We recall a pastor's conference some years ago at which one of the speakers noted rather facetiously that when writing laymen or local churches, the apostle Paul typically wished them "grace and peace." When writing pastors, however, he not only wished them grace and peace but "mercy" as well (e.g., I and II Timothy, Titus)! Well...
This came to mind this morning in reading the apostle's first epistle to Timothy, wherein he emphasizes faith's essential intent in relation to both laity and leadership.
As per J. B. Phillip's "New Testament in Modern English" (again, benefit often attends the reading of Scripture from various translations as means for providing a new "sense of bite"), Paul has left Timothy at Ephesus for the following reason: "I wanted you to [stay] so that you could order certain persons to stop inventing new doctrines and to leave hoary old myths and interminable geneaolgies alone. They only raise queries in men's minds without leading them to faith in God."
Perhaps some things tend not to change all that much. The point that stands out to us, however, deals not only with the minister's role, but with the ordained objective of his ministry: "The ultimate aim of the Christian minister, after all, is to produce the love which which springs from a pure heart, a good conscience and a genuine faith. Some," Paul continues, "seem to have forgotten this and to have lost themselves in endless words."
Simply stated, it becomes easy at times - in terms of both pulpit and pew - to lose ourselves, not only in words, but words designed to serve ourselves in terms of recognition, personal cause and agenda, factional interests (again, in a sense of the superior self), ad infinitum.
The ultimate aim, once again, is love derivative a pure heart, good conscience and genuine faith. We all do well to remind ourselves on occasion.
Burl Ratzsch
