Flourish in Giving – When Not to Give (Part 2)

Do Not Give Heed to Fables and Doctrines of Men

    Continuing our mini study of what not to give, let’s consider the instruction given by the apostle Paul to both Timothy and Titus: do not give heed (attention) to fables/Jewish fables, endless genealogies, and the commandments of men (1 Timothy 1:4, Titus 1:14). He was warning them against listening to anything that people have used/will use to justify their resistance to wholly obey God’s commands and what they will use to try to align God (and His way) with their existing beliefs. The Jews and the Gnostics (those who denied Jesus was deity who came in the flesh) used these devices to hold onto their former habits and ideas.

Side Note: In case of the Jews, one might argue that their ways were God’s ways because they should have been following the Law of Moses, but by Jesus’ time many of those laws had been modified to suit the people and therefore what many followed were only commandments of men (God’s commands changed in any way, big or small, by men become men’s commands). Consider, for example, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:17-48 (“You have heard that it was said… (man’s modification), but I say to you… (the truth)”). After Jesus’ death, the New Covenant came into effect (Hebrews 10:9-10) and several of the New Testament letters are teaching the Jews to let go of their Judaism and simply follow Christ (see Paul’s letter to the Romans, for example, and the letter to the Hebrews).

    We can be just as guilty of using these devices. If what the preacher/teacher says is not scripturally sound – modifying God’s word and commands to please himself/his audience – and you give heed to his words, and base your faith and actions on what he says, never once checking to see if it is correct (consider Acts 17:11), then you are blindly following the commandments of men (read and think on 2 Timothy 4:3-4). And if you hold to it, because it checks a box in your moral conscience that you’ve attended “church” and that’s enough for you (that’s all you’re willing to give), then you are no different than the Jewish people who simply went through the motions of service (read and consider Malachi 1, Matthew 15:7-9).

“These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9 NKJV)   

We are also guilty of these devices if we base our “goodness” and our “righteousness” on what we think the Bible says – “I’m pretty sure it’s in there, somewhere” – instead of knowing what it says through sincere study and application. If we do this then we are simply following our own made up notions, and we are giving a foothold to the devil to carry us further from the narrow way with fables, wives’ tales, and “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).

“…they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:2-3 NKJV)

How do we avoid giving heed to these things?

• By exercising ourselves toward godliness (1 Timothy 4:7) and trusting in the living God (1 Timothy 4:10). 

    Go a little further in that same chapter and see the instructions given to Timothy – yes, Timothy was a preacher but the instructions he received are sound and useful for every Christian!

• Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, faith, in purity (v12). This can only be accomplished when we submit to God and learn His way (see next two points).
• Give attention to reading, exhortation, to doctrine – meditate on these, give yourselves entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all (vv13, 15).
• Take heed of yourself (your relationship with God) and the doctrine (His instructions), and continue in them (v16) 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

    Give time and attention to reading God’s word, and not just reading, but thinking on it and obeying it – apply it to your life, see God’s wisdom, give Him the glory and thank Him for His provision. Don’t give attention to any ideas or commands that are not clearly founded in God’s word – it’s our responsibility to search “the Scriptures daily to find out if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Remember, we need to know the True and Authentic so we can properly spot what is false (Hebrews 5:14) and keep not only ourselves, but our brethren from being led astray. God has provided all we need to know Him, the One True God – the very source of Truth. Don’t be content with everyone else’s knowledge, get your very own through careful study and application! Only then can you serve God with confidence, knowing you have submitted to His righteousness! Are you ready?   

You can do it! So can I!!