1 Timothy 4:1 - Meaning and Application

Here we have a prophecy about the falling away in later times, which Paul had already spoken of as something Christians should expect (2 Thessalonians 2). At the end of the previous chapter, Paul summed up the mystery of godliness, and now he fittingly gives a short summary of the mystery of sin and rebellion. The Spirit says clearly that in later times some will depart from the faith, whether this refers to the Spirit speaking in the Old Testament, in New Testament prophets, or in both. The prophecies about Antichrist, as well as the prophecies about Christ, came from the Spirit.

This Spirit spoke plainly about a general turning away from the faith of Christ and the true worship of God. This would happen in the later times, during the Christian age, for these are called the last days. It would continue in later stages of the church, because the mystery of evil was already at work. Some will depart from the faith, though not all, for even in the worst times God will keep a remnant, chosen by grace. They will leave the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3), that is, the sound teaching of the gospel given once for all.

They will give attention to deceiving spirits, people who claim to speak by the Spirit but are not truly led by him (1 John 4:1). “Do not believe every spirit,” John says, “but test the spirits.” One major sign of this falling away is the spread of teachings about demons, that is, doctrines that promote the worship of saints and angels as a kind of middle class of gods between the living God and human beings. The heathen called such beings demons and worshiped them in that way. This fits the church of Rome very closely, and it was one of the first steps toward that great apostasy, the honoring of martyrs’ relics, giving them divine honor, setting up altars, burning incense, dedicating images and temples, and offering prayers and praises to dead saints. This demon-worship is paganism brought back again, the image of the first beast.

Paul also points to the tools used to spread this deception. It will be done through the lies of hypocrites, agents and messengers of Satan, who push these errors through falsehoods, fraud, and claimed miracles (1 Timothy 4:2). Their hypocrisy lies in claiming to honor Christ while at the same time opposing his offices and corrupting or dishonoring his ordinances. This also describes the hypocrisy of people whose consciences are seared, as if burned with a hot iron, so they are no longer moved by the first principles of virtue or honest conduct. If people were not so hardened, they could not justify breaking oaths for the supposed good of the catholic cause, saying that no promise need be kept with heretics, or strip away all natural compassion and humanity and become cruel under the claim that they are serving the church.

Another part of their character is that they forbid marriage, especially for their clergy, and speak badly of marriage even though it is God’s ordinance. They also command people to avoid certain foods and make religion depend on such abstinence at set times, using these rules to control consciences.

From this, we should learn several things. The falling away of later times should not surprise us, because the Spirit had clearly foretold it. The Spirit is God, or else he could not surely predict events so far ahead, since such things are uncertain to us and depend on human tempers, moods, and desires. There is also a striking difference between the Spirit’s predictions and the oracles of the heathen. The Spirit speaks plainly, but heathen oracles were always unclear and uncertain. It is comforting to know that even in widespread apostasy, not everyone is carried away, only some. Deceivers often claim the Spirit’s authority, which shows they know this is the strongest way to gain acceptance. And people must become hardened, with consciences seared, before they will leave the faith and draw others with them. It is a clear sign that people have left the faith when they command what God has forbidden, like worshiping saints, angels, or demons, and forbid what God has allowed or commanded, such as marriage and foods.

After mentioning their hypocritical fasting, Paul turns to Christian liberty, the freedom believers have under the gospel to use God’s good gifts. Under the law, there were distinctions between clean and unclean foods, with some kinds of meat allowed and others forbidden. All of that is now taken away, and we are to call nothing common or unclean (Acts 10:15). We should remember that our food is something God created, so we receive it from him and must use it for him. God made these things with special regard to those who believe and know the truth, true Christians, who have a covenant right to the creatures, while others have only a general right to them.

What God has made should be received with thanksgiving. We must not reject God’s gifts or become overly strict where God has made no distinction. We should receive them with gratitude, honoring both God’s power as Maker and God’s kindness as Giver. “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected” (1 Timothy 4:4). This plainly frees us from the food distinctions of the ceremonial law, including the prohibition on pork, which Jews were forbidden to eat but which is allowed to Christians under this rule. God’s good gifts are doubly sweet to us when we receive them with thanksgiving.

They are sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:5). It is a great blessing to use our ordinary comforts in a holy way. They are made holy for us in two ways. First, by the word of God, not only by his permission, which allows us to use them, but also by his promise to give us food that is fit for us. Second, by prayer, which asks God to bless our food. The word of God and prayer should be brought into our ordinary actions and affairs, so that we do everything in faith.

We should note two things here. Every creature belongs to God, because he made all things. “Every beast of the forest is mine,” God says, “and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild animals of the field are mine” (Psalm 50:10-11). And every creature God made is good. When God surveyed all his works, he saw that everything he had made was very good (Genesis 1:31).

God’s blessing makes every creature nourishing to us. A person does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God’s mouth (Matthew 4:4). So nothing that God gives should be rejected simply as common or unfit.

Because of this, we should ask for God’s blessing in prayer before we use his gifts. In that way, we set apart the things we receive by prayer and use them with a thankful heart.