by: Dr. Bruce Goddard
The Devil is constantly looking for ways to turn us from the truth and from a productive life for the honor and glory of God. He“walketh about,” around and around looking and attacking. So, when one battle is passed and we do not fall, he will come at us from another direction trying to find a weak spot or a moment when we are not vigilant and therefore stumble.
If we do not fall in morals, he attacks our family. If no weakness is found there, he will try to get us to slip off into foolish doctrine. Anything to get us to turn aside will be fine: booze or morals, doctrine or marriage.
Notice Paul’s warning to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15-16 when he says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
“Study” is the exhortation, or we will get messed up in our thinking. But also there are things we should not even read or consider. Verse 16 says, “But shun profane and vain babblings…”
There are times when error will slip in front of us and we should simply push it away. We know it is not right, it is not what we were taught, we know it comes from a flawed source, so we are told to “shun” that thought. When little interesting thoughts catch us, we consider things, we may even enter into vain arguments. Why let someone who is doing nothing get us to join him in a verbal or written battle so we too can do nothing? Not a good choice!
Walk with God, love people, teach your Sunday School class, go soul winning, run your bus route, work in the nursery and “shun profane and vain babblings…”
Paul dealt with this earlier in his writings to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:4 when he says, “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”
When things create questions rather than godly edifying, we ought to shun them. Understand the Devil can come robed either in the teacher’s garments or the prostitutes attire. Both can ruin us.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
Be careful to whom you give your mind, and by all means, study your Bible.
Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA