"It shone and glowed with truth," she said, "and my whole being responded to it. Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation. Paul concludes this section with an appeal to Timothy to remain loyal to all the teaching he had received. The Gnostics had their own fanciful books; the heretics all produced their own literature to support their claims. He knew that he had suffered ill for doing well (2 Timothy 3:11; 2 Timothy 3:11): "Thou hast fully known the persecutions and afflictions that came unto me" (he mentions those only which happened to him while Timothy was with him, at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra); "and therefore let it be no surprise to thee if thou suffer hard things, it is no more than I have endured before." The Christian emancipation of women inevitably brought its problems. 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. 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. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.' No one can possibly mistake him. It means to follow a person mentally, to attend diligently to his teaching and fully to understand the meaning of what he says. Now though it is infallible, inerrant and inspired, I did make a mistake in my message this morning on the speed of Arcturus; it's twelve thousand miles a second, I think I said twelve million. ii. The task of the apostle is not only to tell men the truth; it is also to help them do it. It can sometimes have the meaning of loyalty, or true religion. And many shall be stirred up in anger to injure many; And they shall rouse up armies in order to shed blood. Look at the magazines that were once really under the counter kind of stuff and sold illegally. That's proper and you should have that desire. That is, it is not enough that I should walk with the Lord individually, but I must clear myself of association with that which is contrary to His name. ", The Lord said it's "what comes out of the mouth of a man, that defiles a man" ( Matthew 15:11 ). Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus All that live according to the will of God revealed in his word; and to the glory of God, as the end of all their actions; and which the grace of God in the Gospel, and in their own hearts, teaches them; and who have the principles of a godly life from Christ, and derive the fresh supplies of grace and life from him, to maintain . Product Information. Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Second Timothy chapter three? Be assured, that if you do not bring the Spirit of God into these matters, perhaps your cloak, perhaps a book, will become a snare to you. And a hundred and fifty men can board it and they can submerge and go under the North Pole under the arctic ice. I thought you were, you know, the Son of God and smarter than that. With his or her commitment to follow Christ faithfully the Christian sets the course of his or her life directly opposite to the course of the world system. But it is asked, Must all men be martyrs? Men will be lovers of their own selves ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). Or it can mean that a man is so dishonourable that he breaks the terms of the agreement he has made. Plutarch uses the word to describe a quack doctor. Trench, Richard Chenevix, D.D. It is the whole spiritual experience, so to speak, of the apostle. (2 Timothy 1:1.) He wants to accustom his mind to expect hardship instead of shirking it. He read the twenty-third psalm from one; the story of the Good Samaritan from another; from another the Sermon on the Mount; from another 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. SEDUCTION IN THE NAME OF RELIGION ( 2 Timothy 3:6-7 ). The essence of Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self. Timothy fully knew what was the great thing that Paul had in view, both in his preaching and in his conversation: "Thou hast known my purpose, what I drive at, how far it is from any worldly, carnal, secular design, and how sincerely I aim at the glory of God and the good of the souls of men." What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Christianity was cradled in Judaism and very naturally thought largely in Jewish terms and pictures. It is the word alazon ( G213) and was derived from the ale, which means a wandering about. The doctrine that he preached. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. And for this reason we should continue in the things we have learned from the holy scriptures; not that we ought to continue in any errors and mistakes which we may have been led into, in the time of our childhood and youth (for these, upon an impartial enquiry and full conviction, we should forsake); but this makes nothing against our continuing in those things which the holy scriptures plainly assert, and which he that runs may read. The word here is makrothumia ( G3115) ; and makrothumia, as the Greeks used it, usually meant patience with people. He read them and never rested until he obtained the rest of the Bible. We have the practice and treatment of true Christians: they live godly in Jesus Christ--this is their practice; and they shall suffer persecution--this is the usage they must expect in this world. "In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. Paul's life: one of longsuffering, one of love and one of patience. But this is not what the Bible teaches. That which finishes a man of God in this world is the scripture. Look at our attitudes towards morality. Blasphemia is the word which is transliterated into English as blasphemy. This sort of atmosphere will mark the last days . Moreover, as soon as zeal for God is manifested by a believer, it kindles the rage of all ungodly men; and, although they have not a drawn sword, yet they vomit out their venom, either by murmuring, or by slander, or by raising a disturbance, or by other methods. The Jehovah Witnesses seeking to develop their doctrine concerning hell and that it is a place of oblivion, no consciousness, no awareness. by George Whitefield. This is the right thing to do. (1) that they who make a profession of religion, should come prepared to be persecuted. I think the next major event, Revelation 4:1 . Given the right conditions, such oppositions would be just as deadly as the great Roman persecutions. Socrates skid that they were to be found in every walk of life but were worst of all in politics. Possibly he did appoint them; but there is no scriptural proof of it. The Jews divided all time into this present age and the age to come. "They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 1. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. Only Luke is with me." It was only to be expected that certain women would not know how to use their new liberty. He was ordered to light a bonfire and burn his books. Ephesus was called "The Treasure-house of the ancient world," "The Vanity Fair of Asia Minor." Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands: Many men and women, who would never dream of stealing, think nothing--even find pleasure--in passing on a story which ruins someone else's good name, without even trying to find out whether or not it is true. The kind of guys that went around selling snake oil or cure-alls, deceiving, defrauding people. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear" (it was what Timothy was manifesting), "but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. But I can't believe what I see in some of these restaurants over here in the Irvine industrial business center. The insult which comes from anger is bad but it is forgivable, for it is launched in the heat of the moment; but the cold insult which comes from arrogant pride is an ugly and an unforgivable thing. He glanced at it as he consigned it to the flames. So I listened to that voice, and heard the truth, and found my Saviour.". If there is no human affection, the family cannot exist. It was thus Paul treated the proud reasonings and speculations of man; withal briefly touching on those that had gone entirely astray Hymenaeus and Philetus. It is not a question here about elders, but what would abide all the same when elders could not be duly appointed. They will refuse to recognize the debt they owe both to God and to men. 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. What does 2 Timothy 3:13 mean? There is faith, complete belief that God's commands are binding and that his promises are true. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. This might deter a sensitive saint from his duty. In Brazil Signor Antonio of Minas bought a New Testament which he took home to burn. Compare the catalogue, Ro 1:29, &c., where much the same sins are attributed to heathen men; it shall be a relapse into virtual heathendom, with all its beast-like propensities, whence the symbol of it is "a beast" (Re 13:1, 11, 12, &c.; 17:3, 8, 11). There is little likelihood that Timothy will be easily led astray by false teaching. And come up a hundred days later and be deposited at a port. Paul refers to his own experiences to illustrate the truth that the person who whole-heartedly follows God must expect persecution. He went home and found the fire was out. One day they said to Jesus, Show us a sign. Here we come back to where we started; such men place their own wishes in the centre of life. We're going to drown in our own corruption. How is a man to walk in such a state of things as this? And they were able to imitate the workings of God up to a point and then they came to the place where they were backed down by Moses, but "men of corrupt minds, they are reprobate concerning the faith. Marks of Perilous Times; Excellence of the Scriptures. " 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. They just are irritated by your love and by your patience and by your goodness because they feel guilty. There will always be those who have their own twisted ideas of the Christian faith, and who wish to win others to their mistaken beliefs. More and more the Christian is a marked person because the more corrupt the world becomes, the more the Christian stands out. And as we go down the list, it's like reading the afternoon newspaper. The one was suited to upset the young, the other to beguile the old. Persons sometimes say it does not matter who taught; but God does not treat the matter so lightly. 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. All who will show their religion in their conversation, who will not only be godly, but live godly, let them expect persecution, especially when they are resolute in it. But after giving the characteristics and traits of the godly man, Jesus then in the final Beatitudes said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall persecute you, and revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" ( Matthew 5:11 ). (1.) If the Lord doesn't come soon, we're going to destroy ourselves as we just sink in the filth. "[21] See also under 1Thessalonians 3:3. The early Church lived in an age when the time was waxing late; they expected the Second Coming at any moment. If he does not hide the sorrowful view of an old fellow-labourer's cooling in zeal, with all its dangers, the consolation is also before Timothy both of those that go on in faithful labour, and of one at least restored. Each of the chapters are done individually. Now they're right out where little kids can go in and pick them up and leaf through them. They will not only deceive others, but their sins and other deceivers will deceive them increasingly too. 2 Timothy 3 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. The technique would be the same in the days of Timothy as it was in the later days of Irenaeus. It is in terms of these last days that Paul is thinking in this passage. Questions are before him more serious than a maintenance of order. In the last days This often means the days of the Messiah, and is sometimes extended in its signification to the destruction of Jerusalem, as this was properly the last days of the Jewish state. 4. Paul contrasts the conduct of Timothy, his loyal disciple, with the conduct of the heretics who were doing their utmost to wreck the Church. How many people who have stood before God and have pledged for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part; and yet again, the high divorce rate. By it we are thoroughly furnished for every good work. But the sin of the man who is arrogant is in his heart. And a servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting those that oppose, if perhaps God may give them repentance for acknowledgment of the truth, and they may for his will wake up out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him." If anyone proposes to introduce into his life a loyalty which surpasses all earthly loyalties, there are bound to be clashes. In certain of these books Jannes and Jambres figured largely. In a measure, no doubt, the truth is in Christendom, and only there; for one cannot look for the truth in Judaism or heathenism now. And as we pointed out, the danger always of saying some scriptures, not all scriptures, is the loss of authority. It answers all the ends of divine revelation. B. It is the normal Greek word for difficult, but it has certain usage's which explain its meaning here. It seems to me, I confess, that if there were simplicity of faith, the Lord would give one eyes to see some at least that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. Noah, the earth was really flooded? I've never found that in one of those little Bible promise books, I mean, promise things yet. He must study the Scriptures to make himself useful to God and to his fellow-men. II. Even if we look at Him so, He was raised from the dead. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. A. M. Chirgwin has story after story of how the Scriptures came by chance into the hands of men and changed their lives. The reason is manifest: they themselves savour of the things of men, and not of God. Now here observe. 3:10-13 The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. For "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" ( Matthew 12:34 ). We must remember that the scripture of which Paul is writing is the Old Testament; as yet the New Testament had not come into being. 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. Such is the meaning of purging himself. Thayer, Joseph H. Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Their own word would eat as a canker, and do harm to others as well as to themselves, "who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." The doctrine of the necessity of persecution was no new thing to Paul. How gracious of the Lord to point out the path for the saint, separate from that which grieves the Lord, yet enjoying all that He sees good for us of the privileges of Christianity! (2) They who are persecuted for their opinions, should consider that this may be one evidence that they have the spirit of Christ, and are his true friends. 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. "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Here is one of the most terrible pictures in the New Testament of what a godless world would be like, with the terrible qualities of godlessness set out in a ghastly series. But now there were other reasons for it, namely, that Christians were neglecting godliness and order. One of my most unfavorite promises in the Bible. God wants us each to take His power, His love, and His calm thinking and overcome fear, to be used of Him with all the gifts He gives. Luke recorded the very words spoken on the mission field long ago, "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22); and, in the words of White, "Consistency in the life of Christ must necessarily be always opposed by the world. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Irenaeus draws a vivid picture of the methods of just such a teacher in his day. One only meets Satan when traveling in an opposite direction! And may not their freedom from it prove that they have surrendered the principles of their religion, where they should have stood firm, though the world were arrayed against them? Some of you here are victims of broken covenants. Accordingly, in much grief of heart, the apostle writes to his tried and trembling child in the faith, and seeks to strengthen him, above all things not to be discouraged, and to make up his mind to endure hard things. (4) let those who have never been persecuted in any way, inquire whether it is not an evidence that they have no religion. Then he points out the two principal guards for the faithful, in such a perilous state. It's instructing you on the right kind of life. It's going to get worse before it gets better. It is used in Plutarch to describe what we would call an ugly wound. And that's what creates the problem all the way through. When God came on the scene and entered the conversation with his friends? "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" ( Psalms 34:19 ). As teachers we should sometimes ask ourselves: what am I trying to do with these people whom I teach? And so Paul is warning Timothy of certain things that will be transpiring in the last days. In 2 Timothy 3:13 he meant that evil becomes more intensive as time goes on. First and foremost he has an aim in life. There is no godliness (Greek, "piously") or piety out of Christ. It was not merely now that they had made their consciences bad and slipped away from faith. And they use the book of Job as their proof text. Introduction; 2 Timothy 1 Commentary; Timothy's job, for the sake of the future, involves more preservation than innovation. live godly in Christ(Ga 2:20; Php 1:21). Had the Lord Jesus not sent him? Paul said, you know, what kind of a life I've lived. The apostle well knew that the God who had brought these glorious truths to man, the God that had manifested His grace, had given a witness of their reality in the man from whom he had learned them; and this was meant to have an enduring effect on the conscience and heart of Timothy. It is not enough to be satisfied when a church is humming like a dynamo and every night in the week has its own crowded organization. If, in any manner, or in any way, he is subjected to disadvantage on account of his religious opinions, and deprived of any immunities and rights to which he would be otherwise entitled, this is persecution. These twin qualities of the braggart and the arrogant man inevitably result in love of insult (blasphemia, G988) . It is the sign of a supremely decadent civilization when youth loses all respect for age and fails to recognize the unpayable debt and the basic duty it owes to those who gave it life. It was the glory of the Jews that their children from their earliest days were trained in the law. Otherwise this might have seemed to be (what unbelief taunts and stigmatizes it, spite of His sanction) pride of heart and presumption. If Timothy would adhere to the truth as he had been taught it, this would arm him against the snares and insinuations of seducers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. turned unto fables. The ancient world set duty to parents very high. And there came that place where, hey, Moses performed a miracle of God and they backed away. This may be either an injury done to his feelings, his family, his reputation, his property, his liberty, his influence; it may be by depriving him of an office which he held, or preventing him from obtaining one to which he is eligible; it may be by subjecting him to fine or imprisonment, to banishment, torture, or death. In these last terrible days men will come to have no love for good things or good persons (aphilagathos, G865) . It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields every point in which religion is opposed to the world. 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 . To take pains and to endure are requisite even in what pertains to this life. And when you lose authority you have anarchy. And that quality of conquering endurance is necessary, because persecution is an essential part of the experience of an apostle. 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. He is sure that in the long run it is better to suffer with God and the right than to prosper with men and the wrong. The age of children is the learning age; and those who would get true learning must get it out of the scriptures. (This book is used for definition of Greek words. This he had known most extensively, but it was closed; no longer had he before him any prospect of having to fight the battles of the church of God. "Men of corrupt minds. This world is in rebellion against God. "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers, with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears." A great many certainly flatter themselves that they are thus favoured; but the cases are uncommon where it is more than pretence. The scriptures are profitable to establish the foundation of my beliefs. It is beyond argument that the Scriptures can convict a man of his error and convince him of the power of Christ. (2.) And the reason why he makes it so urgent not to be turned aside was, that the time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts they should heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they should turn away their ears from the truth, and should be. There is slander enough in many a church to make the recording angel weep as he records it. Consider of whom thou hast learned them; not of evil men and seducers, but good men, who had themselves experienced the power of the truths they taught thee, and been ready to suffer for them, and thereby would give the fullest evidence of their belief of these truths." Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The Holy Spirit would make it to be most practical and precious. Whose will is to live, or who are bent on living. THE DUTIES AND THE QUALITIES OF AN APOSTLE ( 2 Timothy 3:10-13 ). He was comparatively alone. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975. The term "godly" (eusebos) means "piously" (Thayer 262-2-2153). We must not be afraid of a manifest duty because it has been abused. (1) it teaches the only way to the Father is through Jesus; (2) it teaches a morality (a way of life) unpopular with the world; (3) it teaches a miraculous creation, a miraculous end; and a miraculous Savior who was resurrected; (4), Why does the world hate Christians? 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. Thus it was that God had made him: there was no use denying it. Paul's life contrasted with the world. Paul goes on to other qualities of an apostle. Oh, yeah, I like that one. John 15:19; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 10:38-39, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus,. All that live according to the will of God revealed in his word; and to the glory of God, as the end of all their actions; and which the grace of God in the Gospel, and in their own hearts, teaches them; and who have the principles of a godly life from Christ, and derive the fresh supplies of grace and life from him, to maintain it; in whom their life is hid, and who live by faith upon him; all such that live, and that will live so, are desirous of living after this manner; in whom God has wrought in them both to will and to do, and are concerned when it is otherwise with them: these.

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