.  His law was never intended as a means to earn justification nor was it intended to be a burden to a righteous person using the law as it was intended to be used.  

Consider how the Pharisees contended with Jesus’ disciples for plucking ears of corn and eating them on the Sabbath day.  Yet Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because His disciples had not actually violated the Sabbath.  They were serving the Lord of the Sabbath rather than laboring for personal profit like the man gathering sticks in Numbers 15 whom God commanded to be stoned.  There were evidently many like those Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked seeking to somehow influence the Church at Ephesus where Timothy was.

1 Timothy 1:6: “From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;”

That is, some have turned or strayed from the intended aim of the law mentioned in verse five.  

1 Timothy 1:7-8: “Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;”

Those who separate faith in Jesus Christ from subjection to God’s law have turned aside to vain jangling- including those who seek to earn justification by the law and those who abuse the law otherwise.

Going into 1 Timothy 1:9: “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,”

This is another instance where the KJV translators could have done better.  This should have been translated as something like “the law does not lay against” or “the law does not strike against a righteous man.”  Is a righteous man above the law?  Of course not.  Yet many preachers and churches communicate the opposite.   

It is the people whom Paul is about to mention (the lawbreakers) who consider themselves above the law- and these are clearly not righteous people.  The Bible warns repeatedly that workers of lawlessness will be cast into the fire of hell- including workers of lawlessness who profess faith in Jesus Christ.

Consider: If you are not a thief, laws against theft do not lay against or strike against you.  If you steal though, they do.

Continuing with 1 Timothy 1:9 going through 1 Timothy 1:11: (speaking of those whom the lay does lay against or strike against) but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Sound doctrine is that the moral principles of the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ are in perfect agreement and unity.  The Gospel of Christ requires morally what the law requires morally.  

This is discussed in greater detail in several of our other studies. 

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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