Having mentioned the controversies, Paul wants Timothy to counter them and to stand for the truth of God once revealed to the saints, and make sure that the churches stand for that as well. That is what Paul means when he talks about sound doctrine.
Yesterday we concluded by listing the first bad consequence of Gnosticism. We continue our study today by looking at the second consequence.
Now Paul mentions false doctrines that were plaguing the church, and he has particular ideas in mind. They have to do with myths and genealogies. Now I don't think this has to do with the kind of genealogies you find in the Old Testament, or of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels. It is not the tracing of descendants that Paul is addressing. Rather, Paul combines this reference to genealogies with myths. Beginning in the latter half of the first century, and growing in influence in the next century, was teaching that collectively was known by the name of Gnosticism.
As we begin a study of the Pastoral Epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy, I can't imagine a portion of the Word of God that is more appropriate or needful for us in these days. These are letters written by the apostle Paul to Timothy, who will in a sense take up the mantle after Paul’s life and ministry are over. In order to do this, Timothy very much needed the divinely-inspired and inerrant instruction that Paul gave. This is relevant and important to us because we find ourselves in something of the same situation.
