We move a couple decades from Paul’s earliest letters to the churches he founded as a relatively young man, to three letters from an aging Paul, written to those who would continue his work:
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Tim 1:1-2).
This greeting demonstrates that we cannot overstate the names of God and Jesus when we are in perfect unity with them, as are Paul and his greatest successor Timothy.
“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understand either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions” (1 Tim 1:3-7).
Paul is concerned about certain Jewish Christians at Ephesus who have wandered away from the fundamental teachings of Jesus and are teaching Old Testament law. They are not denying Jesus, but they are surely ignoring him.
In my life I have had similar experiences with certain Christian denominations who teach more about church government than saving souls and who actively support social issues that are clearly unacceptable to God according to the Bible. In other words, a personal relationship with Jesus is not taught. Paul continues:
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” (1 Tim 1:8-11).
In a similar manner, any Christian message is good, as long as it consistently supports teachings of Jesus and the apostles. For example, I know of no Christian church that teaches or accepts racism, and all Christians seem to be in perfect unity that all people are God’s children and worthy of sincere love issuing from sincere faith. Americans would gladly add that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
To borrow from Paul’s vocabulary, an important behavior of perfect unity involves not swerving away from biblical truth and wandering into vain speculation.