By Kato Mivule | July 19, 2009
A study of Paul’s Letters to Timothy clearly show that Paul the apostle was very much concerned about what was being taught in many Christian assemblies in the early Church. In this study of Paul’s Letter to Timothy, we see that Sound Doctrine is key and central to Paul’s Message to Timothy.
It is important to note that False Teachers were already besieging the early church and Paul made it of high importance to have Christian Church Leaders aware of the wolves in sheep-skin that had come into flock.
Yet today we are faced with many issues in many Churches that steam from false teachings and false doctrines being taught on many pulpits in many Churches today.
There is so much evil and wrong outside the Church that one can focus on but it is important that any serious Christians take a biblical critical look at what is going on inside the Church especially ‘Other Doctrines’ being taught by many populist preachers and their enablers today.
Yet still studies of Paul’s Letters to the early Church showed that leadership was central to the teachings and discernment that prevailed in the Church when it came to the issue of false teachings and false teachers inside the Church.
Paul the apostle found it imperative that Leaders who kept to Sound Bible Teachings were in lead and that these leaders were able to exercise discernment, watch for the wolves in sheep-skin and able to teach Sound Bible Doctrine, giving reason and defense for the Faith in Christ Jesus.
This duty should not be mystical and a ‘rocket science’ as some have tried to make it by removing the Word of God from the Laity and sanctioning it only to the Clergy. In other words, any serious Christian Leader should be able to take the Words and sayings of Jesus Christ and the Teachings of His apostles in the New Testament and equip the Saints of God.
Yet this is not so today, what we have are so-called Christian Leaders who for the most part are self appointed or “ordained” by Liberal Theological Colleges and Seminaries that are constantly at war with Sound Bible Doctrine and God’s Word, watering it down with every opportunity that they have.
Yet we must remember that Paul passed down to Timothy Sound Bible Teachings even though Timothy was not an expert at law or trained in an elite school of theology.
Timothy to Charge Others Not to Teach ‘Other Doctrines’…
1 Timothy 1:1-4
(1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
(2) Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
(3) As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
(4) Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Paul requests Timothy to stay in Ephesus that he may charge some not to teach any other doctrine. This is a very similar statement that we find Paul writing to Titus…Titus was to stay in Crete to put things in order in the Church at Crete including the Teaching of Sound Bible Doctrine and separation from Heretics and False Teachers… Titus had to appoint leaders who were able by Sound Doctrine to defend the faith and expose the false teachers…
Titus 1:5-9
(5) For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
(6) If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
(7) For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
(8) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
(9) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
We see that Paul the apostle making the same plea that Timothy should charge or confront those who taught other doctrines. From this letter to Timothy, it is certain that in the early church there were those who were busy teaching ‘other doctrines’ different from what Paul the apostle was teaching. There were folks who taught doctrines that contradicted the teachings and sayings of Jesus Christ. Paul refers to such folks in his letter to the Galatians as preaching ‘another gospel’…
Galatians 1:6-9
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Timothy was to stay in Ephesus and charge some not to teach other doctrines. Timothy was to confront them and hopefully that they would repent and forsake teaching false doctrines. Timothy was not just to seat on the sidelines in hopes that all things would be OK but he was to tell, charge, and exhort his listeners not to teach ‘other doctrines’ in the Church.
However, many in Christian Leadership today make weak excuses by claiming that they do not seek to ‘disturb’ the peace and unity among believers and that they dare not confront false teachers and teachings inside the Church. Such a premise is wrong, unbiblical, a disservice to Christians, a promotion and enabling of heresy, and promotion of the Antichrist’s False Religious Unity.
Paul the apostle commanded Timothy to deal with false teachers and their false teachings head-on. Timothy was not to shy away or be intimidated by false preachers and liars inside the Church. A True Pastor and Shepherd will not succumb to false unity with wolves that come into his flock to eat his sheep. A True Shepherd will not claim that he cannot confront the wolves among his sheep because he seeks unity. Such a Shepherd is just a hiring and an enabler of the wolves that come to do nothing but eat the sheep.
In summary Timothy was to do the following while at Ephesus…
- Charge some that they teach no other doctrine… Confront those who taught false teachings to stop doing it inside the church…
- Give not attention to fables… Others were given to fables or what today we would term as conspiracy theories… Many Christians today especially on the internet are given to endless fables and conspiracy theories rather than dwell on the Bible and Sound Doctrine.
- Give not attention to endless genealogies…there were those in the Church perhaps of the Jewish background who prided in their genealogies and lineages so as to prove that they hailed from nobility and thus were justified to receive from God… Many Christians especially in the ‘End Time Bible Prophecy Movement’ get caught up in time-lines and Moon appearings, trying to exactly pinpoint when the next Bible Prophecy will occur. They try to set dates, only that The Lord never set dates for future events…for times and seasons belong to The Lord alone.
Motivation to Confront False Teachers should be love of Jesus Christ…
1 Timothy 1:5
(5) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Paul the apostle at this point in his letter to Timothy issues what seems to be a word of caution…that Timothy should be motivated by Love and of course the Love of Jesus Christ. Even though Timothy was to charge or confront some not to teach false doctrine, the motivation had to be the Love of Jesus Christ.
If you truly love the brethren then you will tell them the Truth. Those who conceal truth from the brethren do not love them. A Pastor who claims that he loves his sheep yet fails to confront wolves that come into his flock to eat and kill his sheep is a liar… Such a Pastor does not have any love for those he claims to care for. Yet many Pastors are like that today.
However, even as we confront and charge some not to teach false teachings, our ministry in such endeavor should be motivated by love and a pure heart, and a good conscience…that perhaps The Lord will grant the listeners a chance to repent and turn back to The Lord. There should be no reason to hate and writing off people to hell…
No one has a right to condemn anyone to Hell. The Lord has the final word on anyone’s life. Do your job by simply preaching and teaching Truth and let The Holy Spirit do the convicting of mens hearts.
Any other thing that is contrary to Sound Doctrine…
1Timothy 1:6-11
(6) From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
(7) Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
(8) But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
(9) Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
(10) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
(11) According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Paul the apostle writes to Timothy making note that there were those who desired to be teachers of the law but neither understood what they taught and as such had turned aside from the Faith. Such false teachers had turned the Faith in Christ Jesus into works of the Law and Paul notes that these teachers of the Law did not understand anything.
It is interesting that today in Christendom as many teachers and pastors move away from Sound Bible Doctrine, they always teach rules and regulations on how best Christians can become successful and justified before The Lord through pleasing men.
Today we have teachings like tithing that force Christians to give or else they will never get ‘blessings’ from God. Such teachings turn the wonderful gift of giving into a law. Other Christians are told that if they need healing and deliverance, they must send a monetary gift to the ‘Man of God’ as a point of contact in order to get healing… As such, receiving healing prayers has been turned into works of Law that Christians think they have to pay money to God to get Healing.
Basically these false teachers are trying to sell the Holy Spirit and profit from the gifts of The Lord. However, Salvation, Justification, and Deliverance from the Powers of Darkness are a free gift from The Lord that we receive by Faith and Grace in Christ Jesus for free because of the Work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. Basically one has to recognize that they are a sinner and in need of forgiveness from The Lord, they have to repent, they have to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God raised Him from the Dead…
There are numerous instances today were spirituality in the Church has been turned into Law and people are forced to practice Christianity in order to win special favors from The Lord. Brethren, let us not be deceived by such liars.
The Key phrase in this piece of scripture above is ‘any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine…’ Paul makes this statement to Timothy so as to help Timothy know that false teachers and liars will always contradict Sound Bible Doctrine. False teachers and liars always contradict scriptures especially the New Testament. Just turn on Christian TV and Radio and it will not take long to hear some popular preachers make statements that contradict Sound Bible Doctrine.
It is important for Christians to note that some times false teachers will quote scriptures in their texts and books and messages to support their doctrines. However, these scriptures they quote to support their teachings always contradict other scriptures and Sound Bible Doctrine.
Christians must note that the Bible does not self contradict…scriptures will always be in harmony. If anyone is teaching doctrines that contradict with scriptures and not in harmony with scriptures, that individual is teaching ‘other things contrary’ to Sound Bible Doctrine.
So, to keep it simple, the Total Sum of all God’s Word on any topic should be in harmony and not contradictory. If I am teaching about Love in the New Testament, then all scriptures concerning love in the New Testament should be in harmony with what I teach. If there is any contradiction, then I ought to recheck what I teach…
So, Brethren, this is very important that we note any contradictions that come up when people teach in Churches…especially to the New Testament. Many Preachers today heavily contradict the New Testament that even an elementary school child would note the Contradiction.
One of the best giveaways on discerning false teachers and liar preachers is that their teachings and behavior always contradicts New Testament Teachings in the Bible…they always speak things, and do things that are contradictory to Sound Bible Doctrine.
A Sinner Saved by Grace…
1 Timothy 1:12-17
(12) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
(13) Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
(14) And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
(15) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
(16) Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
(17) Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
It is very interesting that Paul the apostle writes to Timothy reminding him about once being a sinner (Paul) and blasphemer himself and how he (Paul) was saved by Grace. Paul reminded Timothy that he Paul was once a persecutor of the saints and that it was by God’s Mercy that he repented since he had done all these evil things in ignorance.
The point Paul was making to Timothy was that there were those who had crept into the church by stealth and were teaching that Salvation was by practicing the Mosaic Law such as circumcision. It was important to remind Timothy that Salvation is by Grace in Christ Jesus.
This issue is imperative even today were Salvation and Christianity are fast becoming works of our modern day man created Christian laws and regulations in which men seek to do certain works in hopes of winning special favors before The Lord.
Yet even this piece of scripture was to remind Timothy to stay humble and not be puffed up by pride into thinking that he was an elite or special Christian with special favors from The Lord. Paul makes it clear to Timothy that he was saved by Grace and Mercy of The Lord and there was nothing Paul could boast about.
This should be our attitude and not boasting that we are somewhat special or create an elitist club of special ‘men of God’ as it is today in many Christian circles. We should be forever grateful that The Lord extended His Grace and Mercy to us and opened our eyes, leading us to repentance. Those who boast about the things of God as if they paid any special price to obtain them are self deceiving and only self destructing.
Naming Names of False Teachers and Blasphemers…
1 Timothy 1:18-20
(18) This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
(19) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
(20) Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Paul the apostle makes a powerful move that would shock many preachers in Christendom today. Paul names the false teachers and blasphemers of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander who Paul says that he delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
I know many Christians who get offended when false preachers and blaspheming pastors are exposed and named. I have encountered such Christians who claim that exposing and naming such preachers would be unbiblical.
However, we see in the New Testament that Paul exposed some of these liar preachers and blasphemers a number of times in his letters to the Churches. The reason was to help weak saints not to be taken away by the teachings and craftiness of the false teachers. The other reason was to give the false teachers a chance to repent.
I believe that there ought to be many false teachers, false pastors, liars, and blasphemers exposed and named today; perhaps they will repent and forsake teaching false doctrines and stop blaspheming.
We must remember though that the motivation is not vengeance, hate, or retaliation but the Love of Jesus Christ…speaking truth in Love…the love that rejoices not in evil…but rejoices in Truth.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
