A Warning to Guard Your Faith

Aaron Birk September 13, 2026 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Outline

1 Timothy 3:15 - I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

Say it in a sentence: Because deception is subtle and inevitable, Christians must guard their faith with the Word and prayer.

I. Be Warned About How Some Will Apostatize

1 Timothy 4:1 - But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons…

A. In the last days

B. By following deceptive, demonic spirits

II. Know Dangerous Teachers Are Present

A. Hypocritical liars

1 Timothy 4:2 - …by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron…

B. Seared Consciences

III. Identify the Lies of the False Teaching

1 Timothy 4:3 - …men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

A. Adding ascetic restrictions

B. Denying God's good creation

IV. Receive God's Gifts With Thanks

1 Timothy 4:4 - For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude…

A. By the Word

1 Timothy 4:5 - …for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

B. By prayer

Authors

Aaron Birk

Roles

Pastor of Faith West Ministries - Faith Church

Pastor of International Ministries - Faith Church

Bio

B.S. – Accounting and Management, Purdue University
M.Div. – Faith Bible Seminary

Aaron is married to Tirzah and has four children: Zemirah, Boaz, Keziah, and Isaiah. Aaron is the Pastor of Global Missions for Faith Church and Pastor of Faith West Ministries. Aaron oversees Faith Church West, international student and family ministries, missionaries, and short-term missions. He teaches in Faith’s Biblical Counseling Ministries and is certified as a biblical counselor through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).