How does 1 Timothy 1:10 address the issue of law and grace? Text of 1 Timothy 1:10 “for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching” Immediate Context: 1 Timothy 1:8-11 Paul has just affirmed, “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it properly” (v. 8). He then lists vices (vv. 9-10) and concludes that such things are “contrary to the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (v. 11). Verses 8-11 show both the diagnostic role of the law (exposing sin) and the curative role of grace (the gospel). Structure and Decalogue Parallels Paul’s vice list mirrors the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). “Lawless and rebellious” parallels Commandments 1-3; “ungodly and sinful” attacks idolatry; “murderers” (v. 9) reflects Commandment 6; “sexually immoral/homosexuals” corresponds to Commandment 7; “slave traders” (kidnappers) mirrors Commandment 8; “liars and perjurers” echo Commandments 9-10. By aligning his list with the Decalogue, Paul affirms continuity: the moral core of the Mosaic law still condemns transgression, but ultimately drives sinners to Christ. Law as Diagnostic: Revealing the Need for Grace Romans 3:20—“through the law we become conscious of sin”—and Galatians 3:24—“the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ”—explain Paul’s logic in 1 Timothy 1. The law identifies behaviors (“sexually immoral… liars…”) that reveal humanity’s bondage. Its purpose is not self-salvation but conviction. Grace as Curative: The Gospel’s Transformative Power Paul contrasts “contrary to sound teaching” with “the glorious gospel” (v. 11). Grace accomplishes what the law never could: regeneration (Titus 3:5-7) and empowerment (Titus 2:11-14). Where the law condemns, grace justifies and sanctifies—“not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Yet grace never nullifies moral norms; it internalizes them by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 8:4). Proper Use of the Law (v. 8) 1. Pedagogical: to indict the conscience. 2. Civil: to restrain evil (Romans 13:3-4). 3. Didactic for believers: clarifying God’s character (Psalm 19:7-11). Paul warns against misuses: legalism (seeking righteousness by law-keeping) and antinomianism (rejecting moral boundaries). Sound doctrine holds law and grace together—law to reveal, grace to redeem. Early Church Commentary Chrysostom (Homily I on 1 Tim) notes, “The law terrifies the disobedient; the gospel consoles the penitent,” summarizing Paul’s balance. Augustine (On the Spirit and the Letter 21) stresses that grace fulfills what the letter commands. Pastoral Application 1. Preach sin clearly; obscure law leads to cheap grace. 2. Offer grace lavishly; unresolved guilt leads to despair. 3. Disciple believers to live “sound teaching”—grace empowers obedience, not indifference (Ephesians 2:8-10). Synthesis 1 Timothy 1:10 locates the moral law as a mirror exposing sin and steering sinners to the grace proclaimed in the gospel. The verse, nestled in Paul’s vice list, demonstrates the harmony of law and grace: law reveals the sickness; grace provides the cure. |
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