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1 Timothy 6:4-5 "[H]e [who teaches other than in accord and agreement with Jesus' teachings] is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain."

 

Are we sure Paul didn't have access to the internet? If Twitter had been renamed "A Morbid Craving for Controversy" I think it would be more accurate! Paul is not talking about non-believers, but about those who profess to believe in Christ, yet substitute their own teachings for His. The non-believers are much easier to reach, while the false teachers are a real danger to Christianity. The latter's proud and stubborn adherence to their own interpretations causes "controversy and disputes" in the Church and the world. They won't listen to opposing views; they self-righteously impose their views on others; they manipulate words to support their personal doctrines without caring about the spirit behind those words. All of this gives Christianity a bad name, as people see the "envy, dissension, slander, and base suspicions" that result from this behavior, and think Christians are no different from anyone else, except maybe more proud and disruptive.

 

Christ spoke the true teaching, and modeled how to teach it. We are meant to continue His teaching in the manner that He taught it. If we find ourselves speaking (or texting, or posting) with vitriol, suspicion, slander, mean-spiritedness, unfounded accusations, pride, or any other uncharitable words or intentions, we can be sure we are not speaking for Christ, and we are part of the problem.

 

The world is awash these days with people like Paul describes. Some of them are professing to speak for Christianity, many others are adherents of other religions, including the secular ones that are popping up all around us and have all the trappings of religion, other than belief in God. If we want people to know that Christ is the refuge from all of the confusion, hatred, dissension, envy, suspicion, and so on, we have to model Him and His teachings to the world, rather than stridently proclaiming our own interpretation of God's Word and adding fuel to an already raging fire.