1 Timothy 1
Paul seemed to summarize the very purpose of life in one verse to Timothy -
"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned..." (New Testament 1 Timothy 1:5)
He suggest for things we are striving to achieve. First Charity - Paul wrote to the Corinthians -
"THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth..." (New Testament 1 Corinthians 13:1 - 8)
Mormon explained that -
"...charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him..." (Book of Mormon Moroni 7:47)
For -
"...if ye have not charity, ye are nothing..." (Book of Mormon Moroni 7:46)
Second is a pure heart. In psalm, David wrote -
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart" (Old Testament Psalms 24:3 - 4)
The Savior himself declared -
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (New Testament Matthew 5:8)
Third is a good conscience. In my mind the way a man may have a clear conscience is if he has done what he can in the service to his fellowman including magnifying whatever office or calling his has been given -
King Benjamin said -
"...I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.
16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.
17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Book of Mormon Mosiah 2:15 - 17)
And finally, "faith unfeigned". Unfeign meaning -
"Not hyprocritical, genuine, or sincere" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Where -
"...faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." (Book of Mormon Alma 32:21)
Hope is the process of action - moving forward. Continually doing the will of our Father in Heaven in all things. This is faith unfeigned.
This all is the "end of the commandment".
<< Home