1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NJKV) If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
In the above Scripture, the Apostle Paul warned Timothy to be vigilant against false teachers and those who oppose his teachings. He said one could tell who these people were by their conduct. They are often divisive, envious, evil, suspicious, argumentative, disputing, reviling, and prideful.
In a church comprising people from diverse nations and denominational backgrounds, it is important that we uphold unity. While slight variations in theological convictions may exist, they should not lead to strife and division. We uphold the same doctrine, and our shared love for Jesus Christ and our commitment to reaching the lost should unite us.
We should maintain a balance between the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. When we focus solely on the Word without the Spirit, we tend to become legalistic, judgemental, and self-righteous, placing greater importance on our actions than our relationship with God. Meanwhile, we shouldn’t emphasise the things of the Spirit without a biblical basis either. Overemphasising what we perceive in the Spirit can render us unteachable.
If a dream or vision is from God, not only is it peaceful and teachable, it will also pass the test of being judged by the Word. It is dangerous to swing to one extreme of being led by dreams and visions without checking if they align with the Word of God. On the other hand, we should not merely emphasise the Word of God without making room for the Holy Spirit and His gifts to operate in us. We should emphasise the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that frees us from the law of sin and death, and live a life yielded to the Lordship of Christ.
When God speaks to us, His Word penetrates our spirit and reaches our minds. We need to renew our minds daily with the Word of God, or we will struggle with what He says because our mindsets have been shaped by many people and influences over time. When what we hear from God does not agree with our beliefs or our will, we should always yield our minds and our will to God’s will.
We are living in the end times, when people will be lovers of themselves and full of pride. Today’s Christians are often selective about what they want to hear, preferring to be entertained rather than challenged or taught what to do. However, God wants us to grow in godliness by submitting to the Lordship of Christ, the people He has placed above us, and by yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit, for this is how our characters can be moulded.
Sermon Series：Hopefully Contented
对待神的话语的正确态度
提摩太前书6:3-5 若有人传异教，不服从我们主耶稣基督纯正的话，与那合乎敬虔的道理。他是自高自大，一无所知，专好问难争辩言词，从此就生出嫉妒，分争，毁谤，妄疑，并那坏了心术，失丧真理之人的争竞。他们以敬虔为得利的门路。
在上面的经文中，使徒保罗警告提摩太要警惕假教师和那些反对他教导的人。他说，藉着他们的行为人们就能看出这些人是什么样的人。他们往往、挑拨离间、嫉妒小器、奸邪多疑、争闹纷扰、勾心斗角、恣意谩骂且自高自大的。
在一个由来自不同国家和教派背景的人们组成的教会中，我们最要紧的是坚持团结。虽然神学信仰可能存在细微差异，但不应导致冲突和分裂。我们坚持相同的教义，我们对耶稣基督的共同的爱和对拯救失丧者的委身理应使我们团结在一起。
我们应该在神的话语和圣灵的工作之间保持平衡。当我们只关注神的话语而没有圣灵时，我们往往会变得墨守成规、好论断、自义，更看重自己的行为而不是与神的关系。同时，我们也不应该在没有圣经依据的情况下强调圣灵的事情。过分强调我们在圣灵中感知到的东西会让我们无法受教。
如果一个梦或异象是来自神的，它不仅会给人带来平安和教导，也会通过圣经的考验。不先查考这梦和异象是否符合圣经，就跟随其引导，如此的荡向一个极端是危险的。另一方面，我们不应该只强调圣经，却不留出空间让圣灵及其恩赐在我们里面运行。我们应该强调基督耶稣里生命圣灵的律，它使我们脱离罪和死亡的律，活出顺服基督主权的生命。
当上帝对我们说话，祂的话语渗透我们的灵魂，直抵我们的思想。我们需要每天以上帝的话语更新我们的思想，否则我们将无法理解祂所说的话，因为我们的思维方式随着时间的推移被许多人和影响而塑造。当我们从上帝那里听到的话与我们的信仰或意愿不一致时，我们应该始终将我们的心思意念顺服于上帝的旨意。
我们生活在末世，人们会变得自私自利，充满骄傲。今天的基督徒往往对自己想听的东西有所选择，宁愿被娱乐，也不愿被挑战或被教导该怎么做。然而，上帝希望我们通过顺服基督的主权、顺服祂所放在我们之上的人，以及顺服圣灵的工作，从而益发敬虔，因为这样才能塑造我们的品格。
讲章系列：希望知足
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