1 Timothy 4:3, "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats..." (KJV)

(A) Background

Having given Timothy instructions on how to behave himself in the house of God, the local church (3:15), Paul continues with warnings about apostasy in the latter times. There will, for example, be those who forbid marriage and command people to abstain from meats.

(B) Faith Lesson

Paul, rather the Spirit of Christ, says that there will come a time when religious people will reduce Christianity to a system of dos and don'ts.

What was once the Gospel of Jesus Christ, based on faith in who Jesus Christ is and what He did for us (died on a cross for our sins and rose again for our justification), will become a perverted Gospel where one must add to the work of Christ to make themselves deserving before God.

Paul calls this a doctrine of devils (4:1) because Jesus Christ came to do our 'dos' and to pay for our 'don'ts' that we could not.

Any teaching that denies the work of Christ in favor of what we can do for ourselves turns true religion into idolatry where the focus is on 'me' and what 'I' can do to earn my own way now and in the afterlife.

Christ brought and bought us freedom from the yoke of works: Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (KJV).  

(C) Life Application

What forms of dos and don'ts (e.g. you must be on time or God will be angry, don't wear this clothing, etc.) are prevalent in Christian religious communities?

Since these 'rules' imply one must obey rules to attain or maintain salvation, how can that be addressed from Scripture?

In what way do you see this prophecy being fulfilled in the world around you?

In your local religious community?

In your church?

In yourself?

Jerry is a bi-vocational, helping pastor-teacher, Christian life coach, TESOL trainer & manager, author, and freelance writer, with degrees in Christian education, teaching-English, business, theology, and divinity, currently residing in the Philippines. His interests include practical theology.