Can you explain 1 Timothy 4:1-3?
Listen: 126.6
To answer your good question, let’s read 1 Timothy 4:1-5, “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; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 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. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” The Apostle Paul is instructing Timothy about conditions that would prevail after he was gone. Paul speaks of things that would happen in the ‘latter times’, which is in reference to times following the times in which he was writing. In 2 Timothy, Paul would write to Timothy about things that would happen during the ‘last days’ as we read in 2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
Timothy, and we, are warned about conditions that are very prevalent today. In our day, there is a great move away from the true faith that brings salvation. Many, who have professed to know the Lord Jesus at one time, have given up on any profession of faith. Even in the Lord’s time on earth, there were many who claimed to follow the Lord, but abandoned Him when He taught things they did not like to hear. In John 6:65-66we read, “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” These simple professors of faith, having forsaken God’s truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, open themselves up to seducing spirits, or false teachers, and doctrines of devils. When someone absolutely refuses to follow the Lord, they are easy prey to evil spirits and teachings.
They begin to tell lies in a hypocritical sense. They try hard to hide their true character. Perhaps there was a time when these people had tender consciences toward the Lord. Perhaps they spent time in Sunday School, enjoying the Bible stories and lessons they learned. However, leaving those precious truths, their consciences become hard. They no longer appreciate the things they learned in Sunday School. In fact, they reject the lessons they once enjoyed learning.
Yet, these people are teachers. They teach things contrary to the Word of God. With a false spirituality, these teachers present themselves as godly, even to the point of denying the privilege of marriage to themselves and others. What does the Word of God say about marriage? Let’s read 1 Timothy 5:14, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” We also read in Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled…” These teachers might also forbid the eating of certain food, which the Word tells us in this portion that all is acceptable to eat if we give the Lord thanks for it.
How do these people, who are false teachers, teaching things that are clearly contrary to scripture, manage to find followers among the people of God? It’s because of lack of study and understanding among God’s people. Here at ‘Answers From the Book’, we constantly encourage our listeners and readers to not take our word for anything. Don’t believe something simply because you heard about it here. Search the scriptures yourselves. Make sure that what we, or anyone else, teach you is in agreement with the Word of God. The Lord instructs us in Ephesians 4:14, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.“ We need to grow and mature in the Word of God so that we are not like children who are easily confused or misled by false teachers who purposefully want to deceive us. (126.6)