In the Christian world, we've seen this through the years, and we're seeing it now.

Those popular personality cult leaders often teach things either contrary to the Word of God

or runs parallel with the Word of God.

In either case, their teaching becomes as acceptable as the gospel truth. The reason for the rise of

these personality cults in the Christian church is that because people are often looking for

answers, and that's nothing wrong with that. But they look for them in a man or a woman. They look for them in a system. They look for answers. And that's nothing wrong with that. But they look for them in a man or a woman. They look

for them in a system. They look for them in a set of teaching. They look for them in a little packaged

formula. They look for them everywhere, except where they're supposed to be looking, and that's

the truth of the Word of God.

In Matthew 24, Jesus warned again and again, he said, let no man deceive you.

Now the Apostle Paul was absolutely aware of the insidiousness of that subtle deception.

He knew that deception can come to all of us, pastor and congregation, all of us,

that deception can come to the most ardent Christian. That deception can invade a believing church, that deception can

come to future leaders of a church like Timothy, to whom he's writing. And that is why Paul

begins chapter four, the last chapter in the second epistle to Timothy in chapter four,

verse one, and he says to him,

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who is the judge of the living and the dead,

and by his appearing and his kingdom. Powerful words. I want to tell you at the outset that the NIV, verse one, the translation is very weak.

I give you this charge. No, a more powerful translation, more accurate translation, I solemnly charge you.

This is a legal term which means to testify under oath in the court of law, except this is the court of heaven, where the witnesses no other than the Holy Trinity.

So what is this charge that Timothy is to receive?

What is that charge that he's charging Timothy with?

...