Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach (1 Timothy 4:1-11).
Paul echos Jesus’ words about the latter days. We call them the End Times, or at least popular culture does. American Evangelicalism teaches to be vigilant for the rise of the Antichrist as some national ruler (rather than arising out of the Church), to give the modern secular nation of Israel some biblical significance, and to be prepared for the rapture when the signs all align. As a consequence, well-meaning people focus on these fables and wive’s tales, rather than on Christ crucified and risen from the dead. They end up following wolves dressed in pastor’s clothing; men who teach false doctrines about Israel, Jesus’ return, and the Judgement, either because they have unwittingly strayed from the Word of God and a plain reading of it, or in order to line their pockets with the proceeds from their latest book about how the End of Days will play out.
Still others follow phony faith healers, lying prophets, and various other types of health and wealth heretics, all in an attempt to live their best life now. They want their breakthrough. They want their miracle. They want God to bless them. What they really mean, is that they want God to make them rich and give them a life free from hardship and pain. They abandon the call of Christ to take up their cross and follow Him to send money to some TV preacher in order to fix their problems. What they don’t realize, is that their main problem is their own sinful flesh; it is a problem we cannot solve by doing good works, sending money to a televangelist, or even by drinking Peter Popoff’s Miracle Spring Water. They don’t hear the preaching of the Law, and so they don’t recognize their sin; they don’t hear the preaching of the Gospel, and so they don’t know that Christ defeated sin, death, and the devil on the cross; that He washes away their sin in Holy Baptism, uniting them with Him in His death and resurrection; that crucifying our old man with Him we are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus Our Lord.
This, however, is what we were told to expect. Some would fall away. Some would depart from the faith and follow deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons. Jesus told His disciples, us included, that many false prophets would rise up and deceive many and, because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.[1] It would be the false teachers, not the faithful ones, who would perform great signs and wonders. Jesus warned that false christs and false prophets would rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.[2] And such things do we see in the world, from the time of Christ’s resurrection and ascension even to the present day. We are living in the last days. But we are to hold fast to Christ and His pure doctrine, which He has graciously preserved for us in Holy Scripture; He transmits this doctrine to us in His body, the Church, by the faithful preaching of the Word, by faithful pastors such as Timothy, and the faithful administration of the sacraments. Our pastors teach us the good doctrine of Christ; To reject profane things and old wive’s tales. They teach us to cling to the cross of Christ, trusting in Christ alone, who is the savior of all men, for the forgiveness of our sins, and not in our own works, which are as filthy rags before God. So, rejoice in your baptism. Do not despise preaching and God’s word; that is where He gives you the gifts He has won for you by His death and resurrection. Hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it. Christ has joined you to Himself. He became the ransom for all your sins. He has given you His righteousness, and made you a new creation, so that you might go and do good works for your neighbor.
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