1Timothy 4:1. “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;” LATTER TIMES. These days are different; things are not the same as they were when the Church first began. For the souls of the saints were warm when they spoke of the One who from heaven came;
To redeem and to save them from the bondage of sin and the hopelessness of fallen man. They all seemed to stay as close as they could to the warmth of the Holy Flame. Their lives they all shared, and their provisions too with those whose faith was the same; Those days were so special, when God, in great grace, began His Church to claim .
After some years, when the first love was past, their ardor began to fade. They got used to the truth and the fire in their souls, and they began, for comfort, to trade. For gifts, there was no lack, but their use kind of slacked as the world deep inroads made; Their hands, they let drop, and the knees became weak, and hearts were not bowed when they prayed. The drift started small, but affected them all when lives didn’t match what they said. Some gradually slowed down, from the pace they once walked, and toward the world they turned their head.
The Holy Spirit warned in a specific way of a time that would come to the Church; When some who seemed real, the pull of darkness would feel, and no longer would the scriptures search. Their ears would be opened to the seducing voices of those who claimed to teach. But the things that such men would teach unto them would create in the Church a great breach. The results would be bad when attention is paid, and they would be harder and harder to reach. Until in the latter days some, who knew what was right, will no longer hear the word that is preached.
So we can’t be surprised when departure we see, and wonder how far it will go. The Spirit of God in the past made it plain that what we see now He already foreknew. As the years come and go, farther and farther men go, from the things they ought to know. It’s not surprising to me, for in the Bible I read, that all men will reap what they sow. It will come to pass, as the Spirit of God said, people will continue to go on farther down the road. But let all who are true, from the truth that we know, God’s light continually show.
“I believe, O Righteous Father, that the latter times are here. More and more, those who should know better choose to listen to the multitude of voices that are claiming their attention. Perhaps it will be possible tonight, if I can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, make plain what is right and holy. That way, what is wrong can be exposed for what it really is. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
LATTER TIMES #2. 1st Timothy 4:1. “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:” When Messiah came in His flesh, a new era did begin. This was the beginning of an age when God would deal with sin Not only by revealing it in its’ evil dark results – Which are still seen today in false religions and in cults – But His plan and purpose were that things all be exposed By the Light of Life shining in the darkness by the One God chose To take away sin’s root and in Himself pay its awful price – So there could be, even in these latter times, a people who are born twice.
It is true that the majority, when hearing the Gospel, turn it down. This is not only in place of foreign religions, but in this so-called Christian town – Where the Gospel has been preached right from its beginning by believing men. But people have turned away from faith, and the light once here is dim. So now people don’t read the Bible, and if they listen to it at all, It is to try to bring some magic solace after they make a moral fall. And people deceive themselves, and others deceive them too – By saying everyone will go to heaven after their sinful life is through.
In these latter times, there seems to be so many who turn away – Without consideration at all of the darkness that is holding sway. Even those who once seemed to hold to the truths that we hold so dear – Have compromised what they had learned; they now live without godly fear. The seducing spirits have taken hold, and people heed their false teaching. There is antagonism against fundamental and faithful Gospel preaching. Taking the place of truth and holiness is false Christianity of a dangerous kind. There is no question that now we live in the last of the latter times.
“Holy Righteous God: reading the history of this town, I am impressed with the fact that the original settlers came here seeking to win souls to Thee. Their attempts were rejected by those they tried to reach for Thee, but they spent their lives here anyway in testimony for Thee. May our family, who have lived here for over 100 years, still have some positive
influence. Help us to preserve a testimony for Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
False teachers were a threat to the Lord's people in Ephesus at the time of the apostles, and so Timothy was to correct those false doctrines right away. That same threat is present today. A teacher may have what seems to be a positive message and be persuasive in presenting it. He may be personable and pleasant and persistent in the way he presents his doctrine. He may even be disciplined in his life and moral in his practice. He may use scriptures from the Bible to present his message and say that he is speaking for God, but if what he teaches contradicts what the contextual teaching of the word of God says, he is a false teacher. He may be bluntly outspoken or subtly discreet, but we who are children of God need to know first of all what he thinks of Christ and what his commitment is to the verbal, inerrant, impeccable scriptures of truth. "The faith" is the body of truth. It is "the things that are most surely believed among us." The doctrine is that which is taught. The truth is what it is in itself. Some made "shipwreck of the faith" [1:19, 20]. Some "depart from the faith' [4:1]. Some "deny the faith" [5:8]. Some "cast off the faith" [5:11-14]. Some "go astray" from the faith for money [6:9, 10]. Some missed the mark concerning the faith [6:21].