Be Aware
Opening Prayer
Lord, keep my mind thinking rightly and my actions reflecting goodness as I live for You today.
Read 1 TIMOTHY 1:1-11
[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, [2] To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer [4] nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work-which is by faith. [5] The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. [6] Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. [7] They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. [8] We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. [9] We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, [10] for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine [11] that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What is Paul warning against in this passage?It’s easy to be attracted by a so-called “Christian” leader who promises to exchange for joy any hard times you are experiencing and to radically change your current Christian life. But Paul warns us in v. 11 that if anyone teaches something contrary to the Bible, we should be very wary.
One of the most comforting things we can experience is for someone to reinforce the biblical truths that we initially believed when we first became a Christian. It’s also important for us to be constantly reminded of vital truths like God’s love for us, demonstrated in such a costly way through Jesus’ death on the cross and resulting in the forgiveness of our sins. It’s easy to think that we already know this well, but a regular reminder of some of the most important parts of our faith will strengthen and encourage us, helping us to complete our Christian journeys.
One of the weaknesses of false teachers is that they do not know what they are talking about (7), and that’s why it’s so important to read and study the Bible regularly so that we know and understand what we believe and why.
Apply
Recall what God has done for you through his Son. A great passage to read would be John 18-20.
Closing prayer
Lord, how very grateful I am for all You’ve done for me! Help me never to take it lightly.
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