August 18, 2002
There are so many false religions in the world. By far, the reason for such a phenomenon is the human problem of ignoring God’s owner’s manual -- The Bible. Without the Bible we don’t know how God views us, and we don’t know truth about how we are to view God.
It is important to know the truth about God and the way He feels about us. Let’s explore getting a grip on who God is, and what He is like.
A False View Of God Leads To Faulty Living
What is a false view of God?
James describes the false view of God
3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness 1 Timothy 6.3
A false view of God is any teaching that does not agree with scripture. The Bible interprets the Bible. False teachers tend to promote their cultural preference over Christian principles.
This is like defending slavery on the basis that Paul didn’t attempt to put an end to it in the incident with Philemon and the runaway slave, Onesimus. If you recall, Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to resume his position as slave.
A false teacher would point that out, and the fact that the world has always had slaves, but he would bypass all the teachings in the New Testament that point to the freedom Christ came to bring.
What does a false view of God produce?
A. Wise Fools
4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 1 Timothy 6:4
False teaching comes from conceit and ignorance of God’s Word. James calls them false prophets, empty clouds. They promise much, but deliver nothing. In our day we say, the lights are on, but nobody’s home.
A false view of God produces wise fools and...
B. Warped Fellowship
5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Timothy 6.5
A false view of God will produce wise fools that warp the fellowship. This is the faulty living that comes from an inadequate theology.
Notice the characteristics:
There is envy and strife. Friction always develops when people are grounded more in cultural preferences rather than Christian principles.
There is malicious talk and suspicious talk. Some folks seem called to discuss every negative thing, in every negative way, with every other negative person they can get to lend an ear. This is part of the faulty living that is promulgated by false teaching, brought on by a false view of God.
Where you find people who are glad to talk about positive things, virtuous things, dwelling on praiseworthy things, (Philippians 4.8) then you will find people who have a correct view of God. The difference is generally whether the talk is about God (praiseworthy) or about people (gossip worthy).
It appears in our day that we have more warped than winsome fellowship. Churches are losing members, declining in ministry and closing doors every day. Still other churches are experiencing the greatest advances in the history of Christendom.
What is the difference? Why do some churches disintegrate and disappear from the Christian scene?
It is self-destruction, brought on by warped fellowship, soaked to the skin in faulty living, saturated by false teaching, spawned by a false view of God. It is the unhealthy picture of the sheep of God infecting each other with the mange of gossip, envy, strife, malicious and suspicious talking, chafing one against the other until the whole herd wants to do nothing but scatter.
Is there no antidote? A genuine view of God overcomes the false view of God…
What is a genuine view of God?
A genuine view of God is first and foremost a Biblical view. Jesus said
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, John 5:39 (NIV).
How do you know you have a Biblical view? It is safe to say that a Biblical view is one that makes you love Jesus, and one that makes you soft on people, but hard on sin in your own life. If that doesn’t touch all the meaning and explanation of a genuine, Biblical view of God, it is an exceptionally fine place to begin.
What does a genuine view of God produce?
A Genuine View Of God Leads To Godly Living
6But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6.6
A. Godliness is a great respect for God.
There is precious little in common life today that smacks of respect for the Lord. Movies are profane. People use His name in absolute disrespect and casualness. The government won’t even mention Him. A Godly person is one who will use the name of God reverently, respectfully and powerfully.
B. Contentment is a great respect for the decisions God makes concerning the bains and blessings of life.
Notice that those who are Godly and content don’t seem to have the preoccupation with control that many have in our society.
7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6.7-10
Godly, content people are those who are contented with what the Lord has given them, both materially and positionally. They are more interested in touching souls than taking scalps. In many churches across the land, nickels and noses take precedence over ministry.
Our business as the church is to be respectful, worshipping people of god, content and consistent in sharing the faith, once-delivered to the saints.
A Model For Our Genuine View Of God, Lived Out In the Real World
What do you look like when you are a person who has a genuine view of God? There are many characteristics we could point out, but Paul selects three to highlight for the young minister Timothy...
A. Purity in my personal life
11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1 Timothy 6.11
Many believers today seem to have an "Amway theology" when it comes to this. We think it perfectly right to talk about purity and righteousness, learn about it, encourage others to purchase and use the product, but we have settled for "distributorship" instead of discipleship. With all the teaching and preaching of the Bible, arguing about the inspiration of the Bible, and holding the Bible up as our product, who is it that’s USING the Bible?
Baptists (and all believers) would do better to do more "living-out" of the Bible’s teachings in our personal lives, than giving out of the Scriptures in witnessing. In fact, our witnessing won’t work until our Christ-like, submission shines.
B. Perseverance in the mission
12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6.12
Timothy was called, commissioned and counted-on. Paul wanted to remind him of the task to which he’d been called. And each of us needs to remember that task. As Vance Havner once said, The faith that fizzles before the finish was probably fickle at the start.
C. Power in my witness
13I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. 17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.
1 Timothy 6.13-19
Paul shared a strategy for reaching the world with a message that would powerfully affect and change the lives of people. A person with a correct view of God will have power in witnessing to the lost. It enables men to see a powerful Savior who alone can help them in distress, meet anyone’s need.
A preacher died, and his relatives found he had neatly tied up the messages he had delivered, and he had placed a card on top of them with this message:
"Where has the influence gone of all these sermons I have preached?"
Underneath he had scribbled in large letters: "OVER"
On the other side this answer was found:
"Where are last year’s sunrays? They have gone into fruits and grain and vegetables to feed mankind. Where are last year’s raindrops? Forgotten by most people, of course, but they did their refreshing work, and their influence still abides. So, too, my sermons have gone into lives and made them nobler, more Christ like, and better fitted for Heaven."
This is the power of a witness that stems from a correct view of a holy God.
How Can I Begin To Have This Describe My Life?
Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust,
avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.1 Timothy 6.20-21
The key words are "guard" and "wander." Wandering away from God comes from not guarding your closeness to Him. You can begin tonight by making a commitment to abide in the Vine
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NIV)
How do you make the commitment? Confess your need in prayer, determining in your heart that you will do whatever it takes, whatever He shows you. Then begin to trust daily that He will keep you on track.
A. J. Gordon, 19th century minister, gave an example of this. He wrote of two little sapling trees that grew side by side. Through the wind’s movement they scraped each other. The sap oozing from the wounds mingled, and eventually they became attached. The stronger tree absorbed the weaker, and became larger and larger, until the weaker withered and finally dropped away. Now there remains only two trunks coming out of the ground, but one tree farther up. Death took the weaker tree. But it lives in the stronger.
You are the weak branch, Christ is the vine. When you struggle against Him, you cut off any real power. Surrender to Him, get a good grip on your view of God!
