Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 36

Paul Informs Timothy of the Great Apostasy of the Visible Church Part 3

1 Timothy 4:3-5 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. KJV

As Paul now concludes his discourse to Brother Timothy concerning the great apostasy that will come and we have for many decades and centuries seen its appearance become more and more visible, Paul begins his final warning to Timothy of this apostasy with the rigid view some will put toward marriage and the eating of certain meats or meat at all by writing these words to begin, "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:3) (KJV). The first word Paul uses in this verse 'forbidding' is translated by the Greek word kōluō which means pretty much exactly what our English dictionary declares and that is, to estop, that is, prevent (by word or act): - forbid, hinder, keep from, let, not suffer, withstand. The little English phrase 'to marry' immediately following is translated by the Greek word gameō which means nuptials, that is, the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed; to wed (of either sex): - marry (a wife). In other words, Paul declares to Brother Timothy and to we true believers today, that one of the very obvious signs of the apostasy during the time Paul wrote this epistle was the groups that required their spiritual leaders to abstain from marriage believing that this would some how make the leader more like Christ and more holy before mankind, however, here is what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said to the disciples when they inquired of this issue to Him, "The disciples said to Him, If the case of a man with his wife is like this, it is neither profitable {nor} advisable to marry. But He said to them, Not all men can accept this saying, but it is for those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given. For there are eunuchs who have been born incapable of marriage; and there are eunuchs who have been made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves incapable of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who is able to accept this accept it." (Matthew 19:10-12) (Amplified Bible), in other words Peter, John, Matthew, Clifford Tate, Sr. etc. not every man or woman can be celibate for their entire earthly life in the service of Me, but only those who have been given the 'gift of celibacy' by Me through the Holy Spirit.

We must remember that at the time of this epistle there was no Catholic Church, but the seeds for its formation had already been planted in the hearts and minds of many men and even women during this time period. This ascetic practice, that is, the practicing of great self-denial or someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline was taking root in many places during the time Paul was alive and serving our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. The main group Paul wanted Timothy to be wary of were the Gnostics who practiced what was known then as Gnosticism which is a  religious orientation advocating gnosis, that is, intuitive knowledge of spiritual truths; as the way to release a person's spiritual element. These people claimed to have this intuitive knowledge, that is, the  obtaining of spiritual truth through intuition rather than from the revealed Word of God. This is the professed ability many wizards and witches claim to and in many cases they do arrive at spiritual knowledge from the demon witches and wizards that inhabit them, only that knowledge is of no good value for spiritual healing and restoration of the soul because it is evil/satanic. Here is what Vincent's Word Study had to say concerning these ascetic practices, "The ascetic tendencies indicated by these prohibitions developed earlier than these Epistles among the Essenes, an ascetic Jewish brotherhood on the shores of the Dead Sea, who repudiated marriage except as a necessity for preserving the race, and allowed it only under protest and under stringent regulations. They also abstained strictly from wine and animal food. This sect was in existence in the lifetime of our Lord. Strong traces of its influence appear in the heresy assailed in Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. The Christian body received large accessions from it after the destruction of Jerusalem (70 a.d.). The prohibitions above named were imposed by the later Gnosticism of the second century."

When Paul writes, 'commanding to abstain from meats', he means that some imposed a strict diet upon themelves and others declaring that the eating of meat was wrong (see 1 Corinthians 8). We know that during the days in the Old Testament that God the Father gave to Israel certain dietary laws that they were to follow (for their own good and well-being) because the Maker of the Heavens and the earth knew what would be benificial to His people and what would be detrimental to them (Book of Leviticus), that is, their physical bodies, however, now that Christ Jesus our Lord has died on the Cross, shedding His Blood for man's sin, resurrecting from the dead and ascending into Heaven where He presented His Blood as man's sacrifice for sin, He has declared all meat clean for mankind to eat and partake in if he so chooses. So, we see then that this is exactly what the Apostle Paul means when he writes these words to Brother Timothy, 'which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth', just as he also very strongly pointed out to the believers in the Colossian Church with these words, "Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath. Such [things] are only the shadow of things that are to come, {and} they have only a symbolic value. But the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is foreshadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ. Let no one defraud you by acting as an umpire {and} declaring you unworthy {and} disqualifying you for the prize, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions [he claims] he has seen, vainly puffed up by his sensuous notions {and} inflated by his unspiritual thoughts {and} fleshly conceit, And not holding fast to the Head, from Whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by means of its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things {and} have escaped from the world's crude {and} elemental notions {and} teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules {and} regulations?--such as] Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them], Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines. Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion {and} delight in self-humiliation {and} severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature). [Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.]" (Colossians 2:16-23) (Amplified Bible).

"It is a sign that men have departed from the faith when they will command what God has forbidden, such as saint and angel or demon-worship; and forbid what God has allowed or commanded, such as marriage and meats. Having mentioned their hypocritical fastings, the Apostle takes occasion to lay down the doctrine of the Christian liberty, which we enjoy under the Gospel, of using God's good creatures, - that, whereas under the law there was a distinction of meats between clean and unclean (such sorts of flesh they might eat, and such they might not eat), all this is now taken away; and we are to call nothing common or unclean, Acts 10:15. Here observe, 1. We are to look upon our food as that which God has created; we have it from Him, and therefore must use it for Him. 2. God, in making those things, had a special regard to those who believe and know the truth, to good Christians, who have a covenant right to the creatures, whereas others have only a common right. 3. What God has created is to be received with thanksgiving. We must not refuse the gifts of God's bounty, nor be scrupulous in making differences where God has made none; but receive them, and be thankful, acknowledging the power of God the Maker of them, and the bounty of God the giver of them: Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, 1 Timothy 4:4. This plainly sets us at liberty from all the distinctions of meats appointed by the ceremonial law, as particularly that of swine's flesh, which the Jews were forbidden to eat, but which is allowed to us Christians, by this rule, Every creature of God is good, etc. Observe, God's good creatures are then good, and doubly sweet to us, when they are received with thanksgiving. - For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Timothy 4:5. It is a desirable thing to have a sanctified use of our creature-comforts. Now they are sanctified to us, (1.) By the word of God; not only His permission, allowing us the liberty of the use of these things, but His promise to feed us with food convenient for us. This gives us a sanctified use of our creature-comforts. (2.) By prayer, which blesses our meat to us. The Word of God and prayer must be brought to our common actions and affairs, and then we do all in faith. Here observe, [1.] Every creature is God's, for he made all. Every beast in the forest is mine (says God), and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine, Psalm 50:10, Psalm 50:11. [2.] Every creature of God is good: when the blessed God took a survey of all His works, God saw all that was made, and, behold, it was very good, Genesis 1:31. [3.] The blessing of God makes every creature nourishing to us; man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4), and therefore nothing ought to be refused. [4.] We ought therefore to ask His blessing by prayer, and so to sanctify the creatures we receive by prayer." Matthew Henry

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…