The Apostle Paul's Instructions Regarding False Teachers' Beliefs and Practices PART 2

 The Apostle Paul's Instructions Regarding False Teachers' Beliefs and Practices PART 2

False Teachings and Beliefs of the False Apostles and Their Identities

            The Apostle Paul was concerned for the spiritual health of the early church. He urged Timothy in his letters to build a resistance against those who wanted to utter false doctrines in an effort to prevent its demoralizing influence on the church.[1] Paul not only gave Timothy instructions as to how to handle such issues, he gave him the exact identity of the false teachers, the apostates and what teachings they were affirming to others. This was Paul’s way of helping Timothy to be on the offensive against those leaders who had fallen prey to erroneous doctrines and prevent the further spread of heresy.[2] Unfortunately, it continued to spread as Hymenaeus, one of the false leaders called out by Paul and was eventually excommunicated, continued to wreak havoc on the church by spreading his false doctrines along with other apostates who supported him.[3]

 Paul called out Phygelus and Hermogenus for having deserted him as they were shamed of him being in prison and did not want to be affiliated with him any longer.[4] Paul also spoke of Hymenaeus and Philetus for teaching that the resurrection had already taken place which was contrary to what Jesus taught in response to the Sadducees’ belief of such matters.[5] The Apostle Paul was disappointed with yet another one of his fellow workers, Demas, who not only abandoned him but left the faith to return to his former love for the world after having been a dedicated worker.[6]

Finally, Paul mentioned Alexander, the coppersmith who did some type of great harm to Paul to such a large magnitude that Paul asked God for retribution and warned Timothy concerning his apostasy.[7] The Bible does not mention what type of harm that was done, but due to Paul’s particular attention to Alexander and his request for the Lord’s vengeance, one can imagine that it may have caused harm to the church at large for which Paul felt personally responsible rather than just him individually. Nothing is written about a similar request being made by Paul regarding those who had abandoned him. Regardless of the reason, false teachings can cause major division within the body of Christ, so Paul addressed such issues in his writings to both Timothy and Titus.

Gnosticism

            Certain false teachers within the church wanted to be viewed as having a superior knowledge which was actually entangled in mysticism.[8] Paul warned Timothy against their delusions of grandeur, for this false knowledge that these teachers of the law professed to have was wrapped in various misleading myths and genealogies.[9] They thought that they had special access to knowledge that none of the other Christians had which was based on Greek philosophy rather than Jesus’ teachings. These Gnostics taught such things as the spirit being inherently good and that matter was totally evil, the continuance of certain Jewish ceremonial practices, and asceticism which is a severe punishment of the body – something God never required and was practiced by many heathen religions.[10] Paul warned against such teachings in some of his other writings as he considered them as being deceptive beliefs and practices based on human traditions meant only to lead the body of Christ astray from sound doctrine.[11]

The Forbidding of Marriage

            There were those false teachers who were forbidding believers to marry. This was unsettling with the Apostle Paul, to say the least, for he did not want believers to feel that they were committing an immoral act because they married or was more holy if they refrained.[12] Paul’s words could have been misconstrued when he said that it was good if believers were to be single like him, but Paul was not giving a command that marriage was wrong, nor did he speak against it. Paul was concerned with the Lord being properly represented in both a person’s singleness and marriage for it was a representation of Christ relationship with the church.[13]

God ordained marriage from the very beginning with Adam and Eve and told them to reproduce. He blessed marriages all throughout the Bible and even opened the wombs of women who were barren.[14] There were times, however, that God required a person, such as Jeremiah, to refrain from taking a wife due to the call and ministry demands that He had placed upon His life.[15] This, however, was not a command for everyone and Paul wanted to ensure that believers knew this so that if they decided to marry, they would not feel condemned, for it was better for them to marry than to war in the spirit trying desperately to control their sexual desires.[16] Therefore, Paul did not want false teachers placing burdens on those who were believers in Christ based on their own personal philosophies. Whatever doctrine was not encompassed in Christ was demonic in nature to serve self and not God.

Abstain from Certain Foods

            The false teachers were insistent that there be certain dietary restrictions upheld in accordance to the Mosaic laws.[17] The Jews had been given certain dietary laws that they were to uphold during Moses’ day, but Paul wanted the believers to know and understand that they were not saved by following such traditions and that God sanctified everything He made through their thanksgiving and praise.[18] This teaching is supported by what Jesus told His disciples that it was not what entered a man that made him unclean, but what came out.[19] Many believers still argue this point and teach that Christians are to abstain from certain foods, but Paul stood on the foundation of what Jesus taught as he addressed this matter to Timothy who had this controversy in his midst.

Godliness a Means to Financial Gain

            Many of the false teachers during Paul’s day was in ministry for financial gain. They pretended to be lovers of the good but was only concerned with earthly wealth.[20] These teachers were robbing the believers of both finances and truth. Paul, however, wanted believers to know that to live for Christ was gain so that they would not be exploited by the greed of such teachers.[21] Paul’s teaching concerning this can be supported in the Old Testament where God rebuked Israel’s watchmen and called them greedy dogs because they were only concerned with financial gain instead of teaching God’s truth to the people and in so doing, led the nation to sin.[22]

            Paul wanted the leaders to be chasers after Christ and have a genuine love and concern for His people – not compromised by the wealth that they could accumulate in this life. He desired for them to be content in all things for their longing for excessive material possessions would not only lead them into temptation, but those who followed their teachings could easily fall into the enemy’s traps as well.[23] Jesus warned against placing wealth over the kingdom of Heaven when the Rich Young Ruler went away sorrowful when told to give his wealth away. Jesus’ teaching was not to condemn anyone to hell for having wealth, but God was to be above all else because wealth for some people caused them to displace their spiritual priorities.[24]

The Resurrection

            Much hope is given to the believer in knowing that they will see their saved loved ones again who have departed this life and be raised themselves after this life. Yet, in Paul’s time, there were false teachers who were taking away the hope of some believers with their teaching of the having already taken place.[25] Some scholars attribute this teaching to the Gnostics who claimed to have supernatural knowledge. They were erroneous in their teaching for Paul taught of a future resurrection and not one that had already taken place.[26] Paul’s teaching was based on the teaching of Jesus when He said as one of His Seven “I AM” Statements that He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus promised eternal life to those who died in Him which meant that there would be a future resurrection, not one that had already taken place.[27] Therefore, Paul told Timothy to watch out for those false teachers who were in the practice of spreading such falsehoods that would discourage believers in their faith.

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[1] Lea and Black, The New Testament, 473.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid., 475.

[4] 2 Tim. 1:15 (New International Version).

[5] 2 Tim. 2:17-18 (New International Version).

[6] 2 Tim. 4:10 (New International Version).

[7] 2 Tim. 4:14-15 (New International Version).

[8] Lea and Black, The New Testament, 473.

[9] D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament (Princeton, N.J.: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2005), 563.

[10] Luther, Luther Works, 388.

[11] Col. 2:8 (New International Version).

[12] 1 Tim. 4:3 (New International Version).

[13] 1 Cor. 7:8-9 (New International Version).

[14] Gen. 1:28 (New International Version).

[15] Jer. 16:2 (New International Version).

[16] 1 Cor. 7:9 (New International Version).

[17] Lea and Black, The New Testament, 473.

[18] Ibid., 479-480.

[19] Mark 7:15 (New International Version).

[20] 1 Timothy 6:5 (New International Version).

[21] Philip H Towner, The Letters to Timothy and Titus (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2009), 397-399.

[22] Isa. 56:11 (New International Version).

[23] 1 Tim. 6:6-10 (New International Version).

[24] Matt. 19:16-26 (New International Version).

[25] 2 Tim. 2:18 (New International Version).

[26] Towner, Letters to Timothy and Titus, 526-527.

[27] John 11:25 (New International Version).