1 Timothy 1:3-4 False Teaching

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. [1 Timothy 1:3-4 NASB]

Paul knew that there were going to be problems in Ephesus. While he was in Miletus, he sent for the elders from Ephesus, who came to him. He prophesied about the false teaching which was to come;

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. [Acts 20:28-30 NASB]

The events of Paul's life stopped being chronicled in the book of Acts while Paul was in Roman prison. We know, historically, that he was released from prison, and made his way to many of the churches he had founded throughout Macedonia and Asia.

The problems that he had prophesied about in Ephesus were coming to a head during this time, so Paul sent Timothy to straighten them out. He wrote this letter to Timothy to encourage him in his efforts.

In the second century an heretical religion rose up out of Christianity called Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed in a complex hierarchy of spiritual beings, of which God was only one of many, and Jesus was an "emanation" of God. Knowledge of God, and salvation, was reserved for only a select few, and only by a direct revelation from God.

While full-blown Gnosticism didn't exist at the time of Paul's writing, the precursors to it were already taking seed in Ephesus. The "endless genealogies" that Paul referred to aren't the genealogies found in Matthew and Luke. They refer to "spiritual genealogies", including angels and other spirits, and have no basis in reality.

It is noteworthy that it was the church leadership (the elders and deacons) who were spreading these teachings. It was for this reason that Timothy was appointed, temporarily, as an apostolic overseer. Timothy was tasked with appointing new, godly, leadership to replace the old.

Christians have hope and faith. We believe in a spiritual world that exists all around us. Perhaps it is because of this that we so easily misled. Our faith in God translates into faith in our pastors and teachers, which leaves us vulnerable when they preach errors. Our belief in the spirit leaves us open to believe even some of the most outlandish teaching because it is all "spiritually discerned". In short, Christians are a gullible lot.

It is for this reason that we have so many denominations, and so many fringe groups, and so many cults. A person in a position of authority receives a "revelation" and passes it on. Those who hear his teaching believe him because he is the teacher.

Take communion for example. The original communion wasn't part of a church service. It was also known as a "love feast". It was literally a feast, where the people shared food among themselves, fellowshiped and "communed" with one another in remembrance of Christ. Over time, the church organized, centralized and institutionalized. They did away with the love feasts, and replaced them with a ritual; because somebody received a "revelation" and everybody else followed. The Southern Baptists are known for their pot-luck dinners. These pot-lucks are actually closer to the biblical teaching of communion than the communion service held in church.

It is easiest to believe what we are taught, especially if we respect the teacher. But we have to remember that the teachers were taught by someone, and often simply repeat what they were taught. And so tradition and opinion have been passed down through the generations in the place of sound doctrine.

Don't simply believe what you have been taught all your life. Study it out in the scriptures for yourself. Approach every subject, and every Bible study as if you had never heard any of it before, and without preconceptions, decide what the scriptures are actually saying.

"Because my pastor says so" is not a good reason to believe anything. Whether it comes from a pastor or a denomination or a vision of an angel, it is not true unless the scripture says its true. Be sound in your doctrine. Know what you believe and why you believe it.

Father, I thank You that You have given me Your word. I pray that You will guide me into all truth. Keep me far from false teaching and error. Please give me the wisdom to know what is false and what is true.