Good morning. Today’s Bible verse is 1 Timothy 6:20: “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.”
In this verse, Paul encourages Timothy to guard the teachings and doctrines of the gospel of grace and to steer clear of what was falsely labeled as “knowledge.” Aware that his time on earth was limited, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, documented these teachings in all his letters for the growth of the Body of Christ. Knowing his time of departure was at hand, he entrusted Timothy and others with this truth, making them responsible for passing it on to future generations of believers.
Paul urged Timothy and all believers to uphold the truths of the gospel of grace, rejecting “profane and idle babblings” and false teachings. Paul’s followers are called to avoid those teachers who impose the Law and to avoid those teachings that detract from the gospel of grace’s core tenets. Paul urged Timothy to challenge the false teachings of Gnosticism, which claimed to possess mystical knowledge of God. These teachings continue to pose a challenge today in various forms within and outside the Body of believers.
Dear brothers and sisters, Paul’s instruction to Timothy remains relevant for us today. We must be wary of false teachers promoting works-based salvation and of those who espouse “special knowledge” that is not in accordance with the Bible, rightly divided and interpreted. To live as members of the Body of Christ, we should build our lives on Paul’s foundational teachings and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Our message to everyone—inside and outside the Body of Christ—is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, dead, buried, and raised bodily from the grave. Through faith in His finished work, we are free from sin and guilt, and by faith in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, we stand justified before God. We should build our lives upon that foundation as members of Christ’s Body. Therefore, let our words and actions reflect the teachings and doctrines of the apostle Paul, while avoiding meaningless chatter and false teachings.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Ti 6:20.