I opened up my Bible this morning and read a passage of Scripture that seemed to mirror the world we live in these days. I want you to read this passage (out loud if you can) and as you read it, think about how this describes our world (and the church), while also listening to Paul’s warnings and exhortations. 1 Timothy 1:3-7…
When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.
Paul is talking to a young pastor, Timothy. Ephesus was the church under scrutiny here. Obviously, this church was in serious jeopardy because people had come in, claiming to be true teachers of the Word, but in essence, they were leading people astray. Their teaching was nothing more than mere chatter and rather than helping people live the way they were supposed to live, they were confusing the people. This alarmed Paul and so he tells Timothy… “Stay there and stop these people.”
As I read this passage, I recognized our 21st century world and the church that sits in the midst of it. The church is in jeopardy of the same kinds of things… people who claim to be speaking for God, but they really don’t know what they’re talking about. And most of these people have found their niche… social media. They are called “influencers” because they have thousands of followers hanging onto every word they say. They’re gregarious, convincing. Here’s the thing though… many of them are not influencing the people of God toward righteous or faithful living, but only toward confusion. They have been successful at leading MANY astray from the Word of God.
Now hear me… I’m not saying that all of them are wrong. In fact, many influencers are teaching truth. But we must err on the side of caution when it comes to the Internet. This message to Timothy shows Paul’s highest desire… to help people live rightly, biblically. This should be our desire as well.
With that said, here’s a reminder to each of us. We have the GREATEST teacher living inside us. The Holy Spirit will never lead us astray but will always show us how we are to live. He only leads us to truth. And He knows exactly what He’s talking about because He is the third person of the Trinity. He always holds the Bible up as the highest authority for God’s people because the Word of God is inspired, authentic, and unadulterated. The Word of God is just that… God’s Word. And while it was written thousands of years ago, it never changes and it is relevant to the day in which we’re living.
God is using social media for His purposes but so is Satan. So, we must be VERY careful. Let the Holy Spirit guide you today and ask Him if there is someone you are listening to or following that you should stay away from. A great reminder, huh?