Three Reasons Believers Must Guard their Spiritual Life Like a Sentry

The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy with a sense of urgency throughout his two letters. This is mostly due to the enormous toll the Gnostic heresy was having upon believers in the early church. Paul points to “latter times” and “these things” that the young Timothy must be on the lookout for.

In biblical times, a sentry was a soldier stationed to keep guard or to control access to a place. Paul, in 1 Timothy 4:16, is exhorting Timothy to do likewise, not only for what he believed, but for what he taught, also.

The modern believer is at no less susceptibility. After reviewing the list of things to which Paul is telling Timothy to be on guard for, the question is, are we there yet? The answer is profoundly yes!

Here are three reasons:

One, demonic doctrines and insidious teachings abound in our present day culture. Gnosticism and other heresies have regurgitated as theology, severely compromising our sanctification.

Two, too many believers are abandoning the faith because they no longer believe in what they believe. Confessional purity has all but been abandoned.

Third, a sense of generational spiritual immaturity is prevailing as a result of the privatizing of Christian faith.

Believers must reaffirm the faith and guard their spiritual life like a sentry.