The Truth Is Our Salvation! Part 2

The Truth is our salvation! 1 Timothy 4:16, “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.” Paul had left Timothy to shepherd the Church at Ephesus. Now he is writing to him to warn of the troublesome teachers there. These teachers were apparently Jewish Christians who wanted to enforce the Old Testament Law in the Church. They wanted to be teachers of the Law though they did not understand it. 1 Timothy 1:7, “Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”

In the First Century as in the Twenty-First, some teachers denied that the dead are raised. Others said that Jesus never really was human, and still, others said He was not divine. But, it seems that the teachers which Paul spoke about spent much time with genealogies, perhaps to exalt themselves as priests or as descendants of David.

It doesn’t matter who our ancestors are if we fail to seek out and embrace the Truth of God’s Word, we will be lost! We may have spent our whole lives in church but if we have not been born again (born from above) with the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, we cannot live in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:9, “...the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

There is Life in the Truth! All else is vain and fruitless! The Old Covenant Law was so mixed with tradition and fable that their teaching produced confusion instead of enlightenment. The result was questions and vain jangling. 1 Timothy 1:4, “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. 5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;” The revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will not cause confusion! 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

1 Timothy 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; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”

Paul is dealing with some questions that had arisen in the Church at Ephesus. He was inspired by the Holy Ghost to deliver a warning for that present time but also equally as relevant to today. Some followers of Christ had already turned aside. (see 1 Tim. 1:6) Unless Timothy could counteract these “soldiers of deception,” more would depart from the faith in the time just ahead. They would give in to seducing spirits and be deceived! They would accept and teach doctrines of devils instead of teaching and living the Truth of God.

Paul also describes what will happen to these soldiers of deception. They will follow after lies having their conscience seared over and being non-responsive to the Spirit of Truth. It is easy to go from an honest mistake to an outright lie. The carnal man will justify a half-truth to benefit selfish goals. But, such a lifestyle will move a person from attempting to follow Christ to being deceived and deceiving others. (continued)