4: 1 How are we to understand what Paul says here?
4:1 How are we to understand what Paul says here?
Paul is speaking here of Christians defecting from the faith - apostatising. He is not teaching that there will be a great apostasy by the church at the end of the church age, as many believe. In the latter times refers to the entire period of time subsequent to the time Paul wrote this epistle until the end of the church age when Christ comes again to take all the saints of God back to heaven with Him (CP Jn 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; 1Th 4:13-18).
Times in 1Ti 4:1 is not speaking of time as such, but seasons or periods (CP Ac 2:16-17; He 1:1-2; 9:26; 1Pe 1:19-20; 1Jn 2:18). Throughout scripture the Holy Spirit repeatedly warns of believers departing from the faith in all eras (CP Mt 24:4-12; Ac 20:29-30; He 3:12-13, 6:4-6, 10:26-31). See also comments on 2Ti 3:1.