Guarding the Church from False Teachers

So let me begin by kind of talking a little bit about the background of the church at that time when Paul wrote first Timothy life during those times during the times where he wrote first Timothy the church was less formal as we are today and so that presented some opportunities for anyone who's interested to preach to do so. The church at that time was full of traveling um prophets who who gave their lives to a certain level of prestige. So what had happened during that time is anyone who comes around the church if they felt that calling to preach they are welcome to do so. And during the non-Christian I mean the non-Christian community as well it was filled during that that time in Ephesus was filled with a lot of uh people speakers public speakers who do a living talking about philosophies and talking about uh ideologies and so forth that are way far off the truth.

And so there were men who were smooth talkers that were skilled in making what was really bad look so good. And so in that environment it is, you know, this is where Paul was coming from. He was he was naturally concerned about false teachings and preaching during that time. And so he wrote this letter uh to Timothy. And our text, we pick up our text tonight in verses 3 to five. Uh we're picking up where Pastor Ener left off last Sunday night. In this chapter, Paul continues to advise Timothy on how to minister to the various kinds of people. Uh you know, the first group in this in this chapter is uh deals with the slaves and and their belieers, their believing masters.

But let me go back to the previous chapter, chapter five, kind of explain a little bit how where Paul was coming from because all of a sudden he moves from slaves into the warning about false teachings. So in in in chapter five, Paul talked about how to minister, how how uh Timothy should minister to the elders and the widows. I remember preaching on the widows, how to care for the widows and the church leaders. And then in this chapter, he moves into the slaves uh that pastor had uh Anson had actually preached last Sunday night. And tonight I'm going to talk about false teachers. Uh this is verse from verse 3 to 5.

And the third group of people that or person that uh Paul spoke about was pastors actually Timothy and how he should care for himself. And then the last group is talking about how to minister to the rich. So the latter two uh for pastors and and for the rich, you see that coming in the next two uh messages or at least around that topic. So tonight's message is entitled reject what is false. reject what is false as we examine false teachers and teachings and consider how this concern applies to us today. So, let us pray and then I'll get into our text. Father Lord, thank you so much again for your holy word.

We we praise you for being a loving God who cares for people, who wants to have a relationship with others, uh your people, Father. And we we thank you so much for allowing us this time to come together to review your word and to learn from it. And father, I pray that you would give me clarity and I pray that you would help all of us here to open our minds and our thinking and application of what we learned today in our lives. We thank you. We love you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. First Timothy, Paul warns about false teachings and teachers and he refers to the tears among the wheat. But he also describes them so that believers of that time and even us today can recognize what false teaching and what's false teachers are about.

I think uh it is important to consider warnings about false teachings and preachings from the earlier chapters that Paul presented so that we can connect them uh to what he's talking about in chapter 6. In chapter one, he talked about false teachers and how they argue about fables and endless genealogies that are often false and used for personal gain. He also talked about how they are guilty of guilty of vain jangling, vain talking or meaningless contentious talk. And he talked about how they are ignorant of the very things they teach where Paul is referring to false teachers and they go against their own conscience.

And this you can find in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 19 to uh 20 and verse chapter 4:2 where he talked about two particular men who actually did this. Hi Minius and Alexander who would later deny the doctrine of resurrection in 2 Timothy chapter 2 and 4. Another warning that Paul mentioned in earlier chapters is that these false preachers, these false preachers, they're going to increase in number and their activities will increase as well in latter days. The church of Ephesus had already been warned of this act in vers in Acts 20 uh 30 and will be warned again once again in Revelations 2. He also said that the teachings are encouraged or energized by demons.

And we can find that in 1 Timothy 4:1. And let me read that because I think we need to kind of understand what we're facing. He said, "Now the spirit speaketh expressesly that in the latter time some shall uh depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of the devils." During that time, Paul also warned that these false teachers forbid me uh meat eating and marriage. In verse three of chapter 4, uh the Bible says, "Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats, but the latter part of this verse says, which God had created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

You see what they're what they're pushing is contrary to what God is teaching in scriptures. So Paul revisits the issue of false teaching and preaching once again in chapter six. And I think it it's very important to Paul. He repeats this because it's it's of great importance. It's it's a recurring problem and that recurs here as well nowadays. Spiritual leaders of local churches must be constantly overseeing what is being taught because it's so easy easy for false teachings to creep in. Turn to the book of Acts chapter 20. The book of Acts chapter 20 and I'm going to read verse 28-31. You can follow along.

Acts 20:38-21. I mean 31. 28-31. The Bible says in verse 28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made you overseers to feed the church of God which had which he had purchased with his own blood. For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples from uh after them. Therefore, watch and rem and remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn everyone night and day of the tears uh with tears.

This passage were very interesting as I was reading and studying for this message. I want to go back to verse 30. Let let's read verse 30 once again. It says, "Also your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them." It's it's sad to say, but this actually happened right here at Ohana Baptist Church some time ago. People come, they listen to the word that's preaching, they may have a disagreement, and then the next thing you know, they're trying to recruit and take some of the church members away. And Pastor Wayne had to deal with that. It's unfortunate that the pastors and leaders of church today will have to take some time out of their already busy schedule to to schedule to deal with these kinds of false teachers who try to come in and even maybe from within our own ranks to teach otherwise and to recruit members to follow him.

Them So it is very important that we as a church me as church members are familiar with false teachings and preaching preachers in order to avoid and not encourage. See pastor Wayne counts on you and I to know scripture. He is depending on us so that we be be able to recognize the false teachings the false teachings. So in our text tonight, Paul revisits false teachings and preachings once again. And he adds more to his previous warnings that I just mentioned in chapter 1 and four. He warns Timothy, the church of Ephesus, and certainly us about these in chapter 6. And I'm going to go through them.

First, let's look at two marks of false teachings. What are the marks of false teaching? False teachings. How do we know this? First teachings, false teachings do not adhere to sound doctrine. They don't. In verse three of our passage, if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words and even the words of of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness. Teach otherwise means to teach differently from what Paul has taught as to the duty of Christian servants. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ are about the manifest manifestation of Christian spirit in all relations and conditions.

I think it's important to note that when we refer to Paul's teachings that he is an inspired author of this book, he is an inspired he's inspired by God. So therefore his his words are the words of Christ himself. Then according to godliness that it refers to that which accords to the word of God intends to promote his cause. In other words, if any man teaches otherwise, that is to deviate from and refuse to use wholesome words, sound words or words from our Lord, then it is to be considered unsound, then we are to withdraw from it. So that brings me back to defining sound doctrine which means error free doctrine or pure doctrine.

Simply put doctrine is the the sound doctrine is the accurate teaching of the Bible and the central beliefs of Christian faith. It's it spans from creation in Genesis all the way to Revelation. Paul described what that is in uh chapter 1 11 where he says uh that sound doctrine as in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God which I have entrusted. How many of you were here last Sunday when pastor and preached his message on slaves and believing masters? Okay. In in that verse, the second verse of of his preaching, Paul refers at the end of that verse, these things teach and exhort.

What are these things? What is he talking about? He refers back to the doctrine of how Paul presented to to one on how they might behave in the church. A believer is to seek godliness and not gain worldly goods or glory. So that is the first mark of false teaching doesn't really fall within within the doctrine that we believe in. The second mark is the attitude of these false teachers. In verse four of our passage, he said, "He is proud, knowing nothing but doing about questions and strives of words whereof cometh envy, strive, railings, evil surmisings." Instead of being humble, a false teacher is usually proud.

Yet, they're proud. And I don't understand why. Because they know nothing according to scripture. See, a believer who understands the word of God will have a burning heart in them for the word. False teachers don't. They may act it out, but they don't. In Luke 24:32, the Bible says, "And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures." They're talking about Christ when he when he walked with these two men. Their hearts were burning when he talked about the word of God. See, real preachers who preach the word ought to give you the sensation of burning within your heart, the desire to learn.

We have to be get careful because these false preachers, they're smooth talkers. It's so easy to start listening and leaning towards their false teachings. So those are the two marks of false teachings. But now I want to shift gear a little bit and talk about specifically the characteristics of false teachers. And what the first one kind of overlaps to what I just said. These teachers are conceited and they are prideful and and the desire their desire is not to display Christ but themselves. They are more concerned to gain a following than for Christ. I know some people who don't, if you see them, they hardly have any followers here, but they're more concerned about doing their online preaching because why?

They're concerned about those followers online. I'll let you decide on that. They are more concerned about the size of their followers and reaching others for their own cause and not Christ. False teachers have this thirst for applause, thirst for praise. Yes. Yes. Yes. And they measure their success by the number of followers or the amount of earnings they make from their ministry. I see today a lot of people, a lot of TV uh preachers who if you dig in their background, they have jets, private jets, they have all kinds of expensive cars. They have really expension expensive mansions. Kind of makes me wonder where is their priority.

The second characteristic is that they tend to be concerned about uh or with remote and obscure speculations. And we find that in verse four of our passage. They're conceited. Their prideful attitude causes them to argue with minor ma matters concerning words. Instead of feeding on the wholesome words of Christ, they get extremely hung up on the minor words or controversial questions. The word doting in verse four of our passage means filled with morbid desire or sick. The results of such unspiritual teachings is envy, quarreling, malicious talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction. You got to watch for those.

Now, I'm not saying that we can't challenge, we can't say, hey, you know, wait a minute, this. No, what I'm saying is how the attitude in which you have and how you approach is also equally very important and are you really getting caught up in the important things of scripture or are you getting caught up in the small minor things that don't really matter because false teachers they play on those things and not only that thirdly they disturb the peace. Yes, they disturb the peace. Fall teacher uh they they fall uh they disturb the peace. They are very competitive in nature and they are suspicious of all of those who disagree with them.

When they cannot win an argument, they insult their opponent's uh theological positions or their character. There's this personal attack on them. The tone of their voice are bitter and not of love. See, they never learn to speak the truth in love. I think that's one of the things that we need to be looking for is someone coming up to you and arguing about scripture and everything and their tone is not in love. That ought to be a red flag because a true believer always corrects, always suggests, always shows in love. In love of our God. The next one characteristics of false teachers is that they tend to commercialize religion.

And I think I know you know what I'm talking about, right? They see that godliness is a way of financial gain. The word godliness in verse five of our passage means the profession of Christian faith and not true holy living in the power of the spirit. It's the profession of our faith. See, they use their religious profession as a means to make money and not a true ministry. is just a religious business and you can easily tell when you talk to them what their priorities are. Scripture is pretty clear that the laborer deserves to be paid. So I'm not saying a pastor shouldn't be paid, but the motive for the work must be public service and not private gain.

The passion of the laborers for Christ is not to get but to spend and to be spend in the service of Christ and of others. One of the things you always kind of remember and I I love when pastor always brings this up the word joy. Jesus first others and then you. These false teachers and preachers is actually the reverse of that. They're normally the first. It's interesting if you if you study the life of Paul, you notice that he was always careful not to use his calling and his ministry as a means of making money. Did you know that he once refused support from the Corinthian church so that no one would accuse him of his greed that he may be greedy?

I don't really like to come up here and talk about giving in the sense that you need to give but we often even myself sometimes forget that the giving the part of the giving is not for the benefit of the church or the benefit of God. He owns everything. Part of the giving is that you will get the glory from your giving your love for God. These false teachers focus on what you get to give him in their ministry. So let me just give you a summation of what Paul really is saying about false teachers in our passage. First, they are proud no nothings. They spir they are spiritually sick showing a morbid interest in controversial questions.

They produce envy and strife. They use abusive language and harbor evil suspicions. They they they cause constant friction wherever they are. And the worst thing is they use the family of God, you and I, as a means of gain, as a means of having a living, not just simple living, but abundant private jets and so forth. So we have we have many false teachers today. You'll find them on the internet, all kinds of social media. You even meet some of them in person and some of them unfortunately may be right here within our ranks. So I want to kind of now that we kind of understand a little bit about these false teachers, what can we do?

What are some of the things that we can do to defend ourselves against false teachers? Now I I've described to you what false teachings are, false prophets, false teachers, but now I'm going to cover a little bit on what can we do? How can we defend ourselves? And the very first one I think you and I already know, know scripture, know scripture. Study scripture and understand the core doctrines so you can discern truth from falsehood. That's the best best number one defense against false teachings is know your scripture. Then then we can start to look at some of the uh some of the red flags. Be beware of pride, self-promotion, lack of love, lack of unity, and they are all so obsessed and focus on their personal gain.

Look for those things. You see those things, you know they're false. And one of the things that is very important uh I think and that's what we do at the end of each of our uh Sunday night teachings is have open discussions. Discuss your beliefs and your faith with others and the teachings that you receive and seek advice from Pastor Wayne, from all the pastoral staff, the deacons and trustees and those who have been here and are not babes in the word. Seek their advice. And then finally, we must all stay true to the word of God. We must all stay true to the word of God. I've seen so many people so they're very knowledgeable in the word of God from Genesis all the way to Revelation, but they don't at the end they fall away.

They don't stay true to the word of God. And and and as I was studying this, I was thinking, well, why did you know Paul starts off with slaves and their masters and then all of a sudden he started talking about false teachers and teachings and then he's going to go and talk about to Timothy about how he should be able to take how he should take care of himself as a pastor. And then he's going to talk about the rich folks. But as I looking at the flow of things, all of a sudden he's introducing this false teaching. The only explanation I can tell you is this because he did it in chapter 1, he did in chapter 4 that it is a recurring problem that must be dealt with in a on a recording uh recurring basis.

And that's what he's doing. And as we come together and learn and we did the study in first Timothy, one of our goals is to make sure that you as a member of this church understand scripture and really bring in all these teachings, including the warnings of false teaching. You know, you don't have to be an expert on who's a false teacher, but you and I, we must be experts in the word of God. We must be knowledgeable in sound doctrine because when we do that, pastor doesn't have to deal with false preachers coming in and and trying to take away members of this church. And I am so glad I am very very glad that we don't see these kinds of issues often at Ohana.

And why is because I believe from all the teachings and the preaching that are happening in this church that the members are starting to learn and are aware and are into scripture and the word daily. Because when you are at that level, you'll be better prepared. So I I think where I I I say I hope that this short message helps you in your walk on how to prepare and how to be aware of false teachers and false teachings. And so I have three questions that I think will be on on the screen after we are done. We'll break up in these groups. And this is a time for open discussions. Not just read the question and try to answer, but talk about your beliefs, your faith through these three questions. I'm hoping that you would be able to gain things and ask questions and really talk. And you know, it wouldn't be a bad idea if you still have some outstanding concerns to bring it up to the pastoral staff. We are here for you to help you with your walk with the Lord.