Sermon Tone Analysis

When Paul wrote his two letters to Timothy, he gave vision to the church.

He gave core values that should govern the church in fulfilling her mission and purpose.

This morning, I want to start a series from 1 Timothy chapter 4 called, Spiritually Fit.

In these 16 verses that make up this fourth chapter we will glean some insight into what a spiritually fit church will do and her members for the cause of the truth.

The truth of the gospel is paramount for in it is found the only means of salvation.

There is a Russian proverb that says, “One word of truth outweighs the whole world.”

The word of truth that is found in the gospel outweighs all truth in the world.

What is the truth of the gospel?

Paul declares the truth of the gospel in a confession of faith in verse 16 of chapter 3, By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:

He who was revealed in the flesh,

Was vindicated in the Spirit,

Seen by angels,

Proclaimed among the nations,

Believed on in the world,

Taken up in glory.

Each one of these statements deals with the truth about Jesus Christ.

This truth about Jesus is the truth that the church has been given to display.

It is the church that is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

How do we display this truth?

Notice what Paul says before the confession in 3:16, “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness.”

The truth of Jesus Christ found in the gospel has ethical implications.

Godliness and the gospel go hand in hand.

Therefore, we protect the display the truth by what we teach as a church and how we live as church members.

That is why it is important that the church focus on spiritual health in doctrine and in practice.

Chapter 4 of 1Timothy gives some great direction for being spiritually fit concerning the cause of truth.

It reveals how a spiritually fit church does to make a difference for the cause of Christ.

It reveals what church members must do individually to make a difference for the cause of Christ.

In the first 5 verses we learn how a spiritually fit church can make a difference for the cause of Christ.

First, the spiritually fit church must be certain about the times we live in.

I.

The spiritually fit church is certain about the times we live in.

We read in verse one, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,”.

As Paul writes this he does so under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

When he says “the Spirit explicitly says” he is basically saying, “Thus says the Lord.”

The Spirit of God gives a warning to the church, “that in the later times some will fall away from the faith.”

The latter times refers to the time between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his return to judge humanity.

Until Christ returns, their will be people who will fall way from the faith.

We need to remember that when Paul wrote this to Timothy he was addressing the church.

The departure from the faith that he is referring to is within the church.

What this means is that there will be people who profess to be Christians, but inevitably fall away from the truth of the gospel and the truth of God’s word.

The word that is translated “fall away” is the word were we get “apostasy.”

In the life of the church, before Christ returns, there are going to be people who depart from the truth.

I am so thankful that Paul didn’t say “all will fall away,” but “some will fall away.”

It is not full apostasy, but partial apostasy.

This reminds me of the teaching of Jesus about the wheat and the tares growing together until the Day of Judgment.

As Paul spoke about this falling away he did so with the present and future in sight.

The word “fall away” is future tense and suggest that Paul is warning of apostasy getting worse throughout the history of the church.

However, the fact that Paul is writing to Timothy about false doctrine reveals that even in Paul’s day the apostasy was already taking place.

In fact, Paul knew that an apostasy would come to the church years earlier when he called the Ephesian church elders together in Acts 20:28-30, "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

[29] "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; [30] and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Some time later we find Paul leaving Timothy with the Ephesian church because what Paul said years earlier has come true.

Do you remember the charge from 1 Timothy 1:18-20?

Paul commanded Timothy to fight the good fight, to keep the faith, because people in the church were falling away from the truth.

What was true during the days that Paul penned his letters is true today.

Many of the great Christian Universities that were started at the beginning of our great nation have departed from the truth of the Word of God that they were founded on.

Many so called churches deny the truthfulness of God’s word.

They deny the miracles of the incarnation.

They deny the need for Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

They deny that Christ’s resurrection.

Yet, they still call themselves a church.

We need to be certain that everything called a church is not a church.

A church is made up of born-again people who have trusted in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and who have been called to protect, proclaim, and display the truth of the gospel and God’s word.

A spiritually fit church is certain about the times that we live in.

Second, we notice that at spiritually fit church comprehends the times we live in.

II.

The spiritually fit church comprehends the times we live in.

Being certain about the apostate times is not enough.

If we are going to make a difference for the cause of truth we need to also comprehend the times that we live in.

This means we need to know the source behind the apostasy, as well as the sin that is the result of the source.

Let’s look at verse 1 again, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” We are told that the apostasy will come about because of people paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines that find their source in demons.

There’s the source of the apostasy.

It is none other that the serpent of old, the devil.

Satan is at work and is behind the false doctrines.

Satan is the great imitator.

He is called the “Father of lies,” and the “angel of light.”

One of his greatest tactics of hindering the church of Jesus Christ is by diluting her with doctrines that are contrary to God’s word and God’s gospel.

Satan has been doing this dirty work since the very beginning.

In the Genesis chapter 3 we find him casting doubt upon the Word of God and the character of God.

What he did to eve in the Garden he still does today, even within the church.

There are many who in the name of Christianity deny the fundamental truths of Christianity, yet they call themselves Christian.

If they deny the virgin birth, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, the resurrection, salvation through faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, then they are declaring doctrines that are demonic.

And let me just say that Mormon’s call themselves Christians, but they are not.

They deny fundamental truths about the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Joseph Smith was a prophet, but not God’s prophet, he was the devils prophet.

A more subtle doctrine of demons is found, I believe, in the health and wealth movement that we see so much of on Christian television.

Much of what is called Christianity today is really New Age theology, which finds its source in the doctrines of demons.

Verse 2 tells us the means by which these doctrines are spread, “by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.

How do these deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons find their way into the church?

They do so through hypocritical teachers and preachers who speak lies.

Notice the condition of these preachers and teachers, “seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.”

Paul is using figurative language to describe the character and condition of the teachers.

One understanding of this phrase is that these teachers’ consciences are so seared that they are hardened to the truth.

Another understanding, and probably the most plausible, is that these men are branded by the master that they serve.

The truth is that a man can preach to thousands of people each week and be and instrument that spreads teachings from deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons.

A man can have a great following and be the spokesperson for the devil.

Verses 3-5 reveal the sin that these false teachers communicate through their teaching, “men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

[4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

These verses give us some insight into the doctrines and teachings that Timothy was dealing with when Paul wrote the letter.

At the heart of the false teaching then and now is this.

False teachings deny the truth of the word of God.