2 Timothy Chapter 3

2 Timothy 3:1-9 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”

We have been in the last times since the resurrection of Jesus.  These men that Paul described in chapter 3 are Christians who have received the grace of God.  They have accepted the free gift of righteousness but have rejected walking in holiness.  In verse 5, the form of godliness mentioned is grace, but these people are denying the power of grace to deliver them from sin.  Paul told Timothy to turn away from those who are teaching this error and living this way. We know Paul did not tell Timothy to turn away from ordinary believers who were caught up in this false teaching; he told Timothy to be patient in teaching those people at the end of the last chapter.  Timothy was to turn away from those who were teaching these ideas.  He described these teachers as creeping into households and making people captive to sin.  Paul said these teachers were resisting the truth of the word of God, just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses in the Old Testament.  He said these teachers were men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith. This did not say that God rejected them and sent them to hell.  It says that they are disapproved concerning the faith.  If we are born again but reject walking in holiness, men will reject us and our testimony of God’s grace.    

  

2 Timothy 3:10-17 “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Paul suffered persecution for preaching the gospel.  He mentioned three cities where he suffered persecution in Acts chapters 13 and 14.  He was being persecuted by Jews who were opposed to the gospel and trying to attain righteousness before God by their own works.  Notice what Paul said in verse 12. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  We as Christians are rejoicing and declaring that we are made righteous by grace.  We should also desire to live godly in Christ Jesus.  It is not that our good works make us right with God; Jesus did that for us.  We live godly to express His nature of love through us to others.

In verse 16 and 17, Paul said that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  The gospel tells us that we are righteous by grace apart from our works through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  But it also corrects us and teaches us to walk in holiness and love.  The grace of God that forgives us of all our sins is the same grace that teaches us to love.  If all of our sins are forgiven but we reject holiness, we end up hurting ourselves and those around us.    

Keith Oliver