Category: legalism

Continue #10

Friday, May 15, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

For over a decade in my denominational system, I was comfortable in ignorance and childishness (the death of my Christian life)… but that all changed when two faithful brethren gave me the Bible verses I needed to recover myself out of the snare of the Devil (the revival of my Christian life). For almost 20 years now, I have striven to pass on to others what saved me from spiritual kindergarten, that any poor souls willing to listen and believe may come unto the knowledge of the truth as well.

“Continue” distinguishes between the Christian life surviving (it working as God intended) and the Christian life dying (it separated from its function). Those who “depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrine of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1) have no one to blame but themselves. They did not remain with the Dispensation of the Grace of God the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ delivered them through the Apostle Paul’s ministry of Romans to Philemon. Having the completed Bible canon and the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach us, we have no excuse whatsoever for being unaware, immature, or deceived.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:15,16). To “meditate” is “to revolve in the mind, think deeply about, care for, attend to carefully.” Stated another way, Timothy is to contemplate what he has been given in the epistle of 1 Timothy (and 2 Timothy, its companion). Along with the two Timothy Books, Titus and Philemon form the four Pauline pastoral epistles—the handbooks of the local church. Pastors and teachers would do well to concentrate on those four formal doctrinal letters, that they minimize what the Devil does in their assemblies and among their congregants. They should give themselves wholly (completely, entirely) to these words of God’s grace. Let us do likewise, brethren, also depending less and less on man’s intellect and man’s ability. 🙂

Continue #9

Thursday, May 14, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

The sequel to 1 Timothy is 2 Timothy. See 2 Timothy 2:24-26: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” The description “those that oppose themselves” refers to believers who did not continue in grace thinking and grace living; the Christian minister is to teach them sound doctrine, attempting to give them what is necessary to escape Satan’s trap. Today, the professing church overall finds itself in such a snare.

If only we would have continued in the grace principles of Romans to Philemon, our tens of thousands of legalistic denominations that confuse us would have never been started. We would have victorious Christian living—instead of the darkness, blindness, and ignorance that discourage and defeat us. If only we would have continued in the fruit of the Protestant Reformation, the King James Bible, our hundreds of perverted (Roman Catholic) modern English versions that corrupt our minds and deceive our hearts would have never been translated or purchased. If only we would have continued in sound Bible doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit, we would have surely had enough sense and might to oust our pastors and teachers who were not serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Our church buildings would have never been transformed into the social clubs that they are today and our schools would have never become the breeding grounds for apostasy, heresy, and worship of man’s wisdom that they are today.

Doubtless, none of these problems are God’s fault! They are entirely our fault! Friends, we must accept total responsibility, accepting the blame that is rightfully ours and ours alone. Perhaps there is someone reading this who is now aware of the gravity of the situation. The sooner we learn the problem, the quicker we can solve it.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Continue #8

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

Contemplate the words of 2 Timothy 3:14-17, an excerpt from the companion Book of 1 Timothy: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Timothy had a believing Jewess grandmother and a believing Jewess mother, as 2 Timothy 1:5 makes manifest: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” Apparently, these two women raised Timothy (“from a child”), the boy having an unbelieving/Gentile father. Timothy would have grown up with a Hebrew Bible, our Old Testament of Genesis to Malachi. By the time Paul passed to preach in (teenager/young adult) Timothy’s neighborhood (Acts chapters 13 and 14), Timothy became a believer in Christ. When the Apostle returned to the area a few years later, he took Timothy along with him as a ministry helper (Acts 16:1-3).

Whatever sound Bible doctrine Timothy had learned from his grandmother and mother, whatever he had learned from Paul, he was to “continue in [those] things.” The Colossians were exhorted or encouraged to likewise “continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). In the midst of fighting with legalists or Law-based teachers at the Jerusalem Conference of Acts chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas and Titus continued in grace doctrine so it would “continue” with the Galatians (Galatians 2:5), for any apostolic abandonment of grace would stimulate the Galatians themselves to abandon grace….

Continue #7

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

Following Paul’s lengthy non-legalistic (verses 38,39) sermon in the synagogue of Antioch of Pisidia (central Turkey), Acts 13:43 tells us, “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.” Ministering later in the same area, Barnabas and Paul went about “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith,…” (Acts 14:22).

Re-read Acts 20:28-30, Paul guiding the church leaders of Ephesus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” There is a warning to “take heed” (watch out, be careful, exercise caution) here, and the Apostle repeated it years later in today’s Scripture when writing to Timothy who was serving as pastor in Ephesus (cf. 1 Timothy 1:3). In Acts chapter 20, the church leaders are to “take heed” regarding themselves and their congregations.

The Apostle’s counsel resumes: “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:31,32). Satan’s work will go in the world and in the local church until Christ’s return, but we can prepare for it and act accordingly so as to minimize it. By teaching “the word of [God’s] grace,” we lessen the effectiveness of Satan’s lie program. Conversely, if we do not understand the Word of God’s Grace (which can only be identified via dispensational Bible study), then we teach denominational absurdities and thereby further Satan’s lie program….

Continue #6

Monday, May 11, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

For a moment, think of the prophetic program of Acts 3:21. Overall, Israel did not continue in the Divine revelation given them through their Old Testament Prophets or Hebrew Bible, the Books of Genesis to Malachi (refer to Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 4:1-10). However, regarding Israel’s believing remnant, the Little Flock of Luke 12:32, the Messianic Church of Matthew 16:18, the “church” (“called-out group belonging to the Lord”) in Acts 2:47, the Bible reports in Acts 2:42: “And they continued stedfastly [firmly/resolutely, were unwavering] in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Though national Israel was under Satan’s influence and thus apostate (standing away from the truths of JEHOVAH God, the LORD God—chiefly, committing the sin of refusing Jesus as their Messiah), a believing remnant within it was following Christ’s 12 Apostles’ teachings.

As touching our mystery program of Romans 16:25,26, Satan’s present evil world still convinces individuals to abandon the right side of issues and go over to the wrong side. Sometimes it is inadvertently or mistakenly, people just being so utterly clueless that they have no spiritual stability and therefore believe practically anything they hear from religious leaders. The graver situation, the more serious matter, is how certain others have made a conscious choice to believe and teach lies. Paul advised the elders of Ephesus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse [distorted, corrupted] things, to draw away disciples after them [to gain a following, to start a cult!]” (Acts 20:28-30).

False teachers will not continue in sound doctrine, and, unless we continue in sound doctrine, we have no option but to become their victims….

Continue #5

Saturday, May 9, 2026

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16 KJV).

A single word can mean the difference between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying….

Notice: the key term distinguishing between victorious Christian living and notorious Christian dying is “continue,” persisting in teaching and believing sound Bible doctrine or grace doctrine. The opposite is “revert,” as in “turn back” or “regress” or “relapse.” Ephesians 4:17-19 exhorts, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

What happens to those whose Christian life dies (fails to function properly) is they increasingly rely on their own understanding, turning to the Bible less and less, eventually throwing it away altogether—or, they keep the Bible, but do not “rightly divide” it (2 Timothy 2:15).

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). These Galatians did not continue in “grace,” but went back to the Law: they were swiftly “removed” from Pauline influence. These too did not “continue” in, or “endure,” “sound doctrine:” “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).

To ensure victorious Christian living, we must progress in grace edification instead of returning to our former (heathen) thoughts and ways….

NOTE: In order to bring you a special study tomorrow, we will temporarily break away from this devotionals arc….

Zealously Affected #23

Saturday, March 14, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

Recall the conundrum of the Galatian Christians. In today’s Scripture, they were “zealously affected, but not well.” To wit, their Law-based false teachers affected them so they became fervently supportive of man’s religious performance (discarding God’s all-sufficient work/Grace). Emotionally manipulated, they were no longer “zealously affected in a good thing;” that is, they had been brainwashed to reject God’s grace which they had originally received from Paul heartily! In short, they were “flip-floppers,” suddenly changing their opinion to match their situation which had also changed. By “warming up” to their false teachers, the Galatians then “cooled down” in their affection for Paul, thereby being excluded from the Lord’s spokesman to them. Once their Apostle wrote to call this to their attention, he foresaw how they would react to him most bitterly, regarding their friend and brother in Christ as their enemy (cf. Galatians 4:16). What an ABSOLUTE mess!

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Worshipping God goes beyond mere experiencing “good feelings” and involves more than simply “getting in touch with the spirit world.” Our praise of Him must align with “truth,” and truth is not found by searching our hearts or admiring ourselves. Truth is pinpointed in the words of God “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15), what the Holy Spirit says to and about us in Paul’s epistles of Romans to Philemon. We study the Bible from cover to cover, as it is all God-breathed or spoken by the Holy Ghost. Still, we make sure we understand that the Pauline Books define what the God of creation is doing at the moment. Regardless of how we “feel” about this or that, no matter what we “feel” about “him” or “her” (fellow people), here is the objective standard by which we (should!) determine the veracity or falsity of our experience.

This is the only way to survive our spiritually “perilous” world….

Zealously Affected #3

Saturday, February 21, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

Go back to today’s Scripture. Before the legalists or denominationalists showed up in Galatia to “zealously affect” (generate warm or hot feelings in) the Galatian believers, the Holy Spirit through Paul’s ministry had stirred up these saints as they moved from Adam to Christ, from Satan to God. Paul commends them concerning this, for they had the “blessedness” of forgiveness of sins (Galatians 4:15; cf. Romans 4:6-9)… which joy was subsequently lost due to the fear, shame, and guilt that attended their acceptance of the Law. Originally, these Christians were “zealously affected in a good thing,” as Paul’s physical presence and preaching grace produced great enthusiasm in them. However, following Paul’s departure and the false teachers’ arrival, the Galatians went the opposite way! Their fervor for the truth died down while their fanaticism for the lie surged.

Sin causes our emotions to deceive us—and they unquestionably conned the Galatian believers while they adopted legalistic or denominational doctrine. Feelings respond to modifications in our environment; our emotions fluctuate as our surroundings change. Therefore, it is not ideal to base our Christian lives on feelings or emotions: “I do not feel saved,” “I do not feel like God cares or loves me,” and so on. Instead of the subjective (which varies from person to person), we need objective truth (as found in the rightly divided King James Bible). Sin can and does feel good, as in Hebrews 11:25 (“pleasures of sin”), so adrenaline rushes and emotional highs alone are not confirmation that something is appropriate or from God. The Corinthian believers were notorious for their spiritual immaturity and abuse of spiritual gifts (especially the gift of tongues), boasting about what they “saw” and “heard” and “felt” and how they were superior to others because of these “special” experiences (see 1 Corinthians chapters 12–14).

Today’s professing church has failed most miserably in being “zealously affected” in error….

Zealously Affected #2

Friday, February 20, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

Re-read today’s Scripture: “They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.” This “they” was already identified in chapter 1 as follows: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed [banned, excommunicated]. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).

Chapter 6, verses 12 and 13, elaborate: “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.” The “they” are false teachers who have mixed Law and Grace. Evidently, there was a primary one leading a group in Galatia, all of them “zealously affecting” the Galatian saints “not well.” In Greek, “zealously affect” is “zeloo,” from “zelos” as in “heat” (“zeo” meaning “to be hot”). Actually, this is the derivation of the English “zeal,” fervent or enthusiastic devotion.

With the Galatians being emotionally manipulated—“zealously affected”—to support the false teachers and their legalistic (Law-based) system, these Christians would then be inclined to turn from Pauline Grace teaching (“exclude you”), which thereby would make them more emotionally attached to the false teachers and their bad doctrine…..

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #25

Thursday, January 29, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

While transitioning from denominational doctrine to dispensational Bible study, I heard a grace preacher deliver a sermon wherein he remarked, “You do not have to live like a spiritual pauper!” Having matured in sound Bible doctrine all these years later, I understand precisely what he meant. Whereas I was quite eager to hear and believe the verses he was teaching, a great many have responded the same way Paul expected the Galatians would: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). Instead of stumbling in Romans, or Corinthians, or Galatians, we can go beyond the basic principles of grace and stand as mature, adult sons of God (the rest of Paul’s epistles). Let us not get angry at those people who expose our denominations for the malarkey and silliness that they really are!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11). “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;…” (Colossians 1:9-11). We would do well to believe these grace truths in our heart, for they are our “renewed mind” and “reasonable [sensible, logical] service” (Romans 12:1,2)!

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but (never, ever, EVER forget!) we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice (and that will be our fault, not God’s)!

-FINIS!-