Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. – 1 Timothy 4:1
When the Apostle Paul is talking about the spirit, he’s talking about the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost. All three are the same thing, not three different spirits – one spirit. He said here that “some shall depart the faith.” Aren’t you glad he didn’t say all? Some, in other words, we have a choice in the matter. “Some shall depart from the faith” How are they going to depart from the faith? By giving heed to seducing spirits.
Let me clarify something that you already know. Paul is not writing to the world. He is writing to the church – those who have confessed Jesus Christ as their Lord. This is a letter to the church, not the world – “some shall depart from the faith.”
Many have said, or come up with this idea that this scripture means they never really knew the Lord. That’s not what that says. You have to add to it to make it say that. Or take away from it. Paul said some shall depart from the faith, He didn’t say those that never accepted Jesus are going to depart from the faith. He’s talking about christians, those that have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord. And yes, we’ll throw right on top of the pile – ministers of the Gospel.
I don’t say that to attack, I say it to protect the flock. That’s what the Lord told me, because I was grumbling to the Lord. I said, “Lord, I don’t want to say that. Lord, I want to be nice. I don’t want to say things that hurt people’s feelings.” That’s a good attitude, you know. The Lord said, “You don’t say things, Son, that I tell you, to attack people. You say them to protect My people.” To protect the flock, things must be declared.
Some shall depart from the faith… To depart from a location, you first must be at that location. When you go to church, you arrive at a building and you’re going to depart from that building, one way or the other. You’re going to leave of your own free will, or they’re going to take you out in a box or a stretcher, or you’re going in the rapture. The only way, though, you can depart from that building is because you’re already at the building. If you’re not there, you cannot depart from there. Paul’s not talking about those that are not already there, in the church. He’s talking about those in the church. I know that this is not popular, but it is Bible. This is the truth. Some who call themselves Christians and go to church faithfully are going to leave the faith.
So what are we to do? Why does it say some shall depart? “…giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Some shall depart because they’re following after seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. How do you stop that? How do you guarantee that you won’t follow after a doctrine of the devil? You stay with the Word of God.
Jesus Christ appeared to Dad Hagin on several occasions and after Jesus Himself gave a revelation to him, do you know what he said? He said to give him scripture. Jesus Christ Himself just gave it to him and he still asked for the Word. Even if Jesus Christ appears to you, you stay with the Word of God. If the Word says it, you say it. Don’t follow after flashy preachers, or ear tingling messages. You stay with the Word of God, whether it tingles your ear or not. God is with us.
