The immediate context is commanding men not to teach false doctrine, myths, and endless genealogies. The broader context is the rest of 1 Timothy and Paul's charge to Timothy on what it will take to lead a church.

To carry out this command (v. 3) will mean confrontation. Anytime you tell another person to stop something or change something, you are confronting them. Confrontation is always potentially explosive and can (and too often does) damage and/or end relationships.

When I confront someone, I must do so with the goal of love. This love is agape love which is love focused on the other person - not me. So often it is not WHAT I say but HOW I say it. I must think of the other person. It is not a matter of getting my way. It is a matter of God's truth and getting someone to live out the truth.

Agape love takes into consideration the level of maturity of the other person. HOW I confront a seemingly mature Christian vs HOW I confront a new Christian vs HOW I confront a non-believer - all will be different. The words I use, the tone of my voice, etc. will be different.

Pure heart, good conscience, sincere faith. Carrying out this command cannot be about me and getting my way. As soon as I do that, I am no longer reaching for the goal of agape love. What is most difficult for me is to get real honest with this and ask myself, "Is this about me and getting my way? Or is it about God's truth? Is it about helping the other person be more Christ-like or is it about my preferences and opinions?" I just wonder if most of the confrontations in church and between pastors and staff, pastors and volunteers, etc. - would be eliminated if this question were asked and honestly answered.

1 Timothy 1:5