Fallen Followers and False Teachers (Part 2) 1 Timothy 4:1-5 by Dr. Rod Mattoon

Scripture

• 1 Timothy 4:1–5

About this sermon

1 Timothy 4:1-5 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. In the latter times, some or certain ones will depart from the faith. What is this all about? The words "depart from" here are from the word aphistemi {af-is'-tay-mee} which means "to fall away; to stand off or aloof; to desert or shun; to become faithless; to apostatize." Aphistemi refers to a deliberate and determined departure from a position once held. It suggests that some had come to the truth that would have given them salvation, but they turned and went in another direction. Professing Christians have and will continue to abandon THE FAITH which is a reference to the beliefs, faith, and doctrines of Christianity. Paul said that the latter times will spawn a falling away from God. The words "falling away" are from the word apostasia {ap-os-tas-ee'-ah} which means "defection, revolt, rebellion, apostasy." This falling away will be a departure to a rebellion that abandons a position or belief that was once held. It will be a defection from what God has revealed in His Word. * 2 Thessalonians 2:3-Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; When the Christians are raptured from earth to meet the Lord in the clouds, this world will be ripe for apostasy like never before. The restraint toward wickedness and deception will be eliminated with the removal of believers. The Rapture will usher in the day of the Lord as the world will be filled with unbelievers. Many of them will fall under strong delusion and will believe the lie of the Antichrist. Multitudes of these folks will have a knowledge of God, but they will have never taken the opportunity to put their faith in the Lord. These folks will abandon their beliefs about Jesus Christ. When I thought about this, I wondered if people will celebrate Christmas anymore in the Tribulation. Churches today are filled with people who profess to be saved, but in reality, they have never been born again. There is no change in their lives. There is no relationship with Christ. They have a head knowledge, but no heart knowledge or relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If they die without Jesus, they will spend eternity in Hell being tormented by the flames and by the knowledge they had about Jesus but did nothing with it. Those who departed from the faith didn't lose their salvation. They were never saved in the first place. What a tragedy! John spoke about folks like this in his time. * 1 John 2:19-They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. This message was preached on Sunday night, March 12, 2023, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church.

Topics

• Repentance
• Bible Study
• Discipleship