The Right Church for the Later Times
1 Timothy • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsThis is an expository sermon unpacking 1 Timothy 4:1–6. The central argument is that since apostasy and heresy characterise the later times, a crucial measure of a good church and a good pastor is that they be alert watchmen and pastoral theologians.
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Introduction
Introduction
I had coffee with Chris Peppler on Wednesday. He mentioned that he is writing a series about “The church Jesus would attend.” I presume that part of his motivation is that we tend to use a host of unbiblical criteria for choosing a church.
Play the “Church Hunters (Episode 2)” video clip.
This is funny because it’s hits so close to home. This morning I want to use to provide part of the answer to the question, “What is a good church?” The opening words of are, “The Spirit clearly says that in the later times ...” and ends with the statement “if you point these things out you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus.” Taking seriously that we are living in “the later times”—the biblical definition of this would be the entire period between Jesus’s first and second comings—what constitutes a good minister of Christ Jesus and what constitutes a good church?
1 Timothy is a personal letter written by Paul to his spiritual son and protege Timothy. Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to sort out some serious problems in the church. He wrote this letter to his protege to provide guidance for the task (and probably also to provide apostolic authority for Timothy’s decisions and actions, lest someone say to him, “Jesus I know and I know Paul, but who are you?”)
In his advice to Timothy, Paul identifies two characteristics of the later times. In the light of those characters, we can identify two essential characteristics of a good pastor and a good church. So we shall start with two characteristics of the later times and then identify two characteristics of a good church.
Reality 1: The later times will be characterised by apostasy.
Reality 1: The later times will be characterised by apostasy.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Where did the Spirit clearly speak about the later times?
As one who received great revelations, Paul may be alluding to something that the Spirit had revealed to him personally. However, it is more likely that he is drawing on what the Spirit said in Scripture and especially through Jesus Christ. If we bear in mind that “the later times” covers the entire period between Jesus’s first and second comings, then it follows that when we want to know what God has said we start with Jesus. The NT itself tells us this.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
So what did Jesus say about the later times?
What did Jesus say about the later times that would have informed Paul’s warning here?
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Matthew
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:12-13
In Jesus’s words, we see some of the characteristics of the later times.
There will be inviting deception.
There will be intensive persecution.
There will be increasing wickedness.
There will be widespread apostasy.
The same characteristics of the later times are echoed in other NT passages.
There will be widespread apostasy.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Here we see the godlessness that will characterise the later times. Paul continues by pointing to false teachers and deception that preys on weak Christians.
They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
2 Timothy 3:6
The combination of godlessness, persecution, and deception leads to apostasy. In Jesus’s words, “The love of most will grow cold.” In Paul’s words, “some will abandon the faith.”
Does this mean that we can lose our salvation?
I am so glad you asked this question. This is one of the age-old theological debates. A face-value reading of our passage (along with dozens of others) should lead us to believe that we can abandon our faith and be lost. Christian scholars who disagree believe that those who depart from the faith were never real believers; they only appeared to be believers. What it boils down to is that someone who serves Jesus for a while and then falls away from grace is lost. We can argue about whether they were pseudo believers or true believers who lost their salvation—but it amounts to the same thing. Let’s remind ourselves of Jesus’s words about this.
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Decide whether or not to answer this question.
Matthew 24:10
Perhaps highlight that from a human point of view, yes. Parable of the sower. Those who persevere to the end will be saved. Perhaps I should answer this question pragmatically with a ja/nee approach.
So the later times will be characterised by apostasy.
Reality 2: The later times will be characterised by heresy.
Reality 2: The later times will be characterised by heresy.
Characteristic 2: Heresy
Characteristic 2: Heresy
The second characteristic that Paul menions in is heresy. In this case, the heresy is the cause of some people abandoning the faith.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
The New International Version Chapter 4
Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
The New International Version Chapter 4
2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
Where do false teachings originate?
Characteristic 2: Heresy
Characteristic 2: Heresy
Some false teachings are of purely human origin. We are finite and fallen, so our thoughts are often darkened.
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Other false teachings are spawned by demons to deceive the nations and the people of God. This is what Paul tells us in . The errors Timothy must confront come from “deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” We find similar ideas in many other NT warnings, such as , , and .
In reality, I suspect that every false teaching originates from a combination of human and demonic forces. The devil both sows deception and exploits our fininiteness and our sinfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
Do you see here that “deceptive philosophy … depends on human tradition and … spiritual forces”?
What exactly where these demonic doctrines that were causing some to abandon the faith?
I am glad you asked. Paul mentions two heresies in our passage.
Heresy 1: They forbid marriage
Heresy 1: They forbid marriage
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
Why would the false teachers forbid marriage?
There was an emerging philosophy by some in the first century that viewed the spirit as good and the body as bad. One response to this belief was to starve the body of its apetites, such as as sex. We see this idea in .
Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
The Corinthians wrote to Paul arguing that married couples should abstain from intimacy and unmarried people should abstain from marriage. Paul wrote back. If he were British, his answer would have been: “Poppycock!”
Lea and Griffin say that “The heretics who supported these views probably felt that abstinence from marriage was the means to a higher degree of holiness. They placed the celibate life on a higher spiritual level than the married life.”
The New American Commentary: 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (1) A Warning against Apostasy (4:1–3)
The heretics who supported these views probably felt that abstinence from marriage was the means to a higher degree of holiness. They placed the celibate life on a higher spiritual level than the married life.
The answer I have given looks at the question, “Why would they forbid marriage” from a natural point of view. However, we must ask the question again and answer it from a spiritual point of view. If the source of these dangerous doctrines is demonic, as Paul claims, then we must ask the deeper question:
Why would deceiving spirits forbid marriage?
“Why?” indeed! Let us note with interest that the enemy always has plans to undermine God’s institution of marriage—a covenant before God between one man and one woman with the intent to raise godly children. The nature of the attack on marriage varies, but the enemy’s priority of destroying godly marriages is one of his default strategies.
Heresy 2: They forbid foods
Heresy 2: They forbid foods
Heresy 2: They forbid foods
Heresy 2: They forbid foods
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
In the NT, conflict over food laws often points to Jewish influences.
If harmful teachings about abstaining from marriage and from certain foods were the false teachings confronting Timothy in Ephesus in AD 64, what are some of the ones confronting us today?
I am so glad you asked this question. Since we live in a global village in which we are exposed to every belief imaginable, there are many threats to biblical faith. I cannot attempt to name them, but I can list a few examples in no particular order.
The “Jewish Roots Movement” enslaves Christians to OT laws.
I am so glad you asked this question. Since we live in a global village in which we are exposed to every belief imaginable, there are many threats to biblical faith. I cannot attempt to name them, but I can list a few examples in no particular order.
The attack against marriage and family, such as what we have from the LGBTQIA movement, is at an all-time high.
The hyper-grace movement distorts the grace of God into a licence for sin.
The rise of the “great man of God” ministeries in Africa.
The prosperity gospel or the Word of Faith movement perverts the gospel of Jesus Christ into a Ponzi scheme.
More dangerous than all of those may be the lie that faith is a private matter and all religions lead to God, so we should not preach the gospel and evangelise others.
We could go on, but you get the idea.
Transition. If these are the realities of the world in which we live and serve Jesus, what kind of church and what kind of pastors should we seek?
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Response 1: We need alert watchmen.
Response 1: We need alert watchmen.
The first response that living in the later times calls for is alertness. Remember the context. Paul has left his protege Timothy behind in Ephesus as the temporary pastor of the church. After scetching the threats facing the church, Paul tells Timothy:
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
What are “these things”? They are the demonic doctrines that cause some to abandon the faith. Paul tells Timothy, “One of the ways to ensure that you are a good minister of Christ Jesus is to be alert to dangerous threats and warn the church.”
Friends, we are still living in the later times. The Spirit has expressly said that in these times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits. If that is true, and it is true, then ...
A good minister of Christ Jesus is one who discerns deception and warns the church.
A good church is one with discerning elders who identify dangerous teachings and warn the sheep.
We can invert those points too:
A pastor who does not point out errors is not a good minister of Christ Jesus.
A church that does not equip its members to recognise and reject error is not a good church.
What do you look for in a church and in a minister?
I am so glad you asked this question. While there are other biblical criteria, we have one of the key ones right here in .
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
You should be looking for leaders and churches that preach the Word of God. You should be looking for good watchmen: people who see enemies approaching and warn the city.
We used to have a preacher in this community who said, “I only preach the encouraging Scriptures.” This man did not understanding his calling. He did not belong in the pulpit.
At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
Ezekiel
When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.
Ezekiel 3:18
This is not common or popular today. Most church hunters prefer the kind of flowery, flaky, ear-tickling hot air that they get from a Joel Osteen or the Tumbler Bible. Paul warned that it would be so.
This is not common or popular today.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:
Does your church and does your pastor preach the Word in season and out of season? Do they correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction? If not, sent them to SATS. If they won’t go, fire them. If you can’t fire them, find a church that preaches Christ and preaches the Word.
Response 2: We need pastoral theologians.
Response 2: We need pastoral theologians.
Response 2: Apologetics
Response 2: Apologetics
By this stage, Timothy had been with Paul for more than ten years. He was a well-trained Bible interpreter and pastoral theologian in his own right. For this reason, Paul did not need to deconstruct the two false teachings in detail for Timothy; Timothy wasn’t a novice or, as Joshua would call novices, a “noob.” Nevertheless, he did illustrate something of how it should be done.
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
Response 2: Apologetics
What is Paul doing here?
I am so glad you asked.
Paul is interpreting every teaching in the light of the creative purposes of God and the redemptive work of Christ!
He applies these lenses to the two issues in focus, marriage and food.
Firstly, as concerns marriage, God affirmed the sanctity of marriage before the fall.
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
… and Jesus reaffirmed it. Responding to some Pharisees on the issue of divorce, Jesus declared:
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Mark 10:
Secondly, as concerns rules against eating certain foods, God originally permitted human beings to eat all foods.
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
Then, as we know, God introduced some food laws as part of the old covenant that he made with Israel. However, Jesus’s death and resurrection initiated a new covenant. The food laws of the old covenant are not binding on believers under the new covenant.
Food laws were a major source of division and conflict in the early church. As a result, there are literally dozens of verses I could cite in which the NT writers affirm that the gospel of Jesus Christ frees believers from any obligation to observe food laws. If they wish to do so do to matter of conscience or culture, they are free to abstain from foods, but all food have been “consecrated by the Word of God”—this likely means by the the good news of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In conclusion, then, the Spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Since we are living in the later times, the Spirit clearly says that many among us will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits. While we are so focused on the threats that politics and economics pose to our temporary well-being, most of us are obligious to the threats that apostasy and heresy pose to our eternal well-being.
Conclusion
Conclusion
If that is the reality, what do you need from a church? Firstly, you need alert watchmen who will be wise enough to see danger coming and bold enough to warn you. Secondly, you need pastoral theologians, spiritual leaders who know the Scriptures and know the gospel well enough to refute half-truths and whole-lies.