In the previous lesson, Paul warned Timothy that the day would come when people would depart from the faith, and start following after false teachers and teachings, all of which are from deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Remember, ...the devil,... was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44) So when someone chooses to follow after and believe lies, they are choosing to follow after the devil.
Paul had sent Timothy to several of the Gentile churches to help them establish the churches according to the will of God and the teaching of Christ as taught by the apostles. Two of the main areas Paul really had to help the Gentile churches overcome their former way of living was in sexual immorality and food offered to idols. To the church in Corinth, he had explained to them, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ... But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (I Corinthians 7:1-2, 8-9)
False teachers were forbidding people to marry, in order to keep the people in bondage to the sin of sexual immorality. But in order to behave as a Christian, we have to obey God and not what's acceptable in society. God commands that a sexual relationship be between one man and one woman who are married; Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:24-25) "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9)
If we are able to exercise self-control and not burn with passion, then It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ... But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please herhusband. (I Corinthians 7:1,32-34) Whether married or unmarried, we still have to “Be holy, for I [the Lord your God] am holy.” (I Peter 1:16)
The second area that Paul had to help the Gentile churches overcome was food offered to idols. As for food, For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. (I Timothy 4:4-6) This is why we should bless our food before we eat it, giving thanks, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. But the point is every creature of God is good. God created the creatures of the water, the air and land on the fifth day, And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25)
The law of liberty says we can eat whatever we want; but the law of love says, I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. (Romans 14:14-18)
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14:19-23) Whether we eat or don't eat, it is to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. (I Timothy 4:7-9) In other words, don't believe everything everyone says. Do not give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (I John 4:1)
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