Alright, let us delve further into 1 Timothy, Chapter 4. It remains a challenge. The title of this chapter is: "Be a Good Minister of Jesus Christ."

Timothy was dispatched to minister to the people of the church in Ephesus. Upon arrival, he found all sorts of individuals, each with a formidable tongue. There were elderly women, almost like Grandma Liu from the Grand View Garden. In their presence, Timothy felt overwhelmed, as if the old women were uttering truths. A most undesirable situation, wouldn't you agree?

After arriving in Ephesus, Timothy wrote to Paul, detailing the various difficulties he encountered. Paul responded, instructing Timothy on how to proceed. Timothy found a group in the Ephesian church advocating against marriage. One must be cautious, as such teachings are doctrines of demons. They also forbade the consumption of certain foods.

The church also had its share of fitness enthusiasts, some with well-defined abdominal muscles, others running marathons, all in peak physical condition. Timothy, in contrast, was rather pale and had a delicate stomach. You see, there was a wide spectrum. Some suggested that Timothy should exercise. These matters provided Paul with an opportunity to write back, instructing Timothy to "Be a Good Minister of Jesus Christ."

Of course, besides the musclemen, there were also those with ample girth, resembling Michelin tires, enjoying their meals. Can a Michelin tire be a good minister of Jesus Christ? Yes, but one must have substance in the mind, not just in the flesh.

Beware of Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Demons

To be a good minister of Jesus Christ, we, brothers and sisters, must be vigilant. If you are a junior pastor, or a pastor overseeing many, as a minister of Jesus Christ, you directly confront evil spirits and demons, which are formidable.

Do you imagine evil spirits and demons to resemble ghosts from horror films, with a skull and a white robe, floating in the air with a "whoosh," startling you with a "boo"? Demons do not appear that way. That is not demonic; that is Halloween.

So, what do evil spirits and demons do? I will tell you: marriage. Many tragedies arise from marriage, so they forbid it, and they forbid certain foods. They push this agenda, saying marriage is forbidden. Brothers and sisters, I have never said you cannot marry. If you wish to marry at seventy, do so; if not, do not. If you wish to marry at twenty, do so; if not, do not. It is your decision. It has no bearing on sanctification.

And you know, this prohibition of marriage is accompanied by a host of other things, pushing it to absurd lengths within the church. Another matter perplexes me greatly, related to marriage. After marriage, people engage in that act, do they not? Is that not normal? Is it not God-given? It is. Yet, they oppose God.

Being a pastor is not easy, because one must contend with these demonic doctrines. People come and say, "Pastor, I..." I ask, "What is it? Speak up. What is the problem?" They say, "I... I have committed sexual immorality." I ask, "How so? Did you sleep with someone?" They say, "No." I ask, "Then what happened?" They say, "Pastor, I... I had a reaction in my sexual organ."

How does one discuss this? If there were no reaction, would that not be a medical issue? I say, "If there is a reaction, there is a reaction. Would God create something without a reaction?" They say, "No, but I also have that." I ask, "Which?" They have a habit of self-gratification, also known as masturbation.

This matter stumps me. I searched the Scriptures and found nothing on it. Yet, many consider it a sin, and many churches condemn it. If you attend a charismatic church, they have a form to fill out before deliverance, listing sins to check off and renounce.

Have you played this game? If so, I tell you, it is dangerous. Many items on that list are not mentioned in the Bible. After checking them off, you must renounce them, which creates immense pressure. People begin to feel defiled.

They not only forbid marriage but also impose abstinence on matters related to sex. Can one abstain? If so, congratulations. Checking it off is useless. Some type, saying, "Pastor, I have checked that off." It is useless! I prefer to be blunt. Is it not useless? I return to the Bible and find no such teaching in its entirety.

Furthermore, the church has many dietary restrictions. Some only eat organic food. What is organic? Food grown with natural fertilizers. If you examine organic plants, they are often fertilized with manure. My goodness, they focus on such trivial matters, forgetting our God.

I have studied what Jesus said on this matter. Jesus said that food cannot defile a person; it enters the mouth and is expelled into the latrine the next day. Is it not the thoughts and intentions of the heart that defile a person?

For example, some believe that renovations are harmful due to formaldehyde. One sister entered our newly renovated house and exclaimed, "This will kill you! The formaldehyde is deadly!" Thankfully, we are still alive. People enjoy discussing such things, like substandard or toxic food.

A friend who sells building materials shared with me the formaldehyde ratings of materials, from zero to three. He said that boards with formaldehyde resist termites. People are concerned about these things. In my opinion, identifying good and evil with colleagues, arguing with your mother, quarreling with your father, or having marital strife generates far more formaldehyde than an "E1" board. Even E100 cannot compare to the formaldehyde produced by discerning good and evil.

Therefore, we as Christians, especially as ministers of Jesus Christ, must be wary of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1)

Let us read further to understand what constitutes doctrines of demons.

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:2-5)

Do you understand now? We tend to focus on a multitude of things. Where does it come from? From the devil. I tell you, medicine has its side effects, whether it is traditional Chinese medicine or Western medicine. Is the toxicity significant? Yes, but we use poison to combat poison, taking medicine and injections daily. Is that not dangerous? We are not afraid. People are easily deceived by these schemes.

Once, a sister came to me for deliverance and stayed for half a month. Every morning, I saw her take out several small packets of powder from her bag, yellowish rather than white (if it were white, it might be drugs). She poured the powder into a cup, added hot water, and covered it. I asked, "What is that?" She said, "Organic food, a blend of various beans ground into powder." I discovered it was expensive and a multi-level marketing product. Had she investigated it? Health food? What health? She had been consuming it for a long time with no effect. Her ailments were healed through my prayers, not through that product.

There are countless demonic doctrines, such as the need for cleansing prayers after deliverance. Some say, "I have not had cleansing prayers!" They believe everything except the power of God. The church is rife with demonic doctrines. Is that not dangerous? Some deliverance pastors only consume organic products. I think, "I do not care whether it is organic or not; just eat it." I do not concern myself with such matters. But others are different; they must live healthily. Yet, those who seek to live healthily often do not outlive me.

Therefore, be careful. As a minister of Jesus Christ, do not get caught up in marriage, food, and other trivial matters. That is not the truth. Remember, demons do not appear as skeletons to frighten you. Demons operate in everyday life.

Reject Profane and Old Wives' Fables

Especially for our young ministers and deacons, we must reject worldly talk. The world is powerful; who is behind it? The world is full of demons. When Timothy arrived in Ephesus, the church was heavily influenced by worldly talk. Once you establish a church, you must be highly sensitive to worldly talk. What is worldly talk? It does not teach you to kill or set fires, but it is corrupting, along with old wives' fables.

How can I give you an example? There is much worldliness in the church. Once, I attended a church course where the leader spoke at length about his grandmother, a devout Buddhist, whom he admired greatly. What was he saying? Was she truly devout? Yes, but then he spoke about learning from her devotion to follow Jesus Christ. My goodness, what was that? A lament.

When Timothy arrived in Ephesus, there was much worldly talk. The church criticized him, saying, "Timothy wasted his education by following Paul. What can he achieve?" Timothy overheard and thought, "I need to get a degree, a doctorate." This is Timothy's backstory. He asked Paul, "Should I return to the Pharisees and get a degree?" How corrupting! Timothy felt he needed a doctorate to minister effectively, adopting worldly logic and customs.

What did Paul write in Ephesians? He wrote about following the customs of this world, obeying the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the evil spirit in the air. How powerful! Worldly customs have corrupted many. Reject worldly talk. We do not know why Paul wrote this, but worldly talk must have entered Timothy's heart. Otherwise, why would he need to reject it? Paul told him, "You cannot go down that path!"

There were also many old wives' fables. An old woman might say to Timothy, "Your baby face has not faded yet." Timothy immediately felt self-conscious. Do you know what a baby face is? It is when a young bird's beak is still yellow, indicating immaturity. The old woman saw Timothy as inexperienced, saying, "I have more experience than you." These old women are formidable, saying, "Timothy, it is not as you say; it is like this." This immediately deflated Timothy.

Although Timothy was a deacon, what happened? We see between the lines that he may have had a girlfriend whose family included such old women who were very talkative. Timothy was deflated by their fables. The old woman might say, "Timothy, listen to your wife; a man who listens to his wife will prosper." They peddle such ideas. The old woman has accumulated a wealth of fables. If you search online, you will find northeastern grandmothers with elaborate and captivating stories, such as "A man who fears his wife will become wealthy." Who is this old woman? Perhaps his girlfriend's grandmother. This is rejecting worldly talk and old wives' fables.

As Christians, we accumulate bits and pieces of garbage, making it difficult to be ministers of Jesus Christ. Before you can minister to old women, they will lead you astray, listening to demonic doctrines. The old woman might say, "If you want to be my granddaughter's husband, build up your muscles. Take off your shirt and show me your abs. Oh, only three abs." What can Timothy do? He goes to the gym and starts working out every day.

Paul's letters are most insightful: You must train yourself to be godly. An old woman might say, "How can you marry my granddaughter without a six-pack? You need to work out!" These words alone could send Timothy to the gym. "You're short on cash? I'll fund a coach for you." Heavens! With the money spent, would he refuse? Timothy might just go and chase after those abs. People are easily swayed, and he might just get tricked into it.

But Paul would hear of none of it. "Train yourself to be godly."

"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. (1 Timothy 4:7-9)

Are these words weighty? Indeed. Whether Timothy took up boxing or ran marathons, we do not know. The old woman might think, "How can you protect my granddaughter like this? As her husband, you must have some martial skills. Go to the Shaolin Temple!" That would be even worse.

So, I tell you, brothers and sisters, is this misleading or not? Running marathons is indeed good for the body, and bodybuilders show off their muscles on stage. But Timothy would have nothing to show. Serving as a deacon of Jesus Christ does not require a six-pack or marathon running; it only requires training in godliness.

Why godliness? Simply put, when you are godly and obedient to God's truth, your body should not be in poor condition. Why? Because you have not mistaken good for evil, indulged the flesh, or followed the customs of this world. Can the demons you attract be many? No. Do you attract many demons when you follow the customs of this world? Yes. If you attract demons, you will not achieve your other goals. Who will you teach? If you, as a deacon of Jesus Christ, preach health products, fitness, or insurance, how can you do the job? It cannot be done!

Therefore, physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. If we think health comes from exercise, we must be cautious. If we think health comes from wellness practices, we must be careful. Many wellness experts do not live past fifty.

One day, a wellness expert, also an official, shared these concepts with his colleagues, discussing wellness and even blood transfusions—almost organ transplants. Replacing this and that, all grafted parts. Before sixty, before retirement, he died. Those who listened said, "Your ideas were nonsense." Training in the lies of demons.

So, brothers and sisters, ponder this: We must begin to reject these things and train in godliness. What is training in godliness? Striving for truth and growing continuously. I ask you, how does cancer come about? Did they not take care of themselves? Yes. Did they not pamper their bodies? Yes. Did they not exercise? Yes. Why then cancer? Because their minds were not godly, filled with worldly principles, leading to illness. Now, serving these people requires me to reorient myself. Why? Their minds are exceedingly filthy. How should I serve them? If you tell them, they are displeased.

Brothers and sisters, we must train in godliness, knowing God in truth. Knowing the lies of demons and recognizing the spiritual world on this path of godliness, you will solve significant problems and surely be healthy.

Our Hope Is in the Living God

This is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:10)

Our hope is in the living God. People in this world live in the flesh, concerned only with physical matters and this life. But have they gained anything in this life? Not much. Our hope is in the living God!

Why do we labor and strive? They might ask, "Why follow Paul? Be my grandson-in-law; our family has plenty of money." Timothy struggled. So Paul said, "This is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe."

"We have money; why labor so hard? What's the point?" This is critical. Some sisters still have worldly ideas because their hope is not in God but in finding a wealthy husband, only to become older, single women, filled with despair. They might think, "Being a mistress is disgraceful. If polygamy were legal, being a concubine would be a way to marry." Those who are appealing are older, while the young ones are not interested. It is hard.

Our hope is in God. Our hope must be in God, or we are in trouble. A descendant of a famous person, a university classmate, has been promoting the legalization of polygamy. In Malaysia, it is called "Second Home"; joining Islam allows polygamy. No need to push a movement; polygamy is difficult to promote in China.

But the Apostle Paul labors and strives. "I do not want to be idle; I want to labor and strive so that the fruit of my service on earth will continue into eternity. Our hope is not in this world but in the living God." Timothy's situation is precarious. The old woman is connected to Timothy; her granddaughter might even be a Christian.

I tell you, marrying a Christian is not always best; Christians are too polluted. Open your eyes wide. The Apostle Paul says, "My purpose in living is not in this life but to be saved by God, awaiting His salvation to deliver me from the power of darkness, death, and all spiritual wickedness, so that I can come boldly before God and receive His glorious crown."

Labor is normal. Is laboring in service abnormal? Laziness is a terrible habit. Lazy people find it hard to believe, as do those who indulge in pleasure. They have their hobbies, while we love to serve and labor.

Timothy might be looked down upon, not strong, and a bit clumsy. He might think, "Being a son-in-law might be the best choice; I would not have to labor so hard." But we must remember to be servants of the living God, good deacons of Jesus Christ, living and laboring for this purpose. This is my purpose in living. This is a good servant of Jesus Christ.

Command and Teach

Command and teach these things. (1 Timothy 4:11)

Paul's demands on Timothy are interesting. Not only must you understand these things, but you must also teach and command them, making them clear to others. Marriage is not a sin, and normal marital relations are not sinful. This is created by God, but people must have a godly heart.

Do not worry about what to eat or drink, or about worldly things; these will pass away. Only God is eternal.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:12-14)

Teaching and commanding, we have many stories to tell and can teach people to discern. The Jesus Christ of Christianity teaches us how to live as humans. Do not live as something less than human, like a parasite, becoming a parasite after marrying into wealth.

We teach people to live out God's glory, not to live like Michelin tires or with six-pack abs, but to live out God's glorious image. Whether in business or politics, the rules are complex and hard to escape. But we are freed in Jesus Christ. We lack nothing in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can be taken as medicine, eaten as food, spent as money, and be our glorious crown.

Living out God's glory, we are no longer controlled by worldly things. Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young. Timothy did not know Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han or Genghis Khan. Like many preachers, we do not know much. Those experienced in the world teach people about Emperor Wu and Genghis Khan. Did they live well? No, they lived miserably.

Genesis 5 speaks of a culture of strongmen. We thought heroes were good, and heroic teachings are deeply ingrained, but do you want to be Guan Yu, defeated at Maicheng? Or Zhang Fei, who died tragically?

We teach people to be examples to believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. We compare our love, faith, and purity, not who earns more. We do not covet those things because we do not rely on them. Do your job well, and you will lack nothing. God blesses the work of your hands.

Be Diligent, Focused, Progressive, Careful, and Persevering

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (1 Timothy 4:15)

Be diligent in these matters. Was Timothy not diligent enough? If he were, Paul would not say this. Paul might call and ask, "Where are you?" Timothy might say, "In the park." Paul would ask, "Who are you with?" Be diligent and focused, so that everyone may see your progress. Do not sit on park benches. Are you dancing in the square?

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Was Timothy not careful enough? Yes. Was he not persevering? Certainly. Paul said, "If you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." These are weighty words.

If you were Timothy, you might think, "Why stop my passionate love affair? What progress?" We do not know what happened later, but Timothy did not leave behind much writing, a regrettable case.

The Chinese say, "Bear a son like Sun Zhongmou." Some should have sons like Timothy, but perhaps not named Timothy. God, through Paul, encouraged Timothy to be diligent, not lazy; focused, not distracted. Cut off distractions. Encourage him to progress, be careful, and persevere, not rushing things. Is time spent in service or in dating? Timothy's girlfriend's grandmother calls him over for a lecture, while he listens to Paul's teachings. It is hard.

We must be good deacons of Jesus Christ, diligent, not lazy; focused, not distracted; progressive, not regressive; laboring diligently; and careful in teaching, not speaking nonsense. Timothy might repeat his girlfriend's grandmother's nonsense on stage. Be persevering. We must learn to be good deacons of Jesus Christ.

May God bless you all!

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