"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
The Bible says much about later times or latter days. One important lesson we have to learn from this expression is that there are latter days. There are certain days which will come at the close of this age. After those days a new era or dispensation will begin. The present dispensation or era will soon come to an end. And the Bible clearly prophesies and foretells about the events that mark the latter days.
Much is preached from the pulpit about the end time events prophesied in the Bible. Many speakers have been recognized and marked as 'dooms day preachers'. Such preachers talk much about the end time events such as famines, pestilences and wars. But one important fact generally overlooked by the 'dooms day preachers' and believers is that there is another important sign of the end times. This sign is not a violent disorder in the physical realm, but it is an event in the spiritual realm or in the world of "faith" and beliefs.
What is that sign of the end time? Our present text tells us that some people fall away from the faith. "Fall away" from which faith? People fall away from the faith of the apostles. They fall away from the faith that was once and for all committed unto the saints. Not only falling away from the faith of the apostles but they will believe in the doctrines of the demons.
This fact is very interesting. Among all the teachings that are being propagated from the pulpit today, there are some teachings that are devised by the demons! Can you believe it my dear friend? All the preachers quote profusely from the Holy Bible, but some of them are definitely preaching the doctrine of the demons. The Devil uses the Holy Bible and the Scriptures to advance his vicious plans. We know that the Devil quoted the Holy Scriptures to tempt Jesus Christ.
This discovery or observation comes as a great encouragement to Christian believers and leaders who want to criticize their own brothers and sisters who disagree with them on doctrinal issues. Using the present text, every denomination can blame other denomination saying, they are advancing the doctrines of the demons. Of course, every doctrine that goes against the direct statements of the Bible is a doctrine of the demons. Every teaching that goes against the apostolic teaching is a doctrine of the demons. There's no doubt about it. But the present text points towards a teaching which we never expect to have come from the Devil or demons.
If you read the third and the fourth verses, Paul is mentioning the teaching which prohibits marriage. Paul is out rightly telling us that the teaching that says marriage and marital relationships are unclean or sinful is definitely from the Devil. The other doctrine Paul condemns here as the doctrine of demons is the teaching that certain kinds of food is prohibited for Christians. Paul categorizes both these teachings as the doctrine of the demons.
The right concept towards the earthly life and the things of this world is given in 1 Timothy 4:4. In that verse Paul says, "everything God created is good". No food is unclean and physical relationship and pleasure within the boundaries of marriage also must never be looked down upon as unclean. More adultery and fornication has been caused by enforced celibacy than what was caused by the out rightly licentious and unclean literature of the world. The teaching that holds that physical relationship involved in marriage is sin looks so innocent, holy and pious on the surface level. But that is the most subtle way of the Devil to facilitate fornication and make it compulsory!
The teaching that certain meat is prohibited for the Christians is from the Devil too, though it is not as dangerous as the doctrine of celibacy. Let us take care to stay away from these two false teachings and we will avoid the danger of falling away from apostolic faith to a large extent. May God give us wisdom and protect us from the teachings of demons!
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Bakht Singh (1903 - 2000)
He is often regarded as one of the most well-known bible teachers and preachers and pioneers of the Indian Church movements. He was India's foremost evangelist, preacher and indigenous church planter who founded churches based on New Testament principles. He began a worldwide indigenous church-planting movement in India that eventually saw more than 10,000 local churches. Norman Grubb missionary statesman, author and teacher: "In all my missionary experience I think these churches on their New Testament foundations are the nearest I have seen to a replica of the early church and a pattern for the birth and growth of the young churches in all the countries which we used to talk about as mission fields."Life of prayer. Brother Bakht Singh was a man of prayer. He spent hours upon his knees in communion with the Lord seeking the Lord's mind regarding His will concerning the work and ministry. Therefore, the Lord also honored him and blessed him beyond any human understanding. This is one of the reasons why the Lord has used him so mightily for the edification of His Body and for the extension of His glorious kingdom both in India and abroad.