Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Teaching that distracts our focus away from the finished work of Christ and his gospel is destructive and must be confronted.

Word of Faith or Prosperity Gospel:

This quote from prosperity gospel teacher Kenneth Hagin would have been right at home with the Corinthians:

1.

A Prophesied Departure (v.1)

“I believe that it is the plan of God our Father that no believer should ever be sick…It is not—I state boldly—it is not the will of God my Father that we should suffer with cancer and other dread diseases which bring pain and anguish.

No! It is God’s will that we be healed.”

1.

A Prophesied Departure (v.1)

1 Timothy 4:1-5

I.

A Prophesied Departure (v.1)

The scripture makes clear in verse 1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

We are living in a day just like the days of Timothy and Paul.

In fact, false teaching has been around since the beginnings of the church age.

The early church wrestled and stood against many heresies and dealt with professing believers ultimately departing the faith.

This is happening today as well.

But we should not be surprised by it.

Apostasy, or falling away from the faith, has been predicted throughout scripture.

We also should not despair, the church is still triumphant.

What we must do is remain faithful and not search for “silver bullets” to increase numbers at the expense of being faithful to the word of God.

Pragmatism is dangerous to the church.

What may work in the eyes of men to increase a following or congregation may only result in false professions and a watering down of the gospel that leads to only temporary mushroom like growth.

What is needed now more than ever is a return to robust doctrine and theology that grounds people in the faith.

A shallow, watered down and false presentation of the gospel does the world no good.

The phrase “Now the Spirit expressly says” refers to a past message, like saying “The bible says.”

Paul is indicating divine authority as he prepares to denounce the false teaching by some of the Ephesians.

2. A Polluted Doctrine (v.1b)

“the latter times” or “last days” refers to the time of Christ’s 1st advent and will culminate with his second advent.

Paul’s readers believed that they were living in the last days.

A. A Present Day Reality

We are living in a day just like the days of Timothy and Paul.

In fact, false teaching has been around since the beginnings of the church age.

The early church wrestled and stood against many heresies and dealt with professing believers ultimately departing the faith.

This is happening today as well.

But we should not be surprised by it.

Apostasy, or falling away from the faith, has been predicted throughout scripture.

We also should not despair, the church is still triumphant.

What we must do is remain faithful and not search for “silver bullets” to increase numbers at the expense of being faithful to the word of God.

Pragmatism is dangerous to the church.

What may work in the eyes of men to increase a following or congregation may only result in false professions and a watering down of the gospel that leads to only temporary mushroom like growth.

What is needed now more than ever is a return to robust doctrine and theology that grounds people in the faith.

A shallow, watered down and false presentation of the gospel does the world no good.

B. A Subtle and Dangerous Drift

As Christians, we must give attention to the essentials of the faith and not be drawn into deceptive or questionable practices or doctrines.

The phrase “Now the Spirit expressly says” refers to a past message, like saying “The bible says.”

Paul is indicating divine authority as he prepares to denounce the false teaching by some of the Ephesians.

II.

A Demonic Influence (v.1b-2)

“paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons..”

The false teaching in Paul’s crosshairs in this passage is that of asceticism .

But many false ideas can grab the attention of us.

Humans are spiritual beings, and all false teaching drives at this part of us, appealing to that inclination.

Examples:

Mysticism -

Legalism - Rule or law keeping as a means of salvation.

I earn my favor with God by performing good works and keeping rules; looking away from the finished work of Christ on my behalf.

People are always attracted to rules and human effort to achieve, often carrying this over into their practice of religion.

Asceticism - A form of Christian discipline.

In radical form it is a practice which seeks to remove oneself from the influences of the physical world.

It is easier to follow strict rules and feel we have contributed to our own salvation than it is to admit our helplessness and inability to gain God’s approval

Asceticism - A form of Christian discipline.

In radical form it is a practice which seeks to remove oneself from the influences of the physical world.

The false teaching Paul is addressing contains elements of both legalism and asceticism, which are closely related.

Gnostic teaching, which would have been in its early forms at this time alluded to the wickedness of the physical world and body.

Thus, this false teaching sough to assert that rules and a denial of the physical body and its desires along with the influences of the physical world were necessary to achieve righteousness.

“Rules are good when used to maintain proper boundaries in life and to create a harmonious and orderly existence.

But when adherence to rules becomes an attempt to placate God or to earn righteousness or salvation, they become deadly.

Rules elevate human achievement and devalue the goodness of God.

There is only one way to restore and maintain relationship with the holy God—trust in his Son, Jesus Christ.”

(Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol.

9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 204.)

The origin of this false teaching is ultimately demonic and is promoted by individuals who believe and practice it.

The enemy of men’s souls influences them to believe and behave in error.

The word of God has much to say concerning false teachers and teaching:

Rules are good when used to maintain proper boundaries in life and to create a harmonious and orderly existence.

But when adherence to rules becomes an attempt to placate God or to earn righteousness or salvation, they become deadly.

Rules elevate human achievement and devalue the goodness of God.

There is only one way to restore and maintain relationship with the holy God—trust in his Son, Jesus Christ.”Knute

Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol.

9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 204.The origin of this false teaching is ultimately demonic and is promoted by individuals who believe and practice it.

The enemy of men’s souls influences them to believe and behave in error.

The word of God has much to say concerning false teachers and teaching:

The origin of this false teaching is ultimately demonic and is promoted by individuals who believe and practice it.

Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol.

9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 204.The origin of this false teaching is ultimately demonic and is promoted by individuals who believe and practice it.

The enemy of men’s souls influences them to believe and behave in error.

The word of God has much to say concerning false teachers and teaching:

The enemy of men’s souls influences them to believe and behave in error.

The word of God has much to say concerning false teachers and teaching:

, “There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.

They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them.

3 They will exploit you in their greed with made-up stories.

Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep.”

They Present a False Holiness

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), .They Present a False Holiness

, “ “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.

16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit.

Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.

18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.