RULES OF MEN. 1st Timothy 4:3. There are real dangers into which some have fallen and continue to fall. It affects a person's private life, the home life where our families are involved, and the church life, from which an assembly may never recover. It influences social life and even intellectual pursuits; what we believe is often shaped by paying attention to the teachings of men, which is not "the faith." In chapter four, the great danger of apostasy is addressed because it is a deliberate turning away from "the faith." Satan has used and still uses "lying wonders" and "seducing spirits (teaching)" to deceive those who seek to be religious in what they do. Apostasy scatters the saints of God because it is contrary to the Gospel and is condemned by God.
Strange teachings of demons attract many followers because they are often dramatic and appeal to people's fascination with the unknown and the unnatural. Some individuals march in streets, work in government offices, spend their money to display pictures of small creatures, and use tactics so many misguided people begin to see animals the same as humans. They refuse to accept that humans were created in God’s image and that animals do not possess a spiritual part of their being. There appears to be a malicious purpose, an evil influence, behind denying every person's need for God’s salvation. The enemy of souls crafts a deceptive and clever imitation of the truth so that people will worship the creature instead of the Creator. This leads others to feel more religious, saintly about themselves, and more self-righteous, ultimately causing their souls to be lost to God, who is pleased only by genuine faith.
To deny oneself is to be self-centered, searching for attention, a seemingly sensible act that they believe demonstrates sincerity. In their view, if there is a God who observes their acts of self-denial and contrition, that might earn them acceptance with Him. After all, since they forsake all earthly pleasures, they think, God will surely accept them and allow them into heaven if heaven exists.
“Man-imposed” restrictions, which wiser people often teach, lead to dissatisfaction and doubts about reality in those we seek to reach with the liberating power of the Gospel. Because they reject the rules of men, they tend to reject God's truth, go further and further away from faith and hope, and deny God’s Word. Even a fundamental bond designed by God—marriage as God intended—is under attack. To some, a man and woman together for life in a monogamous relationship, as taught in the Bible, is a joke. Men have rejected God’s rules to suit themselves, using terms like “relationships” to describe various forms of “love” that cross the moral boundaries God established.
Families now suffer from growing divides that are not caused by a lack of food but by changing man-made rules that used to apply to adults and now extend to children. As a result, the discipline and self-control parents should instill in their children have been replaced by government laws, leaving them without proper guidance and morally empty. These man-made rules are often more restrictive and oppressive than some minor wrongdoings or misdemeanors. Consequently, new generations are ignoring the grace of God our Savior and instead embracing anything that brings temporary pleasure, unaware that following these rules of men can lead to eternal torment.
Straightforward, honest questions are not a problem for someone who tells the truth. Some people do not know the truth because they haven't been exposed to it. They will welcome corrections and will turn away from errors. Honest seekers do not resent firm warnings and scriptural instructions after discovering the truth, and they will value "the faith" when they hear it. Those who are evasive and difficult to get a straight answer from usually teach one thing and do another. Their motivation is influenced by demons under Satan's control.
Satan mimics true spirituality by creating doctrines that appear religious and holy due to "self-denial," self-imposed suffering, and self-motivation. One's conscience can become dulled by the "appearance of holiness and other-worldliness." Such teachings distort God's truth and trap people in rules and laws created by men to make them feel holy. This kind of self-discipline even influences Christians, and their lifestyle and religious training are used as credentials to persuade others to listen to them.