Where Do You Stand In These Last Days?

1 Timothy 4:1-5 - “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; 

[2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 

[3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 

[4] For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 

[5] For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

In today’s devotional passage, the Apostle Paul warns Timothy, his son in the faith, about the departure from the Biblical faith in the last days. He gave examples such as “forbidding to marry” and “abstaining from meat.”

There is nothing wrong for any person to remain single and not to marry. We believe in the principle of “personal soul liberty.” The same applies to eating meat. This is not about whether to eat meat or not. However, if this becomes a law for everyone to submit to, then it goes against the Biblical principle of personal soul liberty. 

Romans 14:5 - “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

The Apostle made a prophetic declaration about the last days we see today. Let us consider the issue of marriage - Celibacy is regarded as a requirement in some religions. But that is not all; marriage today is no longer considered necessary. They think that marriage is just a written understanding between two parties. 

Society has agreed to it. Churches condone it. The laws allow it. We also see the rise of ungodly marriages between same-sex and bestiality. While they are abandoning the traditional marriage, they encourage ungodly relationships.

How about eating meat? It is true that the Bible, in the beginning, only allowed the eating of plants and fruits. But after the flood, it was allowed. Today, a powerful movement discourages anyone from eating meat and using animal products. It is not only being encouraged, but in some areas, it is legislated or required in the name of conservation, health, and animal rights.

Our passage today talks about this particular abstinence. BTW, this is not a declaration that all God’s creatures are good, and we should accept and allow everyone. That is why the principle of inclusivism is popular today and made worse by the issue of discrimination. 

Let us not use this text to support this ungodly trend that allows and requires everyone to accept everything, good or bad. This has turned to amoralism and the loss of discipline and moral standards. This has caused confusion and rebellion in our young people. 

There are several truths here that Apostle Paul has made clear for Timothy and us about the last days:

1.Godly marriage and relationships, according to the Bible, are now rejected in the name of personal convenience and human rights. 

2.Abstinence of meat in the diet is now encouraged and even legislated in the name of religion, conservation, and animal rights. 

3.This passage is not about condoning and tolerating immoral and ungodly behavior in the name of unity. We must continue discriminating right from wrong and stand firmly on Biblical standards. 

4.Personal soul liberty is a Bible doctrine that allows a person to make responsible decisions. It encourages personal accountability.

Conclusion

No one can deny all these are happening today. May this be a warning for all of us to know where we must stand and who we should believe? In these last days, it makes a difference what you believe and where you stand.