1 Timothy 1: 5-7

The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.

The book of Timothy was written by Paul. Paul was born in AD10 approximately, important because he never witnessed Jesus in person.
Paul studied under the Rabbi Gamaliel in his childhood and as a young man, he got a job as a tentmaker. Paul first appears in the bible as a witness to the stoning of Stephen. Stephen was stoned because he proffessed Christ as Lord. People saw this as blaspemy against Moses, God and the law. Consequently, he was arrested, stood by a wall and stoned.

Paul openly admitted to persecuting the church and anyone who was a follower. However, on the road he was converted having heard the voice of God, asking, why are you persecuting me? Paul was led to a man called Ananias where he as baptised, and his vision was restored.

After his conversion, Paul went straight to the synagogues where he was famous for his preaching against God - but something was radically different, Paul was now preaching the good news of Christ. People who knew him, and who had supported his ideals listened to him and i imagine many were converted. However, many other people were afraid of this new Paul and so began to try and persecute Paul himself. Paul fled Damascus, abseiling the city walls in a basket. Sounds pretty exciting.

I'm so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were invective and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn't know what I was doing—didn't know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.

Here's a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I'm proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.

Paul went from one extreme to the other, and as he puts it, only through the grace of God, sheer mercy, endless patience.....

Paul was a sinner, but he was saved. This was a radical conversion, and a radical conversion that is occurring all over the country every day. Paul did nothing to deserve this, but God chose him to fulfill part of his will on earth.

Paul speaks of his conversion and even uses himself as a model example for Timothy and the church he set up to follow. Paul expresses the importance of Christ in his life and through his testimony, he reveals many qualities that should be found in christian teachers and leaders.

Firstly, absolute dependence on God is essential. Secondly, the right to participate in any ministry is purely given by God, and to God is whom the praise should be given. Paul also expresses how the faith has to be a personal faith, not just a belief.