The One Holy Orthodox Church

2 Timothy 2:14-19
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, March 06, 2016
Copyright © 2016, P. G. Mathew

In 2 Timothy 2:14–19, Paul speaks about two types of people found in the visible church: those who are part of God’s one holy orthodox universal church and those who are false Christians, children of the devil. The latter prefer false churches, which are really synagogues of Satan.

In Romans 9:6, Paul declares that all Israel is not Israel. In other words, all who are descended from Israel will not believe in their Messiah Jesus Christ, the Son of David and be saved. Even so, all professing Christians are not true Christians, because many do not savingly believe in Jesus and prove their faith through obedience. There is the one holy universal and apostolic church and there is also the synagogue of Satan.

Christ himself builds his orthodox church and dwells there. An orthodox church is one in which the holy word of God’s truth is always preached. In such a church, the elect people of God will hear the word of God and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they will believe and be saved. In such a church, God’s holy people will worship the triune God, and love and serve one another as members of God’s holy family.

The devil dwells in the synagogue of Satan. His throne is there and his lies, the anti-word, are spoken there. The children of the devil worship there in the power of the devil, and they always practice ever-increasing immorality.

From this passage, we want to look, first, at the orthodox church; then we will look at the unorthodox church, the synagogue of Satan.

 

The One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Church

We read about the orthodox church in 2 Timothy 2:14, 15, and 19. Paul begins, “Keep reminding of them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no use, and only ruins those who listen” (v. 14). Timothy was to keep on remembering the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially the central doctrine of resurrection (2 Tim. 2:8). Without a risen Christ, there is no salvation. Resurrection proves that Jesus is God incarnate. He was perfect, without any sin. His death atoned for our sins. Jesus Christ destroyed death by his death, and freed us from the fear of death. Now God is able to forgive all our sins and to justify us justly.

The orthodox church believes the gospel that we find in 1 Corinthians 15:1–11. This Jesus who was raised from the dead now lives forevermore. He alone is the Savior of the world. He alone is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. He alone is the way from eternal death to eternal life. He alone is the way from hell to heaven, from darkness to light, from condemnation to justification, from slavery to sin, the devil, and death, to kingship with him. He alone is the highway of holiness, the straight and narrow way that leads to eternal life, which we read about in Isaiah’s prophecy:

 

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Isa. 35:8–10)

 

Jesus Christ is our justification, sanctification, and glorification. Paul was charging Timothy to remember this apostolic doctrine and repeatedly remind the people in the church about it. He must especially remind believers (2 Tim. 2:8–13). He must charge and warn the orthodox church to have nothing to do with the lies preached in synagogues of Satan. Such preaching leads people astray from the true gospel to the lies of the devil. The orthodox church must delight herself in the holy Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments. The orthodox doctrine alone is sound and life-giving. Sound means healthy. Paul writes, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound [health-giving] doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3). He also says, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Tit. 2:1).

The minister must put upon God’s people this serious responsibility of being governed by the holy Scriptures. Paul instructed Timothy, “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Tim. 5:21). He also said, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge” (2 Tim. 4:1). It is a solemn thing to receive Christ, to be baptized, to join his church, and to accept the responsibility of being governed by the Scriptures.

The next instruction Paul gives to Timothy is: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (v. 15). From his dungeon in Rome, the apostle was counseling his son Timothy and all orthodox ministers to do their utmost, with the Holy Spirit power and burning zeal, to give themselves over to the diligent, earnest study of the Scriptures. He also reminded Timothy, “From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness [training in doing what is right], so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15–17).

Paul’s counsel is that a minister should not be a lazy person, but a hard worker, so that he can study Scripture prayerfully and diligently. He must correctly handle (lit., “cut a straight path”), so that he may interpret Scripture correctly in keeping with the gospel that he received from the apostles and in keeping with the apostolic doctrine. An orthodox minister has no freedom to interpret Scripture according to his fanciful imagination. He must be pious, learned, and hardworking, able to handle the Scripture correctly. He must rely on the Holy Spirit and what he received from the apostles.

Paul had already told Timothy, “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2). He also said, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (2 Tim. 1:13–14). He also wrote, “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Tim. 6:20).

True ministers are to guard the truth of the gospel by interpreting it correctly. That is why they should, if possible, learn Greek and Hebrew, the original languages in which the Scriptures were written. They are to guard it by interpreting it correctly and preaching it powerfully with all authority of the Holy Spirit. They are to teach it, practice it, and entrust it to other reliable men, so that they, in turn, may teach others until Christ returns. They are to do all of this so that Christ will approve them. Then they will not be ashamed but blessed and happy when he comes again.

A true minister must present himself to God for his approval, both daily and on the last day. There will be a last day when God will judge us and everyone else. Paul wrote about this:

 

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives [he will be approved], he will receive his reward. (1 Cor. 3:10–14)

 

Paul was telling Timothy to guard the truth and preach it so that God would commend and approve him. Then he would hear from the Master, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). If he did not, he would hear, “You wicked and lazy servant” (Matt. 25:26). And then the Master would say, “Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:30).

We find this idea of presenting throughout the Bible:

 

• God presents us to himself: “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Col. 1:22).
• Christ presents us to himself: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:25–27).
• Ministers of the gospel are to present us to God. Paul writes, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28). Notice the serious responsibility God places upon a minister. Paul also says, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him” (2 Cor. 11:2). Note, it is not just a virgin, but as a pure virgin.
• We all have the responsibility to present ourselves to God as those who are approved. So we read, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

 

To their surprise, all lazy and wicked ministers will be disapproved and ashamed when they present themselves to God. Consider what Jesus himself said such false ministers: “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:23). But all hardworking ministers who are pious and learned and correctly handle the word of truth will be approved and blessed by God.

Jesus was approved by the Father, who said, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matt. 17:5). Stephen was commended by Christ himself, as we read: “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’” (Acts 7:55–56). And we read in the book of Hebrews, “This is what the ancients were commended for. . . . These were all commended for their faith [by God]” (Heb. 11:2, 39). We are not here to be approved by people. In the final analysis, we who are ministers must stand before God to be approved by him. And the question will be: Did you handle the word of truth correctly? Did you preach it? Did you teach it? Did you practice it?

Paul was approved by God. So he wrote, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6–8).

A minister is to preach the word of truth, pointing to Jesus Christ—his person and his work of redemption (Rom. 3:21–26). The whole Scripture speaks about Christ, and Paul said he did not want to know anything but Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). And Paul was also a hard worker, as Jesus was. Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish it” (John 4:34). And Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” That is a litotes; in other words, God’s grace was of great effect. Paul continued, “No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).

So a minister must be hardworking, not lazy. He must diligently study the Scriptures, for the Bible alone is the word of truth. Paul says, “Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21). Outside of Jesus, there is no truth. Elsewhere Paul says, “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

The Scripture alone is the word of truth, and Jesus is absolute truth. He is unchangeable in his being. Modern intellectuals say that matter came about by chance. But that is false philosophy. Jesus alone is truth, and that truth is absolute, not changing.

This truth sets people free. Jesus said, “My word is spirit and my word is life” (John 6:63). So we can say with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).

The Scriptures alone can make us wise unto salvation. Thus, any minister who misinterprets the Bible and teaches it wrongly is a servant of the devil.

Yet such ministers are in the visible church. Consider the warning Paul gave to the Ephesian elders:

 

Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole counsel of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:25–31)

 

A true minister will preach the true gospel and live it. Thus, a true minister can say, “Follow me, as I follow the Lord Jesus Christ.” He will not beg for money or preach false doctrine. And as a true believer, he will live a holy life. A good tree will produce good fruit. Jesus taught, “By their fruit, you shall recognize them.” So Paul writes, “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’” (v. 19).

The synagogue of Satan will say to people, “You can sin and yet still come to church. After all, we are not interested in knowing what you do. We know you like to sin, but come to church anyway. Then you can go and sin all you want.”

The one holy orthodox church is built by Christ himself. Jesus said, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock [the word is petra, and in this context, it stands for Christ himself] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18). The foundation of the church is not Peter. It is a misunderstanding of the Roman Catholic church and everyone else who believes that. Jesus Christ is thepetra, the massive bedrock foundation of absolute truth, not Peter. Peter himself said so. He wrote, “As you come to [Christ], the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame’” (1 Pet. 2:4–6; see Isa. 28:16). The Stone has nothing to do with Peter or any other human minister. God’s church is built upon the foundation of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And not only is Christ the massive, living foundation stone, but he also makes the elect of all ages living stones by the miracle of regeneration. So we must each ask ourselves: Am I regenerate? Have I experienced that miracle? Has my nature been changed? Has he made the bad tree into a good tree to produce good fruit? Am I a living stone?

With such living stones, Christ builds his church on his own foundation. The Lord adds to the church daily those who are being saved. The elect living stones come from all the diverse people of the world. Paul writes, “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Col. 3:11). There must be no discrimination in the church of Jesus Christ. Rich or poor, black or white, educated or uneducated—it makes no difference. We are one in Christ.

Each living stone is built into the church in relation to Christ and all true believers. There is unity and sacrificial love. The church is God’s holy family. Remember what Jesus said: “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matt. 12:50).

No stone will move away from its place where Christ placed it, and Satan cannot deceive such people. But in due time, the non-elect, false Christians, the second and third soil Christians, the phony, plastic Christians, will move out from the orthodox church, out from Christ’s family, and join the synagogue of Satan. John wrote about this: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19).

True believers will persevere to the end. That is why Paul says that this solid foundation representing the one true, holy, apostolic, orthodox church, will stand forever (v. 19). He referred to this in his first letter to Timothy as well: “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The orthodox church is solid, strong, and unshakable. It stands forever. The gates of hell shall crumble before it like the walls of Jericho in ancient times. Why? Because the church is owned by God and built by Jesus Christ with the elect believers of all ages. It is indwelt by God and protected by him. No one can snatch a true believer from the living God. God is our security. God’s truth dwells in the holy orthodox church, as it is preached by God-called, God-appointed ministers and lived out by those in it.

In verse 19, Paul also declares that the foundation of the church reveals the seal of God to all with two divine inscriptions on it. Let us examine these two inscriptions.

 

THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS

First, “The Lord knows those who are his.” This is speaking about the people the Lord chose, those whom the Lord loves. Proginôskômeans “loved before” (Rom. 8:29). The Lord knows those who belong to him, those for whom only Christ died and was raised from the dead. The Lord loves them even as he loves Jesus Christ (John 17:23). God’s love for his church is undying and eternal. Not even one will ever perish. Not even a hair on our heads will perish. What security we have in Christ! We can be unafraid of what may come, for death itself has been destroyed by Christ’s death. We have been set free from all fears.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14). A true pastor knows his sheep and his sheep know him. The Lord knows those who belong to him. Paul writes, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Rom. 8:29–30). The Lord knows those who are his, and he will glorify them. That is the doctrine we preach. We can trust in Jesus Christ to do what he says. He also said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). They are the elect of God. Paul also writes, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Eph. 1:4). Our God will have a holy bride, a pure virgin.

 

EVERYONE WHO NAMES GOD’S NAME MUST TURN AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS

The second inscription tells us that Lord’s holy people must separate themselves once for all from all wickedness. In God’s holy church, the true ministers do not teach people to go and sin. We have been vitally united with Jesus Christ by faith. So we say, as Jesus himself said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Paul writes, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). Everyone who believes in Christ and confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from all wickedness to live a holy life by grace. God says, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15), and, “Without holiness no one shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

The Lord will have a holy bride who will radiate the glory of Christ (2 Tim. 2:10). The knowledge of the truth of the gospel leads to holiness (Tit. 1:1). Peter says that God’s elect “have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:2). John writes, “‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev. 19:7-8).

The Lord does not know the ungodly, the antinomians. Jesus himself said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many [ministers] will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:21–23). There is only one thing we must make certain: we must make our calling and election sure.

The God who justifies the ungodly by grace will also make them godly by grace. If a professing Christian is living a wicked, antinomian life, he belongs, not to the church of God, but to the synagogue of Satan. He is a Hermogenes, a Philetus, a Judas, a Demas. He is a child of the devil. John speaks of this: “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil” (1 John 3:7–8).

The Lord knows his holy people. They are regenerated, justified, and adopted. They are being sanctified, and they will be glorified and dwell with God forever. They will move away from the tents of the wicked and their wickedness, as God’s people, whom the Lord knew, moved away from the rebellious Korah and his company, before the Lord destroyed them. In Numbers 16 we read, “Then [Moses] said to Korah and all his followers: ‘In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. . . . [Moses] warned the assembly, ‘Move back from the tents of these wicked men!’” (Num. 16:5, 26). And Isaiah warns, “Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the LORD” (Isa. 52:11). We must be separate; we must be holy.

According to 1 Timothy 3:15, the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. God’s church is founded on truth, that is, on Jesus. The church is also the pillar of truth. As the pillar, the church upholds the truth by preaching the gospel so that the whole world may hear the gospel and believe in Jesus.

God will never guide his elect to join a synagogue of Satan. Under the name of “Christian” churches, there are multitudes of synagogues of Satan throughout the world. But God’s churches will be holy. Professor William Mounce says, “Obedience to the ethical demands of the gospel [is] mandatory, not optional.”¹ Second Timothy 2:19 proves that election and sanctification are inseparable.

May we all examine our own lives to see whether we belong to the one true holy apostolic universal orthodox church. God’s churches exist throughout the world, but we have to look for them. They are not characterized by certain liturgies or other ceremonial practices. They are characterized by the proclamation and practice of the gospel.

 

The Synagogue of Satan

What distinguishes unorthodox churches from God’s holy orthodox churches? Paul describes the unorthodox churches, also called synagogues of Satan, in 2 Timothy 2:14, 16–18.

Paul begins, “Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words. It is of no use and is[catastrophe, in the Greek] to those who listen” (v. 14). Ruin means catastrophe. Then he writes, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more immoral” (v. 16). People leave orthodox churches to practice immorality. Finally, we read, “Their teaching will spread like[cancer]. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (vv. 17–18). Those who go out of an orthodox church are waiting for others to come to them, that they may destroy them.

Unorthodox churches, synagogues of Satan, are all around us, all over the world. They function in the name of being Christian churches. (PGM) Jesus himself spoke about such churches in his message to the church in Smyrna: “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9). The true church will be slandered. Jesus himself told the church of Philadelphia, “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews,” and I would say, who claim to be Christians, “though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you” (Rev. 3:9).

The devil dwells in the devil’s church, and his ministers preach lies by means of demon power—lies that oppose God’s truth. The church of the devil promotes lies of human philosophy. Paul warned about this: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends [not on revelation but] on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on [God]” (Col. 2:8). People are entertained in such churches. But the ministers will not preach about sin, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ, or regeneration, hell, or heaven. Instead, they will preach about false science and false religions. They will preach about rationalism, chance, irrationalism, and liberalism. In Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen spoke about the liberalism that denies the Scripture, especially its miracles, as well as its authority, infallibility, and inerrancy.

The synagogue of Satan speaks about materialism, which must be understood in two ways. First, it teaches that money alone matters. Second, it speaks about philosophical materialism, meaning that there is nothing in the universe but matter produced by chance. These people worship chance. Thus, in the synagogues of Satan, we find Marxists worshiping chance, as well as those who ascribe to liberation theology, atheism, and the health and wealth gospel. It is all false Christianity.

Let us consider several propositions about synagogues of Satan, based on 2 Timothy 2:14b, 16–18:

1. They engage in a useless war of words. The teaching of such a church is useless; it is of no value.

2. They ruin [bring catastrophe on] those who listen to their anti-word.

3. Their false gospel sends the worshipers to hell. In other words, going to such a church is a dangerous enterprise. Any church that does not preach the gospel is sending people to hell.

4. Hell is prepared by God himself for the devil and his angels, and also for all human followers of the devil. Jesus taught, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ . . . Then [those on his left] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous [God’s people of the orthodox church] to eternal life” (Matt. 25:41, 46).

5. Timothy and his people, and all true people of God, must shun those who are of the synagogue of Satan. We must have nothing to do with them. They are darkness; God’s people are light. They are wicked; we are righteous. They are children of the devil; we are children of God. It is that simple. And those in God’s holy church who, in violation of Psalm 1, fellowship with wicked people, will become wicked themselves. Such people will be damned. They can be destroyed by wicked people because they enjoy their anti-Scripture philosophy. So John warns, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [the orthodox gospel], do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work” (2 John 10–11).

6. They promote false doctrines. Consider the following examples cited by Paul:

a. 1 Timothy 1:3–4: “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies [war of words]. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith.”

b. 1 Timothy 4:7: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales.”

c. 1 Timothy 6:4–5: “[The man who teaches false doctrines] is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind who have been robbed of the truth.” Who robbed these people of the truth? The devil came and took it away. It is like the seed that fell on the pathway in the parable of the sower. Whenever we preach the gospel, the majority of people have no interest in hearing the words of life. Jesus said, “My word is spirit and my word is life.” And not only have they been robbed of the truth, but they “think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” Many people get into ministry to make money.

d. 1 Timothy 6:20–21: “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.” He is speaking about the word of God. “Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the [truth].” “Truth” stands for the gospel, the Bible, the person and work of Christ.

e. 2 Timothy 3:13: “Evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” This happens in the synagogue of Satan, beginning with the pastor being deceived.

f. 2 Timothy 4:3–4: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” People love it so. Then they come to a true church and get confused, because a true church preaches truth, which is Jesus Christ and him crucified. “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” They want to hear made-up stories. In such churches, the pastor is merely an entertainer. You see such people on television also. Watch the miracle workers who will perform miracles for a fee. They are all fools.

7. False teachers pretend to be very intellectual. They look down on the Bible as foolishness as they dish out their dung to the members of their church. But consider what a true fool is and what true foolishness is. Paul writes:

 

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing [those who are going to hell], but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (1 Cor. 1:25–30)

 

8. Their false teaching leads to greater and greater immorality. Paul began his letter to Titus, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness” (Tit. 1:1). The knowledge of the truth will lead us to holiness, to Christlikeness. And if we love godliness, we are born again, and we will produce good fruit.

9. Members of Satan’s church are children of their father, the devil; thus, they all lie. Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s [will, desire]. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

10. Their anti-gospel religious nonsense spreads like cancer, killing and damning all who believe it.

11. Many people will go on the broad way of lie and immorality to eternal death. Such people will even leave a true church so that they can live in immorality.

12. The children of the devil may be in God’s visible church as second and third soil Christians. But in due time, they will leave to join the church of the devil to practice every form of immorality.

13. These people wander away from truth, away from the one holy orthodox church. Paul speaks about this: “Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk” (1 Tim. 1:6). He also says, “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith” (1 Tim. 6:20–21; see also 2 Tim. 2:18).

14. They oppose the gospel by denying the central Christian doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some in the Corinthian church also denied the resurrection of Christ and, therefore, our own resurrection. Paul wrote Corinthians 15 to defend this doctrine. And in 2 Timothy he writes, “[They] have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:18). These people were Gnostics who believed matter was evil and, therefore, there was no resurrection of the body. To them, what mattered was the immortality of the soul. This is what the Sadducees believed. Such people are like certain “intellectuals” of today, sophisticated people who may even have PhDs after their names, but who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such people are modern fools, for God calls everyone a fool who will not believe in his Son.

15. They destroy the faith of some, Paul says, but not the faith of the elect. The faith of God’s elect can never be destroyed. Jesus said, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles.” We must not be all taken up with miracles, for the devil can perform miracles also. These false people pretend they are healing people. So Jesus said, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible” (Matt. 24:24). But it is not possible. If God chose us, he will save us. He saves us with “the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:10). A child of God cannot be deceived.

16. They are cursed. To the Galatians Paul writes, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal. 1:6–8).

17. They preach a pseudo-Jesus, a pseudo-gospel, a pseudo-spirit; that is, a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different spirit. Paul also says, “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough” (2 Cor. 11:4). If we hear such preaching, we must get angry. We must confront that preacher and walk out because he is a minister of the devil.

18. Their ministers masquerade as angels of light. But, in fact, they are ministers of Satan. In modern times, such people will appear on television and fool people into giving them money. Paul says of them, “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Cor. 11:13–15). Their end is hell itself. You see, modern people tolerate false gospels. They say, “We are wonderful people. We believe in pluralism.” But Jesus did not tolerate it nor did Paul. We must stand for truth, preach truth, believe truth, and die for truth, if needs be.

19. They are ferocious wolves, ready to kill true believers, if possible. Paul spoke of them to the Ephesian elders, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:29–31).

20. They have a form of godliness but no heart reality. Paul writes, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them” (2 Tim. 3:1–5).

21. Their main goal is to make money through religion. Paul says there will be “constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Tim. 6:5). We serve a living and true God, who is Jehovah Jireh. He will provide for his servants, his people.

22. Such people must be excommunicated from the orthodox church. They must be handed over to Satan for punishment. Paul encouraged Timothy to hold on “to faith and a good conscience.” Then he said, “Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:19–20). But this discipline did not bring repentance. They became more wicked (2 Tim. 2:17–18).

23. Those who go out of God’s church are spiritually sick. But they are also contagious, and those who continue to fellowship with them will also become spiritually sick and eventually be destroyed. Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.”

24. Their gospel is, “Come and sin with us and be very happy.” Theirs is the gospel of their master, the devil, who says, “Don’t worry. Be free of God’s moral law and be happy. Sin more, and sin daily, for there is much pleasure in sin.” But Jesus tells us, “Take up your cross and take my yoke upon you and follow me.”

 

Friends, make sure that you are members of God’s one true holy apostolic universal orthodox church. There are such churches throughout the world, but we have to look for them. We don’t see them on television, but they exist. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together, there I am in the midst of them.” We can go to any part of the world; God’s people are everywhere, and with his help, we will find them.

There is only one thing needful: to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. That is why we must make our calling and election sure. Then, when we die, we will go to heaven. We must make sure that we are members of God’s orthodox church through repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our eternal salvation. “Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He is the Savior of the world; there is no other. There are other religions, but there is no other savior but Jesus Christ. And he is telling us today, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” May God help us to trust in him today.

 

 

¹ William D. Mounce, Pastoral Epistles, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 46 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000), 529.