Shipwreck is a terrible thing. A once sea worthy vessel breaks apart and is no longer capable of doing what it was built to do. The boat didn’t simply sink in the water, it was run aground or pounded by the wind and waves against a brutal, rocky shoreline. The loss is total and devastating.
As tragic as a literal shipwreck is, Paul described Hymenaeus and Alexander as two people who had “suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith”—1 Timothy 1:19. In the next verse, he actually said he had delivered them “over to Satan”. A shipwrecked faith is very serious.
But how does it happen? Paul identifies three ways to shipwreck your faith:
• Waning to the woo of the wacky.
When a person stops focusing on the person of Jesus and the simplicity of the Gospel, they often look for “new”, “deeper”, or “yet undiscovered” doctrines. Paul called them “strange doctrines”. These wacky, unbiblical beliefs are not only embraced but they soon become explained as dogma. Extrabiblical, sensational teachings will shipwreck your faith.
• Falling for the fascination of fiction.
When people of faith abandon the historical realities of Jesus Christ and turn to fiction, shipwreck is inevitable. This is most pronounced in those who hold a very low view of the Bible. The Bible is viewed as unreliable or inadequate, and therefore fiction and philosophy are championed. Revelation is replaced with imagination, which makes a poor rudder for the ship.
• Promoting the pride of pedigree.
Paul identified “endless genealogies” as a real threat to faith in Christ Jesus. We are not exactly sure what was going on here, but theologians think one’s pedigree was a source of debate among these false teachers in Ephesus. They were claiming spiritual superiority based on one’s family tree or religious heritage. Spiritual elitism, also known as pride, continues to sabotage the New Testament church as doctrinal systems are elevated over the biblical record.
What’s the solution?
Paul writes,
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith—1 Timothy 1:5.
And a few words later, Paul described how Jesus saved him. He confessed to be a violent rebel when the Lord showed him mercy. Despite Paul’s ignorance, Jesus was abundant in grace to give him faith and love.
To drive home his point, he wrote,
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all—1 Timothy 1:15.
Paul used strong language to say, “Believe me on this simple truth: Jesus saves!” The one who minimizes the historical roots of the Bible and then elevates human ideas, philosophies, or systems will soon abandon the Gospel altogether. A certain salvation can never be found in an uncertain Bible.
Keep your faith afloat by staying true to the simple Gospel: Jesus saves!
Question: Can you identify specific modern examples of the three threats mentioned here?
