Departing from The
Faith
Book of 1 Timothy
Chapter 4
We can understand
this passage if we understand "apostasy"!
Apostasy takes place
when a so-called Christian abandons the doctrine of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
This can take place
by making a verbal declaration or we can see it by their actions.
Paul was charged
with apostasy by Jewish elders when he became a Christian. They were
wrong, and Paul was right.
Act 21:21 And they
are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among
the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to
circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
This charge was made
of against Stephen:
Act 6:13 And set up
false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak
blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14 For we
have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this
place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
In fact, it was this
charge that the Jews used against the Lord Jesus Christ!
Luk 20:20 And they
watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just
men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might
deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
In fact, Paul said,
departing from the faith, would be one of the many signs that we are
in the lasts days!
2Th_2:3 Let no man
deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son
of perdition;
We can understand
that the latter days extend from the day of the Lord's ascension
until the Lords return. He will return at first to gather His Church
and at least seven years later He will come to judge all the nations
of this world and to gather the Jews.
Toward the very last
of days there will be a great falling away, before the rapture takes
place.
We may ask why such
a thing would take place in the church and it will be because they
"will heed to seducing spirits" and the "doctrines of
devils"!
Here is an article
from the Christian Post:
There is an ongoing
silent migration away from the church of an estimated 3,500
individuals each and every day.
A 2014 study
indicated that over 1.2 million people will leave the church in the
next year.
Several factors are
contributing to this trend, but the majority of individuals who are
leaving the church, report "that they no longer feel connected"
to the church.
The number of
churches that are closing their doors every year is leading to an
overall decline in church attendance.
In 2015, it is
estimated that over 10,000 churches closed their doors.
This has led to a
growing host of Christians who no longer have a place to connect with
other believers.
In fact, The Barna
Group reports that the average size of a church congregation in
America today, is just 89 adults.
That means for each
church door that closes, almost 100 people are left without a
spiritual home.
Those that leave the
most are the young people. Many are now in that group called
millennials!
We could say that we
are living in the last days of the Church Age and the "Rapture"
of the Church, is the next thing on the prophetic calendar!
*****1Ti 4:1 Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
Of course, that
Spirit is the Holy Spirit who lives in each and every true believer!
The Holy Spirit
picked this letter written from Paul to Timothy and then to the
church, to make known this prophesy. We should understand in all the
epistles of Paul, He does not think of his present age as being these
latter days, even though false preachers and teachers were around in
his day and have continued unto our day.
This age would be
something out of the ordinary, which is what we are seeing in this
present day and age!
To get a good
understanding of these things we need only read Chapter 2 and 3 of
the Book of the Revelation describing the 7 Church Ages.
The source of
treachery in the Church has always come from the human agents of
Satan!
None of these men
and women are omnipotent nor are they able to resist the Christian to
stands firm on the Word of God and this is the problem in our
Churches today, the members are not taught to wear the armor of God
at all times.
*****1Ti 4:2
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron;
1Ti 4:3 Forbidding
to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and
know the truth.
1Ti 4:4 For every
creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received
with thanksgiving:
1Ti 4:5 For it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Hypocrisy is the
telling of lies with the intention to change the mind of that
listener.
This takes a
deceiver who claims to know and live the truth of God, but his
teaching will be that we as individuals can be higher than God.
This was the first
of Satan's lies to Eve.
Gen 3:1 Now the
serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD
God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:4 And the
serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
This was the same
lie of those early descendants of Noah!
Gen 11:4 And they
said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach
unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad
upon the face of the whole earth.
These agents of
Satan may use a different approach today, but their message is still
the same, they insist that "as humans we just do not need God"!
God cautions us
about these things and gives us the means to tell the difference of a
false Pastor or the true Pastor.
1Jn 4:1 Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1Jn 4:2
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have
heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of
God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he
that is in you, than he that is in the world.
It's all about Jesus
Christ! When you reject Jesus Christ as the God of the Bible, then
you are teaching a false message, and a false doctrine!
There is only one
kind of faith that can save anyone. We can have all kinds of faith
but there is only one saving faith and that is the faith in God's
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!
A seared conscience
is someone who has grown callous in their own flesh like the branding
with a hot iron. They are senseless and unfeeling when it comes to
the truth of God and a personal relationship with Him.
We must remember God
established the family before He did the Church. A marriage is
between one man and one woman and God would have never required a
Pastor or any elder of the church to abstain from marriage.
The Apostle Paul
condemned the practices the Gnostics, the Essenes and all sects that
forbade the Christian marriage.
Col 2:16 Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an
holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are
a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
There are still
those today, who deny the Lord's Day, who deny baptism, who deny
repentance, who deny the tithe, who deny the formation of the Church.
They deny the Church
is the Spiritual "Body of Christ".
This is the faith
that the Christian must never depart from!
Every attack from
false teachers and false preachers will come against the truth of
God!
Every attack on the
pure truth of God, should be rejected immediately!
False teachers deny,
refute, and ignore the truth of God and they know they do! It is
their intention to do so!
We must clearly
understand that just as the Lord seeks men to call into the ministry,
the forces of evil also seek men to do their bidding!
The doctrine of
false teachers is serious, so serious that it could make us search
our own hearts for the truth and at that point the devil has
succeeded to get a toe hold into your Christian life.
What is Gnosticism?
Gnosticism is a philosophical system built upon Greek philosophy that
stressed matter is evil and only the spirit is good.
If this was true.
then God could not have created this material world we live in.
They rejected the
God of the Old Testament.
They claimed a
spirit (demiurge) had all the power of creation and enough matter to
create this material world.
They held two
differing views of Jesus:
1) Because matter
is evil then Jesus could have never come in human form, He only
appeared to have human form.
2) That a divine
Logos (a rendering) came upon the human Jesus and departed from Him
prior to His crucifixion.
Therefore, salvation
was also philosophical.
Only those who are
specifically initiated can be saved, if you fall into this trap.
Sin and evil are
then associated with ignorance or lack of knowledge.
Therefore, a man's
task was to deny self and avoid the things of this world and control
the body as much as possible.
Today this is called
Christian Science! Still believing that only that special few could
obtain such knowledge and be saved.
These things were
destroying the Church in Ephesus.
The two things that
were to be denied were the eating of meat and the forbidding of
marriage!
These are two things
that God had already blessed, the marriage and all meats received
with thanksgiving!
Some of these
decided that since it was the spirit that only mattered, then nothing
in this world mattered and people could do as the pleased.
We can see that
these two things are still rampant in the church of today and they
are still false teachings.
**There are those
who concentrate upon the body and its health. (trying to overcome
aging and the dying of the body as much as possible)
**There are still
those who refuse to marry and are vegetarians.
**There are far too
many today who live as they please.
All these are forms
of Gnosticism. They give attention to their spirit and worship only
as they please.
The truth of God
destroys these lifestyles and this false teaching, and this is
another reason the Word of God is rejected!
Rom 10:9 That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.
Rom 10:10 For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the
scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there
is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord
over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
What did Jesus
teach?
Mat 6:31 Therefore
take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after
all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you.
What was Timothy 's
job as Paul saw it?
*****1Ti 4:6 If
thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a
good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and
of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1Ti 4:7 But refuse
profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto
godliness.
It was Timothy's job
to make this church aware of this false teaching by teaching the
truth of God!
By doing this,
Timothy would also be nourished up in the words of faith and of a
sound doctrine!
If your Pastor does
not lift up the Lord Jesus Christ, as God in every way, then you need
to find you another place of worship!!!!!!!!!!!!
The truth is, we
will never know happiness until we have heard the truth of God!
Truth always points
out the flaws of a false message!
There should not be
one sermon or a single message that is to be taught in the House of
God, that cannot be backed up by the truth of the Scriptures!!!!!!!
The truth of God
never goes out of style, it is the same in every Age!!!!!!!!!!!
The Pastor in the
ministry of Jesus Christ show that he is subordinate to the authority
of Jesus Christ!
The Pastor in the
ministry of Jesus Christ will adhere to the doctrines of Jesus
Christ!
The Pastor in the
ministry of Jesus Christ will be steadfast in his imitation of the
example of Jesus Christ!
This same Pastor
will know that he is dependent upon the "Grace" of
God!!!!!! "God's Riches At Christ Expense"
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know!!!!!!!
There are no
speculations in the Scriptures!
We must all refuse
profane tales.
We must reject "old
wives’ tales and fables" as the notions of men and not the
Lord Jesus!
These things have no
place in the house of God whose foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ!
Act 24:14 But this
I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so
worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are
written in the law and in the prophets:
Act 24:15 And have
hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall
be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Act 24:16 And
herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of
offence toward God, and toward men.
According to Luke,
Paul spoke these words to that Roman Captain Lysias when he came
under the attack of Judaizers in Jerusalem.
*****1Ti 4:8 For
bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto
all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which
is to come.
1Ti 4:9 This is a
faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
Remember there were
those in the church at Ephesus, who did everything that they could to
stop the aging process of their bodies.
Reminds me of those
who give their bodies to yoga. Taking care of bodies is a necessary
thing but, it must not involve worship!
Paul did not mean
that bodily exercise was not good for us. Paul meant that the best we
could do in maintaining good health would be to add a few years to
our life and that is great but, it cannot compare to that life of
eternity we get by keeping the truth of God!
We are to exercise
ourselves in godliness which brings with it everlasting life!
To the Pastor all
his energy, his effort, his time, and his dedication are to be given
over to living in godliness!
Psa 37:16 A little
that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Psa 37:17 For the
arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the
righteous.
Psa 37:18 The LORD
knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for
ever.
Psa 37:19 They
shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they
shall be satisfied.
Living in godliness
is much more important than all the things that we can do to keep our
body healthy.
*****1Ti 4:10 For
therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that
believe.
1Ti 4:11 These
things command and teach.
The most important
thing we can do in this life is to place our trust, our faith, in the
Living God, "our God is alive"!
Why do true Pastors
suffer reproach? Because they preach the truth of God.
The reproach comes
because we live in a world that does not like to hear the truth. That
truth being that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all men!
The suffering comes
because this world we live in, makes it hard to be Christian ,
because Jesus Christ is hated by those who cannot believe the truth
that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind!
As Christians we
have rested our hope on the Living God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Christians we
must all labor in the field of the lost, but it is the true Pastor
who will labor the most.
It is the true
Pastor who will come under the attack of Satan's children much more
than his flock!
2Co 11:23 Are they
ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more
abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in
deaths oft.
If we are to be
reproached by this evil world, then let it not be reproach for some
evil thing!
When we are
reproached for well-doing then we can still have a clear conscience.
We must, with our integrity, serve God and trust that He will protect
us but more than that, we must honor His will for us!
We not only serve a
Risen Living Savior, but the same God of Creation who has the power
to keep us safe!
Christ is the Savior
for all mankind, but He will only save those who believe in Him to do
this thing called "Salvation".
When we do not share
this good news, then we have not been the Christian that the Lord is
seeking!
Psa 17:6 I have
called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear
unto me, and hear my speech.
Psa 17:7 Shew thy
marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them
which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
Psa 17:8 Keep me as
the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Psa 17:9 From the
wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
It was very
important for Timothy to be strong in the Lord.
Timothy may have
been younger than 30 years old, (some say around 23 years old) and
this would not help him in dealing with Judaizers.
Timothy was a son of
a mixed marriage Jew and Gentile, this also he would be used against
him by many Jews, just as it is for those of today.
Act 16:1 Then came
he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there,
named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and
believed; but his father was a Greek:
Act 16:2 Which was
well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Act 16:3 Him would
Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because
of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his
father was a Greek.
Timothy had the name
of Greek descent but all his life he was trained as a Jew by his
Jewish mother and grandmother which was the normal Jewish way. Which
also made him a Jew because his mother was a Jew.
Remember the line to
Jesus had to come through Sarah, the wife of Abraham!!!!!
We see again it does
not matter where we come from it only matters where we are going.
It was Timothy's job
to proclaim the Word of God to all those who would listen!
*****1Ti 4:12 Let
no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in
word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1Ti 4:13 Till I
come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Timothy was to be an
example to the believers at Ephesus! Timothy had to prove that he was
mature enough to be Pastor this church so full of false doctrine.
Timothy had to be
wise in the things that he said and did!
Tit 2:8 Sound
speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary
part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Timothy had to be
faithful to his calling at all times!
Timothy had to be an
example in his behavior!
He had to be an
example in his love for the Church.
He had to be an
example in his spirit, he had to walk in the Holy Spirit!
He had to be an
example in "faith" which is faithfulness.
Luk 9:23 And he
said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose
his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Timothy had to be an
example in purity. He had to live a clean, moral, just, and honest
life, and every move he made would be scrutinized!
This was a lot to
ask from any Pastor, but that young Timothy was the most suited of
all those who travel with Paul.
Timothy had to be
devoted to the life of Pastoring this church in Ephesus!
*****1Ti 4:14
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by
prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate
upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting
may appear to all.
Each Pastor is
called and equipped by the Holy Spirit. If that Pastor does not use
that gift to its full extent, then he is neglecting the gifts of God!
There had been those
who prophesied that Timothy would become a Pastor of the Christian
Church and it had come true.
Timothy had been
ordained by the elders of the Church, in which Paul was one of those
elders and found qualified!
If Timothy did not
answer his calling to the fullest extent, he would answer to God who
called him!
Eph 4:10 He that
descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens,
that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11 And he
gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
Meditation can be
said to be faith, hope, love, joy, and all the fruit of the Holy
Spirit wrapped up into one mind.
2Co 10:5 Casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And having
in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is
fulfilled.
Timothy had to pay
attention, that everything he did was according to the Word of God in
his life!
God's Word will not
come back void, but it will do what God sends it out to do!
Every Pastor must
guard himself and his teaching.
Every Pastor is only
a sinner saved by the "Grace" of God just as any other
Christian and he also must flee from the temptations of this world.
He should not only
try to keep himself physically fit, but he must remain spiritually
fit!
Being a Pastor is
not a one day of the week job, he must worship God every day and he
must live in God's Word.
If Timothy could
continue in the instructions of the Word of God and not abandon his
faith, then this would lead to the salvation of many!
Jud 1:20 But ye,
beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Ghost,
Jud 1:21 Keep
yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
When we depart from
our faith, we have said no to God the Father! THIS IS NOT A GOOD
THING TO DO!
Amen
Let's Pray!
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