The same Spirit that breathed reason into us breathes revelation among us: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved or carried forth by the Holy Ghost,2 Peter 1:21. The disorder might be so great that we might make mistakes in our anxiety; but "The Lord knoweth them that are his." "Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." The New Testament had not yet been canonized. You're a stranger. But then another thing. The promise of the Messiah, the details of the Messiah, they are all there. SEDUCTION IN THE NAME OF RELIGION ( 2 Timothy 3:6-7 ). This chapter has a vivid description of the great apostasy (2 Timothy 3:1-9), signs of which were already present, an appeal to Paul's own inspiring and inspired example (2 Timothy 3:10-15), and one of the most impressive paragraphs in all the Bible with reference to the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16,17).For more extensive discussion of the apostasy, the man of . It's going to get worse before it gets better. In English we usually associate it with insult against God, but in Greek it means insult against man and God alike. Every man doing his own thing or every man believing as he wants. The reason is obvious. The word is propetes ( G4312) , precipitate. It denotes a savagery which has neither sensitiveness nor sympathy. It is as if he said to them: "You have been well warned." Theophylact called this kind of pride akropolis (compare G206 and G4172) kakon ( G2556) , the citadel of evils. They claimed that the law was so imprinted on the heart and mind of a Jewish child that he would sooner forget his own name than he would forget it. These were the names given to the court magicians of Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Aaron, when Moses was leading the children of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt. Traitors . This statement does not contradict what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:9. i. In between there was The Day of the Lord, a day when God would personally intervene and shatter the world in order to remake it. It is to be remembered that a man may lose his soul far more easily in prosperity than in adversity; and he is on the way to losing his soul when he assesses the value of life by the number of things which he possesses. That persecution which will properly furnish any evidence that we are the friends of Christ, must be only that which is "for righteousness sake" Matthew 5:10, and must be brought upon us in an honest effort to obey the commands of God. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." God said it.They are profitable. The wickedness of evil people, particularly charlatans, will increase as time passes. shall suffer persecutionand will not decline it (Ga 5:11). The more the person who lives godly and righteous in Christ stands out. Don't expect the world to admire your godly stance. In the Testament of Issachar, one of the books written between the Old and the New Testaments, we get a picture like this: "Know ye, therefore, my children, that in the last times. When trouble fell on the Thessalonians, Paul wrote to them: "When we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction; just as it has come to pass, and as you know" ( 1 Thessalonians 3:4). And yet, it is becoming in this hedonistic society commonplace, all too commonplace, tragically commonplace. It is not merely what had been preached, but what is in a permanent shape for the good of the saints of God here below, which elicits the remarkable assertion of its peculiar worth. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. There was to be a final show-down with the forces of evil. Narcissism is at an all-time peak, but with lovers of yourself comes. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. At the same time he shows also his sense of the kindness of a particular individual and his family. When we know the afflictions of good people but in part, they are a temptation to us to decline that cause which they suffer for; when we know only the hardships they undergo for Christ, we may be ready to say, "We will renounce that cause that is likely to cost us so dear in the owning of it;" but when we fully know the afflictions, not only how they suffer, but how they are supported and comforted under their sufferings, then, instead of being discouraged, we shall be animated by them, especially considering that we are told before that we must count upon such things (2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Timothy 3:12): All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: not always alike; at that time those who professed the faith of Christ were more exposed to persecution than at other times; but at all times, more or less, those who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It's instructing us in righteousness. The latter gains a following only by turning away from the truth of God (13). First, there are the duties of an apostle. We must remember that they were Gnostics and that the basic principle of Gnosticism was that spirit was altogether good and matter altogether evil. The sister was persuaded to read a copy of St. John. In the last days perilous times will come: The word translated perilous has the idea of troubles, difficulty, and stressful situations. Didn't you know that's just a myth? With this prospect he comforts Timothy no less than his own spirit; but at the same time he speaks as to joining him, with a glance at one that had forsaken him. Well soon your Bible will be so messed up you wouldn't be able to read it. Ephesus was called "The Treasure-house of the ancient world," "The Vanity Fair of Asia Minor." For it is not dogma pure and simple, it is not mere instruction; and we may thank God for it. "Because ye are not of the world therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19; Matthew 10:22,38,39). They appear to think that if you hold life in Christ to be the one thing that is most precious, to be the prize that your heart reverts to, all owning of anything short of this would be out of place; but it is exactly the contrary. For example, "37-1-2459" means the reference is on page 37, is in column 1, and is word number 2459.). . It is the attitude which bears with everything men can do and refuses to be either angry or embittered, and which will never seek anything but their highest good. And leaving guilelessness, will draw near to malice; And forsaking the commandments of the Lord. 1. He nourishes an all-consuming, all-pervading pride; and in his heart there is a little altar where he bows down before himself. I am not at liberty of course to leave Christendom, I dare not get out of the great house at all; indeed I cannot (at any rate without becoming an apostate) leave the house of God, however bad its state may be. You know the persecutions that I experienced, but the Lord delivered me out of them all. But when dying upon the cross, He calls to John to behold His mother. I. 2. menin the professing Church. God help us. Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of being one with Christ, positioned in Him, and clothed in His righteousness. Those who deceive others do but deceive themselves; those who draw others into error run themselves into more and more mistakes, and they will find it so at last, to their cost. And I filed many scriptures in that file. It is one thing to start an evil and untrue report on its malicious way; it is entirely another thing to stop it. There would be two ways in which these heretics in the days of Timothy could exert an evil influence. Now this is not given to us in the Scriptures but there are other, what are known as apocryphal books, in which these two fellows are named. I have many scriptures that I don't understand yet. Lear's words remain true: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is. At "that day" will be the display of whatever has been endured, as well as done, for the Lord's sake. We live in a fallen world, and there are many challenges that face the believer who has not only trusted Christ for salvation, but is also ready and willing to deny self, take up his cross, follow Christs example, and say without compromise Thy will, not mine, be done.The newbornbaby Christian has to grow in grace and mature in the faith over an unspecified periodof time, to reach this level of maturity in his faith, while other who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ may slip in and out of carnality and worldliness for many years, stunting their growth and even regressing in their faith back to spiritual infancy.Many, if not all believers, are called to become mature in the faith by walking in spirit and truth and living godly, Christ-centred lives, but few are willing to exchange the cosy blessings of early Christian infancy, for the difficulties that inevitably follow the mature believer. It would not be accordant with the mind of God. Paul instructed Timothy concerning what God had revealed would take place in the last days. Now I'm not about to say God was wrong. He wants to accustom his mind to expect hardship instead of shirking it. 442.]. If a man's goods are stolen, he can set to and build up his fortunes again; but if his good name is taken away, irreparable damage has been done. Trench, Richard Chenevix, D.D. Paul goes on to list the things in which Timothy has been his disciple; and the interest of that list is that it consists of the strands out of which the life and work of an apostle are woven. He said that one isn't inspired; obviously inspired. Things were so bad that Tacitus could say: "He who had no foe was betrayed by his friend." And those who wish to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted; while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceived themselves and deceiving others. Thus he looks not to the coming of the Lord to receive him to Himself, but to the "appearing of the Lord," which is the usual side of the truth taken in these epistles. The world just exists, no real goal, no real meaning; you're just existing. Of course it was infinitely higher, it is needless to say, in the Master; but the servant was as closely as possible following in His steps. C. Description of His Present Resource 2 Timothy 3:13-17. Thayer, Joseph H. Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. The true leader gives training in living. As I read the things that are happening in our modern-cultured Orange County, as I read the reports from the social department on the child abuse, I just shake my head in disbelief because a person could not possibly do these things unless they were without natural affection. Men can be savage in rebuke and savage in pitiless action. The difference between the braggart and the man who is arrogant is this. Storge is the word used especially of family love, the love of child for parent and parent for child. What we have learned we must labour to be more and more assured of, that, being grounded in the truth, we may be guarded against error, for certainty in religion is of great importance and advantage: Knowing, (1.) And there's such a complete, total absence of love. Who is talking all these words without knowledge? In the Old Testament they are not named, but they are referred to in Exodus 7:11; Exodus 8:7; Exodus 9:11. He knew what care God had taken of him: Notwithstanding out of them all the Lord delivered me; as he never failed his cause, so his God never failed him. Nowadays we have to restate these old pictures in modern terms. E. F. Brown has pointed out the danger of what he calls "intellectual curiosity without moral earnestness." And that quality of conquering endurance is necessary, because persecution is an essential part of the experience of an apostle. In short, let us know that we are Christians on this condition, that we shall be liable to many tribulations and various contests. Vincente Quiroga of Chile found a few pages of a book washed up on the seashore by a tidal wave following an earthquake. This is evidently not the true remedy to abandon the confession of Christ: only an apostate could think of it. Note, It is not enough to learn that which is good, but we must continue in it, and persevere in it unto the end. (8) Using the boldness God gives, don't be ashamed of the imprisoned apostle. Persons sometimes say it does not matter who taught; but God does not treat the matter so lightly. Things are very much taking this direction of late, and at the present moment. "He kicked the world about," said one, "as if it had been a football." They had been long accustomed to the truth, and alas! In the last days there would come times which would menace the very existence of the Christian Church and of goodness itself, a kind of last tremendous assault of evil before its final defeat. "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day." [1.] It was not then an indifferent matter to God. What Paul is thinking of here is more than faithlessness in friendship--although that in all truth is wounding enough--he is thinking of those who to pay back an old score would inform against the Christians to the Roman government. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." It is to be supposed that the younger labourer cowered somewhat, unwilling to incur the odious charge, so easily made but hard to refute, of setting himself up and taking the place of some great one. So if you want God to use your life, then thoroughly equip yourself in the Word of God, the study, the understanding.That's why we're here tonight. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: they are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith ( 2 Timothy 3:8 ). That is, he must first labour, and then partake of the fruits. Thus we have everything cared for here; the state of confusion is clearly depicted, as it then was beginning, and as results have proved yet more. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. It was only to be expected that certain women would not know how to use their new liberty. Now it is interesting that as Paul is referring to the Scriptures here, he is, of course, referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. Why? The devil is the patron saint of all slanderers and of all slanderers he is chief. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God.". When Carlyle's father was discussing the kind of minister his parish needed, he said: "What this parish needs is a man who knows Christ other than at secondhand." But the condition of the believers had deteriorated. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Then he points out the two principal guards for the faithful, in such a perilous state. In either case the word describes a certain harshness of mind which separates a man from his fellow-men in unrelenting bitterness. True, he is telling of something which happened later than this, but the wretched story would be the same (Irenaeus: Against Heresies, 1, 13, 3). All God-inspired scripture is useful for teaching, for the conviction of error, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. On account of his opinions, he may be held up to ridicule, or treated with neglect, or excluded from society to which his attainments and manners would otherwise introduce him, or shunned by those who might otherwise value his friendship. Christ's apostles had no enemies but those who did not know them, or not know them fully; those who knew them best loved and honoured them the most. And that's what creates the problem all the way through. He was comparatively alone. There were false teachers who were quick to take advantage of that. (4) Let those who have never been persecuted in any way, inquire whether it is not an evidence that they have no religion. "Much the greatest rogue of all is the man who has gulled his city into the belief that he is fit to direct it.". If Timothy would adhere to the truth as he had been taught it, this would arm him against the snares and insinuations of seducers. But yet it is absolutely unavoidable that all of them shall have the world for their enemy in some form or other, that their faith may be tried and their steadfastness proved; for Satan, who is the continual enemy of Christ, will never suffer any one to be at peace during his whole life; and there will always be wicked men that are thorns in our sides. Observe, As good men, by the grace of God, grow better and better, so bad men, through the subtlety of Satan and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse and worse. It may be that, since we are only human, we cannot live entirely without differences with our fellow-men, but to perpetuate these differences is one of the worst--and also one of the commonest--of all sins. There is little likelihood that Timothy will be easily led astray by false teaching. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: a. That the man of God may be perfect,2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Timothy 3:17. This the apostle guards Timothy against, and indeed ourselves, he warns him how seduction would go on more and more, but "from such turn away." They're profitable for doctrine. There was the great trade route from the Euphrates valley which came by way of Colosse and Laodicea and poured the wealth of the east into the lap of Ephesus. We don't have the time to devote to it this evening but I would suggest that you get a good Greek lexicon and do a word study on these particular Greek words that Paul uses to describe the attitudes and the actions of people in the last days. We usually try to avoid it on Friday evening if we can, but sometimes our schedules are such that we just don't have time to. It is the ability not to lose patience when people are foolish, not to grow irritable when they seem unteachable. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, Timothy's job, for the sake of the future, involves more preservation than innovation. They cannot understand an inspired apostle talking about a cloak in the midst of a divinely given pastoral charge. Assuredly he would rejoice to scare Timothy from the field of serving Christ, and would shrink from no means to secure it. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Would you find it easier if it, if the account said, And a submarine surfaced and the captain got out on deck and, you know, they hauled Jonah in and they submerged again and headed towards Joppa and let him off the port. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.' On his mother's side Timothy was a Jew, although his father had been a Greek ( Acts 16:1); and it is clear that it was his mother who had brought him up. The oldest Greek laws disfranchised the man who struck his parents; to strike a father was in Roman law as bad as murder; in the Jewish law honour for father and mother comes high in the list of the Ten Commandments. Timothy was well aware of this, even before he joined Paul in his work. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." And suddenly, of course, their tears were changed because Paul began to breathe and move and he stood up and he said, Let's go back in and preach some more. This shows in a clearer light the difference between the true teacher and the false. 2. For after all, I'm worth it. In either case home and family life were destroyed. And this, I believe, is much to be considered. Here is the essential conclusion. Timothy needed to realize, as all Christians do, especially those to whom "prosperity theology" appeals, that when a person determines to live a godly life he or she will suffer persecution. (See notes Matthew 5:10, 11, 12) Living here almost in a Sodom-Gomorrah atmosphere and environment. But, says the apostle, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." of It is perfectly true--as we have so often said--that Christianity is not founded on a printed book but on a living person. When Job was talking to his friends and they were talking to him about the future, and Job said, Oh, I wish I were dead. Comp. The whole idea is that of thoroughly fitting you as an instrument that God can use. Accordingly, there is a depth of feeling that one may safely say far exceeds the first epistle, although it had shown so much tenderness and care both for Timothy and the faithful of those days. There is teaching. You can you see what's happened even in the last twenty-five years. " Rejoice ( present imperative) and be glad ( present imperative ), for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. But let not a man who will do this, suppose that he has any claim to be numbered among the martyrs, or even entitled to the Christian name. All that will live godly So opposite to the spirit and practice of the world is the whole of Christianity, that he who gives himself entirely up to God, making the Holy Scriptures the rule of his words and actions, will be less or more reviled and persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NASB) Verse Thoughts We live in a fallen world, and there are many challenges that face the believer who has not only trusted Christ for salvation, but is also ready and willing to deny self, take up his cross, follow Christ's example, and say without compromise - Thy will, not mine, be done. What am I to believe about angels or the future? He speaks of "all God-inspired scripture." How appropriate that "trucebreakers" is for this day. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" ( Psalms 34:19 ). The absence of persecution, in any active sense, from the lives of most Christians of this era is generally due to the watered-down version of their Christianity and not to any subsidence of the savage hatred of the darkness for the light. false accusers, incontinent ( 2 Timothy 3:3 ). Timothy was from Lystra. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Far more harm is done from want of thought than almost anything else. These twin qualities of the braggart and the arrogant man inevitably result in love of insult (blasphemia, G988) . The nature of its doctrine was no way likely to command success: (1) it condemns all other religions, some established for ages; (2) it enjoins precepts ungrateful to flesh and blood, the mortifying of the flesh, the love of enemies, and the bearing of the cross; (3) it enforces these seemingly unreasonable precepts by promises seemingly incredible; not good things such as afford complacency to our senses, but such as cannot be obtained till after this life, and presuppose what then seemed impossible, the resurrection; (4) it predicts to its followers what would seem sure to keep most of the world from embracing it, persecutions. The emphasis of so many people is just on being beautiful, lovers of themselves. The braggart is a swaggering creature, who tries to bluster his way into power and eminence. Don't start messing with it. Lipscomb's Commentary on Selected NT Books, Verse 12. Had the Lord Jesus not sent him? He forbad his going on in association with those that dishonour the Lord with vessels to dishonour; but he tells him to follow these things "with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." And there came that place where, hey, Moses performed a miracle of God and they backed away. Because the true child of God brings the worldly person under conviction. We're going to drown in our own corruption. But the apostle remembered it all, felt deeply for if not with him, and greatly desiring to see him once more. Second Timothy 3:12-13 "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being. "And God prepared a great fish and it swallowed Jonah" ( Jonah 1:17 ). There would come a kind of terrible flowering of evil, when the moral foundations seemed to be shaken. And passion shall seize him that is peaceful. ( 2 Timothy 3:1) Perilous times in the last days . I believe that God intended you to have pleasure, but when it comes before God, it means that it has become your God and it makes a very poor God to worship or serve. He blames the Jews who searched them, because they failed to learn the lesson which they were intended to convey. But thou hast fully known ( 2 Timothy 3:10 ), Now in contrast to this, boy, and what a contrast the Christian is to the world around him, and more and more, you know, more and more your lifestyle is different from the world. For all scripture is given by inspiration of God ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ), Not as some would lead you to believe, some scriptures are given by inspiration of God. . He lit the fire, and then he asked if he might read a little from each book before he dropped it in the flames. Surely if it is an urgent call to convey what we know of Christ and the truth to those that know nothing, it is a great privilege to help to contribute a greater knowledge of the truth to those that know little. Barnes' Notes. This present age was altogether evil; and the age to come would be the golden age of God. Then the word went on to widen its meaning until it meant any braggart. It is not simply now to follow these, as urged in the first epistle (1 Timothy 6:11); but he adds a most characteristic word in the second epistle. It should be considered as one of the proper qualifications for membership in the church, to be willing to bear persecution, and to resolve not to shrink from any duty in order to avoid it. The word here is makrothumia ( G3115) ; and makrothumia, as the Greeks used it, usually meant patience with people. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch Some of you here are victims of broken covenants. Rather they are minimum requirements that otherwise suitable people must fulfil if the church is to recognize them as elders or deacons. He read them and never rested until he obtained the rest of the Bible. Yet. If Timothy wishes to live godly in Christ, he must make up his mind to encounter. The closing chapter (2 Timothy 4:1-22) then gives his solemn charge, and at the same time his own expression of what was before him. Look at the lack, lackness. The man who is anosios ( G462) offends against the fundamental decencies of life. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known Noah, the earth was really flooded? It answers not a little to the kind of thing ,;et forth here. (iv) The Scriptures are of use for correction. It may well be a proof of Timothy's courage and consecration that he had seen very clearly what could happen to an apostle and had yet not hesitated to cast in his lot with Paul. Christian life is a life of purpose. They will refuse to recognize the debt they owe both to God and to men. She had been finding life, as she herself said, futile and meaningless. He had not said a word about them before. Activity of service was no longer before him. And Jesus himself had said: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake" ( Matthew 5:10). There is a sense in which slander is the most cruel of all sins. He must take care of the manner in which he strives. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. It is interesting, when Jesus in the Sermon on the mount described the Christian in the Beatitudes, after having described the traits of the Christian in the Beatitudes; you'd say, My, a man like that who is a peacemaker, who is merciful, who is hungering and thirsting after righteousness, who is meek, who is poor in spirit, surely you know the world would respect such a man. There is a type of person who is eager to discuss every new theory, who is always to be found deeply involved in the latest fashionable religious movement, but who is quite unwilling to accept the day-to-day discipline--even drudgery--of living the Christian life. (2.) So the Greek word that is used here to describe these that are going around, leading captive the silly women, is the same Greek word that was used to describe quackery, and that's probably they're quacks, Paul is saying. The Christian leader will never lack his opponents. Their minds become corrupted and they ultimately become reprobate concerning the faith. It is still possible for a teacher to gain an undue and unhealthy influence over others, especially when they are impressionable. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Synonyms of the New Testament. Paul regarded these as man-made things; but the great books for a man's soul were the God-inspired ones which tradition and the experience of men had sanctified.