We have seen the character qualities we should all strive for in life and ministry. If we are to summarize all the qualifications into one word, I think it should be selflessness. We don’t want to be the types of people who gain for ourselves, whether that be monetarily, positionally, or emotionally. That’s why we are one-spouse types of people and why we aren’t addicted to much wine. Life is not about us getting what we think we want or making ourselves feel a certain way or satisfying our own lusts. We want to live with actual meaning, for the good of everyone around us. Paul now warns us about the reality of apostate people—those who claim to believe in Christ but later renounce orthodox belief.
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:1-5).
Paul does not identify apostates as those who explicitly deny the faith. Instead, he defines an apostate, someone having fallen from the faith, as someone who pays attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. Put simply, someone might have been attracted to Christ by the gospel and proclaimed faith in Christ but has now turned to strange doctrine. It seems, based on what Paul writes next, that this strange doctrine is a type of works-based system whereby someone’s faith is actually established or maintained by works:
- do not get married, and
- do not consume certain things.
Someone actually falls from the faith after adopting a works-based system rather than the faith-based system taught by Jesus Christ, established and sustained at the cross because of His work. This instruction is further proof that the qualifications for pastors and deacons listed earlier are character qualifications and not legalistic ones. Further, it fits Paul’s purpose for writing this letter to Timothy, who is to instruct certain people not to teach strange doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3). Strange doctrines place heavy legalistic burdens on people. Right doctrine removes burdens from people because salvation, at the start and finish, is by grace through faith. Sound doctrine is freedom for the church. In times of transition, we remember the content of our teaching and everything we do—not wanting to place heavy burdens on people. As we ordain pastors, we ordain those who are interested in freeing people from the strange works-based doctrines of the world and establishing the whole community in the grace and mercy of God in Christ alone. Sound doctrine is good for the whole world in this way.
That’s the main point, and there are a couple of things Paul mentions needing more explanation, but I’ll leave that for another time. As always, if you have any questions about this text, feel free to ask. There are a few intricacies here I did not explain in the post for the sake of brevity, ease of understanding, and self-reflection.
Leave a Reply