TRUTH

"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia-- remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." (1Timothy 1:3-7 NKJ)

In a court of law the witnesses are asked to swear or affirm that their testimony is "the truth and nothing but the truth." And this is the Apostle's point to Pastor Timothy. Charge the saints at Ephesus to teach the truth and only the truth. And truth is decided by the One who is the Truth. Truth is the One who came from God, ascended back to God, and will return for us from God.

Matthew recorded our Lord's command to the Church. "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20 NKJ). This is a double-edged command. Obviously we are to teach what the Lord commanded, but the other side of that is that we are not to teach what he didn't command. Yet, many folks have been captured by ideas and fictional concepts they do not understand, but still want to teach as truth. And that was the challenge at Ephesus which confronted Pastor Timothy.

What concerns me is that many pastors today are captured by the same fables and endless genealogies that are proliferated across the internet. They seem to forget their oath of office. By accepting the call of God, a minister accepts the command of God to preach and teach the truth and nothing but the truth. We find truth in the Holy Scriptures!

Of course, one might ask: what is a fable or endless genealogy? According to Paul's context and language, these are fanciful, unreliable narratives that have been invented by people who want to teach others but do not understand the fiction they affirm. And Paul instructed Timothy to charge them to not teach anything different or diverging from the truth.

We pastors are to make disciples for Christ. And as disciples of Christ, we are not afraid of what the adversary has done on any given day in the past. We are not afraid of what the adversary is doing today. We are not afraid of what he might do in the future. Our hope is not in our refusal to participate in a Christian activity that happens to coincide with a day which the adversary desecrated. Our hope is in the TRUTH, the One who died, was buried, is resurrected and is coming back again.

Pastor Timothy was to remember that Paul's command proceeded from the goal of love. Discipleship is produced by love in a pure heart out of a good conscience and in sincere faith. Paul recognized that some of the folks at Ephesus had been deceived by the empty talk of the false teachers, and had strayed from the truth they had learned. The pastor was to set them straight again.

Dear Father, thank you for the truth of your Word. Grant us the confidence and fortitude to reject all fictions and maintain our pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Truth today and nothing but the Truth,