Sunday, June 28, 2015,
4:09 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Full Release.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Timothy 6:3-16 (NASB).
A Different Doctrine
(vv. 3-5)
If
anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words,
those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,
he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in
controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy,
strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of
depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means
of gain.
There are some, or many doctrines of the Christian faith
today which ignore the teachings of Jesus Christ, found primarily in the four
gospels, and some of these different doctrines ignore other New Testament books
or passages, as well. They claim that Jesus’ teachings were under the Old
Covenant, and were prior to his death and resurrection, and therefore they believe
they don’t apply to the church today. Yet, Jesus did not bring Old Covenant
teachings, which is one of the reasons he was hated and killed. He brought New
Covenant teachings, which is why the Jewish leaders were continually
antagonistic towards him.
Jesus told his followers that, after he died, was
resurrected, and ascended back to the Father, that the Father would send them
the Holy Spirit, who would remind them of all the things that Jesus taught them
(See: Jn. 14:26). Before Jesus left this earth to return to the Father, he told
his followers, by the authority he was given from the Father, that they were to
go into all the world and to make followers (disciples) of Christ of people of
all nations, baptizing, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus Christ
commanded them (See: Matt. 28:18-20). And Paul, under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, said that if anyone advocates a different doctrine that does not
agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine
conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing.
These doctrines, which ignore the teachings of Jesus,
claiming they are not relevant to the church today, largely also teach the
gospel of Jesus Christ absent of the cross of Christ in our lives. They teach
that we don’t have to repent of our sins, and that we don’t have to obey Christ
and his commandments, even though Jesus said we did, and so did his apostles.
So, they also do not teach a doctrine conforming to godliness, but rather they teach
that forgiveness is available to all who believe Jesus died for our sins, was
buried, and was resurrected, and believe God forgave us, for Christ’s sake.
James said, though, that even the demons believe, and they shudder. He taught
that faith, without works, is dead. Jesus taught that we must deny self, and
take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him, if we want
to be one of his disciples. He said that if we hold on to our old lives (of
sin), we will lose them for eternity, but if we die (with Christ to sin), we
will gain eternal life. Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24-25).
Jesus told his followers:
“Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His
blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true
food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of
the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the
bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who
eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)
Jesus gave his flesh and his blood on the cross for our sins
so that we could go free from the curse of sin, be set free of slavery to sin,
be given eternal life with God, and be set free to now walk daily in Christ’s
righteousness and holiness. Jesus died, not just so we could escape hell and go
to heaven when we die, but so we would no longer live for ourselves but for him
who gave himself up for us (See 2 Co. 5:15). He died so we would no longer walk
according to the flesh, but so we could now be empowered of the Spirit to conduct
our lives according to the Spirit (See Ro. 6:1-23; 8:1-14). He “gave himself up
for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that
are his very own, eager to do what is good” (See Tit. 2:11-14).
So if we eat his flesh and we drink his blood it means that
we participate with him in his death by dying with him to our old lives of
living according to sin and self, and by submitting ourselves to the cross of
Christ and to the Holy Spirit’s work of grace in our lives, so that we are
being transformed in heart and mind, and so we now daily walk in the Spirit in
Christ’s righteousness and holiness (See Ro. 6-8; Eph. 4:17-24; Gal. 2:20). If
we don’t do this, we have no life in us; we don’t have eternal life with God.
If we do this, we remain in Christ, and he in us, and we do have eternal life. Yet,
many of Jesus’ followers rejected this teaching as “too hard,” and so many of
them turned back and no longer followed him. And, that is where many people are
today, even among those who claim to know him.
Love of Money (vv.
6-10)
But
godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of
it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But
those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish
and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of
money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered
away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
There is another “different doctrine” today which teaches “health,
wealth and prosperity.” They are the “name it and claim it” people who often
teach that we can have whatever we want if we just have enough faith to believe
it is ours. Yet, that is not the gospel according to Jesus Christ and the
apostles. Jesus and the apostles taught humility and contentment with what we
have, or with the basic necessities of life. If we pursue wealth, instead of
pursuing Jesus Christ, we are in danger of falling into temptation toward
giving in to many foolish and harmful desires, which lead to ruin. Yet, this
does not teach that money is the root of all evil, but that the love (desire
for) money is at the root of all sorts of evil, and to go after such may lead
some people to wander from the faith. We read in James 4:1-10:
What
is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your
pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you
commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You
do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask
with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You
adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility
toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself
an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He
jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a
greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace
to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from
you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you
sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and
weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble
yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Pursue Righteousness
(vv. 11-16)
But
flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take
hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of
God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good
confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain
or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring
about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of
kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in
unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and
eternal dominion! Amen.
We need to be students of the Word of God, taken in its context,
so that we can be discerning about what are false doctrines, which teach what
is in opposition to the teachings of Christ and those of his apostles, and then
we need to flee (run away from) what is clearly false doctrine, and no longer
give what is false a foothold in our lives. We need to be followers of God, and
not followers of humankind and of their “different doctrines.”
We also should be content with what we have, and we should
not run after wealth, as though having more material wealth and possessions will
somehow bring us greater happiness or fulfillment in this life. I don’t believe
God is opposed to us having money or having possessions, but he is opposed to
us seeking after what is of this world and of this earth, and running after
those things, instead of us running (chasing) after God and his righteousness,
holiness and godliness. He is also opposed to us being stingy and us storing up
wealth for ourselves while lacking in compassion and generosity toward others
who are in need, and/or as a means of trying to control our own destiny, while
not trusting in God for our future. I don’t believe God is opposed to us making
reasonable provisions for our lives, but he is opposed to us spending our time
on this earth storing up treasures on the earth, when we should be spending
that time and energy storing up treasures in heaven.
Instead of running after what is of this earth, or after
false doctrines which tickle our itching ears, we should pursue (chase after) righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. God’s grace, which brings
salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return
(See: Tit. 2:11-14). God’s grace is not a free ticket into heaven so that we
can continue in sin, free from guilt and remorse. If we say we have fellowship
with God, but we continue to walk (conduct our lives) in darkness (sin, evil),
we are liars (See: 1 Jn. 1). So many people are teaching a false doctrine of
grace which requires nothing of them in the way of godly or holy living, but
gives them the false notion they can be saved (past), live their lives how they
want, and still go to heaven when they die. Scripture says differently. Don’t
believe the lies. Believe what Jesus and his apostles taught. And, follow
Jesus.
Full Release / An
Original Work / April 15, 2012
Walking daily with my Savior
brings me joy.
Loving Father; precious Jesus;
He’s my Savior and my Lord.
Gently leads me; follow Him.
I’ve invited Him within.
Now abiding in His presence,
oh, what peace.
From my self-life
He has brought me,
By His mercy, full release.
Hope and comfort,
peace and safety Jesus brings
When I daily bow before Him;
Obey freely; do His will.
Follow Him where’er He leads.
Listen to Him; His words heed.
Now obeying his words fully,
oh, what love
That He gives me
through salvation,
By His Spirit, from above.
Loving Father; precious Jesus,
He’s my friend.
With my Savior, by His Spirit,
I will endure to the end.
Share the gospel, tell what’s true.
Witness daily; His will do.
Tell the world of how their Savior
bled and died.
On a cruel cross He suffered
So that we might be alive.
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