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. And Paul said, You've known the Holy Scriptures, able to bring you to a faith in Jesus Christ, salvation through the faith in Jesus Christ. Now, it is doubtless as true as it ever was, that a man who will live as the Saviour did, will, like him, be subjected to some such injury or disadvantage. (4.) And, let every one that nameth the name" not of "Christ," but "of the Lord depart from iniquity." But God prepares the instruments through which He works and the most important preparation is through the Word of God. He must study the Scriptures to make himself useful to God and to his fellow-men. 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. What use it will be of to us. I mean, people will have had it with the unrighteousness of the world. Paul goes on to other qualities of an apostle. Therefore, isolation is never desirable, though it may be sometimes necessary. It is the Greek parakolouthein ( G3877) and literally means to follow alongside; but it is used with a magnificent width of meaning. For "all scripture is given by inspiration of God. Given the right conditions, such oppositions would be just as deadly as the great Roman persecutions. The Greek for slanderer is diabolos ( G1228) which is precisely the English word devil. 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. "That thou hast had good teachers. 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. At Ephesus some of the greatest roads in the world met. 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 is interesting that the Scriptures in many places speak of the last days and in every case where the Scriptures speak of the last days, you find that it is an apt description of the day and the age in which we live. And he embraced Christianity, but he was probably standing there in Lystra when the people in the city stoned Paul until they thought he was dead and dragged him out of the city. They will maintain the outward form of religion, but they will deny its power. 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 ). They said, Wait a minute, this is the hand of God, we can't, we can't touch this. To many a man and woman has a little bit of dress done no small injury, just because they think it is too little for the Spirit of God to direct them in. At the same time he shows also his sense of the kindness of a particular individual and his family. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch thoroughly furnished unto all good works ( 2 Timothy 3:17 ). What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Now they're right out where little kids can go in and pick them up and leaf through them. Yet. Next he comes to a more personal need. Now, there's nothing wrong with enjoying life. 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). It is the ability to accept the folly, the perversity, the blindness, the ingratitude of men and still to remain gracious, and still to toil on. Some of you are separated not by your own desire or wish, but because someone was a trucebreaker. 6. That is where you become thoroughly equipped to do the work that God has designed and ordained for you. In the terrible times men will be so set on self that even the closest ties will be nothing to them. (iv) The Scriptures are of use for correction. Oh I know it costs more but . First, there are the duties of an apostle. "And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.". i. The Holy Spirit would make it to be most practical and precious. There is love. In other words, they simply remain in spiritual infancy and keep repeating the first stage of their Christian faith, over and again, without pressing on to spiritual maturity.Many are falsely taught that becoming a Christian will secure a quiet life and provide a ticket to prosperity, with numerous earthly blessings and a free pass from God, to prevent or remove any difficulties or dangers that may arise. Then the apostle brings out most important directions for the days that were then coming in, but now come, and more. The true leader gives training in living. That is, he must first labour, and then partake of the fruits. Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation. The scriptures are profitable to establish the foundation of my beliefs. The braggart is a swaggering creature, who tries to bluster his way into power and eminence. These things may be expected in the best times, and under the most favorable circumstances; and it is known that a large part of the history of the world, in its relation to the church, is nothing more than a history of persecution. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN. It has become their God and thus, they are guilty as those in the Old Testament who were worshipping Mammon, who, or rather Molech who was the god of pleasure. 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. Ephesus was called "The Treasure-house of the ancient world," "The Vanity Fair of Asia Minor." Persecution and hardships will come, but of two things Paul is sure. Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5-6,Acts 14:19; Acts 16:1-2). This I cannot but consider as a proof of want of faith. The most amazing things may happen if he does, for there is a saving wisdom here that is in no other book. There is faith, complete belief that God's commands are binding and that his promises are true. Jewish thought had one basic conception. That's not the kind of promises we really enjoy, is it? Now we see that when Paul was touching the confines of that difficult and most perilous moment when John was to be left alone, he brings out as his last note that very truth which John was to develop with special care and fulness. fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, [and then] lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God ( 2 Timothy 3:3-4 ); The pleasuremania of the United States. Men will be treacherous. 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. She had been finding life, as she herself said, futile and meaningless. The technique would be the same in the days of Timothy as it was in the later days of Irenaeus. All rights reserved. It means to follow a person spiritually, not only to understand what he says, but also to carry out his ideas and be the kind of person he wishes us to be. 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." So from his earliest childhood Timothy had known the sacred writings. (ii) The Scriptures are of use in teaching. When a man's language becomes filthy, obscene and crude, it shows that there's something wrong with him. The Gnostic heretics taught, either that, since matter is altogether evil, a rigid asceticism must be practiced and all the things of the body as far as possible eliminated, or that it does not matter what we do with the body and its desires can be indulged in to the limit because they do not matter. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Timothy was well aware of this, even before he joined Paul in his work. "The cloke," then says he, "that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books," not only the clothing, but even that which he is to read, "especially the parchments;" what he was going to write on, probably. God takes care of His people, and ensures them a blessed end. Socrates skid that they were to be found in every walk of life but were worst of all in politics. In other words, it's not going to get better for awhile. THE QUALITIES OF GODLESSNESS ( 2 Timothy 3:2-5 ). It is true that these things happened before the young Timothy had definitely entered on the Christian way, but they all happened in the district of which he was a native; and he may well have been an eyewitness of them. There would be two ways in which these heretics in the days of Timothy could exert an evil influence. Robertson, Archibald Thomas. There are persons who think that the approach of death is intended to blot out everything here. repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. His connection with the church, but "of the seed of David," the fulfiller of the promises, and object of the prophecies. "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." Have you ever seen an age when people were more conscious of their own selves? ii. 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. It is the word alazon ( G213) and was derived from the ale, which means a wandering about. Paul cites three instances when he had to suffer for Christ. At first these magicians were able to match the wonders which Moses and Aaron did, but in the end they were defeated and discredited. 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. Here we come back to where we started; such men place their own wishes in the centre of life. 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. The world really doesn't admire true Christian traits. "Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." You know, I mean, talk about lovers of selves, look at the advertising. 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. He tells him further to "hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Let us look at them one by one. By it we are thoroughly furnished for every good work. There is teaching. There is that in the scripture which suits every case. "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." From , before, and , to deliver up.Those who deliver up to an enemy the person who has put his life in their hands; such as the Scots of 1648, who delivered up into the hands of his enemies their unfortunate countryman and king, Charles the First; a stain which no lapse of ages can wipe out. So I become the authority if I make such an affirmation to you. 2 Timothy 3:12, NASB: Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. It's instructing you on the right kind of life. As individuals, we should sometimes ask ourselves: what is our aim in life? Note, Those are wise indeed who are wise to salvation. (186) Et tous ceux aussi qui veulent vivre en la crainte de Dieu. And all those also who wish to live in the fear of God., (187) Que rien ne luy est advenu que tous fideles ne doyvent aussi attendre. That nothing has happened to him which all believers must not also look for.. 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). How is a man to walk in such a state of things as this? What I believe, I believe because God has said it. He speaks of "all God-inspired scripture." Not so the apostle Paul. The kind of guys that went around selling snake oil or cure-alls, deceiving, defrauding people. The numbers of people who flocked to the various athletic contests, loving pleasure. He flung the New Testament on it. And for a person to take advantage of a child is unthinkable. 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. He was to remember, then, "that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil-doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound." 3:10-13 But you have been my disciple in my teaching, my training, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings, in what happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, in the persecutions which I underwent; and the Lord rescued me from them all. This is the right thing to do. Those who would acquaint themselves with the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the holy scriptures, for these are the summary of divine revelation. Each one of these words in the Greek is an interesting word study. Their falsity would be demonstrated and they would receive their appropriate reward. Therefore it is incumbent for the Christian to look to this gravely, never to be dragged by the fear of breaking unity into accrediting what dishonours the Lord. Paul suffered as he taught: a single eye to Christ and His grace made him consistent. 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, 1. First and foremost he has an aim in life. 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. Afterwards he also speaks of his own work and of that which he was suffering. 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. E. F. Brown has pointed out the danger of what he calls "intellectual curiosity without moral earnestness." But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived ( 2 Timothy 3:13 ). And there came that place where, hey, Moses performed a miracle of God and they backed away. Lipscomb's Commentary on Selected NT Books, Verse 12. But the condition of the believers had deteriorated. 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. I think the next major event, Revelation 4:1 . It describes, not the spirit which accepts life, but the spirit which masters it. 1. "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'.". 12And all who wish to live a godly life (186) Having mentioned his own persecutions, he likewise adds now, that nothing has happened to him which does not await all the godly. See also 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:11, and on godliness, 1 Timothy 2:2. The scriptures are able to make us truly wise, wise for our souls and another world. In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. The great thing is to do the will of God, let others say what they please; and so the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy. The adjective used is philautos, which means self-loving. They love pleasure more than they love God; that's the indictment. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Truth and holiness and endurance are wanted, not authority or outward order. 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. It is a great happiness to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed (Luke 1:4); not only to know what the truths are, but to know that they are of undoubted certainty. Don't start trying to cut out certain stories because they don't fit your scheme because you have a little hard, you have a hard time sort of believing that. The reason is manifest: they themselves savour of the things of men, and not of God. But let him not infer, therefore, that he is to be enrolled among the martyrs, and that he is certainly a real Christian. 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. 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. This is a further reason why Timothy should endure hardship and not turn aside from the work God has given him (3-5). Instead of hiding either from Timothy, he points all out to him. (iii) The Scriptures are valuable for reproof. One only meets Satan when traveling in an opposite direction! 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. He is now looking at the state of disorder in the house of God, instead of contemplating it in its public integrity, as in the first epistle. Whatever duty we have to do, whatever service is required from us, we may find enough in the scriptures to furnish us for it. The Jewish Rabbis ranked high in the list of sins what they called the sin of insult. Nor do I at all see that any Christians should be above learning, if others can teach. As members of the Church, we should sometimes ask ourselves, what are we trying to do in it? It is an immense blessing that we have the truth not only in a book, but in a practical shape, the truth that comes out of the heart and from the lips of living men of God. Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. It is the normal Greek word for difficult, but it has certain usage's which explain its meaning here. Let me remark, that there are comparatively few indeed that receive truth without help of others directly from God. He brings out the infinite value of the Scriptures, that is of what was written, the one transcendent resource for perilous times when we have not the presence and personal help of apostles. But when dying upon the cross, He calls to John to behold His mother. It appears it was not merely in Rome. Why not baptize at once every soul around? "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. Look at the lack, lackness. If your God is big enough to create the heavens and the earth, no problem, but you see, we stumble on the very first verse. She had never tried the Bible, for a friend had convinced her by subtle arguments that it could not be true. "If religion gives no quarter to vice, the vicious will give no quarter to religion and its professors.". There is training. 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. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. The deterioration, rapid deterioration so that a mother has to worry when she sends her little child to school because she doesn't know what some kinky character might do, exposing themselves to that beautiful little child or even worse. 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. In this picture which Paul draws he is thinking in terms familiar to the Jews. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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. The Christian leader will never lack his opponents. What am I to believe about man? but they deny the power thereof: [Paul said to Timothy] from such turn away. There was no longer the freshness of a new thing; and where the heart was not kept up in communion with the Lord, the value of divine things was less felt, if it did not quite fade away. On the whole we here see, [1.] I think we've gone just about as far as we can. Christianity was cradled in Judaism and very naturally thought largely in Jewish terms and pictures. In 2 Timothy 3:13 he meant that evil becomes more intensive as time goes on. e Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.. Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You. The final condemnation of these people is that they retain the outward form of religion but deny its power. The Jehovah Witnesses seeking to develop their doctrine concerning hell and that it is a place of oblivion, no consciousness, no awareness. 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. As teachers we should sometimes ask ourselves: what am I trying to do with these people whom I teach? Now these seem to many very difficult indeed to combine. It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields every point in which religion is opposed to the world. Theophylact called this kind of pride akropolis (compare G206 and G4172) kakon ( G2556) , the citadel of evils. But it is asked, Must all men be martyrs? The study of the Scriptures trains a man in righteousness until he is equipped for every good work. But the phrase may mean any future time, whether near or distant. Jambres. And I filed many scriptures in that file. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. In these last terrible days men will come to have no love for good things or good persons (aphilagathos, G865) . The one was suited to upset the young, the other to beguile the old. One of my most unfavorite promises in the Bible. In those days trade tended to flow down river valleys; Ephesus was at the mouth of the River Cayster, and commanded the trade of one of the richest hinterlands in all Asia Minor. That desire for more. 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. "Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions." Timothy's job, for the sake of the future, involves more preservation than innovation. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. And the word perfect of course is always that of completeness. There was to be a final show-down with the forces of evil. In vain shall we endeavor to detach Christ from his cross; for it may be said to be natural that the world should hate Christ even in his members. In other words, there is within the Old Testament so much concerning Jesus Christ that through the understanding and the study of the Old Testament you should logically be led to Jesus Christ. And they use the book of Job as their proof text. 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." Even a dog may be sorry when he has hurt his master, but there are people who, in their treatment of others, can be lost to human sympathy and feeling. THE EXPERIENCES OF AN APOSTLE ( 2 Timothy 3:10-13 continued). They should remember that, in this respect, they are treated as the Master was, and are in the goodly company of the prophets, apostles, and martyrs; for they were all persecuted. Persons sometimes say it does not matter who taught; but God does not treat the matter so lightly. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers," what singular language this from Paul! It is as if he said to them: "You have been well warned." The history of the Christian Church teaches us that falsity cannot live. 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. The Greek word (prodotes, G4273) means nothing less than a traitor. 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. "Put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers. It can sometimes have the meaning of loyalty, or true religion. 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."