He lit the fire, and then he asked if he might read a little from each book before he dropped it in the flames. Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5-6,Acts 14:19; Acts 16:1-2). They worship self instead of God. We must remember that this was written just at the beginning of the years of persecution, when it was becoming a crime to be a Christian. Abandoned by virtually all of those close to him for fear of persecution (cf. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ( 2 Timothy 3:1 ). When children are disobedient to their parents, and break through the obligations which they lie under to them both in duty and gratitude, and frequently in interest, having their dependence upon them and their expectation from them, they make the times perilous; for what wickedness will those stick at who will be abusive to their own parents and O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! The moment a man makes his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. It can never cease to be a Christian's duty to maintain the unity of the Spirit; but it is not maintaining the unity of the Spirit to couple with the name of the Lord that which is fleshly and sinful. Robertson, Archibald Thomas. 3:2-5 For men will live a life that is centred in self; they will be lovers of money, braggarts, arrogant, lovers of insult, disobedient to their parents, thankless, regardless even of the ultimate decencies of life, without human affection, implacable in hatred, revelling in slander, ungovernable in their passions, savage, not knowing what the love of good is, treacherous, headlong in word and action, inflated with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. He had fully known his conversation: Thou hast fully know my doctrine, and manner of life; his manner of life was of a piece with his doctrine, and did not contradict it. The strange characteristic of ingratitude is that it is the most hurting of all sins because it is the blindest. There is just a certain natural love that would keep people from doing a lot of the things they are doing today. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ( 2 Timothy 3:5-7 ). Let us look at them one by one. THE VALUE OF SCRIPTURE ( 2 Timothy 3:14-17 ). This I cannot but consider as a proof of want of faith. Paul cites three instances when he had to suffer for Christ. This sort of atmosphere will mark the last days . The peculiar task confided to the latter was care of doctrine much more than of outward order. 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. The Gnostics had their own fanciful books; the heretics all produced their own literature to support their claims. "Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." 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." 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. Finally, we have his assertion of the blessed Lord's care, and his confidence in Him that He would preserve him from all evil to His heavenly kingdom; closing this solemn and touching epistle (it would seem the last words he wrote) with salutations to various saints. There was the road from north Asia Minor and from Galatia which came in via Sardis. Paul met him on his first missionary journey. For he does not say Jesus Christ simply in. So don't expect the world to speak well of you or to applaud you for your living a godly life and taking a righteous stand. It is not meant that the Scriptures are valuable for finding fault; what is meant is that they are valuable for convincing a man of the error of his ways and for pointing him on the right path. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Rather they are minimum requirements that otherwise suitable people must fulfil if the church is to recognize them as elders or deacons. Negative and positive illustrations 3:8-13. But we must exclude that which is contrary to His name; and the very same desire to prove one's love, one's faith, one's appreciation of Christ, will make one anxious not to be dragged into that which is not for His glory. E. F. Brown has pointed out the danger of what he calls "intellectual curiosity without moral earnestness." This of itself indicates that the epistle provides for a time when it is no longer simply a question of recognising persons coming out of the world. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. The latter gains a following only by turning away from the truth of God (13). I'm just saying, Hey, I am stupid and I lack an understanding. When we are tempted to do so, we should hear again the voice of our blessed Lord saying on the Cross: "Father, forgive them.". Men can be savage in rebuke and savage in pitiless action. Boy, I'll tell you, I don't know. Friday evenings, you know, everybody out looking for their weekend companion, incontinent, no sexual restraints. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Et tous ceux aussi qui veulent vivre en la crainte de Dieu, Que rien ne luy est advenu que tous fideles ne doyvent aussi attendre. 2 Timothy 3:12, NASB: Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Indeed it may be well to remark here, that we never read of Timothy appointing bishops or elders. Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of being one with Christ, positioned in Him, and clothed in His righteousness. Such offence can and does happen yet. 3. Some of you here are victims of broken covenants. It means to follow a person physically, to stick by him through thick and thin. Thou hast fully known my afflictions. 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. Now when Moses appeared before Pharaoh and he threw down his rod and it turned into a snake, you'll remember that Pharaoh's magicians threw down their rods and they also became snakes, but Moses' snake swallowed theirs. We must not be afraid of a manifest duty because it has been abused. The defeat of error depends not on skill in controversy but in the demonstration in life of the more excellent way. (3) If we are persecuted, we should carefully inquire, before we avail ourselves of this consolation, whether we are persecuted because we live godly in Christ Jesus, or for some other reason. Certain of the temporary persecution, he is equally certain of the ultimate glory. And my full doctrinal concepts are premised upon the scriptures. The apostle's life was very exemplary for three things: for his doctrine, which was according to the will of God; for his life, which was agreeable to his doctrine; and for his persecutions and sufferings. If the Lord doesn't come soon, we're going to destroy ourselves as we just sink in the filth. Thus the apostle comes to the close of his ministry, and touches upon the line of St. John. 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. YEA, AND - an additional consideration. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Again and again Scripture has opened for men and women the way to God. "He kicked the world about," said one, "as if it had been a football." How is it that you could be deceived, Jesus? Look what they did to Jesus, and Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they're going to persecute you" ( John 15:20 ). This world is in rebellion against God. Includes questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications on 2 Timothy 1 for life transformation. Description of His Past Curriculum 2 Timothy 3:10-12. he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me." 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. And how profitable is the word of God to us today! 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.) It is not "the commandment," as of authority, but "according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus." Though his life was a life of great usefulness, yet it was a life of great sufferings; and none, I believe, came nearer to their great Master for eminent services and great sufferings than Paul: he suffered almost in every place; the Holy Ghost witnessed that bonds and afflictions did abide him, Acts 20:23. So God's word, scripture given for inspiration, by the inspiration of God and is profitable.Of course, this morning we pointed out that the inspiration of the Bible is proved by internal evidences, such as its total accuracy with known facts of science, when it happened to cover scientific subjects. A man may embrace some absurd opinion, and call it religion; he may adopt some mode of dress irresistibly ludicrous, from the mere love of singularity, and may call it "conscience;" or he may be boorish in his manners, and uncivil in his deportment, outraging all the laws of social life, and may call this "deadness to the world;" and for these, and similar things, he may be contemned, ridiculed, and despised. Lear's words remain true: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is. This present age was altogether evil; and the age to come would be the golden age of God. Quite a promise, isn't it? "Beloved, consider it not strange concerning the fiery trials which are to try you, as though some strange thing has happened to you" ( 1 Peter 4:12 ). The Greek word (prodotes, G4273) means nothing less than a traitor. Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation. At this particular time in the ordinary matters of politics one of the curses of Rome was the existence of informers (delatores, compare G1213) . Real teaching is always born of real experience. When children are disobedient to their parents, and break through the obligations which they lie under to them both in duty and gratitude, and frequently in interest, having their dependence upon them and their expectation from them, they make the times perilous; for what wickedness will those stick at who will be abusive to their own parents and Take what is called physical Christianity a stupid, gross, and heathenish phrase, but just enough to show where people are drifting to. That which finishes a man of God in this world is the scripture. For that very reason it is unanswerable that, whatever a man might argue about the rest of the Bible, it is impossible for the Church ever to do without the Gospels. One only meets Satan when traveling in an opposite direction! Don't start messing with it. Or life, or death, or life after death? She had waded through book after book and laboured with philosophy after philosophy in an attempt to find satisfaction. But the apostle at the same time owns, and loves to own, that which another might perhaps despise. But then another thing. And as we go down the list, it's like reading the afternoon newspaper. (12) Yea, and all that will live godly.--But St. Paul would not allow it to be thought for a moment that in the fact of his enduring persecution and suffering there was anything remarkable or singular; so he adds the words of this verse, which repeat in a peculiarly solemn way the great Christian truth that eternal glory was only to be reached by man through an avenue of sufferings. i. Turning to the SECOND EPISTLE, we find that, although there is the same grand truth of the Saviour God maintained, the state of things had become sensibly worse, and the hour for the apostle's departure from the world was drawing near. That the man of God may be perfect ( 2 Timothy 3:17 ). Now this is in particular a difficulty for saints, when they have revived before the soul the blessedness of maintaining the unity of the Spirit. 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. and then shall we find the benefit and advantage designed thereby, and shall at last attain the happiness therein promised and assured to us. The word here is makrothumia ( G3115) ; and makrothumia, as the Greeks used it, usually meant patience with people. Jambres. And Jesus himself had said: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake" ( Matthew 5:10). He lets Timothy know that while he laid this on others, he must look carefully to his own ways. It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields every point in which religion is opposed to the world. One dark night in a forest in Sicily a brigand held up a colporteur at the point of a revolver. Verse 2 Timothy 3:4. In the last days perilous times will come: The word translated perilous has the idea of troubles, difficulty, and stressful situations. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise." The Christian life does not consist only in knowing something; it consists even more in being something. Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). Ephesus was the town of a prosperous, materialistic civilization; it was the kind of town where a man could so easily lose his soul. "I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 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 apostle mentions the Lord's delivering him out of them all, for Timothy's and our encouragement under sufferings. 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. There is instinctively, I think, within persons that love of a parent for a child or an adult for the child because we realize the helplessness of a child, the dependency that they have. "Blessed is he who will come in the name of the Lord" ( Psalms 118:26 ). Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Those ministers are likely to do good, and leave lasting fruits of their labours, whose manner of life agrees with their doctrine; as, on the contrary, those cannot expect to profit the people at all that preach well and live ill. 3. 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." Their falsity would be demonstrated and they would receive their appropriate reward. The more the person who lives godly and righteous in Christ stands out. It would all be over, where, you know, the miseries would all be gone.What's the first thing God said to Job? Oh, Jesus, you mean you believe that story? The cause of this is the present confusion, and accordingly the apostle brings a picture of it before Timothy's mind. One day they said to Jesus, Show us a sign. They will maintain the outward form of religion, but they will deny its power. It will be getting better a little further down the road, but evil days are going to wax worse and worse, until the Lord takes His church out and then God judges the world for its unrighteousness and ungodliness. Don't expect the world to applaud when you speak out against evil. Now are you going to, you know, take the word of Jesus? "It denotes living in the right attitude to God and to things divine. for it is evident that there have been many godly persons who have never suffered banishment, or imprisonment, or flight, or any kind of persecution. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:2, "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God." The world easily puts up with the mask of a religion which depends on itself, but the piety which derives its vigor directly from Christ is as odious to modern Christians as it was to the ancient Jews [Bengel]. What am I to believe about God? And they use the book of Job as their proof text. The ancient world set duty to parents very high. Let us then see what Paul says of the usefulness of scripture. Promotions are withheld, invitations are denied, and a snickering unpopularity are the daily portion of many precious souls working in a hostile, atheistic environment. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Persecution and hardships will come, but of two things Paul is sure. 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. Whatever duty we have to do, whatever service is required from us, we may find enough in the scriptures to furnish us for it. First and foremost he has an aim in life. for reproof, for correction ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ), And how often the word of God has brought correction to my course of life. 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. 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. 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. Still the man has become crude, blasphemous, ranting and raving, a disgrace to Jesus Christ who said, "By this sign shall men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another" ( John 13:34 ). You know, I mean, talk about lovers of selves, look at the advertising. That is where you become thoroughly equipped to do the work that God has designed and ordained for you. But now there were other reasons for it, namely, that Christians were neglecting godliness and order. He must maintain this confidence, knowing that the Scriptures are divinely given and that they are Gods means of instructing people in right belief and right living. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. So from his earliest childhood Timothy had known the sacred writings. (This book is used for definition of Greek words. The world is full of these braggarts to this day; the clever know-all's who deceive people into thinking that they are wise, the politicians who claim that their parties have a program which will bring in the Utopia and that they alone are born to be leaders of men, the people who crowd the advertisement columns with claims to give beauty, knowledge or health by their system, the people in the Church who have a kind of ostentatious goodness. You may be able to deceive people for a while, but ultimately, it's going to catch up, even as it did with Jannes. THE QUALITIES OF GODLESSNESS ( 2 Timothy 3:2-5 continued). That Day of the Lord was to be preceded by a time of terror, when evil would gather itself for its final assault and the world would be shaken to its moral and physical foundations. Having a form of godliness ( 2 Timothy 3:5 ). "To Timothy, my dearly-beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. The best way to overcome and to banish the false is to live in such a way that the loveliness and the graciousness of the truth is plain for all to see. Men will be savage. "He read on, forgetful of time, through the hours of the night, and just as the dawn was breaking, he stood up and declared, 'I believe'.". Every man going his own way. Besides that, persecutions today are manifested much more indirectly. Who is talking all these words without knowledge? 2 Timothy Greeting. We've just experienced a tremendous demonstration of that in the Los Angeles basin in the last couple of weeks. In the terrible times men will be so set on self that even the closest ties will be nothing to them. The coming of the Lord will in no way manifest the faithfulness of the servant; His appearing will. Jannes and Jambres were the names of the two magicians that withstood Moses. Judaism had its divine institutions and hopes, but the truth is found in Christendom only: nevertheless in Christendom, who fails to discern Jewish elements and heathenish enormities? Paul was a prisoner again and awaited death. Whose will is to live, or who are bent on living. In simple fairness, no man seeking for the truth has any right to neglect the reading of the Bible. We're going to drown in our own corruption. If there is no human affection, the family cannot exist. It is often a very great safeguard for the saint of God; for, after all, it makes no small difference who says this or that. What am I to believe about angels or the future? Every man doing his own thing or every man believing as he wants. (1.) Things will get worse as people turn away from those who teach the Scriptures, and listen to those who teach their own theories. The real meaning of this is that all theories, all theologies, all ethics, are to be tested against the Bible. Now many people have a legitimate and proper desire to be used of God. "Knowing especially the firm foundation upon which thou hast built, namely, that of the scripture (2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 3:15): That from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.". e Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.. Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You. (See notes Matthew 5:10, 11, 12) Living here almost in a Sodom-Gomorrah atmosphere and environment. These twin qualities of the braggart and the arrogant man inevitably result in love of insult (blasphemia, G988) . Nor do I at all see that any Christians should be above learning, if others can teach.