1 Timothy 4:1-5

1 Tim. 4 is a magnificent chapter that stresses the ministry of the word in a local church.  There are two reasons why a local church must have a sound and strong emphasis on the Word.  First, they (the church) are the pillar and ground of the truth (3:15).  Second, there is the constant danger of doctrines of demons.

Demons are directly associated with idolatry in Scripture (cf. Acts 17:16; 1 Cor. 10:20-21; Rev. 9:20).  The roots for this are found in Deut. 32:16-17 when God predicted the coming time when Israel would provoke Him to jealousy with foreign gods, with abominations … They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear.  

Doctrines of demons are deceitful teachings that have a connection with false religion.  These deceivers were speaking lies in hypocrisy, presenting a hypocritical approach to godliness.  The illustrations Paul gives (forbidding to marry and abstaining from foods) illustrate this.  This is a religion of asceticism, of thinking you are more holy if you deny yourself something.  This is an empty suit kind of religion, a false humility, a religion of works that delights in self-denial (Col. 2:20-23).  As Paul says, these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh (Col. 2:23).

Paul’s warning in our passage indicates this will be an increasing problem in the age of the Church, the latter times.  As he gives in every one of his letters, there is a warning here not to depart from the faith.  In this case it means we need to understand that godliness involves receiving and enjoying God’s gifts.  The thought that self-denial is always better than enjoyment is a principle of a religion of works.  It is truly the doctrine of demons.

Why would someone think this way?  One thing Paul mentions here is that their own consciences are seared with a hot iron.  The conscience is the presence of the law of God in the heart of every man (Rom. 2:15).  The conscience gives to a person an awareness of what is morally right or wrong, it seeks to encourage us to choose that which is right, and it declares to us our guilt when we choose what is wrong.  It is a magnificent gift from our Creator.

But typically, over time, our refusal to listen to the conscience results in it becoming ineffective.  For some reason, and it doesn’t matter whether it is some childhood experience or the result of hanging out with people who have wrong ideas or whatever the reason, some people conclude that the way to please God is to deny themselves His blessings, of which marriage and food are two major ones.  It is a twisted way of thinking, but has often been turned into a lucrative religious business that has caused many to depart from the faith.  May we not be deceived!  Let us receive with thanksgiving God’s true blessings.  That, my friend, is godliness!