Day 348

December 14th
1 Timothy 3:1-6:10.  “False Teaching is a Waste of Time”
         The Apostle Paul gives young Timothy a great deal of instruction concerning false teaching.  Most often when we hear the term “false teaching” we think of descriptions such as “those who are teaching wrong doctrine” (1:3), “those who deny truth” (6:3), or “teachings that come from demons” (4:1).  However, Paul actually spends a seemingly greater amount of time warning against those who “waste time in endless speculation over myths and spiritual genealogies” (1:4), or those who “spend their time arguing and talking foolishness” (1:6), or those who “waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales” or those who don’t “spend their time and energy in training themselves for spiritual fitness” (4:7), or those who “have an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words” (6:4). 
         What we teach must have priority, meaning we need to spend our time and energy speaking what is of most importance.  It’s easy for us to get sidetracked and begin spending time reading, studying or teaching things that “don’t help people live a life of faith in God (1:4) or “are not foundational for a godly life” (6:3).