… because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach …
Summary: Paul has been describing something he has seen many times. The enemy of God has been working hard to derail Paul’s efforts. Paul is very concerned that new believers will also come under fire from the Enemy.
Paul has been talking about the requirements for an overseer — one who oversees the work of caring for God’s flock. They must be, among other things, hospitable. They must hold “firmly to the trustworthy message.”
Why?
So they can encourage those who need encouragement.
How?
By teaching sound doctrine. Oh, and they must refute those who oppose sound doctrine.
Do you see the path of Paul’s thoughts here? He gives us the requirements for leadership in the church. His mind asks and answers the question, “Why must we hold ‘firmly’ to the gospel message?” One reason is to encourage believers, and the other is to defend them.
Why do God’s people need to be defended?
Because there are people who oppose sound doctrine.
Do you see what has happened? Paul’s thoughts have turned from building up the church through its leadership to defending it against the Enemy. Those who serve the Enemy have some common characteristics. They are:
- Rebellious
- Full of meaningless talk
- Full of deception
- Disrupting households
- Teaching things they ought not to teach.
One group in particular that comes to Paul’s mind is the circumcision group. But the traits of the Enemy’s faithful are always the same. They didn’t just exist in Paul’s day. They have existed since the serpent first visited Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Rebellious people do not submit to God. When they talk, their words lead away from the truth, not towards it. Their teachings and arguments are based on deceptions and these, in turn, disrupt households by sowing discord. Finally, what they teach should not be taught because it contradicts the truth of God’s Word.
These are not just random complaints that Paul has about people who disagree with him. No, Paul is describing what he sees on the spiritual battlefield. Paul sees everything through the lens of his Lord, Jesus Christ. He sees three kinds of people. There are those who believe, those who do not yet believe but might, and those who serve the Enemy. Paul is not unaware of the Enemy or his schemes! (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Application: Use the list that Paul has given us as a tool for discerning the Enemy and those who serve him.
Food for Thought: Why does Paul point to “whole households” as a key indicator that something is wrong?
I think when wrong teaching about God enters a home, it infects everyone in that home like a virus. Teachings of cults tend to take entire family units – often for generations. Whether it is the church family or individual family groups, the heart and mind needs protection from a spiritual predator whose goal is to devour. That is why we must be on guard and be vigilant. 1 Peter 5: 8 – 9; Proverbs 4: 23; John 17: 11 – 12.
Well said, Rich!
I added a link to your reference verses.
Weren’t churches started in the homes of believers,..I can just picture how people back then would want a chance to get up in front of everyone to put their two cents in sort of speak,..there probabaly was some serious reterect flying around,..that’s probabaly why Paul did some pointing out,..so yeah,..sound doctrine in the family is a must as well as the work place,..I believe in Dueteronomy it’s been written where we are to have this stuff written on our hearts,..our door posts, we are to speak of the Word with our children so they will grow to know The LORD,..everything is to go well for us if we do this,..it is sad to think that we as a nation have fallen away from doing this,..
As an employer,..or shepherd,..I take stock in reading to the employees from the bible every Monday morning,..we finished the second chapter from the letter of Mark,..we were all gathered together in the tool shed as it was raining pretty hard that morning,.the only light there was was from the small sky light in the roof,.. we shared in God’s goodness and is grace for all of us. Man was made for the Sabbath not the Sabbath for man,..We had a great conversation about that too,..
I have been blessed to learn and grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,..and to be able to share this knowledge with others is worth more than the blessing I have received,..there really are great things to be done yet,..
John,
Thank you for sharing your story with us today. It is deeply encouraging to me.
Why does Paul point to “whole households” as a key indicator that something is wrong?
These men were in positions of authority, teachers in the church and were teaching/feeding the human egos of the congregation for personal gain. Glorifying the works of men at the expense of all the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation thru repentance and submission to God.
People were listening to them, heads of households were directing their families to live according to the teachings of men over God.
Jesus had condemned this in Matthew 23:14
They were to be revealed for what they were, before the people, their lies silenced by the truth. There will always be weeds among the wheat, but they cannot be allowed to take over the field.
False teaching is a real threat to the church. We must recognize it as a threat because the Bible continually warns us that it is a threat. Jesus warns us that false teachers will come from outside the community of believers, trying to hide their true intentions Matthew 7:15-20.
Peter writes that false teachers can also arise from within the community of believers, bringing doctrine that is destructive and poisonous 2 Peter 2:1.
Paul continually warned the churches that he served that if false teachers in their midst were left unchecked, the results would be disastrous Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Corinthians 11:1-21, 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
False teaching is not just a problem for other people and churches out there; it is a problem about which all believers must be vigilant and against which they must be on guard.
Ron,
Good words! And that “weeds among the wheat” is a catchy phrase.
False teaching was a real problem and as you point out still is a real problem. God help us!