1 Timothy 4:1–5 - The Appearance of Wisdom

Imagine that you’re very hungry, and you walk into a room where you see a bowl of fruit sitting on a table. It looks fresh and nourishing. Just the sight of it intensifies your hunger. You crave the fruit. But when you pick it up, you realize it’s artificial.


It has the appearance of life, but not the substance.

Scripture warns that man-made religion is that way. It may look spiritual. It may seem wise and disciplined. But beneath the surface, it can’t produce the life or holiness you desire.

The apostle Paul says that self-made religion has “the appearance of wisdom,”
but in Jesus Christ, true wisdom has appeared. In Titus 2, he states that, “the grace of God has appeared.” Salvation and and the power for inner transformation have come – not by human willpower, not through self-denial or self-discipline, not by enlightenment within, but through a person. Grace appeared in Jesus Christ, and so Paul says that Christ “became to us wisdom from God.”

Christ is the knowledge we need.

We’re drawn to the idea that the power is within us. Transformation we can control sounds good. But at the core, focusing on things like becoming more self-aware, controlling behavior through discipline, suppressing ordinary desires and appetites to unlocking a better life are just various expressions of human willpower dressed up as wisdom.

Rather, our focus must be on the person and work of Christ. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul warns Timothy about these philosophies that appeal to the sinful nature but actually pull sinners away from Christ. Christ must our only ground for confidence, hope, identity, and righteousness.

But how do we look only to Him as our wisdom? What Paul says here can be summarized as you see there on page 6: Beware self-glorifying worship, which comes from hell, and Enjoy God-glorifying gifts that come from heaven.

Life in Christ is not characterized by burdensome restrictions. There is freedom in Christ. He is our true wisdom for living. Let’s look closer at how.

Now, Paul began this letter warning about false teachers. Here, he returns to that subject. Verse [1], “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

When did “the Spirit” say this? In Matthew 24, Jesus says, “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.” That’s just one example of divine revelation ultimately given by the Holy Spirit.

“Later times” is equivalent to the more-often used phrase “the last days.” This is the period of time between the first and second comings of Christ. During this time, some will start out in the visible covenant community but then leave. Some will “depart from” – withdraw from or fall away from – what true Christians believe. They may still call themselves Christians, but they believe and practice something else: not apostolic doctrine, not what Jude the brother of Jesus called “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

What were these false teachers doing? “Devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” On the surface, false teachers probably don’t promote worship of Satan, but he is the one behind their teachings. Satan is a deceiver. He distorted the truth. From the beginning, he has twisted God’s words, offering so-called “true” knowledge and “true” life. These false teachers may appear knowledgeable and disciplined, but they are human puppets on strings pulled by demons.

Notice verse [2] “through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” These teachers don’t see themselves as deceived or manipulated. The term “insincerity” – which some translate “hypocrisy” – indicates that it’s an act. They appear devoutly religious, but it’s all a show. Why would someone behave this way? There’s a demonic influence for sure, but Paul says their “consciences are seared.”

The conscience is the God-given inner moral compass. Searing involves “branding with a hot iron.” Sensitivity is lost. These false teachers become calloused. Dr. Bill Barcley says, “They are no longer kept in check by the God-ordained pangs of conscience.” Hunger pangs tell you eat. Conscience tells you right and wrong. Knowingly and continually going against sound conscience is very harmful.

Now look at what these teacher were doing, verse [3], “who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods.” Why would they demand these things? Paul addresses this strict religious self-disciple in Colossians 2. He says, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

False teachers say were telling people that self-denial would get them more knowledge from God and make them more holy. But Paul responds argues against this from God’s works and words at Creation. He points out that marriage and various food are things “that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

This includes the foods that were – for a time – prohibited for ancient Israel. During that season, God labeled certain foods “unclean” as a means to separate Israel from the pagan nations. They couldn’t even sit down to eat with pagans. However, in Acts 10, the apostle Peter receives a vision in which the Lord makes clear that no food is inherently unclean, therefore no person should be called unclean on the basis of OT ceremonial law.

Various forms of this pop up in every generation. The message is “Enlightenment is a set of rules” or “Wholeness is a set of restrictions.” Basically “The power is inside of you.” The true Christian faith says “The power is Christ alone, and Christ in you.” He transforms the heart and life.

Each form of false religion is an attempt to be righteous, sanctified and redeemed. But the answer is not a series of hoops to jump through or a mountain to climb. We don’t journey to the wisdom that brings enlightenment and wholeness. Wisdom came to us. Righteous, sanctification, and redemption appeared. And we receive it, not by self-discipline or self-denial, but by faith.

Wisdom is not a philosophy. He is a person.

Wisdom is not a rigorous system. He is a Savior.

Wisdom is not a set of rules. He is a Redeemer.

Christ is our access to wisdom, but He’s more than that. He Himself is our Wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes, that because of God’s grace “you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Through Him – and more specifically, in union with Him – we know God. He reveals what God wants from us and what God has for us.

Do you want Christ as the only ground of your confidence and identity today? Then beware self-glorifying worship, which comes from hell. Who falls for these “teachings of demons?” Often, it’s people who have guilt over excesses. So, strict denial seems like the answer. They might be driven by shame or a need to feel righteous.

Do you live under that burden? That’s not true Christianity. True Christianity glorifies Christ, not the human self. But that doesn’t mean that true Christianity is constant self-deprecation and denial. It’s freedom to enjoy God-glorifying gifts that comes from heaven.

Look at verse [4]. Paul says “For everything created by God is good.” Genesis 1 says “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Marriage is good. Marital intimacy and the marriage bed are good. And all that God has given us which we can eat is good.

There is a place and time for self-denial. I’ll say more about that next week. It’s healthy to abstain from some things for a time. But the things God created are to be enjoyed. These sense here, however, is that we can only enjoy them as they should be enjoyed if Christ is our wisdom. Otherwise, we’re prone to make idols of these things.

In every generation, there are people who recognize this. They recognize that there are many ways to go wrong with marriage and food. And so the logic is “Deny yourself.” Some people take it to extremes. But look at Paul’s advice.

“Nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” With this short statement, guided by the Spirit, he gets to the attitude of the heart. First, see Christ, your wisdom, then see the provision of God. And enjoy God’s gifts – guided by the grace and knowledge of Christ. Seeing every good gift from God as an extension of the first and greatest gifts: life and salvation in Jesus Christ.

When we pray, we pray “in the name of” Jesus Christ. Why? Because He is our access to the living God. Our prayers are washed in His blood. He is our “righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” We don’t just talk to God. In Christ and because of Christ we talk to God.

Why do we give thanks before a meal? To cultivate a thankful heart. See verse [5], “for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” That’s why we pray and “ask the blessing” or “give thanks” at meals. When we given thanks, we’re consecrating these things, setting them apart – not that we purify them any way but that we receive them as gifts from God  and we ask him to use them to make us strong and able to serve Him. Looking at the verse again, “the word of God” refers to what God said at creation. He said that what He made is good. And “prayer” refers to our prayers of thanks for all that God has given to us.

There’s a negative command here, but also a positive command. Beware self-glorifying worship but Enjoy God-glorifying gifts. We’re prone to excess. We’re prone to turn God’s gifts into ultimate things, things we worship and treasure more than we treasure God Himself. But the answer is not more self-denial and restriction.

That’s not wisdom. It has the appearance of wisdom, but that’s not wise.

The answer is seeing and savoring the goodness of Christ our Lord. The answer to our excess and our idolatry is not denial of self. It’s devotion to Jesus. Enjoy God-glorifying gifts that comes from heaven – and the most God-glorifying gift that came from heaven is Christ the Lord.

Do you look to Him – and do you see everything through Him? He invites us to His table not to deny but to delight.

Let’s bow before Him prayer.