Many of Paul's writing were written to a specific church, or area, they were not real personal but sent for a certain purpose. However, when He wrote the Books of Timothy, they were personal letters to a Pastor in Ephesus named Timothy. Timothy was a younger believer who was saved through Paul's ministry. Paul became a spiritual father to Timothy, teaching him and mentoring him. Timothy grew in his faith and entered into ministry. Paul then writes to Timothy, and as he closes his letter he gives Timothy some words of wisdom that still ring true to us in our day.
I Timothy 6:1-6 says
"1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain."
Looking at v4, we see that there are characteristics of a false teacher. This was a warning to Timothy, but also to us. There are many false teachers among us, they look good, but they are wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). One of these characteristics is that a false teacher dotes about questions and strifes of words. Doting means "excessive affection", and in the Greek it has the idea of "a morbid desire for something". The word for "questions" means a dispute, it is a question that is asked for the purpose of disputing and arguing. It is not a genuine attempt at learning something, but it is to cause division. Not only disputing questions but "strifes of words". That phrase is one word in the Greek "logomachia (λογομαχία)", Thayer defines this word "to wrangle about empty and trifling matters" meaning, there are things that just do not matter, but false teachers will dispute it and contend the matter.
There are many false teachers in our midst, they are proud and arrogant, and they love to cause division. We must watch for these false teachers because they are ungodly. We must not get tangled up into these kind of questions, and issues. Our focus must be on the Gospel!
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