KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:6 KJV “From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;”

Apostle Paul stated in verse 5 his reasons for instructing Timothy to prevent people from teaching wrong doctrines in the church. He said his reason for making that request is because of his love, presumably for Timothy and the people who may be erring. He added that this love motivates three virtues, which are
1 pure heart
2 Good conscience
3 faith unfeigned.
He said people who ignore these virtues enter into error. Dear reader, we live in a period where deception and wrong doctrines abound. Just as apostle Paul said, people who fall into various degrees of error have forsakened these virtues. Neglecting these three virtues makes people very subjective because they are told to accept whatever is said without asking any questions. The second ground where people find themselves in error is because they develop itchy ears. That is, they want something that excites their ego. For example, if certain congregations are told that they would be given a prayer formula that would kill all their enemies, they would quickly jump and scream hallelujah without asking what the scriptural bases for this kind of prayer are. Who constitutes their enemy? Is your enemy your neighbour who picks a quarrel against you over the least thing you do? A man with itchy ears has certainly thrown away a pure heart, a good conscience and definitely would not have a sincere or an unfeigned faith. Thirdly, people enter into error because they do not diligently search and study to know the truth.

Some years ago, a fellow minister friend of mine asked me to accompany him to see an elderly prophet who was in one of the orthodox churches. We went to see this elderly prophet. In his spiritual directions, he asked that my friend get a sheep for some sacrifice. After leaving his place, I asked my friend why a sheep was sacrificed. Is the blood of Jesus not enough to meet any demand of the spirit realm? I told him directly that this is an error and I would have nothing to do with that man. Dear brethren, what saved me from falling into that trap of the devil? I held to a pure heart. I was not seeking an undue advantage. Secondly, I maintained a good conscience and kept faith in the truth of scripture. And lastly, a sincere faith in God. I need not cut corners to seek blessings of any kind. Sadly, many preachers have become occultists all in the name of BREAKTHROUGH. Breakthrough is not necessarily about having a good car with wealth, no. Breakthrough is about lives being transformed for Jesus, the sick and oppressed are set free, souls are won into the kingdom of God, and the name of the Lord is glorified. This is what a breakthrough is about.

Once again, a people or a particular doctrine or faith would be in serious error if followers are threatened not to question their teachings. If a faith teaches that a man can beat up his wife and that cannot be questioned, then such a faith is in serious error. If the faith teaches that former members who decide to abandon the faith should be killed, poisoned or persecuted, yet this directive is not questioned. If your faith teaches that people who sacrifice their lives for their faith will marry many virgins in heaven, yet flesh and blood do not go to heaven. They are told not to question such teachings. These teachings would only be possible to be accepted if the proponent of this teaching ignores a pure mind, a good conscience and an unfeigned faith. They need to question these things to avoid deception.

THOUGHT: BE FAIR TO THE TRUTH TO AVOID DECEPTION

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 11:5 KJV “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

Act 23:1 KJV “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”