虚谎教导的危险
提摩太前书一章15至20节
15“基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。”这话是可信的，是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是个罪魁。
16然而我蒙了怜悯，是因耶稣基督要在我这罪魁身上显明他一切的忍耐，给后来信他得永生的人作榜样。
17但愿尊贵、荣耀归与那不能朽坏、不能看见、永世的君王、独一的神，直到永永远远。阿们！
18我儿提摩太啊，我照从前指着你的预言，将这命令交托你，叫你因此可以打那美好的仗，
19常存信心和无亏的良心；有人丢弃良心，就在真道上如同船破坏了一般。
20其中有许米乃和亚历山大，我已经把他们交给撒但，使他们受责罚，就不再谤渎了。
信息分享
保罗在第19至20节提及的人，显然是以弗所教会的重要成员。曾几何时，他们是热心的基督徒，按时参加教会崇拜，与其他信徒一同敬拜。不过，当我们翻到提摩太后书二章18节，便知道他们已「偏离了真道」。他们不再为基督作见证，反而逐渐离弃真道，更开始传播虚谎的教导，特别指出复活的事已成为过去。
虚谎的教导很容易吸引人。一些新奇的学说，总是很受欢迎。腓力思将提摩太后书二章17节意译为：假教师「如同溶血的毒药，又如伤口流出来的浓。」
教会一旦要处理虚谎教导的问题，便很容易在信徒中间造成分裂；这也正是许多教会分裂的原因。但保罗的立场非常坚定。他说：「我已经把他们交给撒但，使他们受责罚就不再谤渎了。」这句话我们今天或许很难明白，却并非过分严厉。它可能表示保罗要将他们逐出教会，或至少在某段期间停止他们的会友资格，直至他们悔改。虚谎教导的问题必须严正处理，教会必须对传播虚谎教导的人执行纪律。
上述二人的教训和保罗在第19节给提摩太的提醒，就是要「常存信心」，并在生活中保持无亏的良心。我们只要保守自己常在基督里，并且倚靠圣灵，圣灵就会带领我们避免离弃真道的危险。
THE DANGER OF FALSE TEACHING
1 Timothy 1: 15-20
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Message
The two men mentioned in verses 19 and 20 obviously were prominent in the church at Ephesus. They must have been keen Christians at one time regularly attending the services of the church and joining in worship with other believers. But when we put 2 Timothy 2:18 alongside the reference here, we see that they “wandered away from the truth.” It seems that instead of witnessing for Christ, they had gradually drifted further and further away and had begun spreading false teaching, particularly about the resurrection being past already.
The problem with false teaching is that it often attracts others. Something new, something novel will always appeal to people. J. B. Phillips paraphrases 2 Timothy 2:17 in this way; false teachers are “dangerous as blood poisoning to the blood and spread like sepsis from a wound.”
False teaching is never easy to deal with without causing division. Many churches have been split over it. But Paul was very firm. The words “I have handed (them) over to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme” could not be stronger although they are difficult to interpret today. It could mean that Paul was excommunicating them or at least putting them out of the membership of the church for a stated period until they repented. It is clear that false teaching must be dealt with and the persons concerned disciplined.
The lesson for us from the example of these two men and Paul’s words to Timothy is found in verse 19 - we need to “hold on to the faith” and to preserve a clean conscience in daily living. The Holy Spirit will enable us to do this if we will allow Him and will keep us true to Christ.