A Warning For All Believers In These Times

“When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth.
Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees.
These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.
The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in MEANINGLESS DISCUSSIONS.”
-1 Timothy 1:3-6 NLT

My heart has been very troubled in recent times… troubled at new doctrines and teachings that seem to be stemming up left, right and centre.
People who think they have greater grasp on the Word of God coming out to share their revelations and “superior knowledge”.
Now, such knowledge maybe right, but then the problem is they only serve to stir up arguments and divisions among the body of believers with the owners of these knowledge eager and ready to “teach further” if more clarification is needed.
My heart is so pained. I see teachings rising up on new doctrines and I want to cry.
Not that I feel like crying because they are wrong but I want to cry at how much these things are dividing the Church and we let them.

I am very certain that I am not the only one feeling this new wave of new doctrines/teachings in the air…
I am not the only one worried about it am I?

For the last few weeks, God has been teaching me on “Shutting up and moving along” when a discussion doesn’t serve to edify me… yes, even if that discussion is a discussion centred on the Bible.
These days you find people clustered about, discussing things that when they leave, there really wasn’t anything added to their souls.
And so we pick up arguments on things that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things and believers leave such places filled with speculation and not filled with faith and love in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I trapped myself in an argument with a Jehovah witness a few weeks ago where she said Jesus wasn’t God and I wanted to argue but felt God shouting at me to “shut up!”
And He took me to 1Timothy where Timothy was warned not to indulge in “foolish arguments that only breed fights”.
The Bible calls these things FOOLISH arguments.
Why?
Because not only do they not edify your soul, they lead to speculation and can lead many away from the faith.

“Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness.
May God’s grace be with you all.”
-1 Timothy 6:20-21 NLT

And so as I walked home on Monday after an amazing time at Bro Gbile’s Akanni meeting (you all should get his messages!), I felt so burdened about this and I knew that even though I didn’t think I would publish a post today, I had to… I felt like God wanted to use me to send out a warning to us all… and of course one when doesn’t speak, the guilt remains on their heads.

Dear brothers and sisters, the times which we live in have been predicted long ago and it’s in the Word of God.
We have been warned way before now about wrong teachings that will spring up in these times…

“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.”
-1 Timothy 4:1-3 NLT

Now there is a simple test to apply when you receive a Word from someone…
(1) Does it build up your faith in God or does it lead you into arguments?
(2) Does it fill your heart with love for God and your fellow believer?
(3) Does it end in speculations or does it edify you?
(4) Is the Holy Spirit at peace with the Word you received or does it itch you in the wrong way?
It is actually very easy to know wrong teachings or teachings that don’t necessarily build up your faith in Christ Jesus.
“Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.”
-1 Timothy 6:2-5 NLT

Ways to know teachings that don’t edify you:
(1) It just quibbles over the meaning of words which are basically unnecessary.
(2) It stirs up arguments, division, slander and suspicions.
(3) It doesn’t urge you onwards towards living a godly life in Christ, instead speculations and dwelling on that word may lead you far away from the faith.
We are all called to be more careful about the words we take in and even about “shutting up” and leaving controversies alone.
I am reminded always by God that it is not “superior knowledge” that builds up God’s Church, it is love.
The knowledge might be right but knowledge doesn’t build up the Church so if your knowledge is causing strife, arguments, doubt, etc, leave it and pick up love.
Actually, true knowledge in the Word should actually be shared from the place of love (got a conviction here as I wrote this).
So you don’t have to press your point with a fellow believer.
Recognize that everyone is at different revelation at different times in their lives and one is not always wrong even as one is not always right.
So when God tugs on you as you share your knowledge that this is moving out of strengthening His church in love, SHUT UP and love your fellow believer in silence if need be.

“Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.”
-1 Corinthians 8:1-3 NLT
I am just pleading with us, please teachers and receivers of the Word alike, let love lead as the Word of God says it should.
Steer clear of the controversial dealings especially when you aren’t sharing because God told you to share… you are only sharing from a place of “knowledge”. Be sensitive enough to know the difference, check your heart and ask God to show you when you go wrong.
As receivers of the Word, test the received word by also checking the scriptures day and night to determine if what someone said is true.
You don’t have to argue with a Word… simply dig into the Word of God for yourself, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal insight to you and get the TRUTH from the one who is truth Himself.

Guard your hearts dear sisters and brothers.
Move away from arguments in the Word as much as possible and SHUT UP when God says you should shut up.
Let’s be careful and be vigilant in our faith walk with God.
It takes just one wrong doctrine to throw one in a ditch.
Even much more so in these times, we need to study the Word of God for ourselves. Get truth for yourself.
And even much more so make one of your greatest prayers one for “insight and revelation in the knowledge of God and His word”.

Prayer:
Father we ask that you unite the church, your body in love – in the knowledge of Christ – in oneness – in unity.
Open our eyes to see that divisions lend no help to us.
Help us to love our brothers and sisters enough to steer clear of fixing our “knowledge” on them.
Unite us Lord.
Unite us Lord in the truth that matter… in Jesus name, amen.
Further Reading:
“As I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia, stay on where you are at Ephesus in order that you may warn and admonish and charge certain individuals not to teach any different doctrine, Nor to give importance to or occupy themselves with legends (fables, myths) and endless genealogies, which foster and promote useless speculations and questionings rather than acceptance in faith of God’s administration and the divine training that is in faith (in that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence)– Whereas the object and purpose of our instruction and charge is love, which springs from a pure heart and a good (clear) conscience and sincere (unfeigned) faith.
But certain individuals have missed the mark on this very matter [and] have wandered away into vain arguments and discussions and purposeless talk.
They are ambitious to be doctors of the Law (teachers of the Mosaic ritual), but they have no understanding either of the words and terms they use or of the subjects about which they make [such] dogmatic assertions.”
-1 Timothy 1:3-7 AMP
Till Our Next Online Bible Study,
Love,
Frances.
P:S: Please forgive me for one week plus of not posting on the blog.
Long story.
I’m back now by God’s grace, amen!

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