We Must Stand Against False Doctrine GR 814

I want to look at the historical setting of the church in the city at Ephesus, because sometimes we lose sight of what the actual situation was in which our Bible was written. And with that kind of thinking, come to think of our day as totally unique and distinct. We've got problems that others didn't face, the moral deterioration and degradation of our society is greater than has been experienced in other times. I was impressed with the situation that the church at Ephesus had to deal with. It was a major religious center for the world of that day. Let me read you what one writer says in summary: Into Ephesus there poured a stream of criminals of every kind, fugitives from the law. The character of the people of Ephesus was notoriously bad. The people had the reputation all over Asia of being fickle, superstitious and immoral. We don't have anything to compare with what the church at Ephesus had to face.