I want us to begin our observation by opening our Bibles to the book of 1 Timothy 4 and we will read from verse 1-3. The Bible says: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith…” What exactly does it mean to depart from the faith? There is no way we would know what it means to depart from the faith if we don’t first demystify the phrase ‘the faith’. What exactly is the faith? The faith here talks about the gospel of Jesus Christ which we have received, and which is the summation of everything that our Christian faith and life rests upon.

In Colossians 1:23, the Bible says: “if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” So, from here, we can see that ‘the faith’ as used in that context talks about the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, to depart from the faith simply means to deliberately abandon or stop following the doctrines upon which our Christian faith and beliefs rest upon. Another way to look at it is to deliberately renounce SALVATION because the gospel is the good news of salvation.

Whether we like it or not, people are daily, in their numbers, renouncing their faith, abandoning the gospel truths that they have once hold dearly. John said something related to this concerning those who would depart from the faith because you must understand that they were once in the fold. 1 John 2:19, the Bible says: “they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

There are four things that we are expected to do with the faith if we are not going to be among those that would depart from it. Number one: In Acts 6:7, Paul said that we should be OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH. It says: “then the word of God spread and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Number two: In Acts 14:22, Paul said that WE SHOULD CONTINUE IN THE FAITH. It says: “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” If it was not possible to discontinue from the faith, Paul wouldn’t be writing that we should continue. The same thing he said to the Colossians folks to continue in the faith (the gospel). Number three: In 1 Timothy 1:19, Paul said WE SHOULD ADD FAITH WITH A GOOD CONSCIENCE CONCERNING THE FAITH. It says: “having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.” Number four: in Jude 1:3, Jude said WE SHOULD CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS DELIVERED TO US. It says: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

So, in summary four things are to be done with the faith: we should be obedient to it, we should continue in it, we should add faith with a good conscience with it and finally, we should contend earnestly for it. These four things are like a vital ingredient for anyone who will not depart from the faith. But let us go back to our text and see why Paul wrote to Timothy that in latter times, some would depart from the faith.

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ² speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Now, there are additional four things that we can see in this passage that would give rise to certain people departing from the faith. Number one: it says they would give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Number two: it says they would love to speak lies in hypocrisy. Number three: it says they would have their conscience seared with a hot iron. Number four: it says they would be reprobate concerning the things of God. Now, let us look at them one after the other and see where the problem emanates from.

#1. Those who would depart from the faith would give heed [to give heed simply means to pay attention to, to regard or to be mindful of something] to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Now, deceiving spirits are demonic spirits and their mission is just to deceive people and turn their hearts away from the faith and the truth of the gospel. They have their own doctrines as well, just the way Christianity too is built upon a set of doctrines, deceiving spirits also have their doctrines through which they deceive people with. Now, any believer who would not be obedient to the faith, who would not continue in the faith, who would not add faith and good conscience with the faith, and who would not contend for the faith, would be easily deceived by these deceiving spirits.

There is an example of this in Genesis 3:4-5. Let us see the activities of this deceptive spirit in operation. The Bible says: “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve became a victim of deceptive spirit simply because she gave heed to it, she paid attention to the words of Satan and she was mindful of his words. For us as believers in Christ, Peter described Satan as our adversary in 1 Peter 5:8 always seeking for whom he may devour (Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.) So, if you will not depart from the faith, don’t pay attention to deceiving spirits.

#2. Those who would depart from the faith would embrace and speak lies in hypocrisy. Even though they know the truth, they would love falsehood instead. And that is why you have to be very careful the kind of people you listen to, the kind of preachers and teachers you listen to.

#3. Those who would depart from the faith would have their conscience seared with a hot iron. Paul was writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:19 that the gospel must be received from a pure conscience. And one of the ways through which we can serve God and be accepted by Him is that we must serve Him from a pure conscience. Paul writing in Acts 24:16 that he exercises himself always to have a right conscience towards God and man. But those who would depart from the faith would have their conscience seared with a hot iron, which means that their conscience no longer has the capacity to want to retain the things that has to do with God.

#4. Those who would depart from the faith would be reprobate concerning the things of God. It means that the things of God that used to excites them no longer excites them. Verse 3 says: forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

 

To be continued!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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