◄ What Does 1 Timothy 4:4 Mean? ►

The philosophies of the world are too often directly opposed to the truth of Scripture. The world says that man is good, but the Bible tells us that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

The world blames God when bad things happen to good people and accuse Him of being impotent and uncaring. They accuse God when disaster strikes the individual, destroys the community, or cripples a nation. But this could not be further from the truth... for God loved the world so much, that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place and take the punishment for our sin.

The teaching of the world is too often contrary to the Word of God, which reminds us that everything created by God is good and nothing that He provides for us is to be rejected, but should be received with gratitude and praise, "for everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude."

This verse is specifically dealing with legalists, law-givers, Judaisers, and false teachers, who tie up heavy burdens on others by forbidding certain food or demonising certain God-ordained institutions - such as marriage and the family unit, which have been graciously given by God for our benefit - and instituted for the good of mankind.

They prohibit this... deny that... and insist on the other! They not only place unbearable burdens on the people of God and deliberately distort the beauty of His creation and design, but they seek to undermine the Word of God which must remain the only plumb-line for life and living - and the only standard for truth.

These false teachers and gnostic lawgivers discredit the name and character of God... the end result of which is to call good - evil and to call evil - good.

In this passage, and elsewhere in the Scriptures, we see that they forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, fruits, herbs, and seeds, which are part of God's gift to us - for our healing and benefit. "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude."

We are to seek godly discernment and a heart of thanksgiving and praise. For though we live in this fallen world and although there are governmental laws to which we must adhere as instituted by God, we are also to remember that not everything we are taught in institutions of learning or from the pulpits of certain churches, line up with the Word of God.

The ultimate authority comes from the Scripture, and when preachers, teachers, institutions, or religious bodies teach things that are contrary to that which is written in the Word of God, we should question the legitimacy of their position - and hold fast to the Word of truth.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You have graciously allowed us to have access to the Word of God and the truth it contains. Give me wisdom to stand on the foundation of truth and not to be influenced by those that deny the eating of particular foods or restrict certain God-ordained institutions, like marriage and the family unit for unbiblical reasons - knowing that all good and perfect things come from You. For this, I give You grateful thanks and praise. In Jesus' name, AMEN.