Always Be On Guard

In one of Paul’s letters to Timothy, he encourages him to warn believers against many things which ruin others and destroy faith. One of the things Paul stresses to Timothy is the avoidance of godless chatter. Paul says that those who indulge in it will surely grow and become more and more ungodly. Whatever they teach will spread like gangrene, and Paul names two people off the bat, whose ways and words are to be avoided.

Timothy is a son to Paul. Paul has taken his role as mentor and servant to this young man, seriously. In other words, if we view Paul as the Church, then Timothy is the sheep or lamb, who needs to be nurtured and nourished by him. Paul, a servant who is filled with the Holy Spirit, a servant who seeks God’s strength and guidance always, to be all that his conquering Lord has made him to be and is making him to be, feeds nothing but sound, Scriptural holiness to Timothy.

In this instance, Paul has targeted an unwanted spirit, dangerous practices and an ever growing demon in the Church.  

Paul specifically addresses this ungodliness which comes from the gangrenous lips of believers and leaders. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 2 Timothy 2: 16 - 18. 

In other words, these believers in Jesus are teaching and telling the Church and others, that Jesus has already died and risen so that they do not have to be too mindful of how they live. What a travesty!

This is tantamount to me saying to you, something as ridiculous, stupid, utterly senseless and most foolish, as this. Since the money for your driving permit has already been paid and you hold the receipt in your hands, the concrete, tangible proof,

• You do not have to learn to drive.

• You do not need a tutor, or instructor to be with you at all times teaching you how to drive.

• You do not need to have L’s on your vehicle.

• You do not need to practice what you are being told.

• You do not need to be like countless others, because you have in your possession, what others do not have and cannot show.

• You do not need to be live mindful of your ways because you have proof of your paid for transaction, so you are more blessed and favoured than others who cannot show the proof you are able to show.

In this scenario, you live a deceived life, holding up the Deed of transaction, without upholding the Demand of transaction. Can this be what is happening with our Lord’s Resurrection and how outside talk and practices are truly influencing believers, when it should be the opposite way around? Is the deceiver finding it lucrative among believers, surreptitiously and otherwise, infiltrating the Church with damning fallacies?

As we continue to navigate this week, we shall be looking at how easily we are prone to wander away from Resurrection Truth and engage in godless chatter. By our thoughts, actions and godless talk, we are telling others, including believers and those who are struggling with their faith, that the Resurrection has already taken place, so we are free to do as our minds and hearts tell us. This is most dangerous. It is one of the surest and most successful ways of destroying people’s faith.

Are we free of such a great deception? Are we publishing, in every way and in any way that the Resurrection of our Master has already taken place, that we have already been saved and that we have a license to live as we desire, not adhering to all of His commands? Where are we in this?  Paul identifies the names of two people to Timothy, who are guilty of such a grave travesty. Can you or I be one of them?

May our Heavenly Father prick us with His Sword of the Spirit, making us aware of every deceitful word we carry on our lips and every evil way we hold in our hearts. May we be brought to repentance and humbly seek the path of Resurrection Truth. Amen!