You Have to Get Real, Says the World

We’ll look at First Timothy 4 and look at it portion by portion to cover the points the chapter makes briefly. This won’t make for a long reading.

verses 1-5 (The Message version)
The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They’ll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better!¹ Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God’s Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.

The thing about deception is that it can be done so well. And when you are deceived by anything and anyone, you don’t know the danger that is behind the door. And I know that I could not get out of the rut of deception that this world can put me in without God’s help. He can work outside my limitations and help me even when I can’t help myself. He is like a surprise rescuer that I didn’t even know was there.

Another thing on this set of verses is that it gives me the power to stand up for a few of the things I value in life. I do value marriage, I also love eating. It is fine that some may not eat meat, and some may not eat certain things for religion. But here I don’t have to be bound by that. The world tells me that marriage is not important and that there is no need for it. But here in the Bible (which is a corner-stone of my living, the world view increasingly not) it says marriage is important.

6-10 You’ve been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you’ll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

I believe that Christians are beginning to live out these set of scriptures more and more. As we are oppressed once again, so much by the world, including the free world, we are reminded that being fakes doesn’t work. If the center of Christianity is not about being successful in following a bunch of rules and instead about God accepting that we can’t follow a bunch of rules, and he fixed the breach it made making it possible for us to be better through a relationship with him. Then when we evoke a bunch of rules and start being over-religious and missing the point, the world will know and even if they don’t, we will be so unappealing they will cast us off on the side of the road. And that is what has happened. Get real people. It doesn’t work unless you do.

11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.

Christians need to lead other Christians. Show each other what the Bible has said. Cause truth be told not all Christians read the Bible for themselves. Sure they make get a commentary or devotional. But real in-depth Bible reading. That is where it’s at. That is what we should be doing with each other. We should never slack in that job. NEVER!
And we definitely should remember how we should do it. By our demeanor (they way we say things, our facial expressions, body language), faith (what we believe), love (what is really in your heart? love isn’t always displayed because of what is in your heart), integrity (integrity means two things: being smart. Be smart about the way you do things. Also do things right, someone is always watching and just might report what you do and say).

15-16 Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.

News flash! You have to work at your Christian walk. And the responsibilities you have in it. It should be your passion just like an athlete.² You really need to work at it. Keep up the life in your mind and soul, make sure you hydrate with Word of God, and other friends who will challenge you in your walk with God. Also keep your interest. Make sure you don’t spend all day on the boring stuff or nothing may ever cultivate. And don’t burn out. Don’t be so busy giving you don’t receive.

¹ Acts 10:9-16 (Peter’s vision about eating foods that were considered unclean to Israelites)
1 Corinthians 8 (Paul explains why food sacrificed to idols is not always wrong to eat)
² 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (Paul makes a comparison to the Christian walk and an athlete)