1 Timothy 1:18-20,
18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,
19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.
2 Timothy 2:16-18,
16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
18 men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some.
2 Timothy 4:14, 15,
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
15 Be on guard against him yourself too, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
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Notice in each of these instances Paul called out by name men who were opposed to the truth and spreading false doctrines. They were speaking of things they knew nothing about; novices, setting themselves up to be teachers, and flaunting their own speculations and theories.
Paul, having received mercy and salvation through a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, confronted them with the truth. They ignored him, and continued in their folly. In so doing, they added the dismissal of a servant of God to their blasphemy of the word of God.
Our God is a consuming fire, and He will not perpetually tolerate folly, as evidenced by His dealings with the three friends of Job:
Job 42:7, 8.
7 And it came about after He spoke these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
8 “Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
It is for this reason that James said, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment,” James 3:1.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 