4/19/26 - The Law and The Gospel | 1 Timothy 1:8-11 - Pastor Matt Burkholder

This Sunday, we’ll continue our series in 1 Timothy as we look at chapter 1, verses 8–11 and consider what Paul says about the purpose of God’s law. In the church at Ephesus, there had been a subtle but significant drift away from sound doctrine, as false teachers rose up and began to misunderstand and misapply the law. What was meant to point people to God was instead being used in a way that led them away from Him. Paul addresses this head-on by reminding us that the law is good—but only when it’s used properly. Like many today, the people in Ephesus were tempted to treat the law as a measuring stick for their own righteousness or to separate it entirely from the message of grace. But Paul shows us that the law and the gospel are not at odds—they work together. The law exposes our sin and reveals our need, while the gospel points us to Jesus, the One who fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf. Together, we’ll explore how the law was never meant to save us, but to serve a greater purpose: to confront us, to lead us to Christ, and to shape how we live in response to His grace. My hope is that this message helps us see both the depth of our need and the greatness of God’s love—that while we may be far more sinful than we realize, we are also far more loved than we could ever imagine.