1 Timothy 1:18–20 “The Limits of Love”

1 Timothy 1:18-20 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Build Your Kingdom Here – Rend Collective
• Pat Barrett – Build My Life (ft. Cory Asbury)
• Holy Spirit – Francesca Battistelli

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• What is the Church? – For Kids – | GQKidz.org – Lesson for Kids
• Cedarmont Kids – The Wise Man and Foolish Man – Song for Kids
• To God Be the Glory | Yee-Haw VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Great is Thy Faithfulness | Holy Land Adventure: Egypt VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The phrase “my son Timothy” (v. 18) reflects the apostle’s deep affection for him. “The prophecies once made about you” refers to the words of prophecy given while the apostle was praying for Timothy. Prophecy, as a gift from the Holy Spirit, reveals the works and experiences a person will face in the future. While fortune-tellers’ predictions aim to help people avoid misfortune, prophecies of the Holy Spirit prepare one to endure hardships. This particular prophecy concerned “fighting the good fight.” Since Rome was an empire built on war, military or battle imagery was easily understood.

All fighting or wars among people are evil. Timothy’s struggle, however, is called “good” because it is directed against evil spirits. This battle is not fought with spear or sword but with “faith and a good conscience” (v. 19). Earlier, the apostle set Timothy’s pastoral goal as nurturing love that springs from “a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith” (v. 5). To win in spiritual battle, one must be deeply rooted in God (faith) and discern and practice what is right according to a good conscience.

In the Ephesian church, there were some who had been defeated in the spiritual battle. The apostle compares them to a shipwrecked vessel (v. 19). Hymenaeus is mentioned again in 2 Timothy 2:17; he caused confusion among believers by teaching that the resurrection had already taken place. According to 2 Timothy 4:14, Alexander was a coppersmith who did Paul much harm. This does not mean he harassed Paul personally, but that he hindered the preaching of the gospel.

The phrase “I have handed them over to Satan” (v. 20) means they were expelled from the church. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 5:5, the apostle commands that someone who continues in sexual immorality while still attending the church be removed from fellowship.

Meditation:

The greatest commandment given to Christians is to love even their enemies. The church must embrace all people without discrimination through the love of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13), the church must welcome those who are marginalized, despised, and left without a place in the world. If a church selectively chooses whom to accept, it denies its very identity as a church.

However, there are times when the church must set limits on love. This applies to false teachers who mislead believers with distorted faith, and to members who live immoral lives without any desire to repent. Jesus instructed that if such a person is within the church, one should first go privately to urge repentance; if they do not listen, then take one or two others along; and if they still refuse, remove them from the community (Matthew 18:15–17). The Apostle Paul also commands the expulsion of those who spread heretical teachings, like Hymenaeus, or those who hinder the proclamation of the gospel, like Alexander. He describes this as “handing them over to Satan.”

The church’s decision to expel such people is a “paradoxical act of love.” Its purpose is to give them an opportunity to repent and prevent their harmful influence from spreading to others. Just as one rotten peach in a box can damage the rest, leaving unrepentant immoral members or heretical teachers unchecked will harm others in the community.

In today’s church, this function of discipline or correction has all but disappeared. Churches have lost much of their spiritual authority, and since there are so many churches available, those under discipline often say, “This isn’t the only church I can go to,” and simply leave. As a result, they lose the chance to repent.

While it may seem that having many churches makes things easier, spiritually, it has placed us in a more difficult and unfavorable situation.

Prayer:

Lord, heal our hearts from treating the church like a department store or a service center. Help us to know how glorious the church is within Your plan of salvation. Make us the holy body of Christ. Allow us to become precious members who are indispensable to Your holy body. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: The church is not like a store where we “get what we want.” It is the body of Christ, meant to be holy and filled with His love. While the church welcomes all people, sometimes it must set limits to protect the community and guide people toward repentance. True love in the church is about helping each other grow in faith and holiness.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • What do you think it means that the church is like Jesus’ body?
  • If one “rotten peach” can spoil others, why do you think it is important for the church to help each other stay close to God?
  • How can you be a special and important part of Jesus’ body, the church?
    
• Youth
  • Why do you think Jesus said the church should welcome everyone, even people who are usually left out?
  • How is discipline in the church (correcting and guiding someone who does wrong) actually an act of love?
  • In our world today, many people treat church like a “service center.” What do you think it means to see the church as the “body of Christ” instead?