Student Devotion Week 40: Faithfulness at Great Cost: Paul's Parting Message To The Ephesians

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 4:7, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly."

I know of a youth group in which the students were in the habit of becoming very emotional during their Wednesday night service. Being emotional isn't wrong, but they seemed to get emotional for no reason. The youth minister decided to test them. So he preached an impassioned talk and then asked if any of them wanted to come forward and accept Christ. The altar area was full of students! Suddenly he stopped the service and informed the teenagers that everything he'd just told them was wrong. Not a bit of it was supported by Scripture. They'd become emotional about something that was completely fake.

This danger isn't new. At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul was headed back to Jerusalem. On the way he stopped and met with the elders of the Ephesians church. He gave a farewell speech and warned the Ephesians to beware those who preach false teachings about God. Paul wouldn't be around to protect them anymore, so they had to learn to protect themselves.

We must also be on guard against false teaching. As you continue to mature in your Christian faith, you'll probably encounter false teachers. Unless you test the teaching against Scripture, you'll find you're like that youth group: Looking spiritual but having no substance.