1 Timothy 4:1-5

 

1 Tim 4:1 (KJB)

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

 

Expressly - Specifically

Latter - Second or last

Times - A fixed time or a distinct point in time

Shall depart from - Withdraw, desert, or fall away

Seducing - Misleading, deceiver, or impostor

Doctrines - Teachings

 

This verse is definitely speaking to the days which we live in which is right before the return of Christ. First of all the Holy Spirit is stating not in nebulous terms, but specifically concerning the latter times. Now the last days of history commenced at the cross.

 

(Heb 1:1-2 KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

(Heb 9:26 KJV) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

(1 John 2:18 KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

 

Even before the Bible was completed in 95 A.D. it spoke of the fact that we are in the last days. In other words, when this period of time is completed on the last day, there will be no more periods of time as eternity will then begin. In our verse it does not state the “last days” but it speaks of another time period called “latter times.” Now the word “latter” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “second or last.” Which means that we have a meaning in that word of another time period which is considered a second time period. Now this is not a consecutive time period but one which runs concurrently with the last days. The “latter times” is a specific period of time which the Holy Spirit is emphasizing. From the cross to the last day of man’s history, is the last days. The latter times is a period just before the return of Christ when we shall see a serious rise in false gospels and false spirituality. It states that some will depart from the faith, which means there are those in the churches who are unsaved and have chosen to seek other teachings. Now all throughout the New Testament period, there have always been false gospels. In fact, it was only a few years after the Bible was completed when the deity of Christ was attacked by Aryans and others, the person and deity of the Holy Spirit was attacked, the trinity was questioned, along with probably many other biblical teachings we may not even know about. The Bible is pointing to a specific time when many are going to seek after the counterfeit satanic gospels which sound like they are good but have eternally deadly consequences. Never before in the history of man have there been so many false gospels in existence simultaneously and every false teaching and gospel is aimed directly at Christianity in the hopes of neutralizing it to the point of making it just another world religion. (Luke 21:20 KJV) And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. The body of believers is called Jerusalem which means “city of peace.”

 

(Heb 11:16 KJV) But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

 

(Heb 11:9-10 KJV) By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: {10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

 

These three passages in Hebrews speak about believers looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. (Heb 12:22 KJV) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, Hebrews 12:22 tells us plainly what that city was. It is the heavenly Jerusalem or the body of believers which are both in Heaven and dwelling on earth until the last day. So we see this city surrounded by armies and it has nothing to do with the physical Jerusalem but the body of believers which are surrounded by the armies of the kingdom of Satan whose sole purpose is to try and destroy it by means of infiltration. Those attacks come by counterfeit gospels such as the New Age, Charismatic Movement, Emerging Church Movement, major world religions, counterfeit bibles, the religion of environmentalism which is nothing more than “Gaia worship” which is the worship of “Mother Earth,” evolution which denies the creator God, the nation of Israel has become a virtual idol in almost every church and the stories surrounding it has diverted the eyes of the Christian from seeing what is happening to Christianity to Israel looking for a mythical physical battle of Armageddon and this diversion has left the back door open for Satan to march right in. In the times we live in, there are hundreds of ways that Christianity is being compromised and weakened, especially in the churches and in the media where compromise and surrender translates into donations.

 

The greatest tool that Satan counts on in his attacks is the apathy of the Christian and that is why so many fall for doctrines of devils. Keep in mind that a doctrine of devils does not have to be evil on the surface but it can be just a slight diversion which continues to divert until the Christian is so far from the truth that they will literally fight against it when they are presented with it. (2 Cor 2:11 KJV) Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. We must get to know the Scriptures and then we will know the devices which Satan uses to try and divert us. As I pen this section, there is a move afoot in Christianity that is being pushed by many people that the Lord is going to return on May 21, 2011. The date setting is bad enough but the false teachings which have accompanied this travesty have been blasphemous and attained by Scripture twisting through allegory. (2 Pet 3:16 KJV) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

 

1 Tim 4:2 (KJB)

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

 

Here Paul gives two tenets of false teachers. The first one is they speak lies in hypocrisy which means they do not reveal who they really are nor do they reveal their agenda. The hypocrite hides behind a mask and too many Christians have fallen for the lies of these hypocrites and have made shipwreck of their Christian lives. Then Paul states that the consciences of these people have been seared. In the Greek it means “cauterized.” It means their consciences are dead or numbed and they care not for the spiritual welfare of the people they are leading astray. Their conscience may also be seared because they have been involved in false teachings all their lives and when truth comes to them, they reject it and rebuke it. Try to tell a Christian who attends a charismatic church that tongues are not for today. They will accuse you of blaspheming the Holy Spirit and all the while they are accepting satanic gibberish and calling it a message from God.

 

1 Tim 4:3 (KJB)

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

 

These two false teachings probably came from Gnosticism which taught that matter is evil and spirit is good, so to abstain from both is to remain aloof from them and this way you do not risk contamination. These two are both heresies which were adopted by the Roman Catholic Institution. They do not want their priests to marry so they will be dedicated fully to the church however it seemed to back fire because they would rather allow their priests to molest children instead of enjoying a sex life within marriage. Then they disallowed their people from eating meats on Friday because of the crucifixion of Christ. This is also a doctrine of devils because God created the meats to be enjoyed by giving thanksgiving to God. Only those who know the truth will understand that God created the food and it can be eaten anytime.

 

I want to look at another aspect of “forbidding to marry.” When a person becomes saved, they are married to Christ as they become the bride of Christ.  (Mat 23:13 KJV) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. The scribes and Pharisees did not know the way of salvation because of their false religion, they could not enter in, so they also shut up the kingdom by means of teaching a false doctrine and their false teachings, just like the false teachings we have today are also forbidding people to marry, or become born again, simply because those who are teaching the false gospels, cannot go in themselves because of their false teachings and those who hear them cannot go in since they remain in darkness because of the false teachings. Religion says you do not need to be born again but all you have to do is good works and keep church rules and you will get in. This is why there are so many apostate churches because they “forbid to marry” and Christ has removed their candlestick. (Rev 2:5 KJV) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Aren’t you glad God elects rather than waiting for dead to try and resurrect themselves?

 

1 Tim 4:4 (KJB)

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

 

Under the law there were certain foods which were considered unclean and were not to be eaten. When Christ went to the cross that signaled the end of the Mosaic law and now every food is allowed to be eaten because there is no law forbidding it. It is part of the liberty which a person has in Christ. Before the law was given at Sinai, God had stated that everything He created was good and now wants His children to enjoy His creation. We receive the food with thanksgiving and not as an entitlement program. By giving thanks, we acknowledge that it is God who is supplying all our needs, whether they be spiritual or physical.

 

1 Tim 4:5 (KJB)

For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

 

After Christ went to the cross and ended the Mosaic law, it also ended the prohibition on certain foods, what was once declared unclean was now considered permissible to eat. Since Ephesus was the center of Diana worship, the Corinthian question of food sacrificed to idols may have surfaced. (1 Cor 8:4 KJV) As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. Paul had dealt with this situation about 10 years ago since 1 Corinthians was written in 54 A.D. He would have them understand that Diana was nothing but a piece of stone with a written legend. If someone eats something that was sacrificed to an idol or if it was food that may have been unclean under the law, it was to be known that true believers are set apart or sanctified unto the Lord and so is the food they ate because what they ate would not affect their salvation. (Mark 7:18 KJV) And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; In Mark 7 the Lord had a discourse concerning tradition and what defiles a man. Food does not defile him, but what comes out of him, such as sinful words, thoughts, deeds, these defile him. So Paul wanted them to know that they would not be defiled if they ate certain foods which were once considered unclean. The word of God would give them the evidence that it is lawful for them to eat and it would not affect their salvation. If they pray in good conscience which would be guided by the word of God, then it would be permissible to eat.

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