Defining False Christian Doctrine

Scripture: As I said when I left for Macedonia, please stay there in Ephesus and try to stop the men who are teaching such wrong doctrine. Put an end to their myths and fables, and their idea of being saved by finding favor with an endless chain of angels leading up to God—wild ideas that stir up questions and arguments instead of helping people accept God’s plan of faith. 1 Timothy 1:3-4

Observation: After addressing this letter - from Paul to Timothy, whom he declares he looks upon as a son - the first instruction from Paul to Timothy is this ... to address false doctrine. Interesting, he also clearly defines what the false doctrine is, which is the attempt to find favor with heavenly being that are lesser than God.

The false doctrine is NOT about things we often think are the false teachings of the day and hear about in other letters, like ... denying the lordship (or humanity) of Jesus, reliance on Hebrew law, rejection of apostles, intermixing of local religious practices with church gatherings, denial of spiritual gifts. Instead, the issues in Ephesus are ... procedural rules about access to God. Some leaders have created a process for being saved that involves appealing for favor to others who are not Yahweh, presumably one of whom is Jesus, before one can receive salvation from God. In other words, their a gatekeepers between us and God, perhaps either the greatest or last of whom is Jesus, and we need their permission to access the Lord.

This is manifestly untrue and contrary to all teaching. We have direct access to God, and receive salvation through faith that Jesus is his son who died for our sins. It's one belief, not a complex process.

Application: This false doctrine applies to SO much today. We have "Christian" organizations with defined procedures about progressive beliefs, multiple levels of salvation, and appeals to those who are not God. I'm not talking about praying to saints, but rather those organizations that introduce saints, angels, ancestors, or even spouses as some kind of tiered gatekeepers involves in seeking God.

However, we also have non-Christian belief systems similarly wrong. There are belief systems that provide processes, procedures, or rules for pursuing "peace" or "enlightenment" or "transcendence" or even some kind of access to an afterlife. They speak of pursuing a life that will somehow create the right scenario for some kind of future life.

Paul was clear ... this is all wrong. There is one salvation, and it is both easy to achieve and open to all. It doesn't involve tiers, or procedures, or sub-level representatives of heaven.

Prayer: Lord, you have so many mysteries in the universe, but your love for us is not one of them. You have provided us with your love, and with your desire to relate directly with us. I seek your face, and I seek your hand to hold as I walk on your path today. Thank you for salvation through faith. Amen.