1 Timothy 6:5 (KJV) From Such Withdraw Thyself

1 Timothy 6:5 (KJV)

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

The whole concept of separation—that there are certain people with whom we should have no fellowship, from whom we ought to withdraw—is today considered unkind, even hateful, and contrary to Christianity. But the Word of God, both Old and New Testaments, is filled with instructions on when, from whom, and how to separate.

Here is a clear command that seems largely forgotten by modern Christians—even among Bible-believing, fundamentalist (dare I say it, Baptist) circles. Rather than withdrawing from such individuals, it's common to see them as the leaders of our movements, the speakers at our conferences, and the examples of our faith.

One large group of Fundamentalists (they call themselves Independent Baptists, though I believe they’re more like old-fashioned Methodists who baptize by immersion) make it public—they are not ashamed of it, they promote it—that only preachers who have proven themselves successful by their numbers, church size, baptism reports, bus route growth, etc. would be invited to speak at their big meetings. In their world, gain is godliness.

I don’t want to be too hard on them—truth be told, I think this mindset can be found in any group or movement, including those I’ve been part of. 

Who wouldn’t prefer gain over loss?

But here’s what the Bible actually teaches: the one thing required is faithfulness. Those who teach that gain is godliness are to be avoided, separated from. 

They’ll always have a following. But those following them are not following the Word of God.

#SeparateFromFalseTeachers #FaithfulnessOverFame #TruthNotTrends #BiblicalSeparationMatters #GodlinessIsNotGain

From Such Withdraw Thyself: The Bible’s  Instructions on Separation

📣  The Bible doesn’t measure success by numbers—it measures it by faithfulness. 1 Timothy 6:5 warns us to withdraw from those who equate gain with godliness. Yet today, many of these very people lead our conferences, fill our pulpits, and shape our ministries.

It’s time to return to biblical separation.
✅ Follow Christ, not charisma.
✅ Value faithfulness over fame.
✅ Choose truth over trends.

💬 Question for You:
Have you ever felt pressured to follow someone just because of their “ministry success”? How do you personally guard against it?

📲 Hungry for more solid, biblical teaching? Visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, videos, and resources rooted in the King James Bible.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6800 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
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Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
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1 Timothy 6:5 (KJV) From Such Withdraw Thyself

1 Timothy 5:10 (KJV) From Dusty Roads to Daily Kindness

1 Timothy 5:10 (KJV)

Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

I was taught in Bible college that, in order for an event in church to be considered an ordinance, it must be:

1. Instituted by the Lord in the Gospels
2. Practiced in the book of Acts
3. Instructed upon in the Epistles

It wasn’t until I began teaching in Bible college that I was challenged with a simple question—“Who set those criteria?” And the truth is, I don’t really know. But I can say this: all three are true of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and they are not true of foot washing.

I’ve recently been in conversation with a young Baptist man whose church does practice foot washing. From what he’s described, their practice doesn’t seem to match our text. In his case, men only wash men’s feet, women wash women’s, and it’s done before the Lord’s Supper—except occasionally, when they perform it in someone’s home as a “ministry” to them.

Foot washing in biblical times was practical—it had to do with dusty roads, their footwear, and the type of furniture they used. Barnes writes, “It is not certain whether this is to be understood literally, or whether it merely denotes that she had performed offices of a humble and self-denying kind—such as would be shown by washing the feet of others. It was one of the rites of hospitality in the East to wash the feet of the guest (Genesis 18:4), and Paul might have spoken of this as having been literally performed. There is not the slightest evidence that he refers to it as a religious rite, or ordinance…”

I am inclined to see it as a metaphor. She’s one who is a blessing, a help, a comfort to the saints.

And couldn’t we use more souls like that?

Whether man or woman, married or single, widowed or not—
Our churches, yea our world, could use a good dose of people who are known for being good to others!

#ServeTheSaints #BiblicalHospitality #NotAnOrdinance #GoodWorksMatter #BeABlessing

From Dusty Roads to Daily Kindness: A Call to Practical Christianity

🚿 Foot Washing: Ritual or Real Ministry?
1 Timothy 5:10 doesn’t call for a ceremony—it calls for a life of service. The Bible lifts up those who bless others, meet real needs, and follow every good work.

📜 What’s the difference between a symbol and a lifestyle?
💬 Do you think foot washing should be practiced today? Share your thoughts below!

📲 Hungry for more solid, biblical teaching? Visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, videos, and resources rooted in the King James Bible.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6800 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 5:10 (KJV) From Dusty Roads to Daily Kindness

1 Timothy 4:3-5 (KJV) No Guilt on the Grill

1 Timothy 4:3-5 (KJV)

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

There are two objections we find in the Bible to eating certain meats:

• Whether they are clean or unclean
• Whether they have been offered in sacrifice to idols

The biblical answer to each of these objections is that the meat is perfectly acceptable for food to all those who “believe and know the truth.”

The idol is nothing. The only reason not to eat meat offered to idols is if doing so would be part of idol worship—something no Christian should take part in—or to avoid being a stumbling block to a weaker Christian who hasn’t yet come to understand this truth.

Concerning unclean meats, this passage gives specific instruction:

• God created every creature.
• God created every creature’s meat to be “received with thanksgiving.”
• The meat of every creature God created is good.

There are some creatures I personally wouldn’t eat, but that’s more cultural than biblical. The meat of most creatures must be properly prepared to bring out the best flavors—and in some cases, to make it safe for consumption. Proper care of the animals before processing is important. Dead or sickly animals are best not to be eaten.

Bottom line: those who believe and know the truth may eat any meat they enjoy—with thanksgiving to God for His provision.

• No guilt.
• No judgment.
• No restrictions.

Just pure enjoyment and nourishment.

Those who teach otherwise speak “lies in hypocrisy.”

#BiblicalFreedom #SanctifiedByTruth #ThankfulForGodsProvision #NoFoodGuilt #EveryCreatureIsGood

No Guilt on the Grill: Eat with a Clear Conscience

🍽️ Can Christians Eat Any Kind of Meat?
According to 1 Timothy 4:3–5 (KJV) — Yes!
👉 “Every creature of God is good… if it be received with thanksgiving.”

Don’t let man-made rules steal your joy at the table.
✔ No guilt
✔ No judgment
✔ Just gratitude and freedom in Christ

🕊️ The truth is simple: God’s Word and prayer sanctify your meal.

💬 Question for you: What’s a meat you’ve enjoyed that others might question—but you received it with thanksgiving?

👇 Drop your answer in the comments and join the conversation.

📲 Hungry for more solid, biblical teaching? Visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, videos, and resources rooted in the King James Bible.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6800 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 4:3-5 (KJV) No Guilt on the Grill

1 Timothy 3:3 (KJV) Dumbing Down the Pulpit

1 Timothy 3:3 (KJV)

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

A number of years ago, I had a conversation with a young but very confident pastor (who is, by the way, now divorced, out of the ministry, and spiritually very messed up) about this chapter of God's Word—especially the qualification of being the husband of one wife.

His assertion was that if people like me continued to insist that a divorced man is unqualified to pastor, it wouldn’t be long—given the culture of our day—before there would be none qualified. (This is already a serious problem in many churches regarding qualified deacons. Many have done away with deacons altogether and replaced them with “leadership teams” in order to skirt around the biblical qualifications.)

I’d like to take a moment to meditate on the “dumbing down” of the qualifications for the ministry. I understand that all of us are sinners. If someone were to dig deeply enough, they’d find dirt in the life of the godliest person they know. I recently read a quote by C.H. Spurgeon where he urged believers not to be offended when accused of wickedness—because we’re far more wicked than they know.

Still, the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 do not require perfection—only Christ meets that standard. But they do call us to a high and holy one, and we do no service to the work of God when we compromise them.

I’m convinced that one of the most overlooked qualifications is in verse 6: “Not a novice.” In our sincere and good desire to reach the world for Christ, we may send preachers into fields white unto harvest before they’ve had time to be proven.

• How would we know if they’re not given to wine?
• How would we know they’re no striker?
• How would we know they’re not greedy of filthy lucre?
• How would we know they’re patient?
• How would we know they’re not a brawler?
• How would we know they’re not covetous?
  

Some are sent out before they’re even married—

• How would we know if they can rule their house well?

Unless we insist on them being faithful, consistent, dutiful members of one local church long enough for their spiritual gifts to be observed?

There’s no question our world desperately needs the gospel of Jesus Christ. But turning churches over to unqualified men only hurts that cause.

#BiblicalQualifications #NotANovice #FaithfulBeforeFruitful #StandardsMatter #ProtectThePulpit

Dumbing Down the Pulpit: Not a Novice

Are we lowering God’s standards for church leadership? The Bible’s qualifications aren’t optional—they protect the purity and power of the Gospel. If we ignore “not a novice” and other key requirements, we risk weakening the church’s witness.

Do you believe today’s churches are compromising too much on leadership? Share your thoughts in the comments!

📲 Hungry for more solid, biblical teaching? Visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, videos, and resources rooted in the King James Bible.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6800 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 3:3 (KJV) Dumbing Down the Pulpit