1 Timothy 4:1–5 “Refuting False Teachings”

1 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Set A Fire – Will Regan & United Pursuit Band
• Holy Spirit – Bryan & Katie Torwalt
• Spirit of the Living God – Vertical Worship

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Holy Spirit Object Lesson – Lesson for Kids
• Fruit of the Spirits not a coconut – Song for Kids
• Let’s Trust In Jesus | True North VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• We Can Trust Him (Psalm 33:4) | Rocky Railway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, warns about apostasy and deception that will arise in the last days (v.1). The phrase “The Spirit clearly says” may mean that he received a direct revelation from the Spirit or that he came to know it through the prophetic Scriptures.

The apostle believed that the “last days” had already begun through Jesus Christ and would be completed by His return. Since the last days are the final opportunity for salvation, “deceiving spirits and demons” are especially active. They will tempt believers through false teachers. At the core, they are “liars” (v.2). Having been deceived by “deceiving spirits and demons,” they believe lies to be truth and mislead others. Paul describes them as those whose “consciences have been seared.” More precisely, the phrase could be translated “consciences seared with a hot iron,” meaning their consciences have become completely numb.

Paul gives two examples to prove that false teachers, as “liars,” distort the truth. Their teachings demanded extreme asceticism—prohibiting marriage and requiring abstinence from certain foods (v.3). This seems to be a mixture of extreme legalism and the ascetic tendencies of Gnosticism. In fact, such heretical ideas were widespread at that time. For this reason, Paul addressed marriage issues in 1 Corinthians 7 and wrote extensively about food from chapters 8 through 10.

Here, however, the apostle gives a brief rebuttal (vv.3–4). The theological foundation of his rebuttal is Genesis 1. When God created all things over six days, He repeatedly declared them “good” (Gen 1:3, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25), and finally declared them “very good” (Gen 1:31). Although the Law designated certain foods as unclean (Lev 11), Jesus rejected all those dietary restrictions. The dietary laws of Leviticus were temporary regulations for Israel while they lived in the land of Canaan. When asked about food, Jesus declared, “All foods are clean” (Mark 7:19). Likewise, the Apostle Peter, in a vision, was commanded to eat unclean animals but refused. Then he heard the heavenly voice saying, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15). From within this tradition, Paul concludes: “Everything is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (v.5).

Meditation:

Asceticism is a dangerous teaching that has persisted from the early history of Christianity up to today. Ascetic teachings can sound appealing because they challenge human limitations. They also make those who teach them appear to have reached a high spiritual level. In the Korean church, a forty-day fast was regarded as a badge of honor for pastors. As a result, many attempted it with excessive zeal and ended up damaging their health.

Scripture teaches not asceticism but moderation, that is, self-control. In 1 Corinthians 7, while explaining about marriage, the Apostle Paul counsels, “Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again” (v.5). Our fallen desires tend to grow stronger the more satisfied they are. The end result is destruction. That is why the Apostle James wrote, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15). Desires must therefore be tempered with proper self-control.

On the other extreme from asceticism is indulgence. The verse, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (v.4), has often been misused as a justification for indulgence. Some argue that if received with thanksgiving, drinking, smoking, or even drugs are acceptable. Such distortions dangerously appeal to human sinful desires, making indulgence deceptively persuasive.

To avoid falling into either asceticism or indulgence, we must live daily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Self-control is one of the fruits that the Spirit produces in us when He transforms our character (Galatians 5:23).

Prayer:

Lord, help us not forget that deceiving spirits prowl around us like roaring lions. May we walk daily with the Holy Spirit so that the beautiful fruit of self-control and moderation may abound in our lives. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God does not want us to live in extremes like denying everything (asceticism) or doing whatever we want (indulgence). Instead, He calls us to live with self-control and balance through the Holy Spirit.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • God made everything good. What is something you enjoy that makes you thankful to God?
  • Why do you think God wants us to practice self-control instead of saying “yes” to everything we want?
  • Can you think of a time when you shared or stopped yourself from being selfish? How did it feel?
    
• Youth
  • What’s the difference between self-control and denying yourself completely? Which one do you think is harder?
  • Some people misuse the Bible to excuse bad habits. Why do you think it’s important to read and understand God’s Word carefully?
  • How can walking with the Holy Spirit help you make balanced and wise choices in school, friendships, and daily life?