1st Timothy 4: 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. 7But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8For 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. 9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach,[1] because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11These things command and teach.”
What are we to teach at least those who do teach: The Word of God. What is sound doctrine? Sound doctrine for Paul and all those interested in the Truth of God’s Word is just that God’s Word. If you can’t quote Scripture in your sermon then what is the point of preaching? If preaching is to be sound it must revolve around the Messiah who redeemed us through His blood sacrifice. If your preaching or teaching does not revolve around the Word of God you have nothing relevant to say. The only relevant word is the Word of God which breaks addictions, depressions, addictions and sets souls free that they may walk in the faith which we have received through the instruction of the Word of God.
What we have is a living Torah not a Torah bound within the confines of tradition or time, but within the framework of having a biblical worldview based upon the reality of the Messianiship of Christ who redeemed us through His blood. It is time that we preached the Word of God not the word of man and break the back of those who spoke merely of traditions. This does not mean or to speak against the set councils that the church has established throughout the centuries. Many of these councils established a very good understanding of what Biblical Christianity is in fact to be. Sadly though the church instead of defending those said creeds denies them and in the process leads those who come to faith in Messiah astray.
Since the Word of God is living and active able to penetrate the hearts of those who believe in Him and to those who don’t it goes to show that God’s Word will always be true, and humanity will always be wrong. This then becomes an issue of accepting the reality of sound preaching verses preaching man’s doctrine. It becomes an issue of preaching the Truth verses preaching philosophy. When will we stand upon the Word of God and be nourished as the Bride of Messiah from the Word of God itself and not the doctrine of men? The reality and expectancy of sound teaching and preaching is found in the fact that when the Word is really preached truthfully the power of its force brings the conviction of the Holy Spirit, who draws all humanity to Himself. The Holy Spirit is present throughout humanity drawing all humanity to Himself to glorify the ministry, of Christ. This is why in this present age evil does not run rampant completely even though it seemingly does, and why good will always prevails over evil in the end. Evil can only prevail when we make agreements with the evil source-Satan. When we make these agreements we speak them into existence and thereby doing reject all sound teaching and preaching.
Men and woman of God it is time that we stopped traditions from being preached from the pulpit. Let the Word of God go forth around the world because the truth is the truth and those who want to preach the philosophy of man instead of the revealed Word of God let them be considered liars and deceivers among the ranks of the lost and doomed. All those who oppose the ministry of biblical Christianity oppose the divine work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit uses men and women who will sacrifice themselves who will not be ashamed to count the cost of following the roughed road that is found in following His will and plan. Yet many would rather follow themselves rather than preach of this very subject, which leads to spiritual maturity and growth.
Yet again the problem we have is addressed by the Apostle Paul in 1st Timothy 4: 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
When we work out we seek physical benefits of the work out. We go to the gym or run along a trial, or whatever you do to maintain your physique. When we apply this same principle to our spiritual lives in Christ we would find that the more time we put into our faith the more we will in turn get out of it. What are you getting out of your own life in Christ reader? Are you walking the path of righteousness or the path towards wickedness? Its time that our preachers and teachers preached the truth so that we were not fed on the milk of the Word but were able to handle the meaty things of God’s Word. To this the writer of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 6: 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And this we will[1] do if God permits.”
How are you working out your faith today dear reader? Are you applying spiritual principles into the physical reality of your faith? Its time that the pulpits were filled with teaching from God’s Word rather than the philosophy of man. If your not preaching God’s Word and revealing the personhood, work and ministry of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit you need a serious gut check today. If your not walking your own faith and reasoning out your faith its time that you took an inventory check today. If faith isn’t used it isn’t faith at all. Faith can only be faith when exercised which means faith must be a reality which like working out is. If we aren’t studying the Word or hearing the Truth we cannot possibly know how to walk in the truth. If we wish to progress in faith beyond what is merely milk the elementary principles of the faith in Messiah then what would one do?
The word leaving here does not refer to leaving basic doctrines but pressing in towards the faith-intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Elementary principles of Christ as in 5:12 of Hebrews refers to the Old Testament basic teaching that prepared the way for the coming of Messiah-the beginning teaching about Christ. These include six principles outlined in vv.1,2., go on to perfection means that salvation by faith in Messiah. The Greek here is in the passive sense so indicative of “let us be carried to salvation”. This would show us that learners are to be carried by teachers but both being carried forth towards God. If one isn’t learning more about faith in Messiah they aren’t fit to lead in the Body of Messiah. The writer here warns his Jewish readesr that there is no value in stopping with OT basics and repeating “laying again” what was only intended to be foundational to faith in Christ.
repentance from dead works is an Old Testament form of repentance which is the turning away from evil deeds that brings death (Ezek 18:4;Romans 6:23), and turning towards God. Too often the Jew only turned to God in the same way most Christians do today only in the superficial sense-fufilling the letter of the Law as evidence of his/her repentance, but the inner man was still dead (Matthew 23:25-28; Romans 2:28-29). Such repentance was not the king which brought salvation (Hebrews 6:6; 12:17; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor 7:10). Under the New Covenant repentenance towards God is coupled with “faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Christ’s atoning sacrifice saves from “dead works” (9:14; John 14:6).
the doctrine of baptisms can better be translated washings which is used in Hebrews 9:10. The Greek term is never used in connection of Christian baptism. The plural of this is inconsistent with the singular concept of Christian baptism. In the OT levitical system, there were many ceremonial cleansings which were outwards signs of heart cleansing (Ex 30:18-21; Lev 16:4, 24, 26,28; Mark 7:4,8). The New Covenant called for an inner washing (Titus 3:5) that regenerated the soul.
laying on of hands: Under the Old Covenant the person who brought a sacrifice was one who placed his hands upon it to symbolize his identification with the sacrifice as a substitute sacrifice for sin (Lev 1:4; 3:8, 13; 16:21). There could also be here a reference to the solemn priestly blessing (Matthew 19:13).
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment: The Pharrisses were the one’s who believed in the resurrection from the dead (Acts 23:8) but were still spiritually dead (Matthew 23:27). They also believed in the judgment of God and were headed for it. It is significant that all f the doctrines listed in vv.1,2, can be associated with the Pharisees who were attracted to and sometimes associated with Jesus (Luke 7:36-50; 13:31; 14:1; John 3:1). Paul was a Pharisee before his conversion (Phil 3:5). The Pharisees were products of the pursuit of righteousness by works of the law rather than by faith (Romans 9:30-32; 10:1-3). A portion of Hebrews to whom this epistle was written may have been Pharisees possibly.
What do we see then? The need for sound preaching is now. Those who refuse to preach soundly are those who are false teachers among the apostate which is prevalent in the Body of Messiah through the spreading of the false gospel which elevates self above Christ, which in turn denies the Word of God as its foundation in an attempt to promote a self glorified kingdom, which rejects the coming of Messiah for His bride at the Rapture which in turn denies the Tribulation as well. It leaves one to wonder if they have really read the Bible and studied it, because if they had they would know what they were doing. If they knew what they were doing was flagrantly wrong they would at least have known what they were doing because their training would have taught them better. Yet the issue is that many of our seminaries simply do not teach the truth, which means our churches today don’t either, so instead they teach the most modern way to communicate to an audience or the latest fad which is popular. Whatever happened to the good old preachers who would call people to repent of their sins and believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Has that been lost in the great fad of modernism and postmodernism?
Its time that preachers and Pastors bowed their knee in recognition of biblical ignorance because that is what the foundation is presently. It certainly is not based upon the sound teaching a Pastor would receive if they were to study to show themselves approved. Yet this is not simply directed at Pastors, but at the Body of Christ as a whole. What we need more than ever is to exercise the rights we have as human beings-mainly using our minds. When we use our minds to reason out our faith we are showing we are studying the Word of God owning our faith. If we own our faith it will be harder for a false teacher to lead us astray because we know what we believe in the Word of God. This is what Paul is speaking about in 1st Timothy 48For 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.” Those who will not preach this way reject as Paul instructed in 1st Timothy 47But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.”
God will never lead you astray if you seek His face it is His face you will find. Study the Word of God and seek His face. Use your mind and engage your heart for in the process you will find and be able to mine the precious jewels that are contained in the Word of God. It is more than time that Pastors all around the Word stopped preaching a works based salvation and started preaching faith in Messiah by grace as Scripture teaches. Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19). The end is coming because people want to sit on the pew and reject the implanted Word of God for the word of the world rather than the Word of God.
May God bless you and give you a fresh understanding of His Word as you study to show yourself approved unto Messiah. Yet even so the end will occur because Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy, and all prophecy will be fulfilled before He reigns forever during His millennial kingdom. Even so come Lord Jesus come.
Pastor Jenkins
