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Question
I noticed that there are many verse on fables:1 Timothy 1:4,4:7, and was wondering if these forbid reading or watching secular things. I pretty sure that Paul read Pagan poems though.
Hi Michael,
Well, 1 Tim 4:7 says to have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales but I don't believe either of these verses suggest we are forbidden from "reading or watching secular things." The other verse said not to devote yourself to them which is understandable. Paul quoted from the Cretan poet Epimenides, from the Cilician poet Aratus, and from The Hymn to Zeus, by Cleanthes, in an effort to relate to his audience. Want one better? Acts 26:14 — “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” The phrase “kick against the pricks” in the Greek comes from Aeschylus (525–456 b.c.; Agamemnon, line 1624). Did Jesus quote Aeschylus by using this phrase? Many think so.
Obviously there is a balance that the Holy Spirit will reveal to the genuine converted Christian. We are not forbidden in the Bible from being exposed to secular things, that's part of living life in a secular world. We can use the secular, for example, to win the lost by being relevant and hook their interest with something secular. However, we cannot do this where it costs God's glory and our holiness.
Thanks for the question Michael.
Todd
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Todd Tyszka
Expertise
My degrees and studies are mostly in Christian doctrine but I will answer questions having to do with almost any aspect of Christianity and The Bible.
Experience
My experience consists of over 20 years as a Pastor, Youth Pastor, missionary, counselor, teacher, writer, Bible quizzer, and various other leadership positions. I've studied the Bible for over 20 years at 5 different schools/seminaries but I can explain things in simple terms anyone can understand and currently teach Sunday School to 1st-5th graders. I specialize in Christian apologetics (evidences for Christianity) and Polemics (debate denouncing false teachings), as well as understanding difficult verses, and topics such as heaven & hell, denominations/sects, false teachings/heresies/cults, the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Holy Spirit, spiritual warfare, apostolic reformation, emergent/emerging church, prosperity teaching, contradictions/discrepancies, charismatic studies, creation/evolution, Greek/Hebrew studies, end times, deliverance, the apocrypha/pseudepigrapha, etc. I daily answer questions on Global Media Outreach, AllExperts, YouTube, through email, and various personal websites where I have posted many Christian videos.
Education/Credentials
Graduated from a private Christian High School, went to Nazarene Bible college and then Eastern Nazarene College (Boston) for Youth Ministry and Pastoral Studies/Christian Theology, transferred to Asbury College where I completed my degree in Christian Education and Missions, and most recently attending the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute.
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