Doctrine of Demons 2
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A Pure Faith
A Pure Faith
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
The focus of our study is to heed the warning of Jesus in Matthew 24 that many would come as deceivers perverting the reality of the Gospel
So Paul is writing to his closest disciple with a warning focused exactly on that issue
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Last week we discussed the fact that this letter was written by the Apostle Paul from his prison cell in Rome during the last days of his life
His emphasis to Timothy was twofold “pure conscience” and “genuine faith”
We looked at the words “pure conscience” last week and determined that they meant to be morally cleansed and the ability of individuals to be self-aware of their behavior in regards to God’s standards
The Christian is to be aware of the sin that lurks with and embrace the battle to overcome it
The world says embrace the sin and battle those who oppose it!
Now Paul identifies Timothy’s life as one of “genuine faith”
Last week we talked about the purifying power of the Word of God in regards to the seat of our sin problem - our conscience.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
Paul encouraged the Corinthians that pureness of conscience, knowledge of God, suffering (being tested), and the power of the Holy Spirit their love would be “unfeigned” that is without pretense
We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Look at the tools of God
Purity of suffering - Word; longsuffering - Patience; Kindness - response” and the Holy Spirit
It should be the goal of every Christian to exhibit love with sincerity through the power of the Holy Spirit
Kittle - “It should be unadulterated clarity, unfeigned simplicity, and unreserved totality of the definitive reality of the character of God with the Christian”
He goes on to say:
“There is a love that is a feigned, assumed, deceitful practice, working for itself not in alignment with God’s own attitude and works toward man. This feigning of love is thus in conflict with the truth and clarity of God from which the acts and attitudes of Christians proceed”
Do you smile at someone and then gossip behind their back? Do you pretend to be interested in someone’s well-being and then harbor bitterness or envy in your heart when they succeed? Is there jealousy, envy or the promoting of strife in your life by the words that proceed from your mouth? Take heed for from the soil of your heart will come the fruit of your lips!
The key here is that if the love of Christ has been shed abroad in our heart then there will be a unity of fellowship in brotherly love which will produce the works of God in our lives
Paul couples this concept to the word “faith”
Here Paul connects the keeping of our love pure and walking in true faith
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
Love is the fruit of pure faith which is the subjective basis of Christianity
Paul said, Timothy, I can see the reality of your message by the actions of your life
It is interesting to note the the word - anupokrisis has the root word Krisis
In Greek it means to Judge, a call of the umpire, to make a determination
Isn’t that really what’a at the base of our self-seeking attitudes?
The prep an-hpo means to be don’t be presiding over the judgement of others
It is not easy to be the target of people’s comments and critisims
Jesus said
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
My friends the battle is raging for the souls of men
Demonic forces are at work to destroy the image of God as it should be displayed through the lives of men
Its the same old same old! Look at all the trees! Didn’t God say you can eat from them all? The problem was it was only 1/2 the message!
The Word of God s not ours to dissect
Yes we are not under the Law any longer but we are also told, be ye holy as I am holy!
Holiness is not meant to promote self-righteousness but rather demonstrate the character of God and draw others to Him!
Paul’s encouragement to Timothy:
Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Next week chapter vs 8-12 Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel