The Lord Knows Who are His

This next section of Paul's letter to Timothy carries great significance for Timothy's church in Ephesus. This is not only a personal letter but one that would have been read publicly when all the church was gathered together. And as Paul warns Timothy not to get involved in senseless debates over semantics but instead to preach the Word faithfully, he includes in here an unspoken but rather pointed imperative for Timothy's hearers. While men like Hymenaeus and Philetus are spreading false doctrine that eats away at the body like gangrene, Paul wants to commend Timothy, the man of God, to his flock for the task to which God has appointed him. To do this Paul reminds the church about the rebellion of Korah in the wilderness, when a faction arose that opposed Moses. They no longer submitted to the man God had given to lead them but instead divided the camp loyalties. And in a very clear and definitive act, the Lord instructed Korah and all those who stood with him to separate themselves from the people. And for each to choose whether he would stand with Moses or with this rebellion. And after each had made his choice, the ground opened and swallowed Korah and his rabble crew. Paul's application of this OT narrative is clear; "Make no mistake. The Lord knows who are his." How clear a command would this have been for Ephesus? "False teaching has arisen; either stand with my son, Timothy, or with these gangrenous men. But make no mistake; the Lord will back his man." Is this not a fitting message to us who live in a world that is so fearful of pastoral authority? The Lord does not share our hesitancies. In fact, he will go to great lengths to affirm and uphold those to whom he has given leadership of his flock.