hotcoffee
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2 Timothy 2:14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
The StudyLight commentary says:
The church is constantly tempted to get its focus off of the message that really matters, and is tempted to become an entertainment center, a social service agency, a mutual admiration society, or any number of other things. But this temptation must be resisted, and the church should constantly remember these things.
Back to Hymenaeus and Philetus, according to the commentary sited above, these two were dividing the church.
Hymenaeus and Philetus: Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 as a man whom Paul delivered to Satan that [he] may learn not to blaspheme. This is the only place where we hear of Philetus, and here Paul tells us of their error.
They did overthrow the faith of some: Though the only false doctrine Paul mentioned regarding these two is that they taught that the resurrection is already past, the effect was to overthrow the faith of some. Undoubtedly, this was not their only error; and a fundamental error in such an area often leads to many more strange beliefs, until one has abandoned Jesus and His truth all together.
Though men like Hymenaeus and Philetus made dangerous attacks against the church and their message spread like cancer, and even though the faith of some might be overthrown, nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
God has a plan, God has a purpose, God has a strategy, and it is not going to fail. It doesn’t matter how many fall away, how many reject the truth, how many go their own way after profane and vain babblings - Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
They did overthrow the faith of some: Though the only false doctrine Paul mentioned regarding these two is that they taught that the resurrection is already past, the effect was to overthrow the faith of some. Undoubtedly, this was not their only error; and a fundamental error in such an area often leads to many more strange beliefs, until one has abandoned Jesus and His truth all together.
Though men like Hymenaeus and Philetus made dangerous attacks against the church and their message spread like cancer, and even though the faith of some might be overthrown, nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
God has a plan, God has a purpose, God has a strategy, and it is not going to fail. It doesn’t matter how many fall away, how many reject the truth, how many go their own way after profane and vain babblings - Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
Now and then I see that some church leader is taking some ridiculous stand to prop up their "church". None stands out in my mind more that the one I heard some years back. I went to a meeting at a "church" here in Calvert County. The minister said she wanted to get away from the "idea" that Christ is the only way to Heaven. She said she wanted to gather more "flock" and she wanted to accept all, no matter what their belief. From her lips, this minister of the church, the exact words were "we need to build the coffers, without these others, we cannot survive". In other words, she didn't care who joined her church as long as they handed over the money... the "church" would not survive.
I told her.... "No one gets to Heaven unless they accept Jesus into their heart. Jesus is the only way. If you throw that out.... you don't have a church."
Her response was.... "what if you are wrong?"
To which I replied... "What if I'm right and you are wrong.... then all those souls are like a millstone around your neck!"
She wasn't building a Church. She was building a social network, like so many before her. She was building a paycheck. I warned her I was going to let people know what she was doing. I'm sure it doesn't matter to her. But, now I'm telling you, be careful. I've run into hundreds of preachers like her over the last 50 years. They are everywhere.
If your teachers are not teaching that Jesus is the only way, run!
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
a.John 14:7 Some manuscripts If you really knew me, you would know
