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… (I Timothy 4:1 KJV)
This verse of Scripture seems to have been bubbling up in me for a little over a week. And today I’m impressed to look at it and unpack it with you.
First of all, in the Greek text, the word “Spirit” does indeed have the definite article [Τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα](“But the Spirit…”). This lets us know that Paul is here referring to the Holy Spirit. When the definite article is absent, sometimes we must view the context as referring to the “spiritual realm,” or the “unseen realm.” It is also possible that the word “spirit” might be in reference to the human spirit, or a demonic entity (as we will see later in this verse). If the Holy Spirit is speaking we should want to listen and to obey. However, Paul does not merely tell us that the Holy Spirit has something to say. He says the Spirit is continually speaking [λέγει] “EXPRESSLY” [ῥητῶς]. The word [ῥητῶς] can be understood to mean “clearly, explicitly, and specifically.” There should be no doubt about what the Spirit is saying through the Apostle Paul here. He is not opining that something MIGHT happen. He is declaring that something WILL happen. And He is making His declaration in the clearest, most specific, and most explicit way.
Next, we are given a time frame when this prophetic declaration shall come to pass, namely “in the latter times” [ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς]. We can understand this phrase as “the last or latter strategic seasons.” Some scholars disagree regarding whether Paul is talking about “latter seasons” immediately following the writing of this letter, or whether he is referring to “latter strategic seasons” near the end of this age. To us this should be a moot point. While such events did indeed happen in Paul’s day and immediately thereafter, one need only look around to see that the same event is happening in the professing Church at large in our day as well. Remember that Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son, and had been set in by Paul as the Senior Apostolic leader in the Ephesian Church. It was the Ephesian Church leaders (at least some of whom were also Paul’s “sons,” and all of whom had been “mentored” to some degree by him) to whom Paul issued a similar warning in his final address to them on his way to Rome.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31 (KJV)
It was also the Ephesian Church to whom Jesus spoke in Revelation 2:1-7, commending them for their good works, but remonstrating them for having left their first love. It is also interesting to me that when later doctrinal aberrations and pollutions began to infiltrate the institutional “Church,” so many of them seemed to “catch hold” in Ephesus and spread elsewhere from there.
In I Timothy 4:1, the phrase translated “some shall depart from” is rendered from the Greek [ἀποστήσονταί τινες]. The word translated “depart” [ἀποστήσονταί] can be understood to mean “to stand off from,” and carries the idea of removal from a place, thing, or person. It is where we get our English word “apostasy.” Another form of the word is used to describe a “bill of divorcement.” The word rendered “some” [τινες] can refer to some who are part of a larger group. In this context of course, we can understand that “some” who would “depart” had been part of the larger group of believers.
Now notice the Greek that is rendered “the faith” [τῆς πίστεως]. Whenever you find the definite article with the noun “faith,” the reference is not merely to “saving faith,” or someone’s personal faith by which they receive healing, deliverance, or some other need met in their life. Rather “THE FAITH” should be understood to refer to that body of doctrine, experience, belief, and practice that forms the total corpus of New Testament Christianity. We might say it refers to the “total package” that comprises New Testament Christianity. The Holy Spirit is warning in this context that some from the larger group of believers will stand off from, rebel against, and remove and “divorce” themselves from the “total package” of New Testament Christianity. Now think for a second. You cannot “depart” from somewhere you have never been! It is impossible for me to “depart” from Louisiana without having first been in Louisiana. By the same token, one cannot “depart” from “THE FAITH” unless one has first been in “THE FAITH.” Let that sink in!
Why would anyone ever decide to “depart” from “THE FAITH?” The Holy Spirit speaks specifically that their “departure” would result from them “giving heed” [προσέχοντες] to “seducing spirits” [πνεύμασι πλάνοις] and “doctrines of demons” [διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων]. One commentator translates “giving heed” as “paying attention to.” The prefix [προσ-] can be understood as “toward” or “face-to-face,” and the word [ejcw] means “I have” or “I hold.” So we are warned that as the result of something, in context a false teaching or a false ministry, held closely to the face in intimacy, one might come under the influence of a “seducing spirit.” A “seducing spirit” is a lying and deceiving spirit. In this context the “seducing spirit” lies to believers to deceive them into departing from “THE FAITH.” But the principle would also hold true that a “seducing spirit” might work through a “face-to-face” deception to cause a believer to “stand apart from,” “pull away from,” or “divorce” a God-ordained covenant relationship or a God-ordained assignment. We cannot afford to compromise with “mixture” in any form. Any “soulish” prophecy or unwise counsel (no matter how much it might be “in our face” or “face-to-face”) that seduces us into abandoning God-ordained words of commitment we have spoken, and God-ordained relationships we have embraced, must be rejected immediately. Otherwise we will be giving in to a “seducing spirit” that will influence us to go in some different direction than that to which we committed before God to follow! I remember with deepest regret “pulling away” from my “spiritual father” because of a “face-to-face” encounter with a “flashy Fred” (not his real name) that I really liked. His charisma and magnetism was off the charts, and I was mesmerized. I came to think that “Dad” was boring, not as “fiery,” and not nearly as “anointed” or “glorious.” Because the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable, I could sense a genuine anointing in “Fred’s” meetings. Of course, I noticed little things that made me uncomfortable, including “off color” comments, but I “loved” this guy and wanted to stay close to him, so I turned a blind eye to the “red flags” and “warning signs.” In so doing I came under the influence of a “seducing spirit.” Even when “flashy Fred” was exposed in a severe moral failure involving several others, I did not want to believe what was right before my eyes. Thank God I returned in humble repentance to “Dad,” and did not allow pride to hinder me from coming home. Of course “Dad” forgave me. It is a serious thing to seek to drive a wedge into a committed God-ordained covenant relationship in order to pridefully pull someone after yourself!
Did you know that demons have doctrines? We are told in Scripture that they do. Doctrine simply means teaching. While certainly we want to align with the “Doctrine of Christ,” there are many “teachings” floating around out there that are strictly demonic. We must be people of the Word of God, but not only that, we must be people of the ENTIRE Word of God! We cannot approach the Word of God as a smorgasbord, where we pick and choose what we will accept and what we will not. Never forget that ALL error begins with some seed of Truth that has been twisted and perverted beyond its Biblical parameters. The devil and demons are NOT “creators.” They can only twist or pervert something that God has already said or done. So we should not be surprised, for example, that the precious Biblical Doctrine of Grace has been perverted by some into extreme antinomian license. “Sin is no big deal,” one nationally known “charismatic” speaker wrote. Listen to me. Sin IS a big deal! Offending God IS a big deal! Deliberate disobedience and overt rebellion ARE big deals! Grieving the Holy Spirit IS a big deal!
The written Word of God is the “more sure word of prophecy” (II Peter 1:19). The Holy Scriptures take precedence over EVERY “personal prophetic word” that we might receive. And those of you who know me know that I am most certainly NOT a “cessationist.” I fully embrace ALL of the ways in which the Holy Spirit might choose to manifest Himself in the midst of His people, including prophecy, whether personal or corporate. However, we MUST judge every “utterance” by the Written Word, understood through sound and consistently applied hermeneutic principles. It is only as we strengthen the foundation that we will avoid “departing” from any aspect of “THE FAITH,” or “divorcing” ourselves from God-ordained relationships, or from any aspect of Kingdom Purpose! Be Blessed!
