A Pure Heart, a Good Conscience and a Sincere Faith

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1Ti 1:5 NASB)

This is another verse that has grabbed my attention lately, being as it is to do with the purpose of teaching (and preventing false teachings) in the church. Having had a peruse of the original Greek and the Lexicons over at studylight.org I would like to offer my own amplified version of this verse:

The objective of our instruction is to produce and expression of God's covenant love in the church, which comes from a heart that is untainted and undivided, a conscience that is sound and upright, and faith that is genuine and not just for show.

It is a good reminder for all of us who teach and preach, that our ultimate objective is to produce a manifest expression of "Agape" - God's covenant love - in the body, and to do this our words must carry the utmost integrity. They should not be soiled by alterior motives or objectives, compromised by an inconsistent lifestyle, or dressed up to convey a larger measure of faith than we actually possess.

It is genuine faith that counts. All our faith-sounding eloquence will avail nothing, but genuine faith, even the size of a mustard seed, now that can move mountains!