Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 4:1-5
In this message we shall consider the prediction of the decline of the church as presented in 4:1-5.
In 4:1 Paul says, “But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons.” The fact that this verse begins with the word “but” indicates that what follows is in contrast to what is mentioned in 3:15 and 16. At the end of chapter three, Paul reached the high point of the four Epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, presenting a glorious picture of the church. However, in 4:1-5, he describes something very dark, something much in contrast to the situation in 3:15 and 16.
In 4:1 Paul uses the expression “the Spirit says expressly.” This is the Spirit who dwells in our spirit and speaks to us there (Rom. 8:9-11, 16). We need to exercise our spirit that it may become keen and clear to listen to the Spirit’s speaking and be kept from the deceiving spirits and teachings of demons.
Many in today’s Pentecostal movement follow the Old Testament way of prophesying and say, “Thus saith the Lord.” This expression cannot be found in the New Testament. In the New Testament we see the principle of incarnation. According to this principle, God does not speak directly. Rather, He speaks through man. First, in Jesus Christ God became incarnated and mingled with man. Now after the death and resurrection of Christ, it is possible for Him to be one spirit with those who believe in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:17 Paul declares, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” This refers to the mingled spirit, the divine Spirit mingled with the regenerated human spirit. In the New Testament it is this mingled spirit which does the speaking. For this reason, 4:1 does not say, “The Spirit of God says,” nor, “The Holy Spirit says.” Instead, this verse reads, “The Spirit says.…” According to the principle of incarnation revealed in the New Testament, this implies our spirit. We have seen that the principle of incarnation means that divinity is brought into humanity and works with humanity. Hence, when the Spirit speaks, He speaks within our spirit, through our spirit, and out from our spirit. If there were no one who was truly one spirit with the speaking God, there would be no way, according to the New Testament principle, for God to speak.
Paul took the lead to be one spirit with the Lord. Because he was one with Him in this way, Paul was able to speak a great deal for the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul says definitely that concerning a particular matter he does not have a word from the Lord, but that he gives his opinion, his judgment, as one who has received the mercy of the Lord to be faithful (v. 25). But as we read this portion of the Bible today, we see that Paul’s word is in fact the word of the Lord. When Paul spoke, the Triune God, who has been processed to become the Spirit and who was mingled with Paul’s regenerated spirit, spoke from within him. We also have such a mingled spirit within us today. It is in and through this mingled spirit that the Spirit speaks expressly.
First Timothy 4:1 is a continuation of 3:15 and 16. No doubt, these latter verses were Paul’s words. Now in 4:1 Paul says that the Spirit speaks expressly. Where was the Spirit speaking? There can be no doubt that the Spirit was speaking from within Paul. As Paul was writing to Timothy about the church as the house of God, the pillar and base of the truth, and the great mystery of godliness, the Spirit was speaking in his spirit. This is not the Spirit who suddenly descends upon us and causes us to prophesy, “Thus saith the Lord.” The speaking of the Spirit in 4:1 is according to the way of incarnation. The Spirit spoke from within Paul’s spirit.
If we would hear the speaking of the Spirit, we need to exercise our spirit. Only our spirit can listen to the speaking of the Spirit. The mind is not qualified for this; it lacks the ability to listen to the Spirit’s speaking. The Spirit speaks to our spirit, and our spirit responds to the Spirit. Therefore, as we read 1 Timothy, we must exercise our spirit to listen to the Spirit speaking from within the spirit of the Apostle Paul.
According to 4:1, the Spirit says that in later times some will depart from the faith. The later times, or after times, refer to times after the writing of this book. This differs from the last days in 2 Timothy 3:1, which denote the closing period of this age.
As he was writing this Epistle, Paul realized that in time to come some would depart from the faith. In this verse the faith is objective and refers to the contents of our belief. On the one hand, Paul was bold and encouraged, not in the least disappointed. He believed that the church was the house of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth, and even the mystery of godliness. On the other hand, deep within his spirit, he knew that certain so-called believers would depart from the faith, from God’s New Testament economy. Paul could know this because the Spirit who was mingled with his spirit revealed it to him. This departure from God’s New Testament economy would be the beginning of the decline of the church life.
Paul says that those who depart from the faith will give heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons. Many Christians do not realize that, according to the Bible, there are two categories of evil spirits. The deceiving spirits in 4:1 are in contrast to the Spirit, as mentioned in 1 John 4:1, 3, and 6. These are the fallen angels who followed Satan in his rebellion and became his subordinates, who work for his kingdom of darkness (Matt. 25:41; Eph. 6:12). Demons are the unclean and evil spirits (Matt. 12:22, 43; Luke 8:2) of the living creatures on earth in the pre-adamic age who joined Satan’s rebellion and were judged by God (see Life-study of Genesis, Message Two). After being judged, they became demons, working on earth for Satan’s kingdom. The demons differ from the deceiving spirits, the fallen angels. The fallen angels are in the air, whereas the demons are active on earth.
In verse 1 Paul speaks of both the deceiving spirits in the air and the demons on earth. Among Christians today there are deceptive doctrines which come from the deceiving spirits in the air and also teachings which originate with demons. The history of the church has proved that Paul was right in saying that such teachings and doctrines would come in and that those who depart from the faith would give heed to them.
In verse 2 Paul continues, “In the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” The phrase “in the hypocrisy of men who speak lies” modifies teachings of demons in verse 1. The teachings of demons are carried out in the hypocrisy of those who lie. This indicates that demons and lying speakers collaborate to deceive people. These hypocrites work together with evil spirits and demons to bring in deceitful teachings and demonic doctrines.
The conscience of hypocritical liars has lost its sense as if seared with a hot branding iron, an iron used to brand the slaves and cattle of a certain owner. This book strongly stresses the conscience. In the church life the love which is contrary to envy and discord is of a good conscience (1:5). Those who thrust away a good conscience become shipwrecked regarding the faith (1:19). The serving ones in the church must hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (3:9). To keep a good and pure conscience is to keep the conscience sensitive in its function. This will safeguard us from the demonic and hypocritical teachings of deceiving liars.
When I was young, I had confidence in anyone who testified that he was a Christian. One day, Brother Nee pointed out the fact that some Christians lie. I wondered how a Christian could be a liar. The Bible says that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). Eventually I learned from experience that Christians can lie. In the case of these lying Christians, it seems as if their conscience has been seared and has lost its function. Today many lies have been spread about us by Christians. Some have even gone so far as to put these lies into print. But our conscience testifies that we in the Lord’s recovery surely believe the truth revealed in the Bible, perhaps more than other Christians.
We in the Lord’s recovery should not only know God’s dispensation, but should also know Satan’s evil plot. We must see the sharp contrast between the situation at the end of chapter three and that described at the beginning of chapter four. We need to be discerning, sober-minded, and clear concerning the difference between today’s Christianity and the Lord’s recovery. We must also know what the Devil is doing through evil spirits, demons, and those who speak lies in hypocrisy.
Verse 3 says, “Forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God has created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who believe and have fully known the truth.” Marriage and eating were ordained by God. Eating is for the existence of mankind, and marriage for the continuation and multiplication of mankind. Satan, on the one hand, causes men to abuse these two things in the indulgence of their lustful flesh; on the other hand, he causes men to be unbalanced in the way of asceticism by forbidding marriage and the eating of certain foods. This is a demonic teaching!
Marriage was ordained by God for the carrying out of God’s purpose with man. Food is necessary to sustain mankind to exist on earth for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. But Satan, through the deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons with the collaboration of hypocrites and liars, seeks to destroy these things, either causing people to abuse them through indulgence or to practice asceticism.
In verse 3 Paul speaks of “foods which God has created to be partaken of with thanksgiving.” All edible things were created by God for men to live on. We should partake of them with thanksgiving to God out of a grateful heart.
Because all food is God’s gift to us, we should receive it with thanksgiving. As we partake of our food, we should say, “Lord, thank You.” However, we do not have to follow the traditional ritual of saying a so-called word of grace. On the one hand, I do not agree with the practice of such a ritual; on the other hand, I do not agree with neglecting to thank the Lord for the food He has given us. I can testify that I thank the Lord again and again for my food. I even thank Him for a glass of water and say, “Lord, this water is a gift from You, and I thank You for it.” Those who practice saying “grace” usually do so before they start eating. But we should thank the Lord for our food not only before we eat it, but also while we are partaking of it and when we have finished our meal. Furthermore, we may express our thanks for each particular item we eat.
The foods God has created should be partaken of with thanksgiving “by those who believe and have fully known the truth.” To believe is to be saved and thus begin in the spiritual life. To have fully known the truth is to realize God’s purpose in His economy and to grow unto maturity in the spiritual life. God desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth (2:4). The truth here is God’s New Testament economy. As those who are saved by believing in the Lord Jesus for salvation and who know the content, the reality, of God’s economy concerning Christ as the mystery of God and the church as the mystery of Christ, we should be thankful for all the food we eat. Those who believe and who know the truth are qualified to receive their food with thanksgiving. We know that we are living on earth for God and for His purpose. Thus, we receive what He has prepared for our sustenance, and we thank Him for it all.
In verses 4 and 5 Paul goes on to say, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, being received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified through the word of God and intercession.” The statement that “every creature of God is good” is contrary both to Gnosticism, which teaches that some created things are evil, and to ascetic teachings that command men to abstain from certain foods. Some insist that we should eat only vegetables and not meat. But according to Paul’s word, every creature of God is good.
Furthermore, Paul says that “nothing is to be rejected.” In the past, I politely said, “No, thank you,” when I was served certain foods at Cantonese feasts. In particular, I declined to eat turtle, snake, or frogs. I simply was unable to eat those things. But according to Paul’s word, we should not reject anything created by Him, but receive all things with thanksgiving.
In verse 5 Paul concludes, “For it is sanctified through the word of God and intercession.” All the food we eat can be sanctified, separated unto God for His purpose, through the word of God and intercession. Here the word of God refers to the word of our prayer addressed to God, of which part may be quotations from the Scriptures, or part, messages we hear and read. In this verse intercession refers to our prayer to God for the food we eat. Such prayer separates our food from being common and sanctifies it unto God for His purpose, that is, to nourish us that we may live for Him.
Many versions do not have the boldness to use the word intercession, even though this is the meaning of the Greek word. Instead, they render the Greek word as prayer. But here Paul is definitely saying that we should make intercession for our food. We may pray for ourselves, but we intercede either for someone else or for something. According to Paul’s word in this verse, we need to intercede for our food and ask the Lord to sanctify it. Whenever we sit down to eat, we should pray for the food and make intercession for it, saying, “Lord, sanctify this food for Your purpose that it may nourish Your servant. Lord, I believe, and I know the truth. I am here on earth for You and for Your economy. I need this food, and I ask that it be sanctified, separated, to Yourself for the fulfillment of Your economy.” In the eyes of God, after intercession has been made for our food in this way, the food becomes holy. This is the proper way to receive our God-given food with thanksgiving.
