Charge Some To Teach No Other Doctrine: 1 Timothy 1:1-11 Explained

Scriptures for Today

1 Timothy 1:1-11
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;  2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.  3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,  4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.  5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:  6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;  7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.  8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;  9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;  11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

Introduction to 1 Timothy — A Letter of Urgency and Doctrine

Before we open 1 Timothy 1, we need to understand where we are in the Bible.

1 Timothy is written after the end of the Book of Acts. The last chapter of Acts shows Paul under house arrest in Rome, preaching the gospel “no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:31). After this period, Paul is released, resumes preaching, and continues strengthening the churches he planted.

During this time, Paul leaves Timothy in Ephesus, one of the strongest and most important churches Paul ever dealt with (Acts 19). The church at Ephesus was powerful, growing, and influential — but also under attack from false teachers. This is why Paul writes Timothy:

1 Timothy 1:3
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

This verse reveals everything: 1) false doctrine is entering the church, 2) Timothy’s job is to confront it, 3) sound teaching must be protected, 4) Paul is giving Timothy direct instruction.

Timothy is not called the “pastor” of Ephesus in Scripture — but he is a trusted co-laborer, a faithful preacher, and the man Paul sends to confront error and strengthen believers. Paul’s purpose in this letter is clear:

• defend sound doctrine
• stop false teachers
• restore order
• instruct men and women in godliness
• establish standards for bishops and deacons
• protect the purity of the gospel
• teach Timothy how to respond boldly and scripturally

1 Timothy is a battlefield letter — a charge, a command, a call to war against doctrinal corruption. It’s not okay to teach false doctrine about the Bible. Paul loved this young man. He calls him:

1 Timothy 1:2
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

This shows the depth of their relationship. Paul is not writing to a stranger. He is writing to a man he trained, trusted, and sent to guard the church. And in the opening eleven verses, Paul lays the foundation:

• Who he is — an apostle of Jesus Christ
• What Timothy must guard — sound doctrine
• What to avoid — fables, endless genealogies, and vain teaching
• What the goal is — charity, a pure heart, good conscience, sincere faith
• What false teachers misunderstand — the law itself
• What the law is for — the lawless, not the righteous
• What the gospel is — the glorious message committed to Paul

Paul opens this book with clarity, authority, and urgency. Doctrine matters. Truth matters. Purity matters. Guarding the gospel matters. Now we enter verse-by-verse.

Verse 1 — Paul’s Authority and Timothy’s Assignment

1 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

First word is Paul. Paul begins by reminding Timothy who sent him. Not a council. Not a church. Not a denomination. Paul is an apostle “by the commandment of God our Saviour.” Not a pastor, not a bishop, not an evangelist, not a deacon. AN APOSTLE. Why does he begin this way?

Because Timothy is about to confront false teachers who think they are the authorities. Paul reminds him:

• You stand with apostolic authority.
• Your orders come from God Himself.
• The same Jesus who saved you “is our hope.”

Timothy is not acting in his own strength — he is acting under divine commission.

Verse 2 — Timothy, My Own Son in the Faith

1 Timothy 1:2
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

This is not biological language — it is spiritual. Timothy was saved under Paul’s ministry and trained personally by him. Paul gives him a blessing he gives to no other church letter: Grace, mercy, and peace. We’ve seen grace and peace. Why “mercy” added? Because Timothy is about to deal with:

• doctrinal battles
• church conflicts
• false teachers
• disorder
• legalists
• deceivers

He will need mercy — compassion, patience, divine help in leading people. It is not easy to lead people so he will need mercy. Again this is compassion and patience. We need God’s help to lead people properly.

Verse 3 — The Heart of the Letter: No Other Doctrine

1 Timothy 1:3
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

Here is the entire mission of 1 Timothy: Charge the false teachers. Stop the doctrinal drift. Guard the purity of the gospel. This was not optional. Not a suggestion. Not a meeting topic. It was a charge — a command. Why is doctrine so important? Because:

• doctrine builds disciples
• false doctrine destroys disciples
• true doctrine strengthens churches
• false doctrine splits churches

Timothy’s job is to confront error boldly, not gently. That is my job here. That is Nathan’s job here. We will not allow false doctrine and especially about the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST.

Verse 4 — The Trap of Fables and Genealogies

1 Timothy 1:4
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Don’t listen to fables. These are man made religious stories. For example, Abraham’s bosom, people will say is a compartment in hell that people went to. That’s not in the Bible. Not there. Jesus taking his physical blood and sprinkling it on the mercy seat in heaven after he appeared to Mary Magdalene is a fable. These fables lead to additional false doctrine.

Fables are mystical interpretations, invented explanations of Scripture, stories added to God’s word, teaching built on imagination. Be careful what you believe out there. There are a lot of fables on You Tube. There are a lot of women leading people the wrong way, and they most always call themselves spiritual.

Another example, people will call Timothy a pastor, but take a step back, read your Bible and see if the actual Holy Scriptures say this. But I’ve spread that fable before because it’s written at the end of the book in many Bibles. But that’s not Scripture.

Endless genealogies are speculative teachings built around lists of names. Many people will teach something about a list of people and that teaching is not what the Bible says.

These teachings do NOT build up the church. They create: confusion, speculation, arrogance, distraction, division. They “minister questions” — they stir up controversy instead of faith. For example, some people would want to fight me over that fact that the Bible doesn’t say Timothy was a pastor.

Doctrine should edify (build), not entertain. Timothy is commanded to shut down teaching that distracts people from Christ. Many people add words and stories to the Bible.

Verse 5 — The Goal of Godly Teaching

1 Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

We must have good doctrine or good teaching. We must stand on sound doctrine. What is the purpose of right doctrine, of sound doctrine? Not arguments. Not pride. Not superiority. The purpose is shown right there:

1. Charity out of a pure heart. Love that springs from a clean, sincere heart.
2. A good conscience. A mind clear before God.
3. Faith unfeigned. Real faith, not fake spirituality, not fake people. Real people w/ faith.

Sound doctrine produces real love, real charity, real purity, real sincerity. It produces this love in which you actually care for others. False doctrine produces pride, division, vanity.

Verse 6 — Vain Jangling

1 Timothy 1:6
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Vain jangling = empty talk. Lots of words. No truth. No clarity. No spiritual value. That’s what you’ll hear at most churches now. We don’t want to have any vain jangling in this church. Noise without meaning.

For example, speaking in babble is worse vain jangling. Most people doing this are preaching another Gospel, which is pure evil. And then they add to that with their speaking in babble. No one understands you. STOP. It’s a circus show. It’s a clown show. Just STOP.

These people in this verse have swerved off the road of sound doctrine into the ditch of meaningless speech. If we don’t teach the Bible, our words here in this church would have no meaning at all.

Verse 7 — Teachers Who Don’t Understand the Law

1 Timothy 1:7
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

These people want position and authority, not truth. They teach the law:

• without understanding the purpose of the law
• without understanding the gospel
• without understanding their own words

False teachers often sound confident but know nothing. The best will sound like they know what they’re talking about. They may twist Scriptures. They may be the better speakers on the planet. You must be very careful.

Here’s an example: A woman may believe what another woman is preaching on You Tube. That woman tells you that it’s okay for women to be pastors and to lead churches. But the woman preaching that ignores the actual words of the Bible: “Let your women keep silence in the churches. For it is not permitted unto them to speak.” And there’s much more than that.

But they are over in the churches everywhere around here desiring to be pastors. And they have no clue what they’re saying. I watched one of them recently on a video and she looks like she has a devil. And I’m sure she might. She said, “I just do what God says.” Really? And she hisses at times too just like a serpent. She doesn’t understand the Bible. God has blinded her.

Verses 8–10 — The Law Is Good… If Used Lawfully

1 Timothy 1:8
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

How is the law used lawfully? Not to save. Not to sanctify. Not to place people under bondage. Not to burden the believer. The law’s purpose is to expose sin. Look closely at the never verse.

1 Timothy 1:9-10
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Paul lists sins that the law condemns: ungodly, sinners, unholy, profane, murderers, whoremongers, “them that defile themselves with mankind” or homosexual type acts, menstealers, liars, perjured persons or people who swear to tell the truth but lie anyway, and one more thing.

The law was made for any other thing contrary to sound doctrine. The law is a mirror — not a ladder to heaven. It shows sin — it doesn’t save sinners. Look in the mirror and you will see a sinner.

Verse 11 — The Gospel Paul Was Entrusted With

1 Timothy 1:11
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The law condemns. The gospel saves. And Paul ends the section with authority: God Himself entrusted me with this gospel. It is glorious. It is pure. It must not be corrupted. The Gospel is very clear.

Timothy must defend the gospel with boldness.

Application — What This Passage Teaches Us Today

1. Doctrine matters — protect it. Churches die when doctrine drifts.
2. Confront error — boldly, not passively. Paul commands Timothy to charge false teachers.
3. The goal of doctrine is love. Truth produces godliness, not arrogance.
4. The law is good — but only when used biblically. It exposes sin but saves no one.
5. True ministry requires purity, honesty, and faithfulness. God cares about the heart, not just the head.
6. The gospel must remain central, unmixed, and uncorrupted. No works. No law. No additions.

Closing — Guard the Doctrine, Keep the Faith

Timothy was called to stand in a battle for truth — and so are we. Paul’s message is simple:

• Protect the gospel.
• Shut down false teaching.
• Keep your heart pure.
• Teach sound doctrine.

This world is full of fables, myths, false preachers, and false gospels. It is our duty to stand with Paul, stand with Scripture, and stand with Timothy:

Teach no other doctrine. Preach no other gospel. Lift up no other Savior.

Let’s pray.