The Christian Life is not a static one. It's a walk with God that's constantly in motion,

evolving and moving forward. Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall kicks off our

next teaching series. This one is called Growing Deep in the Christian Life. It's designed

to help you strengthen your walk with God by learning more about his character, getting

better acquainted with his word, and learning to draw near to him through every step of

life. First Timothy chapter 4 is the passage that Chuck chose for his opening message.

In my opinion, the saddest phenomenon of our day is not the level of cultural illiteracy

in our society. It's the prevalence of biblical illiteracy. Some remain relatively ignorant

about the Bible and its spiritual principles and practices. Folks, let me just lay it on

the line. We can't afford to stay that way. Clearly, God wants us to pursue spiritual

knowledge with passion and with our whole heart. Paul issued an exhortation to his young

son in the faith of man named Timothy regarding the extreme importance of sound doctrine

in a section of Scripture we'll be looking at today. That section is 1 Timothy chapter

4, the first six verses. Let me read it for you from the net Bible. 1 Timothy 4, beginning

at verse 1. Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later time some will desert the

faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings influenced by

the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They will prohibit marriage and

require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those

who believe and know the truth. For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected

if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by God's word and by prayer.

By pointing out such things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of

Christ Jesus, having nourished yourself on the words of the faith and of the good teaching

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