Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Timothy 1:3-4
"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."
Paul is cautioning Timothy about the need for sound doctrine to be taught. Paul knew that members of the church would eventually apostatize, and the embracing of untruths and false doctrines would lead them astray. How sad it must have been for Paul, knowing what was coming. However, there were good people that served faithfully and Timothy was one of them. I pondered on how the adversary is still trying the same tactics in our day. There are members that fall away, but the church as a whole will not apostatize.
There are some key things we are to understand. First, is teach the doctrine of Christ and no other doctrine. It's so important that we really know what God's words are because in ignorance we can share what is not true. Especially when we heed fables and endless genealogies. Fables refers to false teachings, heeding endless genealogies refers to the false tradition that salvation came only to those of the chosen seed of Abraham. At the time of Paul the Jews would site long genealogies as a mean to show they were chosen. Yet, these very people rejected the Messiah. As members of the primitive church some thought their genealogies made them above the gentiles that converted. It's like today, just because you come from pioneer heritage you are not automatically saved. All of us need to work at it, everyone can be blessed as the seed of Abraham or adopted in.
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:"
(The Acts 10:34)
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