E. The problem of apostasy in the church 4:1-5

In this pericope Paul reminded Timothy of the apostasy that Jesus Christ had foretold to equip him to identify and to deal with it.¹⁴³

"The change that occurs at 4:1 following the hymn of victory, then, is not unexpected. Opposition to the faith and the struggle to meet it are in Paul's mind as he enlarges upon two themes introduced in chapter 1--the heresy and Christian ministry."¹⁴⁴

4:1-3 In contrast to the true revelation of God (3:16) false teaching would arise as time passed. Whether Paul referred to a special revelation he had received by the Holy Spirit or simply to previously revealed revelation ("the Spirit explicitly says") we cannot determine for sure. Nevertheless God had revealed through Christ that as time passed some who held the truth would repudiate it (Matt. 13:21; 24:10-11; Mark 4:17; 13:22; Luke 8:13; cf. Acts 20:29; 2 Thess. 2:1-12; 2 Tim. 3:1-13; 2 Pet. 3:1-18). This would come about as a result of their listening to persuasive arguments put forth by God's spiritual enemies and, behind them, demons (v. 1).¹⁴⁵

". . . one of Paul's concerns here is almost certainly to arrest any doubts about the permanence of God's church [cf. Matt. 16:18]."¹⁴⁶

Are these who fall away from the truth believers or unbelievers? The Greek verb Paul used to describe their activity (aphistemi, to withdraw from, lit. to stand away) and the noun he used to describe their action (apostasia, defection, apostasy) do not answer this question. Either could be in view. The context must determine whether the one departing is a believer or an unbeliever. In some passages the context argues for Christian apostates (called "backsliders"by some Christians; Luke 8:13; 1 Tim. 1:18-20; 4:1; 6:20-21; Heb. 3:12; cf. 2 Tim. 2:12b, 16-18; 3:13; ; 4:3-4). A Christian who follows the impulses of his or her sinful human nature rather than those of the Holy Spirit is a carnal believer (1 Cor. 3:3).

"It comes as a shock to some people that Satan uses professed Christians in the churchto accomplish his work. But Satan once used Peter to try to lead Jesus on a wrong path (Matt. 16:21-23), and he used Ananias and Sapphira to try to deceive the church at Jerusalem (Acts 5). Paul warned that false teachers would arise from within the church(Acts 20:30)."¹⁴⁷

In other passages the context points to non-Christian apostates (Luke 13:27; cf. 2 Thess. 2:11). In still other passages either or both may be in view; we do not have sufficient information in the context to say (2 Thess. 2:3; cf. Titus 1:14). It seems quite clear that Christians can stop believing God (Matt. 10:33; Mark 8:32; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 3:8).¹⁴⁸This does not mean, however, that they will lose their salvation since salvation is God's work, not ours (John 10:28; Rom. 8:31-39; 2 Tim. 2:13). One of my professors at Dallas Seminary used to say, "I believe in the perseverance of the Savior, but I do not believe in the perseverance of the saints."¹⁴⁹

These apostates had developed cauterized consciences by refusing to respond to the truth that they knew. Now they called lies the truth, and that is hypocrisy (v. 2).

The teaching of the apostates Paul warned Timothy and the Ephesians to watch out for was asceticism. Asceticism is the idea that abstinence from physical things is essential for spiritual purity. Specifically these teachers forbade marriage and the eating of some foods. Probably Gnostic teaching that later achieved its most influential strength in the second century A.D. had influenced them. Gnosticism taught that matter was evil and people should try to live with as little contact with physical things as possible. Judaism appears to have been another root influence on these teachers since it taught that some foods were fit (Heb. kosher) and others unclean. There may be physical reasons for not eating certain foods (e.g., allergies, too high fat content, etc.), but there are no spiritual reasons. Likewise there may be physical reasons why in individual cases marrying may not be wise or desirable (e.g., passing on genetic defects, the demands of a particular ministry, etc.). Nevertheless God has approved the institution of marriage.

Paul reminded his readers that God created marriage and food for us to enjoy (v. 3). Since the coming of Christ, the distinction between clean and unclean foods is one we can eliminate (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:15; 1 Cor. 10:23-33).

4:4-5 Everything God created is good (v. 4; Gen. 1:31). We can abuse God's good gifts (e.g., fornication and gluttony), but marriage and food are essentially good and we should enjoy them with thankfulness to God for giving them. This verse is not saying that everything is good for us (poisons, pornography, etc.), only that all God has created is essentially good (Gen. 1:31).

When we thank God for His good gifts we remember that they come from Him and consequently we treat them as set apart for our benefit. We recognize that He has sanctified (set apart) them when we pray for them and reflect on the Scriptures that tell us they come from our heavenly Father for our benefit.¹⁵⁰Paul's idea was not that through a ritual of Scripture recitation and praying marriages and food become acceptable for God's people. We learn that God has set apart what He has created for our enjoyment through the Word of God, and we acknowledge that through prayer.¹⁵¹Alternatively with his reference to the Word of God Paul may have been thinking of biblical expressions that the early Christians, and the Jews, used when they gave thanks for their food.¹⁵²

"Paul's words certainly sanction the Christian practice of grace before meals. To eat without giving thanks is base ingratitude. But the scope of the passage is much wider than that."¹⁵³

To give thanks for a meal or our marriage and then complain about it is inconsistent.

Advocates of asceticism are still with us today, as Paul wrote they would be. Roman Catholicism, Seventh-Day Adventism, and some cults, to name a few advocates, have promoted this false teaching.