The American Civil War is by far the bloodiest conflict in United States history. Many people have noted, however, that more people died in that war from infection than on the battlefield. Since the germ theory of disease had not yet won much support, surgeons didn’t realize that an important part of health was washing and sanitizing their hands. Those practices are important ways to defend the body against disease.
Heresies are like diseases. God holds leaders accountable for defending the church against a disease like heresy. A heresy is a belief that denies an essential Christian doctrine, and holding to a heresy is a major warning sign that a person hasn’t been truly saved. Heresies are dangerous.
Thankfully, Christians don’t need to wait for something like the germ theory of heresy. The Lord shows how Christians can prevent heresy in 1 Timothy 4. The particular heresy Paul mentions in this passage is the belief that creation is not good (1 Tim. 4:1–5). Although he does not quote Genesis 1 in this passage, many verses in the creation account support Paul’s teaching (Gen. 1:12, 18). Because the heretics denied the goodness of creation, they also were forbidding marriage, which is also an essential part of God’s creation (Gen. 2:24).
This teaching had the possibility of leading many people astray, but Paul provides three guidelines in this chapter to protect Christians: They should (1) know, (2) teach, and (3) live out biblical doctrine.
Why is knowing biblical doctrine or teaching important? Paul needed to spot the heresy before countering it. The same is true today. Christians need to recognize when a person is making a heretical statement. How will they recognize the heresy? The more a person knows the truth, the better they see what is false.
The second guideline in this passage is teaching biblical doctrine. Timothy is to “put these things before” Christians (4:6) and to “command and teach” the truth (4:11). Publicly reading, exhorting, and instructing Scripture is vital (4:13). Keeping a close watch over one’s teaching can ensure soundness (4:16). If leaders today follow Timothy’s example, then congregants must expect — and pastors must provide — biblical doctrine from the pulpit. This principle also means that the church must train new teachers as well.
Third, Christians must live out biblical doctrine. If Christians are truly being vigilant, then their defense against heresy cannot simply be intellectual. Christians must live out the truth. Paul exhorted Timothy to model sound doctrine in his own life (1 Tim. 4:12), which reminds us that correct beliefs should lead to faith, love, and purity. Timothy’s teaching would have been in vain if he didn’t leave an example before the believers. True belief in the gospel leads people to live godly, righteous, and sober lives (Titus 2:11–14).
We don’t have to wait for a discovery to defend ourselves against heresy. God’s plan is for us to know, teach, and live out biblical doctrine.