A note from our Pastor:

“ He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,”

1 Timothy 6:4

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

Our study verse this week is a continuation of the teachings initiated in the prior verse. The Apostle Paul has given instructions on how believers, who are engaged in the acts of slavery, should treat one another. In this teaching, the Apostle addresses those preachers who used the pulpit to stir up the community of believers about secular items instead of preaching the things of God.

In the Apostle’s view, these preachers neglected to teach in a wholesome way. They were substituting their short-sighted views of life for the teachings of Christ. They were throwing doubt and discredit upon the teaching of the Apostles, including Paul himself, and the other chosen ministers. Their purpose was to sow discord and excite hate and animosity within the community of believers.

The Apostle continues saying these ministers know nothing of the actual work of the ministry. They are failing to teach the things of Christ. They are not bringing comfort and hope to the people. They are not giving them the practical lessons of being a disciple. Instead, they are focused on questions that do not benefit the believers. Some of these questions were trivial and a waste of time. Others were outright harmful. They included questioning the nature of the Trinity or the purposes of God on behalf of his people.

Finally, these teachers were creating division and strife among the community of believers over words and phrases. They could not teach the congregation the things of God — faith, hope, joy, grace, mercy, etc. — because they were instead occupied with criticizing the words and phrases of other ministers. They had lost sight of the larger truths the Apostle had taught them by trying to be experts in the language to describe those truths.

The Apostle was not writing in this to one individual teacher or preacher. Rather, he was attempting to warn Timothy and the rest of the congregation of these weeds that were springing forth in the spiritual garden. He was telling them if they did not address these weeds they would eventually choke out the spiritual harvest they were charged to tend.

Today we are wise to do the same. In the community of believers, there should be a desire for teaching that promotes spiritual learning and growth. If it is not available, then the community of believers should examine the direction they are headed.

Our Prayers are with you daily,