The Seductive Sin

In our lives, it's easy to drift; it's easy to get off course. See, God, by His Spirit and through His Word, is seeking to bring us back on course on a regular basis. So, we're back in First Timothy, chapter 4. There we see that God foretells we would get off course, and we're going to look at how we can get back on course.

Good morning! Now, you don't have to sit down. Everybody stand up and open your Bibles, if you have them, to the book of First Timothy. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. First Timothy is right near the end of your Bible. If you remember, we were in First Timothy before the holidays, and we're back there now.

Raise your hand if you don't have a Bible; they'll bring you one. We are picking up where we left off at a very good transition in this book. In First Timothy, chapter 4, beginning at verse 1, the Apostle Paul writes, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared as with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 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."

Father, as we stand here this morning, that is one of my prayers: that You would sanctify us by Your Word. Jesus, that was Your prayer in John 17:17: "Sanctify them by Your truth; Your Word is truth." Lord, You are able, by Your inspired Word and by the work of Your Spirit, to transform us by the renewing of our minds. That we would be able to show, put on display today and Monday and Tuesday, every day this week, what is Your good and perfect will—what is right, what is true, what is noble, what is honorable, what is of good report.

We desire to use our lives as a blank slate upon which You would be able to show Your goodness, Your grace, and Your glory. Our lives are that, Candice; we are Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You ordained beforehand that we should walk in. I prayed that the time we have here this morning, the next 40 or so minutes, would be a time that You would use to continue to perfect that work in us, that we would be thoroughly equipped for every good work. So, God, take Your word by Your Spirit and transform us. We pray this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said.

You may be seated.

If we rewind the tape a bit, about ten weeks, you may remember we were in the book of First Timothy before we took a detour for our series we just finished on life in connection. This is the same series we begin each year with, talking about our vision before the New Year's holiday, before Christmas, and even before Thanksgiving. We were going through the book of First Timothy, which is kind of interesting because my original plan—how many of you know that we make plans and God laughs?—was to go through this book in six weeks, one chapter a week for six weeks. That did not happen at all. I think we are somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks already in First Timothy, and we still have three more chapters left. So, it could take us a little while to get through this passage.

If you were with us ten weeks ago, you know that the series in First Timothy is called "On Course." We are going to get back on course today, going through First Timothy, beginning here at chapter 4.

As a little refresher, I think we should understand why we are in this book. What is the reason that we, sitting here in January 2018, are studying through a book that was written 2,000 years ago? It goes back to the fact that we are a church that focuses on the Word of God. We believe that God desires, through His word, to transform us more and more into the likeness of His kids. He wants us to be more like Him, and He uses His word to do that.

We have been on a journey here at Cross Connection for the better part of the last ten years to go through the New Testament. We have been doing it in a chronological fashion, starting with the book of Acts in November 2008. By God's grace, we have finished the book of Acts. It took us a little while because the book of Acts covers the early history of the early church.

In the first 30 to 35 years of early Christian history, most of the New Testament was written as letters. The Book of Acts provides us with a great history of who we are as the people of God, where we came from, and what we should be about. We are in this book because this is what we do when we gather together.

But why was this book originally written? Why did it exist? The Book of Acts largely focuses on the apostolic church-planting ministry of a man named Paul. Most of the book is dedicated to his three primary missionary journeys, during which he established churches in the world of his day.

His first journey is recorded beginning in Acts chapter 13 and continuing through chapter 15. There, we learn about Paul and Barnabas, who left their home church in southern Syria and ventured into a part of the world that, in their day, was called Galatia. In our day, this area is known as central Turkey. On that first missionary journey, they established churches among Gentile peoples—people who were not Jewish. Both Paul and Barnabas were Jewish, and the gospel began to spread from Jerusalem, where all the early hearers of the gospel were Jewish.

However, God's intent was not only for one group of people in one place at one time; His heart is for all people in every place at all times. He commissioned His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. Paul and Barnabas set out to do just that, and I am grateful they did because I am not Jewish, and most of you here today are not Jewish either. Yet, we still have the opportunity to be saved by the grace of Jesus because God's heart is for all people everywhere.

Paul and Barnabas went on to plant churches in cities called Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe. Afterward, they returned to their home church. Acts chapter 16 picks up with Paul's second missionary journey, during which he and a man named Silas, along with two others—Luke and Timothy—set out to plant more churches. They first visited the churches that Paul had planted in Galatia, but then they aimed to establish new ones.

They ended up crossing into Europe, into Macedonia, where they planted churches in the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Paul attempted to plant a church in the great city of Athens, and ultimately, they landed in a city called Corinth, where God did amazing things.

Over the next two years, through the ministry of the Apostle Paul and those who were with him, he embarked on his second missionary journey. At the end of that journey, recorded in Acts chapter 18, his goal was to return to modern-day Turkey, specifically to the chief city of that area, a city called Ephesus.

On Paul's third missionary journey, recorded in Acts chapters 18 and 19, he returned to Ephesus and spent two to three years there establishing a church. This church would become one of the most impactful churches in the world at that time, planting churches throughout Turkey. If you read the first chapters of the Book of Revelation, you will find seven churches mentioned; six of those churches were planted as a result of Ephesus, which is also mentioned there. The church in Rome, to which Paul wrote one of his greatest letters, the book called Romans, was established as a byproduct of Paul's ministry in Ephesus.

As you follow through the remainder of the Book of Acts, Paul finishes his third missionary journey, and the book concludes with Paul in the city of Rome. He was there not necessarily in the way he had hoped; it had been his goal to reach Rome for a long time. However, he ended up there incarcerated by the Roman Empire, awaiting trial before the Roman Supreme Court, presided over by a judge named Caesar Nero. He faced charges of sedition against the Roman Empire, the same accusation for which Jesus was ultimately condemned to die by the Romans in his day. Paul was awaiting trial for preaching the gospel of Jesus, which the Bible says is an offense to those who are perishing. We see this truth reflected in our day and throughout church history.

Acts finishes with Paul in Rome under house arrest, but we know from church tradition that shortly after the book concludes, Paul was released from that first imprisonment. It is believed that Paul, along with Timothy, one of his chief disciples, went back to visit some of the churches they had established. They traveled east from Rome and ultimately returned to the city of Ephesus.

There was around the year AD 58, and now it's about AD 64 or 65. About seven years have passed, and Paul comes back to the church that he had established, planted, and pastored. He finds that in that short period of time, six or seven years, the church had gotten off course. They had drifted, as we are so apt to do. You have probably all been to the beach before. You go out and you're in front of lifeguard tower number 13, and then you're in the water for a few hours. Next thing you know, you're in front of lifeguard tower number 15. You've drifted. You don't have to do anything to drift.

The church at Ephesus had drifted, and when Paul got there, he knew that he was not going to be able to stay for very long. He turned to his associate Timothy and said, "Timothy, I've got to leave. I've got to go to Macedonia, the property of the church at Philippi. I want you to stay here, and I want you to set in order those things that are off course. I want you to get them back on course."

Now, from everything we can deduce from the two letters that Paul wrote to Timothy, First and Second Timothy, he did not like that idea. If any of you have ever sensed the leading of the Lord into a direction where you're kind of apprehensive, you will find yourself in that position. Timothy seemed to have some anxiety about this; he was not exactly excited about what Paul was saying.

If you look at First Timothy chapter 1, you're in First Timothy chapter 4, just turn a couple of pages to the left. You'll see Paul make reference to this. In First Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, Paul says, "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, we were in Ephesus. I'm going west to Macedonia, to Philippi. I urged you when I went into Macedonia to remain in Ephesus so that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith."

So, Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to pastor the church that was in need of help. They were off course, and Paul said, "Timothy, I want you to stay here. You're going to be the helmsman, the pastor, and you're going to help this church that is off course get back on course. Get them back into the place where they are walking in sound doctrine."

You can know that a church or an individual believer that is off course will be evident. It will be evident in the life of the person or the life of the church that they are off course and that they are on course.

There will be very clear evidence when a Christian or a church is not where they should be in relation to sound doctrine. It is evident in the byproduct of that church. Paul mentions some of those things here in this passage. Of course, a church will get tied up in false doctrines and false teachings. They will find themselves drifting towards fables, myths, and endless genealogies. They will find themselves separating according to spiritual pedigrees.

What does that mean? They might say, "I was baptized by this person," and someone else might respond, "Oh, well, I was baptized by this person." There is a way in which, because of our carnal nature, we will find ourselves segregating into groups and cliques. I have seen it in every church. It was the same 2,000 years ago at the church in Ephesus. It happens in this church and in any other church you go to. People start to divide themselves into spiritual factions and spiritual pedigrees. "I'm of John Calvin," or "I'm of Jacob Arminius." You may have heard some of those things before.

It is our sin nature to do this, and these things lead to speculative controversies and meaningless disputes. I have seen it sadly in this church and in many other churches as well, where the church divides itself and starts to have controversy over speculations and meaningless disputes. That is the evidence of a church that is off course. That is what Paul and Timothy found when they came to Ephesus. Even though it had been planted well and pastored well, they had drifted according to their sin nature into these things.

So, what is the evidence of a church that is on course? Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:3, "I urge you, when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine." I want you to give them sound doctrine. For what purpose? Look at verse 5 of 1 Timothy 1:5.

Now, the purpose of this charge, this commandment I am giving you, Timothy, is to get this church back to sound doctrine. The purpose of this charge is love. Would you reach over and circle that in your neighbor's Bible? Even if it's a loaner Bible, it is probably not a bad idea to circle that word. The purpose of the charge, the reason I am telling you to do this, is that you would bring this church into the experience of and the expression of love: love from a pure heart, love from a good conscience, and love from a sincere faith.

Point number one on your outline: love is the clearest evidence of...

The soundness of faith and doctrine is crucial. Love is the clearest evidence of this soundness. This is what we should focus on to determine if the church is in line with Christ's teachings. There will be a byproduct of this love. Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this shall all men know that you are my followers, by the love that you have one for another." This is the word of Christ; people will be able to identify you as followers of Jesus because you love others.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, stated that the evidence of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, is chiefly love. The evidence that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you is expressed in our lives through love, which produces joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. All of these are byproducts of love. This is what God desires to grow in us.

However, our carnal nature often leads us into division over speculative issues and controversies, resulting in disputes. But Christ, through His Spirit, wants to work something new in us.

So, why does this book exist? This book exists because Timothy was ordained by Pastor Paul to be the pastor of the Ephesian church, helping to get them back on course in the area of sound doctrine. By working out that sound doctrine, they would express it in love that is pure, good, and sincere.

Now, at a transition point in 1 Timothy, we come to chapter 4, verse 1. Paul says, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith." This is a bit of a letdown. Previously, in chapter 1, Paul mentioned that he was leaving Timothy there to help the church get back on course in sound doctrine, so they would believe and hold to it, living those truths out. Paul wanted Timothy to dedicate himself to this task, but he had to warn him that the Spirit had said very clearly that in the latter days, some of those people would depart from faith—faith in Jesus and faithfulness to Jesus. They are going to leave. How is that going to happen?

Look at what he says in the second part of it: "The Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."

Point number two on your outline is: Don't be surprised by the Spirit's sobering prediction. Paul had said to Timothy, "I have left you there in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine and that they not heed these false teachings." Here, he says the Spirit indicates that there will be a point in the future where people will give heed to these false teachings, to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. This is striking, considering that this church was planted by Paul and pastored by Timothy. It can stray, stumble, and fall just like Judas.

That's a heavy thing to consider. If you've been around the Bible for any length of time, you probably agree that Pastor Paul was a pretty good pastor. You would assume that his disciple, his apprentice Timothy, would be a good pastor as well. However, a church that could be planted by an apostle like Paul and pastored by a young man like Timothy can still stray, stumble, and fall, just like Judas.

Of course, if you are familiar with the Gospels, you know who Judas was. He is the one who betrayed Christ. He had Jesus as his pastor. Just because you have a great pastor does not necessarily mean that you'll have a great walk. Therefore, there is a responsibility on us to work out our salvation. This is what Paul is leading to in this passage. There will be those, the Spirit says, who will fall. They will depart from the faith and give heed to doctrines of demons.

In verse one of First Timothy chapter four, we should consider who announces this danger. It wasn't just Paul. He expressed his concern that this could happen. He mentioned this in his last words to the elders, the leaders of the church at Ephesus, about six or seven years before this. He said, "I am concerned that after my departure, savage wolves will come in, not sparing the flock."

There will be false teachers coming into the flock. That was Paul's deep-hearted concern for the church at Ephesus. He emphasizes that it is not just him saying this; Timothy should understand that the Holy Spirit of God says there will be some who depart from the faith.

The first thing we need to focus on here is who is saying this. The Holy Spirit is the one delivering this message. Paul did not say the Holy Spirit said this in the past; he states that the Holy Spirit says this now. It is important to recognize the present nature of the word that Paul chooses here, inspired by the Holy Spirit. I believe this was not only a word for Timothy 2,000 years ago, pastoring the Ephesian church, but also for all churches and all pastors at all times. The Holy Spirit is saying this presently, and hopefully, we have ears to hear what the Spirit says to His church.

Secondly, we need to consider when this will happen. The Holy Spirit expressly says that it will occur in latter times. This term "latter times" can be a stumbling block for many Christians, especially in our day. When we read "latter times," we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that this word has an end-times only focus, an eschatological focus. If you have never heard the word "eschatology" before, it refers to the study of the last things.

In many churches in America, especially over the last 150 years, there has been a significant interest in the study of end-time events. You may have had some interest in prophetic matters, such as the Book of Revelation and other passages of Scripture like Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Matthew 24 and 25, as well as Luke chapter 17.

When we read a passage like this, we might begin to think that this is referring to something in the future, specifically the latter times just before Jesus returns. Alternatively, we might look around the church and see the things Paul is talking about, wrongly assuming that this means we are in the end times. I would say there is rarely a month that goes by, over the last 19 years as a pastor, that someone in the church does not come to me or email me asking if we are in the last days, often feeling anxious because they have been watching Fox News or something similar. YouTube eschatology is all over the place.

Day and so we can wrongly assume that Paul is strictly speaking about eschatology, the things of the end. When we come to a passage that talks about the latter times, in reality, Paul is giving a very broad-focused view of things in the future. The essence of what is being said here may include an eschatological end-times note, but the core message Paul is conveying to Timothy and to all pastors in all churches is this: where you are now does not determine where you will be in the future.

He goes on to make that very clear. Point number three is that walking with Jesus today does not guarantee continuance with Jesus tomorrow. This point, for some, is a stumbling block in itself because of a theological view that you may have. This theological view may relate to something commonly referred to as eternal security. If you come from a more Reformed background, a Calvinistic background, you might be familiar with the last point of the five points of Calvinism, the "P" in TULIP, which stands for the perseverance of the saints.

I will tell you that this sounds like a really good thing to hold onto because who would not want to believe that every person who names the name of Christ and prays to receive Christ will be with Christ twenty years from now, thirty years from now, or on the day that they die? We all would like to say, "Yes, once saved, always saved." I don't know anybody who doesn't like the sound of that.

However, here's the problem: there are a lot of cautions in Scripture regarding what we refer to as apostasy, or falling away. We spent most of last year studying through the book of Hebrews, particularly in Hebrews chapter 3, Hebrews chapter 6, and many other places. Hebrews chapter 9 emphasizes this whole concept, and Hebrews chapter 10 also highlights the need for caution.

I would love to wholeheartedly embrace the perseverance of the saints and the idea of once saved, always saved, but there are these little speed bumps in my Bible—and in your Bible too—that say there are going to be some who depart from the faith. It is challenging. Walking with Jesus today does not guarantee continuance with Jesus tomorrow. If you've walked with Jesus for three years, five years, or ten years, you...

I know somebody who used to seem to walk with Jesus, and they don't anymore. Someone might object and say, "Well, they were never really saved." All right, fine. Get down to it; whatever you want to say, they're not here anymore, and they were. There are cautions in the Bible, and I don't think that God gives warnings for no reason. They're there for a reason.

A few years ago, someone sent me a picture of a caution sign. It was an electrical sign that said, "Danger! Don't touch; this will kill you, and it will hurt really bad." I would assume that people take note of that. They think, "Well, I don't want to touch that," and they stay away from that thing.

We know who is saying this: the Holy Spirit. We know when it's a future proclamation; these things may happen. What are the circumstances foretold? Thirdly, the circumstances foretold indicate that some will depart from the faith. It is not clear who or how many; it's just stated rather ambiguously that some will depart from the faith. He does not identify a specific person or a specific group. He doesn't say, "These guys are in danger of falling away." No, he says, "Listen, some will depart."

There have been those whom I would have said, "Not that person, never," and yet they've been accounted among the some. What have they done? They've departed. This word "depart" could be defined in many different ways. They will fall away, they will withdraw, they will desert, they will flee, they will cease. They were here once, and now they're no longer here. They were walking with Christ at one point, and now they're no longer apparently walking with Christ in any context. This is not a pretty picture, which should cause us to question.

The fourth thing that we see here is how this departure will occur. We know the who, we know the when, we know the what—the circumstances foretold. But how could this possibly be? Well, these people, he says, will give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Again, Paul, in the first chapter that we looked at just a few moments ago, in 1 Timothy 1:3, says, "I urged you when I left you there in Ephesus, when I went on to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to these false doctrines which lead them to depart."

He says, "Pastor Timothy, be aware. I'm calling you to fight the good fight of faith." In 1st and 2nd Timothy, he emphasizes that he is calling Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. In 2nd Timothy, he reiterates this call, stating that he is calling Timothy to be a good minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will see that in the next section in chapter 4.

However, you need to understand that even as you do all of these things, there will be some who fall away, depart, or stop running the race. The pastor, whether it is Pastor Timothy or any pastor at any time and in any place, should know to do the hard work of the ministry. This includes instructing the body of Christ in sound doctrine, regardless of the outcome. No matter what happens, the pastor should be committed to the preaching of the gospel and the preaching of the Scriptures, whether or not those who hear heed what is being said.

In this passage, there is an encouragement to the pastor. I believe the pastor should be encouraged that the persistence of his work is not ultimately judged by the perseverance of the hearers. I am grateful for that. I will not stand before Jesus one day and hear Him say, "Well done, Miles, that was great, those years you pastored Cross Connection Church. However, there’s this group of about 20 people who stopped walking, and we have a problem." I am very grateful that my perseverance is not what I will ultimately be judged by.

The Scriptures say, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." We trust that it is God who works in us to will and to do His good pleasure, as stated in Philippians 2:12-13, which are my favorite verses in the whole Bible. It doesn't say, "Hey pastor, make sure that those people are working out their salvation, and you should be really happy about that." If that were the case, we might have secret-agent elders walking around, watching them all day long, saying, "Hey, no, don’t do that."

No, the Spirit of God is with you. We preach the Word of God and entrust you to the Spirit of God as you go from this place, that you would work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. We must also recognize that there are cautions in the Scripture.

We understand who announces this danger: God Himself, by the Holy Spirit. He says this is a danger we should be aware of. We are given insight into when, in the latter times, some point in the future, people will depart from the faith. We are told the circumstances surrounding this departure: they will give heed to false teaching. But what are some of the signs? What are some of the...

Indications that a person is being led in a certain direction can be found in what Paul says in verse two. He mentions that they are speaking lies in hypocrisy. They live a hypocritical lie, both to themselves and to others. They are so seduced by doctrines of demons that they have lied to themselves, thinking that what they are doing will bring them to a higher plane of spirituality. Through their hypocrisy, they have also lied to others, claiming to be more spiritual than they truly are.

These individuals speak lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared. They have gone against their own conscience and deadened the voice of God in their lives. As a result, they no longer hear God directing them by His Spirit and through their conscience. This is a scary thing—to have deadened your conscience to the point where you no longer realize you are not walking in the way that God would have you walk.

In verse three, the departure is further indicated by forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving. This is interesting. When I think of someone departing from the faith, my mind often goes to a brother or sister who has left their faith in Jesus and faithfulness to Him to return to a life of sinful practices. They may go back to immorality, drug use, or drunkenness—those things from which they were saved. That is where my mind goes when I hear about people departing from the faith.

However, that is not at all what Paul is talking about. Do not misunderstand; falling away from Christ and back into immorality is clearly an issue and a problem. But it is a problem that is easy to identify and relatively easy to address through church discipline and calling people to repentance.

What do I mean? If someone in the church abandons their faith and returns to a sinful life of sexual immorality, drug use, or drunkenness, everyone in the church recognizes that as a problem.

We need to call that person to repentance. Church discipline is exercised, and this person is separated from the fellowship, as 1 Corinthians 5 and other passages say. However, we call out to that person and say, "You're walking in sin." That's not what Paul is talking about here in this departure from the faith.

The departure that is more seductive and very difficult to deal with in the church is not a departure back to immorality, but rather a departure to religious legalism. The truly deceptive spirits, the demonic doctrines that cunningly infiltrate churches, are not the ones that entice Christians back to sinful behavior. The truly deceptive demonic doctrines are those that say, "If you eat of this fruit, you will be like God." We've heard that before. As Paul would write to the Corinthians, "I am concerned that as the serpent beguiled Eve, so also you would be beguiled away from the simplicity that is in Christ."

The truly seductive false teachings are those that say to Christians, "If you abstain from this, you'll be more spiritual. If you practice this, you'll be above those people." Our flesh loves that; our flesh loves religious legalism. Paul says this is a deceptive, seductive heresy.

Point number four in the outline: beware of the seductive sin of self-righteousness. I would say that maybe the most striking thing about the church at Ephesus—this church that Paul planted, recorded for us in Acts chapters 18 and 19, this church that Paul pastored for two to three years, and this church that Timothy pastored, to which Paul wrote the letter called the Book of Ephesians—is that there was another letter written to this church about 25 years after Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, and it wasn't written by Paul.

The book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, was written by Jesus. Turn there if you would, to Revelation chapter 2. There are seven letters written to seven churches, and the first of those seven churches is the father of all of them: a church called Ephesus. Jesus had a word for the church at Ephesus twenty-five years after Paul said to Timothy, "Listen, I am concerned, and the Spirit expressly says that in the future some in that church will depart from the faith."

Jesus says to this same church, "Look at this," in Revelation 2, verse 1. This is striking: "To the angel of the church at Ephesus"—or literally, to the angelus, the messenger, perhaps the pastor of the church at Ephesus—Jesus says, "Write these things," says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.

"I know your works. Listen, Ephesian Church, I know your works. I know your labor, your patience, that you cannot bear with those who are evil. You have tested those who say that they are apostles and are not, and you have found them liars." Who wouldn't want to be a part of such a church? Jesus writes to the church at Ephesus twenty-five years later, saying, "Listen, I know that you can't stand evil workers. I know that you've been able to test those who say they're apostles but are not. You understand spiritual pedigrees, and you have persevered. You have patience. It's like, man, I want to be a part of that church. You've labored for My name's sake, and you have not become weary."

However, in verse 4, look at this: "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love." The Spirit expressly says in latter times some will depart from the faith. The word "depart" in 1 Timothy chapter 4 is the same Greek root word as that little word "left" in Revelation chapter 2, verse 4. "Nevertheless, I have this against you: you have left your first love. You've left Jesus. Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. I am concerned that some will fall away," Paul said twenty-five years before.

Jesus says to the church, "Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first works, or else I will come quickly and remove your lampstand from its place." Essentially, Jesus says, "I'm going to remove you from being a church unless you repent."

Now, you have this, you have that; you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. You hate the deeds of immoral workers of sin, which I also hate. That's good. You have some really good qualities.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. Paul said the experience expressly states that in the last days, some will depart from the faith. Jesus says, "Listen up, Church! You've done exactly what Paul was concerned you would do by the Spirit of God, 25 years before." He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

We need to beware of the seductive sin of self-righteousness. The greatest evidence of salvation, the presence of God's Spirit in our lives, is not spiritual self-discipline, spiritual gifts, spiritual power, self-denial, or sniffing out sin. The greatest evidence of salvation is love for God and love for one another. Jesus said, "You've got everything going on, emphasis, but you missed something. You departed from me." That's something to chew on a little.

Well, Timothy, or Paul goes on back in First Timothy. You can turn there to chapter 4. This is one of those really light messages for a Sunday. First Timothy 4, verse 4. Remember, he says these false teachers will come into the church. The Spirit says they are going to seduce people into a pattern of self-righteousness, where they think that self-denial makes them righteous before God. He says, "No, listen."

"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." Now, you do not have to become a celibate vegan to be pleasing to Jesus. Amen! Thank you, God! I had one of the best steaks last night at Ventana. It was phenomenal! I always count on my mom; it's good to have good fans.

In the first room, there was a group of people in the Ephesian church, and I guarantee there is a group of people in Cross-Connection Church, Immanuel Faith Church, Mission Hills Church, Bethel Baptist Church, and every chapel in Fallbrook and Valley Baptist Church. There was a group of people in that church that were...

Living according to a pattern of life and teaching others that, for you to be right with God, you shouldn't eat certain things or do certain things, such as fasting from relational engagement with your spouse or being celibate, is a common belief. However, Paul says that nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the Word of God in prayer.

Now, think about this for a moment. If these foods that the Old Testament identified as being set aside and not allowed to have were meant for a people called to be God's people, and if Jesus and Paul say these foods are sanctified by God's Word and through prayer, how is it possible that we would think that unclean foods, sanctified by the Word of God in prayer, would make us unclean? The implication is that we are sanctified by the Word of God. He sanctifies us, not our actions or our refusal to engage with certain things. Observing the Sabbath does not make one righteous. Keeping kosher does not make one righteous. Remaining celibate does not make one righteous.

You may wonder if people really think these things. If you read church history from the years 200 to 400 AD, you will find a group of Christian mystics known as the Desert Fathers. It is quite popular among American and European Christians to read the works of the Desert Fathers and to explore this Christian mysticism. Who were the Desert Fathers? One of them was a man who lived in the deserts of Syria in the 2nd century AD. He lived on top of a pillar for 33 years to separate himself from the things of this world. People literally looked up to him and were advised not to get too close to the pillar because he had been living up there for so long, and it was a mess below.

People viewed these individuals as very spiritual. This was a form of what was called Gnosticism, a 2nd-century heresy that claimed everything of this world is carnal and everything of God is spiritual. Therefore, if we truly want to be spiritual, we must separate ourselves from the things of this world. This belief continues today.

Christ's finished work alone secures and sustains our righteous standing. Praise God! Do you realize it's possible to believe in Jesus and trust in something else? That's what the Ephesian church fell into. Jesus had to write a letter to them, challenging them. It is possible to believe in Jesus, to say, "I believe in Jesus, I go to church, I give to the church," and yet to trust in something else—your self-righteousness or your abstention from some earthly thing. Some may trust in that for their right standing with God.

Christ and Christ alone, His finished work on the cross, secures and sustains our righteousness. I am concerned. Paul said to the Corinthians, "I am concerned that in the same way as Satan beguiled Eve, 'If you eat of this fruit, you shall be like God,' I am concerned that in the same way, you will be dissident from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Jesus Christ alone secures and sustains our salvation by His finished work on the cross. He saved you by His work on the cross. He is saving and sanctifying us by His work on the cross. He will glorify us into eternity by His work on the cross. Paul said to the Galatian church, which was also being seduced into this false belief, "O foolish Galatians, having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?"

They may ask, "Does this mean that we don't work out our own salvation with fear and trembling?" No, for it is God who is working in us to will and to do His good pleasure for His glory and for His name's sake. However, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of false teachings, seductive spirits, and doctrines of demons, which say, "If you don't do this thing, or if you do this thing, it will make you better before God and all those other people down there." This is a stumbling block and a trap.

We need to ensure that we are committing ourselves to the exercise of godliness. That's where we're going next week. In chapter 4, verse 17, it says bodily exercise profits little. As you all know, it's January 28th, and we are well beyond that.

New Year's resolutions often focus on various aspects of self-improvement. However, bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of things that are now and those that shall be hereafter.

So, God, work in us, please, to trust in You and You alone. Amen. Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Jesus, I pray that we would be a people, a church, who are trusting wholeheartedly in You and You alone. God, work in us today and this week to be willing to do Your good pleasure and make it evident to us.

I pray that each of us here today would see in our lives this week the evidence of Your Spirit working in us. Let us see the evidence of love producing joy, producing peace, kindness towards others, gentleness, and self-control. God, work these things in us so that we would see it and that others around us would see it, for Your name and for Your glory.

We thank You that we are Your workmanship, created in You for good works which You prepared beforehand, that we would walk in them. I pray that this week we would walk in those things.

As we stand here this morning, maybe you need to reaffirm your trust in Jesus. You believe in Jesus, but you've been trusting in your good works or your own righteousness to make yourself right before God. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to confess that and reaffirm your trust in Jesus and Him alone.

If that's you, maybe you would pray a prayer along with me right now: Jesus, help me to trust in You. Make it evident in my life today that I'm trusting in nothing but You. Cause the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in me today as I interact with my kids, my spouse, my neighbors, and those that I'll be driving with on the 15 tomorrow. God, help me to exhibit these qualities.

Self-control, patience, long-suffering, and kindness are essential virtues.