1 Timothy 1:3-4
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God's work-which is by faith.
Paul reminds Timothy to admonish those who teach in the church. First, they should not teach heresy. What is heresy? The simplest way to discern heresy is to use the following four questions:
First, do they believe in the Trinity? This is critically important in our faith. If they do not acknowledge the truth of the Trinity, they do not acknowledge Jesus' equality with God. Then Jesus is not God and cannot be our Lord and Savior.
Second, do they believe in Jesus' incarnation? There are many people who don't believe in the incarnation. They only believe that Jesus has been deified by people, like Guan Gong and Matsu in China. If Jesus is only a man, he can't save himself, at the most is only a great person, and cannot be our Lord and Savior.
Third, do they believe the Bible is the revelation from God and is complete? Many heresies add another book outside of the Bible, and often use that book in place of the Bible. In fact, the Bible is the foundation of our entire faith. If one leaves God's word, they will stumble in their faith because they are building their faith on the sand.
Fourth, do they believe in justification by faith? Many heresies teach justification by "works", because people like to be justified by works. They like to use works to prove their faith, to show "I can do it", and it is easy for them to feel they are perfect. In reality, no matter how good the "works" are, there is no way we can stand on them, because they are just like filthy rags before a Holy God. Salvation is never by works but by faith, being willing to believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Next, Paul reminds Timothy to teach the people not to listen to myths and endless genealogies, because they are just words and man's regulations. They only make people prideful, arrogant, and self-righteousness. Also, they lead to controversies because everyone thinks they are right. But for a person who knows the truth, he will only humble himself to receive the truth. What is the foundation which you are building your faith on? Is it on man's traditions? Is it on experiences? Or is it on doctrinal teachings? If a person doesn't build his faith on the living word of God, it is easy for him to stumble in the faith journey. May God help us!
Pray with Pastor Tong
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