HYMENAEUS AND ALEXANDER Turning Away from Truth
THE APOSTLE PAUL MENTIONS TWO MEN BY NAME so that almost 2,000 years later we can still learn from their mistakes. What sin did they commit to deserve this? They were false teachers who blasphemed God. The details are few, but Paul said that Hymenaeus and Alexander had “shipwrecked” (1:19) their faith, so he threw them out of the fellowship and “handed them over to Satan” (1:20).
These men insulted God by openly questioning his word given through divine revelation. They made a deliberate choice to speak in opposition to the Word of truth. Paul and the other New Testament writers stand in stark contrast to our postmodern world, where truth is considered relative and subjective. “Faith” (mentioned 18 times in 1 Timothy) is not about the act of belief and trust, but rather it is the truth that was revealed by Jesus Christ and preserved in the Scriptures. It is what we believe and live out in the Christian life.
In 2 Timothy, we learn that Hymenaeus “left the path of truth” (2 Tim 2:17-18). We also learn that Alexander had done much harm to Paul, in part by fighting against everything Paul said (2 Tim 4:14-15).
We must be faithful to the truth revealed through Jesus Christ and the written Word of God
Young leaders face the temptation of wanting to make a name for themselves or do something to make themselves stand out. As Timothy’s mentor, Paul used the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander to challenge Timothy to remain faithful to what he’d been taught and cling to his faith in Christ.
While believers, young or old, may be innovative in their ministry techniques or embrace the latest technologies, the core doctrines of their faith must remain firmly rooted in the unchanging truth. We too must be faithful to the truth revealed through Jesus Christ and the written Word of God. This truth includes Jesus’ example and his commands to care for children and adults affected by disability. If these friends are missing in our churches, we must go back to the Word and ask ourselves how we will live out this mandate in our everyday lives.