September 20, 2009
Evening Service

I Timothy 4

 

Review:

1.      This morning we saw what offices that God wants in the church.  Bishop, Pastor, or Overseer, and Deacons.

2.      I mentioned this morning the self sustaining of the local churches.  This is way God meant for it to be, Christ the head of the church, the Apostles, and their teachings, then men who would continue to preach, and teach in unity the things that they had taught.

3.      The church has always had to battle false teachers.  This was the main charge that Paul would lay on his disciples.

4.      This evening we want to learn what some of the things are that constitute someone being a false teacher.  Remember the statement that Paul made to the Galatian church;  Gal 1:8-9  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  (9)  As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

5.      You see the thing we have to be able to believe, and accept is what Paul said to the Corinthians, 1Co 14:36-37  What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?  (37)  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

 

And we do, so now let’s see what chapter 4 holds for us.

 

1Ti 4:1-16  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;  (2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 

• Do we not want to know what these things are?  Do we need not be aware of these false teachers? 
• Seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  John said; 1Jo 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
• 2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
• Even Jesus warned us about this;  Mat 24:11-13  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  (12)  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  (13)  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
• Listen again to John;  1Jo 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  1Jo 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.
• Do not allow yourself to be seduced by the satan spirit, and his devils.

 

 

 

So let’s see what these false teachers will be teaching;

 

 

 

(3)  Forbidding to marry,

• I know of one instance of this, and that is the Catholic church not allowing their clergy to marry.  As a matter of fact, one of the things we saw this morning in the qualifications of a Bishop, or Pastor, was that he was to be the husband of one wife.
• You need to read chapter 7 of I Corinthians.  In this chapter Paul explains the reasons for being married, and remaining unmarried.  It all boils down to what you can handle.  If you can live without the sexual need for a woman, or same for a woman toward a man, Paul says you are better off, and don’t get married, but if you can’t then it is better for you to marry, than to burn with passion for someone.
• We only need to read the headlines on how this practice has led many Priests to a terrible sin. 

 

and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

·        The foremost danger was from those who would try to teach Christians that they were under the Mosaic laws.

·        There are those professing Christian organizations that still say that it is unpleasing to God if you don’t eat according to Lev. 11.

·        Notice what the Apostle says;

(4)  For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  (5)  For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  (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. 

• Paul said in another place;  Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

(7)  But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.  (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. 

• This is a great admonition from the Apostle.  The encouragement to live as close to God as we can in these last days.

(9)  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.  (10)  For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe. 

(11)  These things command and teach.   ALL THE ABOVE, AND BELOW.

• Remember what the mystery of Godliness is;  God manifested in the flesh, Jesus;

The formula for living successfully:

• 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. 
• Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 
• Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 
• Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 
• Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.