I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Timothy 1-4.

At the beginning of today’s passage Paul warns Timothy, and us, against false teachings, then later he warns against false teachers. The false teachings he warns against involve “myths” and “spiritual pedigrees” (other translations say “genealogies”). The false teachers follow deceptive spirits and teachings which come from demons. In both cases, these teachings appeal to people who are hypocrites and liars. Paul writes that if our actions are based on love from a pure heart and genuine faith we do not need a set of rules to follow. The purpose of rules is to show those who do not possess such love that certain things are wrong. In fact, the reason all societies develop such rules is because people instinctively know that such things are wrong. However, once we experience God’s love through faith in Christ the only purpose for following such rules is to find loopholes which allow us to not act in a loving manner. If we truly have faith in Christ and act in love we do not need a rule which tells us not to kill someone, our love for that person will not allow us to kill them.

I was going to write about more of the other things Paul wrote in today’s passage, but I feel that the above is really what I want to focus on today. However, I want to mention what Paul writes about prayer. Paul tells Timothy, and us, to pray for ALL people. We should pray that God helps them, that they do not suffer the consequences of their sins, and give thanks for their existence. In particular, we should pray for those in positions in authority. Praying for others, especially those we are inclined to dislike, will make us better witnesses for Christ help us live peaceful lives marked by godliness.