1 Timothy 4:1-5

IV. FALSE TEACHERS 4:1-16

1.

THEIR COMING 1 Timothy 4:5

Text 4:1-5

1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

Thought Questions 4:1-5

112.

To whom did the Spirit address the words of 1 Timothy 4:1?

113.

Define the limits of later times.

114.

Are we to understand that some evil forces are at work in a direct manner with the spirit of man?

115.

How would it be possible for demons to be teachers?

116.

Satan works through men; why will some men speak lies in preference to the truth?

117.

Who applies the hot iron to the conscience?

118.

To what purpose do some command that a man live a life of celibacy?

119.

What do meats have to do with holiness?

120.

In what sense is every creature good?

121.

We are to reject nothing God has created but be thankful for all. Explain why.

122.

Just how are marriage and meats sanctified through the word of God and prayer?

Paraphrase 4:1-5

1 But, although the church, by preserving the mystery of godliness in the world, be the support of the truth, the Spirit expressly saith to me, that in after-times many in the Christian church will apostatize from the faith of the fundamental doctrines of the gospel, giving heed to teachers who falsely pretend to be inspired, and to doctrines concerning the power of angels and departed saints, and the worship due to them, whereby the worship due to Christ, as Governor and Mediator, will be wholly neglected.
2 This belief of the doctrine concerning demons, and the other errors I am about to mention, will be propagated under the hypocritical pretense of humility, and superior holiness, by lying teachers, who are seared in their conscience, and who will invent innumerable falsehoods, to recommend their erroneous doctrines and corrupt practices to the ignorant multitude.
3 These lying teachers will forbid the clergy, and such of both sexes as wish to live piously, to marry; and command the people to abstain from certain meats, which God hath created to be used with thanksgiving by the faithful, who thoroughly know the truth concerning that matter;
4 That every creature of God, fit for man's food, is good, and may be used, being received with thanksgiving to God the giver; and no kind is to be cast away, either from peevishness, or from the fancy that it is unlawful.
5 For, under the gospel, all meats are made lawful to us by the command of God, allowing us to eat of every kind in moderation; also by prayer to God, that he would bless us in the use of it.

Comment 4:1-5

1 Timothy 4:1. The use of word but seems to indicate some contrast; this is indeed what is intended. Great is the mystery of godliness, but great also is the mystery of lawlessness. This prediction or announcement is a very emphatic one. We believe the communication was to Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit; it is here transmitted to Timothy, and through Timothy to the church. The later times has reference to no one particular period but rather to the total time from Pentecost to the Second Coming; we say this on the basis of a study of this expression and the expression the last days. During this period some shall fall away from the faith; could the some of this text be those described in Acts 20:29-30? We must conclude that the body of belief was so well defined that defection from it could be immediately known. If some were in the faith and then fell away from it, what will be their end? If apostates do not return, shall they yet be saved in their error? We only pose these questions because we feel a false emphasis has been given by some.

Are we to understand that those who fall away from the truth do so because they are influenced by supernatural evil powers? We believe it is even so. Satan has his power, and his preachers, and in this sense he is a counterpart, as well as a counterfeit of the true. The seducing spirits are from beneath, and are in contact with the lying teachers. The teaching of such men proceeds from and through demons. The tragedy is not that we have such hypocrites, for they have always been with us, but that multitudes will give heed to their Satan inspired doctrines.

1 Timothy 4:2. The pronouncements of such evil men are always given as if they proceeded from God. Only by attributing their teaching to a divine source could they beguile the heart of the innocent and lead astray the very elect. These men know they are liars but they have conveniently and intentionally forgotten the truth. The great influence of Satan here described should be a warning to all. The condition of a man's conscience is a mark of his spiritual progress or failure. These teachers of lies were able to do so because their conscience had been and was cauterized. Just how such a condition arises is not at all easy to say. We are sure it does not happen all at once. Such persons are past feeling. Cf. Ephesians 4:19.

1 Timothy 4:3. Timothy will immediately be able to recognize such teachers by the context of their teaching. We must try to remember the historical setting of these words. Such false teachers were to arise in Timothy's day, and shortly thereafter, who would teach that God did not create matter because matter is evil. According to such errors an evil deity created matter. The command by such persons to abstain from meats and marriage is based upon the supposed evil of matter, Various applications of this concept have been used by Satan down through the years, Sin will never be overcome by treating the instrument through which it works. Perhaps diets of the extreme nature, so popular in our day, and the constant reference to the widespread immorality, is treating the result rather than the cause. There is nothing wrong with food (meats) or with marriage; the difficulty is in gluttonywhose god is their belly, and lustwho mind the things of the flesh. To those who know and believe this, meats and marriage are received with deepest gratitude.

1 Timothy 4:4. This is an enlargement of what has already been said. When God finished the different phases of creation, He said of the objects He had created, it is good. Since God is Himself the very essence of goodness, nothing He would create or make could be otherwise than good. Note the force of the word rejected: it is no light thing to cast aside that which God has blessed. The definite inference in the little expression: if it be received with thanksgiving, seems to be that some reject God's gift because they fail to see their good purpose. If we look at life through God's eyes we will see His loving provisions for man, and will thus receive them with gratitude.

1 Timothy 4:5. The word sanctified simply means set apart but carries with it the connotation of being set apart for a holy purpose. Where and when did this happen? Please read Genesis 9:3-4 for some help in this connection. God's definite statement of purpose in animal and plant creation as given in this passage, answers the question.

How does prayer set apart the food we eat? To ask is to infer the answer. We all should pray over our food before we eat it, and thus thank the giver of every good and perfect gift. To insist as some commentators do that we must include some of the word of God in our prayer, i.e., to quote Bible references in our prayers, seems to be insisting on too much. Out of the depths of a grateful heart, we can thank our Father for our daily bread.

Fact Questions 4:1-5

85.

How shall we relate this section to the one preceding? Show the contrast.

86.

The paraphrase seems to relate this section almost exclusively to a prophecy of the sins of the Roman Catholic church. Do you agree with the application? Explain.

87.

Upon what do we base our conclusion that the later times refers to the special period from Pentecost to the Second Coming?

88.

Show how Acts 20:29-30 relates to this section.

89.

What is the faith from which some fall away?

90.

If some fall away from the faith, does this mean they were never in the faith? Explain.

91.

Satan is at work today. Can Satan speak to you and me? If so, how? Is Satan speaking to man today? How?

92.

What is the mark of a man's spiritual progress or failure? Discuss.

93.

Explain the greatest tragedy in the evil work of Satan.

94.

Explain the immediate as well as future application of 1 Timothy 4:3.

95.

What modern day application can we see in 1 Timothy 4:3?

96.

How does the nature of God relate to the goodness of His creation?

97.

What is the force of the word rejected?

98.

Discuss Genesis 9:3-4 in connection with 1 Timothy 4:5.

99.

Explain how meats and marriage are set apart by prayer.