Mr. D's Notes on I Timothy
Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.
Copyright 2000

CHAPTER 27

This passage speaks to one of the taboos of our society, that of separation. I offer the following account as an example of "extreme separation" which I would totally reject, but it will get our minds thinking in the right direction.

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, 'Stop! Don't do it!'

He said, 'Why shouldn't I?'

I said, 'Well, there's so much to live for.'

He said, 'Like what?'

I said, 'Well, are you religious or atheist?'

He said, 'Religious.'

I said, 'Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?'

He said, 'Christian.'

I said, 'Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?'

He said, 'Protestant.'

I said, 'Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?'

He said, 'Baptist!'

I said, ' Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?'

He said, 'Baptist Church of God!'

I said, 'Me too! Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?'

He said, 'Reformed Baptist Church of God!'

I said, 'Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?'

He said, 'Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!'

I said, 'Die, heretic!', and I pushed him off.

We will see in our study that withdrawal or retreat is a valid option to the believer when it comes to Christian living. Some call this separation - a not very popular word in our day within the church.

We want to look at THE SYMPTOM OF THE DISEASE in verse three, THE CAUSE OF THE DISEASE in verse four and 5a, and THE TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE in verse 5b.

I. THE SYMPTOM OF THE DISEASE

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

Now, we have a tongue lashing for anyone that would teach other than what Paul has laid out in the first two verses. In short, if someone comes telling you that you should not honor your master/employer, if someone comes telling you that you should not do a good days work for your master/employer, if someone comes telling you that you should not honor your master/employer, THEN that person is a proud person that knows nothing - words of Paul not of me!

We might take a moment and wonder who would come telling you to do these evil things. Can you think of anyone, or any group?

Consent has the idea of rejecting what is offered. Now, If someone were to offer me a piece of chocolate cake with fudge frosting, and I say no, I consent not to the cake - NOW don't ever think that situation will ever happen - JUST an illustration.

There is an application here to other areas of life. The principle here is someone that is rejecting proper doctrine. Verse five says to withdraw from these. If you have taught or shared good doctrine and it has been rejected it is Biblical to withdraw. Some would say that you are running from a fight - not so - withdrawal is an effective life principle in this situation.

As one that frequents the Bible boards on the internet, I often get sidewise with all the wise folks that know I am totally ignorant of the Word - they know their position is correct because it is theirs - right? I attempt to share the Word and my thoughts on it, and if they reject it, then I try to let it go. Those few times that I have attempted to convince, the attempt has been met with fierce opposition. This opposition is why I believe Paul counsels to withdraw - it relates to what he says of these folks - proud.

There are three areas of truth mentioned. We have Paul's teaching, the teachings of Christ and any doctrine which is according to godliness.

Doctrine which is according to godliness would include all the writings and teachings of the church’s leadership over the centuries. Anything that concurs with the Word and leads toward godliness.

I suspect this passage is the basis for some of the overemphasis on the "tradition" of the church that the Roman church and the Orthodox church teach. I would agree that writers of the past are important, but they are not equivalent with Scripture. If indeed it is consistent with Scripture it will lead to godliness, but it is not Scripture nor equal to it.

II. THE CAUSE OF THE DISEASE

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Pride in that he knows better how to deal with masters/employers than God.

Knowing nothing seems to be rather self-explanatory. Reject truth and you know nothing - wow that has application in our society today! Those that would make us think they know truth in fact know nothing.

Doting is listed as "to be taken with such an interest in a thing as amounts to a disease, to have a morbid fondness for" by Thayer. Actually the Greek term used here is the predecessor of our term nausea. The New International Version translates it this way - "has an unhealthy interest in." You may have heard the term in-nausium. That fits well.

This passage sums up the result of many of the Bible related boards on the internet. The result of those that reject truth cause all these things - indeed the result is often very distasteful.

The sad part is that they have rejected the truth, and continue to do so when someone presents it further. There have been times when I have asked a number of questions that show up their falsehood and no answer is forthcoming - only strife and railings. If you can't beat them - call them names seems to be their watch-word.

Robertson ties all these terms together and mentions they are "all products of an ignorant and conceited mind." I think that about sums it all up.

5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Perverse disputings is the Greek term from which our word diatribe comes from. Diatribe means "biting or abusive speech or writing" (from © 1995 Zane Publishing, Inc. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary © 1994 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated). Notice that this can mean speech OR writing. If you run into this type of writing, be sure to give it the same action as speech. Withdraw from it - or in current language - put it in the circular file.

These are corrupt minds - destitute of truth! Not the kind of thing you as a believer should be filling your mind with - don't give it a chance to take up your time.

This term “corrupt” is a perfect tense which would indicate that the corruptness is complete and something that occurred in the past - something that is done - which I might add, probably won't be changed - indeed the tense has the thought of once and for all. Application - don't bother taking your time and effort to change what will not change.

The term “destitute” is also a perfect tense - truth is not something that is going to come into this mind, nor will it change this mind.

The thought of gain is of interest. Just what type of gain is being mentioned in this context. Is it material gain, is it moral gain, or is it academic gain? Since material items are not involved, it clearly relates not to material or monetary gain. Moral gain has some possibility in the context, but academic gain seems to fit the context best.

The American Standard Version mentions it this way "supposing that godliness is a way of gain."

The New International Version ties gain to monetary value "who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."

Young translates it this way "supposing the piety to be gain;" This would tie it to moral change to be gained. Moral change is gain but this seems to be a false piety brought about by their disputings etc. and this certainly is not gain, nor true moral change.

III. THE TREATMENT OF DISEASE

"...from such withdraw thyself."

The truth to be found here is to withdraw from this type of person - back away, loose them!

I am sad to say this but this is the state that many Bible college students pass through. Most do pass through but it is a hard hard time spiritually and mentally. They question everything and everyone. They disagree and dispute everything - not that we aren't to question what we are taught, but they question way past this - they find little truth, they don't have the truth, they can't function properly spiritually, they become proud, they find envy, they cause strife, and they argue constantly. A phase of growth to be passed through. Only God brings them through it!

To a very real point a pastor has the responsibility to maintain his distance from these people in the community and also has a responsibility to warn his flock of the same.

It seems to me that verse one and two are directly connected to verse three and verse six through five is a side warning about anyone trying to detract from Paul's teaching.

The term is withdraw. This is not a complicated word to understand, yet so many Christians today equate it with incorrect behavior, yet Paul tells us to withdraw from people Christians that sin.

This phrase is not in all translations, but it certainly is not against the norm of Scripture. Rom. 16.17 is a very similar passage. "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."

I would like to just recap some criteria for separation within the Christian life.

FALSE DOCTRINE:

1. Anyone that teaches other than the doctrine of Paul, and by application other writers of Scripture.

2. Anyone that believes other than the teachings of Christ.

3. Anyone that believes doctrine that is other than teaching that brings Godliness.

Titus 3.10 also mentions the heretic "A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;"

Many believers in our area years ago were listening to the local Christian radio station. Many praised the station as their resource for their spiritual life, yet almost every time I tuned in, I would hear blatant false teaching. These folks were flooding their minds with things that were openly against Scripture.

FALSE PRACTICE:

4. Anyone that occupies themselves with doting of questions and strife of word.

5. Anyone that produces envy, strife, or railings of evil surmisings.

6. Anyone that is destructive of truth.

FALSE GODLINESS:

7. Anyone that believes that gain is Godliness.

Stedman related this in a sermon to those that are spiritual or are members of churches for the social and business gain that it provides.

My brother before he was saved joined a mainline denominational church in our hometown and I asked him why. His reply was "Well that is were most of the business people go to church and I thought it would be good for the business." Had nothing to do with belief, truth or God.

FALSE MORALS:

8. Immorality in I Corinthians five was grounds for separating a person from the assembly. Verse eleven "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."

FALSE LIVING:

9. Matthew 18 gives the sequence to be followed to gain reconciliation between believers. If a person refuses to resolve the conflict then separation is the end.

10. II Thess. 3.6 admonishes us to withdraw from any that walketh disorderly. "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."

The Christian's testimony is very important, thus withdrawal may be the better option. We need to exhort those living wrongly, but keeping a close association with them will open us to their falsehood as well as improper testimony due to public scrutiny.

I would like to read a quote from a document from church history. It was a question answer format produced by Meno Simons and followers when they attempted to live the admonition of Scripture when they were told to withdraw from wrongdoers.

The document sets forth questions as to how they would implement what they called the ban, or the exclusion of erring believers from the assembly.

" O my sincerely beloved brethren, let us sincerely pray for understanding and wisdom that all misunderstanding, error, jealously, offense, division, and untimely reports may be utterly exterminated, root and branch; that a wholesome understanding, doctrine, friendship, love, edification, and a sound judgment may get under, way and prevail. Let everyone look with pure eyes and impartial hearts to the example to which Christ points, and to the wholesome, natural meaning of the holy apostles, and let true, Christian love take precedence; and everyone will know, by the grace of God, how he should act and proceed concerning this matter."

We are to withdraw, but we are to do it in love and with the thought of restoration to the assembly of the one banned.

If the church had been practicing this teaching the church would not have the problems it has today. There would not be openly sinning believers in the church, there would not be unsaved people in the church and Christ would indeed have a holy church rather than what exists today.