The Condemnation Of The Devil: “Not A Novice”
1st Tim.3:6] Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
[7] Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
The Apostle Paul Mentions that the bible teacher could fall into the “condemnation of the devil.” This means he could fall into a specifically designed ‘way,’ or ‘life’ called the devil’s condemnation, but what exactly does that mean? In Romans chapter 8 verse one and verse 2, Paul , “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. There is A condemnation life that the Saint could now live, or a life after the spirit that he could live unto God, but that condemnation life is a life that is not unto God but it is a life that the Saint would live unto his own flesh, but not just his flesh, but unto Satan. This is the condemnation of the devil, this is a life without the spirit of God in Christ, and without the spirit of God, the Saint is going to live by his carnal mind, instead of living by the living word of God, which is the spirit of God.
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Paul says, “lest being lifted up with pride,” because when a Bible teacher is a novice, he has a lack of understanding in “the will of God.” This does not mean that he is a novice in the knowledge of the bible verses, but this means that he is a novice in the will of what God is actually doing today, and what Paul is going after is, the Saints must know the will of God in all “wisdom and Spiritual understanding. This means the Saint must know what is the “good” in God’s sight, he must know what is the evil in God’s sight, and what he ought to abhor, and what God is actually doing today, and what God is not doing, and also not being ignorant of Satan’s devices. And once the Saint is filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, he is able to now walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing with the spiritual mind. The carnal mind and walking in the flesh cannot please God, but the man of God now could be strengthened with all might by the word of God because he is now increasing in the knowledge of God. And as the verses say below, it is by all scripture that we are strengthened, and perfected unto godliness whereby the perfect man is now able 2 walk in instruction in righteousness, and he too can teach the doctrine which is according to godliness unto others, he is a man of God who has the spiritual foundation of the will of God and now he can grow and increase in knowledge by the word of God.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Finally, it is by the word of God that the Saint is perfected, and proper establishment in the will of God is essential to the growth and development of the Saint. The word that Paul uses is that it is “profitable,” and it is profitable for the man of God to be perfect, and to be a son of God who is not a novice. This is understanding the will of God, but oftentimes many preachers are a novice in the wisdom ‘of the will of God in all spiritual understanding.’ The man of God is going to continue to grow in the word of God, but he must first have a spiritual understanding of the will of God, this gives him a foundational doctrine to build upon; which is “the doctrine which is according to godliness.” And this doctrine concerns the man of God having the spiritual mind of Christ, and operating upon the selfless love of Christ as well. But today, there are many Bible teachers teaching the word of God, but not according to His will, and they are a novice in understanding, hence they will fall into the devil’s condemnation because the devil desires that man would continue to counterfeit the word of truth and follow after his designed course for this world as he continues to ‘deceive and be deceive.’
Rod Jones