4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Two phrases catch my attention from this passage –

“The Holy Spirit tells us clearly…”

And …

“Their consciences are dead”

It’s in my conscience that I hear the Holy Spirit speak clearly. If my conscience is dead my walk with God is dead.

Keeping a clear conscience is a matter of life and death!

We have a fire alarm system at work. If the “whoop whoop” siren goes off we drop everything, run and get to safety immediately.

My conscience is the same. If the alarm of my conscience goes off because of sin I need to drop everything and run. My life depends on it.

Lord, help me have a correct attitude toward sin in my life. Tune my ears to hear the fire alarm of my conscience and get out of sinful situations.  Amen.

Written by Boudy vanNoppen

In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

When I read this passage I found myself needing to know what ‘elders’ (pastor, overseer, bishop) and ‘deacons’ meant. It doesn’t define their roles here. I take it that the deacons serve under the pastor, taking different responsibilities as in Acts 6 2-4. But, that question resolved, I realise that it is not the relevant thing at all. God is much more concerned about a leader’s character.

Those who aspire to be church leaders should read the list of qualifications here. Those who select leaders are to test them against this list.  This sounds really serious doesn’t it. God guards His flock jealously, and those He places in leadership in the church must be ‘blameless’ (v. 11). Is there a double standard here? Do deacons have to have more integrity than the rest of us? I believe we should all aspire to be like this, however leaders have a greater responsibility because they are an example to us. They also reflect the integrity of the gospel to those outside the church.  They will be judged according to their personal character. The job and the character cannot be separated.

Reverent, truthful, sober, not materialistic, true to the gospel, a faithful spouse and respected parent, even-tempered, not slanderous. God will reward those like this, who serve him well, with good standing and boldness in the faith (v.13).

Heavenly Father and mentor of all leaders please keep these standards in my mind as I serve you in the church and community. Please make me into one who may be described in this way; blameless in your sight. Amen

Written by Dimity Milne

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 11 A womanshould learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

This is one of the more difficult passages of Scripture for a modern 21^st century mind to get around.

We do not have the time here to work over a theological treatise on this passage – so I will not.  Devotionally I am struck by three phrases.

‘I want men to pray’ – ‘I want women to dress modestly’ – ‘I want women to learn’.

These three phrases give us some insight into the culture of the time.

Paul gives men a push to pray – in my experience women are more given to prayer than men – and I think Paul experienced the same so he singled men out to make sure they pray.

Paul gives women a push to ensure that their ‘dressiness’ was around their beauty in Christ, not their outward adornments.

Paul gives a push that women would learn – which was revolutionary given that women in that culture were not allowed, generally, to learn.  This is a revolutionary statement because education is a great leveller!

I wonder if Paul would encourage the same today.  If my experience is generally true this remains a great encouragement to men because we still find praying difficult.  My observations lead me to believe that women are still caught on the outward beauty thing, generally, and so being encouraged to work on their beauty within remains a great encouragement to godliness.  Women may be more educated, especially in some sections of the west, but there remains a great divide here for many women.

2000 years later we can claim to be a more civilised, more enlightened, more free society – but God’s Word once again proves its timelessness by nailing us on some of the basics of faith and life.

Father – help me not to stray from the basics until I and those around me have real evidence of transformation!  May Your transforming work through Word and Spirit be at work in my life and all those I have the privilege to live this life with!

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Paul talks about conscience 5 times in this letter to Timothy, and again in the next one.

Here Paul warns Timothy to keep his conscience clear, going hand in hand with faith to enable him to fight the battle before him well. But those who reject their consciences have their faith shipwrecked.

Conscience is nothing like that comic character with a halo sitting on our shoulders, it is a wonderful thing. Even those who have never heard God’s law have at least a fragment written on their hearts, and their consciences bear witness both to what is right and also how we fall short (Rom 2:14-15). Our consciences can be a wonderful early warning system as we begin to walk outside God’s path.

But our consciences can become weak and inaccurate (1 Corinthians 8) either being silent when we need warning or falsely accusing. Our consciences will be desensitized and “seared as with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:2) by sin. The deliberate deadening of God’s witness in our hearts can have catastrophic consequences, not just shipwrecking Hymenaeus and Alexander’s faith but casting them into Satan’s waiting arms.

We are often encouraged to actively write God’s word on our hearts (Proverbs 3:3, 7:3). That God writes His law on our hearts is part of His covenant with His people (Jer 31:33). The witness to His living word in our hearts guides us nimbly along His paths and reinforces that sense of pleasure when we do what is right. A strong conscience can be a real blessing and a real ally to faith.

Father, my heart is yours to write on. Please strengthen that witness in me to guide me on your paths, because that is where I want to walk.

Written by David Cornell

8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

Paul’s instructions to Timothy the young pastor of the church at Ephesus gives us insight into some of the people and situations which he would have to confront as the leader of the church. Paul points out that our life is to be according to ‘sound doctrine or teaching’, which of course means that the foundation of our lives is to conform to the Gospel of the Jesus Christ.

What is to be our response? How do Paul’s words relate to us in 2018? They remind us that we have been called to live righteous lives, which means we obey the laws of our country. His words also remind us that we have clear guidelines to live by. These guidelines were clearly taught and practiced by Jesus and are now clearly enshrined in the Gospel message.

My prayer is both praise to God that He has set the standard for righteous living, and a request that the Holy Spirit continue to form Christlikeness in my life.     

Written by Keith Bennett