O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

It Is Possible To Stray From The Faith

Truth is older than error, but the effects of error have lasting results. God has always given man a law that is not hard to understand. The Lord has never asked man to do anything he could not do. Error comes when the human heart decides to overrule the will of God for the passions of the heart to do what human wisdom believes to be the truth. There is truth, and there is error because God established one line of authority, and that authority is settled in heaven. When a man denies the world is round, it does not change the truth that the world is a circle; instead, it exposes his error. Sadly, most of humanity does not believe in God because they reject truth.

There have always been godless doctrines of men that come from foolish wisdom with those who profess a so-called knowledge. This is where false doctrines come and how men turn away from truth. Many who once believed in God turn away from truth to follow their own path. The possibility of individual apostasy has always plagued the hearts of men. Paul warned Timothy about the profane and idle babblings that lead to the heart turning away from God. Those who seek after human wisdom will turn away from the faith. At one time, they believed in the faith given through Jesus Christ, but through the wisdom of the carnal mind, walk away from the word of God.

The possibility of a child of God losing his faith is real and dangerous. Paul warned the first-century Christians of those who shipwrecked their faith. These were legitimate people of God who were enlightened by the gospel of Christ, tasted the heavenly gift of grace, and partook of the gift of the Holy Spirit – and they walked away from their faith. The most tragic thing that happens to the heart of man is to walk away from God. Nothing is more damaging to the heart than error. Satan is very cunning in how he changes the hearts of God’s people to follow his pernicious ways. Ironically, one of the most powerful means of destroying the souls of the saints is to make them believe in the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” Many hearts are being led down the path of error to their own destruction because of this doctrine.

Paul said that some have strayed concerning the faith. Those who were in the fellowship of grace fully possessed this type of faith. Human knowledge changes the heart to turn away from God. Paul’s warning was for Timothy to preach the word in every season to secure the hearts of the saints to remain faithful. The danger of a saint losing their soul is real. Satan does not give up on those who leave his fold. He works hard to regain their souls and has succeeded many times. The warning is real because the danger is real. Guard what is committed to your trust!