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1 Timothy 4:7a – The Line

The picture illustrates the line that runs between Calvary and the Lake of Fire. We call it "Choice."
The picture illustrates the line that runs between Calvary and the Lake of Fire. We call it “Choice.”

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales…

Summary: Paul’s challenge to avoid “godless myths and old wives’ tales” makes us wonder how we tell the difference between truth and fiction.   

What is the difference between the truth and a “godless myth”? 

Paul’s challenge requires discernment, and lots of it! At the very beginning of his letter, almost his first words to Timothy are, “command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer” (1 Timothy 1:3). 

On the scale of Truth versus False Doctrine, “godless myths and old wive’s tales” sound rather innocuous. But are they? 

If we were to stretch a line from Calvary to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15), we would have a long, straight line. Now, imagine that we put all the people who truly and fully understand the Gospel at the Calvary end, how many people would there be? 

Personally, my answer would be that there is only one: Jesus Christ. He, and only he, fully understands the sacrifice that was needed to save humanity and the sacrifice he made. 

At the other end of the line are those who reject Jesus. Oddly, they might think they understand the truth, but their proximity to the eternal fire suggests otherwise. 

Everyone else is strung out on that line. We are all somewhere in between. 

From a human perspective, I think it can be argued that Paul, formerly Saul, is one of those closest to Jesus on the line. Did the other Apostles understand the Gospel better? Perhaps you could make a case that they did, and I would be glad to listen to your thoughts on this, in terms of the historical record and the New Testament as we know it today; however, it is hard to know who would stand closest to Jesus. Certainly, all those who knew him joined with Paul, pointing the way to him. 

Paul’s letters paint a picture of a man standing close to Jesus, calling other believers to come near. “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales,” he shouts. Come this way! 

From where Paul stands, the Gospel appears very clear. There is no room for anything that attempts to draw attention away from Jesus, yet there are always people who try. They stand at various points along the line and say, “Hey, look at me! I have some truth here!” Like Satan (Genesis 3:1-7, Matthew 4:1-11), they might mix a little truth with a point of view that is pulling the wrong direction, toward the Lake of Fire instead of toward Jesus.* 

Application: Keep our eyes on Jesus – always!  

Food for Thought: Why is it so difficult to tell the difference between truth and myth? 

*I realize that this metaphor can be misconstrued to suggest Jesus can’t save us if we are too far ‘down the line.’ This is not what I mean to say at all. The metaphor is about conflicting narratives, not about any limitation on God’s ability to save us from destruction. 

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1 Timothy 4:6b – Spiritual Food

Picture of an ornate bowl of fruit.

… nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

Summary: Nourishment is essential for healthy living. This is true for our faith as well as our bodies.   

Good nourishment is essential for growth. This is true for house plants, garden vegetables, and people. People who don’t get proper nourishment struggle to survive, let alone grow. 

Spiritual nourishment is the same. 

A human spirit deprived of truth and good teaching struggles to survive. Growth and maturity are stunted, and instead of growing toward the Light, the starving spirit rummages through the darkness. 

When you see someone engaging in evil — hurting, shaming others, or taking what is not theirs, consider this: They might be starving spiritually. If a person does not know God’s love (agapē), they cannot know what real spiritual nourishment is supposed to taste like. 

Paul’s letter to Timothy is a letter from one well spiritually nourished man to another. Paul may have at times been without food (2 Corinthians 11:27), but he is never without God. Timothy may have frequent stomach problems (1 Timothy 5:23), but his spiritual stomach is always full. 

A good minister of Christ Jesus nourishes those under his care. And what do they nourish them with? “Truths of the faith” and the “good teaching you have followed.” 

So what are the “truths of the faith” Paul is talking about? 

The basic truths are those he mentioned earlier: Jesus appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed in, and taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16). 

The “good teaching” is a little different. Notice that Paul points to teachings that Timothy “has followed.” These are not just sayings to be passed along. These are teachings that help transform the mind to be able to “test and approve what God’s will is” (Romans 12:2). These are the things Paul has been talking about all throughout his letter.

Timothy is a living example of our life in Christ. He has received the basic truths about the Gospel and believed in Jesus Christ. He has accepted the “good teachings” Paul and others have given him and followed them. His life is no longer his own; he belongs to Jesus. 

Application: Stay well nourished in the faith. 

Food for Thought: What are the ‘basic truths’ that nourish you?  

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1 Timothy 4:6a – Paul’s Points

An ancient scroll with the words "Serve with humility and love" on it. (Grok)

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus…

Summary: Paul’s admonition to “point out” certain things makes us wonder what Paul was referring to.   

Have you ever wondered what Paul means by “these things” in this passage? Is he talking about just the things in the last paragraph, or is he talking about his whole letter so far? 

It is tempting to look at this passage and think, “He probably just means the ‘things’ he has mentioned in chapter four.” 

Okay. 

The only problem with that theory is that Paul didn’t write his letter in chapters and verses. He simply wrote one big, long letter. Chapters were not added until early in the thirteenth century by an English scholar named Stephen Langton. Verses didn’t come on the scene until much later. The first Bible with both chapters and verses was Wycliffe’s Bible in 1382 AD. 

So let’s assume for a moment that the “things” Paul wanted pointed out to the brothers and sisters included everything in his letter so far. What would that include? 

Here is one way to list what Paul has taught so far: 

Teach truth faithfully (1 Timothy 2:7; 3:2; 4:6) 

Reject false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3-4, 1:6-7; 4:1-3)

Live with integrity and holiness (1 Timothy 3:2-3, 3:8-10, 3:11-12; also 1 Timothy 2:8-10)

Serve with humility and love (1 Timothy 1:5, 1:12-16, 2:1-4)

Maintain faith and a clear conscience (1 Timothy 1:5, 1:18-19; 3:9)

Lead well at home and in the church (1 Timothy 3:4-5, 3:12, 3:14-15)

Pray and promote godliness (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 2:8, 2:9-10, 3:15-16)

Protect believers from deception (1 Timothy 1:3-4, 1:18-20; 4:1-3) 

Keep Christ and the gospel at the center of ministry (1 Timothy 1:11, 2:5-6, 3:16 )

Paul might have been thinking of the importance of being true to the Gospel, but look at what he has covered so far! Is there anything on this list of topics that you would want to point out to the brothers and sisters? 

One thing remains true, no matter what you choose to put on your list of things to share; whatever you teach, you have to live it first. 

Application: Live your faith, love your neighbor as yourself.  

Food for Thought: If you were to sum up Paul’s teachings for the brothers and sisters into one line, what would it be?

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1 Timothy 4:4b-5 – Achin’ for Bacon

A young boy sneaks a piece of bacon from a platter on the table (Grok)

… and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Summary: Paul’s instruction about food provides a jumping-off place for understanding the frictions between Jew and Gentile and a warning against falling under false “religious laws.”   

When I was about five years old, my parents moved to a small mill town on the Willamette River. Our house overlooked the river, and the street we lived on was named “River Street.” Most of the property around our house was undeveloped woods, but nearby was another house owned by the town dentist. He had two children about the same age as my brothers and me. 

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1 Timothy 4:3 – Secret Decoder Ring

A picture of a 'decoder ring' (Grok)

They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 

Summary: Paul’s message in this passage might seem complicated to some, but to those who know God’s Word, he is pointing the way to the answers to our questions.   

Before we dive too deeply into this passage, let’s review the larger context. 

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1 Timothy 4:1b – Calling Jesus

A ghostly form of a man reaches up toward the radiant hand of Christ (Grok)

[The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith] and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 

Summary: Paul points back to the origin of deception to help us see the danger of listening to anything other than Christ.  

In our last meditation, “For or Against?,” we explored two possible views about what “abandon the faith” might mean. 

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1 Timothy 3:16 (All) – All About Jesus

Picture of Jesus holding two children by the hand, walking toward church (Grok)

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,
    was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
    was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
    was taken up in glory.

Summary: Looking back at the whole passage allows us to consider what it really is.   

Before we move on, let’s take a moment to look at this verse as a whole. 

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