Jul. 05, 2026

Saints & Sinners

Lying Spirits

Primary Text: 1 Timothy 4:1                               

This Week’s Teaching:  

1) Deceiving Spirits

1 Timothy 4:1: The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

John 8:44: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

DQ 1) How do deceiving & lying spirits operate in human lives?

DQ 2) How are deceiving & lying spirits operating in the church today?

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2) Financial Incentives

1 Timothy 6:3-5:  If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.  He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

DQ 3) How do envy & greed drive people to propagate false teachings?  

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3)  Another Gospel

Galatians 1:6-9:  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all.  Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

DQ 4) Identify false “gospels” in the general culture.

DQ 5) Identify false “gospels” in the historical church.

DQ 6) Identify false “gospels” in the modern church.

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4) Legalism

Colossians 2:20-23:  Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?  These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.  Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

DQ 7) How is fear a component of legalism?

DQ 8) Are you in bondage to legalism?  Why?  

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