Don't Minimize Jesus

125 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 4:6,7, “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. The Holy Spirit keeps hammering the point home! Don't lose track of the fundamentals concerning Jesus! The godliness that Timothy is encouraged to exercise himself with here, is the same godliness mentioned in 1 Tim 3:16 that we have been addressing for the last couple of weeks. It is the doctrine of Jesus that states he was (a) Manifested in the flesh. (B) Justified in the Spirit. © Seen by angels. (D) Preached among the Gentiles. (E) Believed on in the world. And (F) Received up in glory. Any other teachings about Jesus are to be regarded as profane (void of anything sacred) and nothing but silly old wives tales fit only for discussion among senile, silly, old cronies. Timothy and all other believers are told to shun (don't even engage in debate over these matters but ignore them and simply stick to the guns of godliness as stated in 1 Tim 3:16)! Since the days of Timothy and even before, efforts have always been made to minimize Jesus. To make Him a mere man who was simply a good moral teacher, or to spiritualize His bodily resurrection, or anything else that flies in the face of His godliness as spelled out in 1 Tim 3:16! Don't fall for it! Rather, “exercise” yourself, that is, train yourself on the basic tenets of the faith. To exercise is to regularly engage in activity that strengthens you for an athletic contest. I know no better way to do this than to utilize the creeds, and the catechism, and of course regular time spent in the Word of God! A quick hint for reading the Bible. Use the acronym SPOKE as you read and ask yourselves these questions: Is there any Sin I need to confess: Any Promise I can claim? Anything I am being called to Obey? Any Knowledge about God? And finally, any Error in my way of thinking? 1 Tim 3:16 is loaded with the Knowledge about God. Visit it often and strengthen your faith!