A note from our Pastor:

”For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:”

1 Timothy 4:4

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In our study verse this week, the Apostle Paul continues to address a specific false teaching with Timothy. The specific false teaching threatening the congregation of Ephesians was promoting the idea of abstaining from eating certain foods. While this false teaching might seem isolated and unique, it provides the disciples with insights into avoiding other false teachings in the future.

First, to address the teaching the Apostle gave Timothy to counter this specific falsehood. The Apostle and Peter traveled together and learned from one another. We see evidence of the influence of Peter on the Apostle throughout his writings and this is one example. The lesson the Apostle was teaching Timothy is essentially the same as the Lord taught Peter in Acts chapter ten (you can go read that one on your own). The lesson boils down to this — do not call any aspect of God’s creation unclean as the prohibitions of the Old Testament were removed with Jesus.

It is important here to address one false teaching that is still perpetuated today. If you spend any time reading commentaries on this verse you will quickly come to a thought that essentially says “all of nature, especially the animals, are created for man to use.” This is a gross Westernization of the teaching in this verse. The second half of what the Apostle wrote to Timothy was to tell him every animal is clean under one condition — that it be received with thanksgiving.  Thus, the lesson the Apostle was teaching was one of appreciation for the world around us not the abuse of nature for our gain.

The larger lesson the disciple should take from this teaching, and possibly why it is preserved for us today, is to be cautious of any preaching or teaching founded on declaring items clean or unclean. Those teaching false ideas might not use those exact words, but if belief and discipleship are founded on what is allowed and not allowed or who is accepted and who is not accepted it is time to be cautious. The specifics of what Timothy was facing might not exist today, but the desire to set up a power structure is always a threat to true belief in Jesus Christ.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah