The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 29 October 2019 – Beware Of False Teachers!

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TOPIC: Beware Of False Teachers!

READ: 1 Timothy 1:1-11 (NKJV)

1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2. To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4. nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
5. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
6. from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,
7. desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
8. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
9. knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10. for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is 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.

THE MESSAGE:

There are two very important lessons to learn from this passage. The first is about the relationship between the Apostle Paul and his spiritual son, Timothy. Although Paul was the one who converted Timothy, Paul never turned his attention as a mentor, from him. He encouraged him to remain focused on the true faith and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Brother, have you ever made a convert, or led any one to Christ Jesus? Are you aware that you have a responsibility not only to pray for them but to ensure that they remain in the grace of God and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? Not to do so is to expose them to the danger of falling away.

The second lesson is that even in the first century of the Christian era, there was a proliferation of false teachers whose teachings were basically distortions of the Old Testament Laws and the formulation of false but fanciful philosophies which had actually crept into the Church. They were contrary to the Gospel of the Grace of Christ. Can you identify some of them in today’s world/Church? What is your attitude towards the spread of these false religions and philosophies? Paul admonished Timothy not to engage in unnecessary arguments – they are a worthless exercise. Rather, what you and I should do is to continually deepen our knowledge of the truth of the Word of God, teach it and live by it. Thus, we shall save our souls and those of them who look up to us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to so study and esteem the Word of Truth that I will not be swayed by false teachings; in Jesus Name.