Some Shall Depart From the Faith

The Times in Which We Now Live

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (demons)” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Departing from the faith means departing from Jesus Christ and Him crucified as the only way to Salvation and the only way to victory in our daily lives. We are saved by faith and we are kept by faith. Any time a departure from the faith occurs it will involve seducing spirits. Satan is after our faith. He introduces doctrines of demons into the church to divert our faith to other things. If he can be successful in compromising our faith then we will not walk in the victory we so want in our lives. Peter exhorts us to be aware of, and vigilant against the schemes of the Devil:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom He may devour” (1 Peter 5:8,9).

The Devil is a powerful adversary, but the Holy Spirit is our Divine Helper. In our introductory verse, the Holy Spirit is pointing out and warning against this departure from the faith in latter times. This is speaking of the times we are now living in. The Holy Spirit works exclusively through the finished work of Christ. Our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives (Romans 8:2). The church at Galatia was being tempted to move their faith from solely in Christ, as the Apostle Paul had taught them, to Law. Paul addresses this in the following verse:

“I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him (the Holy Spirit) Who called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but thereby some who trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6,7).

Those troubling the Galatians were Judaizers who had come from Jerusalem and told them that along with faith in Christ, they must obey the Law and be circumcised. Paul comes against this strongly in his epistle to them. If we add anything to our faith in Christ and the Cross we have perverted the Gospel. Satan’s aim is to corrupt our faith. We are saved by faith which allows the Holy Spirit to come into us and by continued faith in the Cross to change us into the image of Christ. We are not suggesting sinless perfection but living a victorious life by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul said the following strong words in standing against this false gospel brought in by the Judaizers:

“But though we or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

We are to be aware of Satan’s tactics and are to stand fast in the faith. Our victory is assured as we walk out this life by faith, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. There are many false doctrines and false ways circulating in the church today. How can we protect ourselves from going a wrong way? How can we avoid the trap of seducing spirits tempting us with doctrines of demons? There is only one way. We are to make Jesus Christ and Him crucified the object of our faith. When we do this we will be able to recognize false doctrine for what it is, and the Holy Spirit will lead us in our daily walk with the Lord. We are in a spiritual battle and we are to stand fast in the faith.

“Watch ye (a military command, be vigilant), stand fast in the Faith (don’t let the devil move your faith from the Cross to other things), quit you like men (act like nature men), be strong (strong in the faith, which makes one strong against the Devil)” (1Corinthians 16:13 with ESB commentary).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023