Paul Addresses the Ephesian Elders Pt. 11 External & Internal Wolves: Acts 20:29-32 (cont.)

Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders about wolves from their own midst who would arise proved itself valid as seen by Paul’s later letter to Timothy in Ephesus. Timothy was to forthrightly tell certain men not to teach “strange doctrines.” Some people in the church began to promote teaching and ideas that are in keeping with myths and fables rather than sound doctrine. Elders in the local church must always be ready to intervene when this happens. The church must be grounded in the pure teaching of the Word of God. Myths are stories, which circulated in the ancient world and still do today, about spiritual beings interacting with humans and causing certain outcomes. We discuss the myths from pagan sources which rivaled the truth about Creation and the flood as revealed in the Bible. The Bible keeps being proven true. When compared to the Bible the pagan versions are clearly deficient. Likewise, pagan fables tickle the ears of many. Some teachers in the church love to portray themselves as privy to secret events or causes which the rest of us have been in the dark about. When that happens, sound doctrine is rarely discussed. Timothy was to intervene and refute false teachers. Speculation about what cannot be known harms the church and pushes the truth to the side. We also continue to discuss the nature of the church as an organic body of members attached to the head, Jesus Christ. The institutional church continually goes astray because it is perpetuated by those who have best interests of the institution in mind rather than the well-being of those who are born of God. Eventually the church becomes something it was not and was never meant to be. It becomes an association of religious consumers who have common goals and needs which have nothing to do with growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.