Doctrines of devils (1 Tim 3:1-3)

[Andrew]

1 Tim 3:
1 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.

Questions:
1. how would you define "the faith"?
2. What does "seared conscience" mean?
3. These "doctrines of devils" -- forbidding to marry and abstaining from meats -- have you come across any in the church?

 

[Ben johnson]

"faith" is "abiding in Christ". "Consciences seared" is "hearts hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb3:12-14).

Not sure how the "forbidding to marry" applies today---perhaps it includes all of the TV shows and movies that portray "marriage" as obsolete and unnecessary. No one marries anymore, according to Hollywood---everyone "shacks up"...

"Cursed are they who call 'good', 'evil', and 'evil' 'good'..."

If we continue on from 1Tim4:1-3, he encourages self-control, maturity, love faith and purity in speech and conduct. He concludes with verse 16: "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation for both yourself and those who hear you..."

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

The scripture ref is actually 1 Tim "4":1-3

I'm going to try and answer the questions in a simple manner.  If that's OK?

 

1. I would define faith as total trust that what God has said is the truth and then living accordingly.

2. "Seared Conscience".  The Holy Spirit's convictions have been habitually ignored, bringing the conscience to a place where it does not hear Him anymore.

3. Hmm?  Well, growing up in a penticostal environment I'd say that I've heard my share of doctrines. . . Women have to have long hair, men cannot have long hair, no jewelry, only men wear pants, no shorts, no dancing, no card games, no movie theatres, drums are of the devil, and my personal favorite: NO MIXED BATHING!     Etc, etc, etc. . . .Everything but what God says.

In my current church, I can't think of any in particular.  It certaintly is not any of the above.  We can be so silly, can't we!

 

 

 

 

 

[Andrew]

Thanks for your responses. Sorry for the late responses coz forgot all about this thread!

1. Faith. Notice it says the Faith. The faith is actually believing that there is forgiveness through Christ the messiah. ie salvation by faith as opposed to keeping the Law or salvation by works.

2. Departing from this faith thus means to go back under a legalistic Law-like system. That's why the result is a legalistic lifestyle -- forbid to marry, forbid to eat meats, etc, etc. So doctrines of demons always lead to a legalistic lifestyle.

3. Conscience seared. According to Strong's Concordance, it actually means to go around with a sin consciousness. When that happens, one is legalistic -- everything to them is sinful/dirty. They see themselves as sinful, and they see that in others too, thus forbiding them to do this and that when Christ has set them free.

SEARED:

2743 \~kauteriazo\~ kauteriazo {kow-tay-ree-ad'-zo}

from a derivative of 2545; TDNT - 3:644,*; v

AV - sear with a hot iron 1; 1

1) to mark by branding, to brand, branded with their own consciences
1a) whose souls are branded with the marks of sin
1b) who carry about with them the perpetual consciousness of sin
2) seared
3) in a medical sense, to cauterise, remover by cautery

 

[Ben johnson]

Very good, Andrew.

2. Departing from this faith thus means to go back under a legalistic Law-like system. That's why the result is a legalistic lifestyle -- forbid to marry, forbid to eat meats, etc, etc. So doctrines of demons always lead to a legalistic lifestyle.
Does this relate to Gal5:1-12?

 

[Andrew]

Yes it does Ben.

Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Note how "fallen from grace" in this context means going back under Law, not falling into sin.

God bless.

 

[wannabe]

1Tim 4:1-3
Who can you think of that atleast up until now
is teaching doctrines of devils while "they" are forbidding to marry and (a big clue) "COMMANDING" (people) to abstain from meats?
Hint: They were just plastered all over the news for
child molesting (boys)

shalom

 

[Andrew]

I wld agree with you wannabe, but like my Pastor said when he hinted the same thing: "I'm standing on very thin ice!"

 

[wannabe]

Actually, They (Roman/Catholic churches)are the ones standing on "thin ice" with our Creator because everything that has been done has already been foretold. All the "blashemous titles and names" that YAHWEH condemns in the Scrolls (falsely called Biblyo by the Greeks;"Biblyo" meaning "little books")has been brought over from the Greeks to the Roman/Catholic. (The Romans executed the Jews or whoever would not follow their doctrines) Our Creator gave us Scrolls to follow by and not books, so the corruption begins...

shalom

 

[Thunderchild]

Not sure how the "forbidding to marry" applies today

Hmmmm. Evangelists commanding new converts in polygamous marriages to divorce all but their first wife. People declaring that a marriage is valid only upon having a prescribed ceremony conducted. People declaring that inter-racial marriages are invalid.

I think there are a number of demonstrations of how this verse applies.