1 Timothy 1:3-7 (WEB)
3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4 and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—
5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;
6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking;
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

Continuing on from the devotion on Teaching a Different Doctrine.

There are things we need to pay attention to and there are also things we should not pay attention. In verse 4 we see the we should not agree with, waste our time and effort with: myths and endless genealogies. These things can create false teaching, untruth, and corrupted doctrines as Timothy was to address. These things cause quarrel and break the unity of the faith. False teachers use myth, endless genealogiestheories contrary to sound teaching, like evolution, to make up interesting and captivating concoctions and speculations for their teaching. “Colossians 2:8 (WEB) Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.”

People also hunger for some new and extraordinary teaching, which they love to provide. “2 Timothy 4:3-4 (WEB) For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; [4] and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.”.

All this can lead people away from the truth and distract from what is good and important because looking at them requires investigation that exhaust. These things do not produce love, purity, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Salvation can only be obtained by faith. Instead it produces disunity, hypocrisy, pride, and so much more. In short it is fruit of the flesh instead of the Spirit. One starts to “majoring in minors,” being misdirected to speculating about secondary matters and irrelevancies, instead of doing God’s work, which requires not useless information but ongoing trust in Jesus. “1 Timothy 6:3-6 (WEB) If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesn’t consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, [4] he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions, [5] constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such. [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

These things come from a lack of true understanding as we can see in verse 6 and 7. They try to explain scripture with a carnal mind and by this are straying from the truth.

Therefore let us be encouraged to pay attention to the truth, not turning aside to idle talk and to not get into disputes about things, like we are warned against and by this miss what is really important. Instead we are to not agree with, disallow and not pay attention to these teachings when we gather together. Let us instead encourage one another in love, seeking the things that are above, walking in the Spirit and everything written in Philippians 4:8-9 (WEB) “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. [9] The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”