2 Timothy - part 3
Witnessing in the Last Days
This last week I have been battling a sinus infection. I know it’s a sinus infection, because I am prone to getting them. I suffer from seasonal allergies, and if I am not extra careful, or if the weather is exceptionally irrational, I can get congested which can lead to infection. As I was thinking about the passage we are studying today, and treating my symptoms, I got to thinking about viruses. Did you know the human body routinely has about 380 trillion viruses inside it at any given moment? Obviously, the majority of these do little to no harm to the host, and some have even proven themselves useful for a healthy system. But, every once in awhile, a virus infiltrates the human body that is not there for the human’s good. It causes sinuses to swell and excrete more mucus than usual. They can cause fevers or stomach problems. They get inside, reproduce, and cause all kinds of havoc.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do about viruses. There are vaccines for some, but unlike bacteria which can be treated with antibiotics, we can only treat the symptoms of viruses. But, medical researchers are studying those trillions of viruses within humans to see how they affect our health. In fact, some are finding viruses that can be use to destroy harmful bacteria. It’s a fascinating field, and though it doesn’t seem to overlap with today’s passage, there is something viruses and the church have in common.
Just like those viruses who creep into the body, some for harm and some for help, churches have people who creep in that aren’t actually a part of the church. They are there for their own benefit. They have little regard for the host, because their intentions are for their own gain and pleasure.
Today, we are going to see Paul’s advice for inoculating our churches from those viral attenders.
The difficulty of the last days
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
What is the “difficulty” of verse 1? Traditionally, Christians discuss this passage in reference to the opposition to the faith, or outright oppression, felt during trying times. Whenever “the last days” begins, it is believed the opposition to Christianity will grow considerably. Then, inevitably, the teacher or pastor will look at the list of attitudes which follow, and it becomes obvious society must be headed to the last days, because the evidence of these sins is all around us. This interpretation is understandable, but flawed.
The difficulty of the last days will be the widespread influence of false teachings within the church.
The “difficulty” cannot be from outside opposition for two reasons:
The lost world has always been “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant” and all the other attributes listed.
Paul has been helping Timothy lead the church for the last two chapters, so why would he switch to the outside world all of a sudden?
Further more, let’s consider the two examples Paul mentions—Jannes and Jambres. Who are these two? Tradition holds these are the two magicians who opposed Moses during the Exodus. Now, you won’t find their names in the Book of Exodus, but extensive storytelling about these two developed in the Rabbinic literature, and they even have some Greek stories in history.
Rather than go into the lengthy telling and retellings of their story, allow me to give you the Cliff’s Notes version. The two sorcerers, after being defeated by the God of Moses, recognize the Israelites serve a Higher Power than their Egyptian gods and goddesses. They decide to flee Egypt along with the Israelites, but they never actually convert or have a true faith in Yahweh. They believe they can gain the benefits of God without actually loving God. Note the similarity to Paul’s description—they love pleasure, power, and money more than God. They were ultimately destroyed either at the Red Sea or during the revolt of Koran and his followers.
But, before they died, one more legend arose about them. Before they were killed, the legend goes they were able to gain enough magical knowledge to make their way into the heavens. Using their power and some magical talismans, they were able to ascend to the 5th level of Heaven. It was only then the lead angel was able to trick them into giving up their talismans which protected them, that the angel was able to cast them out. Upon returning to earth, they eventually died ashamed.
Now, it’s impossible to know exactly which version of the story Paul had in mind when he cited these two to Timothy, but let’s take a look once again at what Paul is saying.
First, in the last chapter, Paul tells Timothy to remind the church to avoid quarreling over words, superstitions, and “irreverent babble.” These things will only lead God’s people into ungodliness. Second, those who follow God should continue to flee iniquity and sin in order to become vessels of honor. To that end, Paul tells Timothy (and Timothy’s flock by extension) to flee youthful passions to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. They are to correct those whose beliefs are wrong with gentleness in the hopes they will be granted repentance. Every address is for the benefit of God’s people, until he gets to how to deal with opponents, but notice that these opponents are those who are engaged with the church. They are opponents of the church within the church.
So, when Paul says in 3:1 there will be times of great difficulty, he is talking about difficulty within the church. They have crept into the church in hopes of gaining some power, prestige, or other benefit, but they are not serving God. They are serving themselves. And, their folly will demonstrate their falsehood to the church, but not before creating great difficulty for the church.
Before we move on to the last section of chapter 3, let’s look again at the list of sinful attitudes, but this time consider where they are found within those who claim to be Christians. Where do we see people who are lovers of self? Where are the lovers of money? Where are the proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents? Where are the ungrateful, the unholy, the heartless, the unappeasable, the slanderers? Where are the ones who lack self-control? Who are brutal, not loving good, the treacherous, the reckless, the conceited, or the lovers of pleasure?
When we look at this list, it is not a list to say, “See how corrupt and bad our culture is!” It is a list to call out those who claim to follow Christ but whose lives are far from Him. They are the ones who “have the appearance of godliness, but deny its power.” They have all kinds of excuses for behaving the way they do, but at the end of the day, the problem is they are like Jannes and Jambres who want the benefits of following God without actually following God. They are seeking power, but not in the power of God.
To continue in sin while claiming to follow Jesus is to deny the power of God to remove sin in our lives.
John said it this way in his letter.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15-17
Regardless where someone spends their Sunday morning, if they continue to follow the same sinful attitudes of this world, the love of the Father is not in them. They are in opposition to God, and their folly will eventually become apparent. If you look at the list from 2 Timothy 3, and you can find these attitudes in your own life, then it is time to repent. It is time to remember the power of God Who raises the dead can also remove sin. Surrender today to the power of God and be cleansed of it, because this world and all its sin is passing away. Do not die with it.
The cure for difficulty in ministry
In the last past of chapter 3, Paul tells Timothy how to continue ministering during these trying times.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 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 deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:10-17
There are three basic principles Paul gives Timothy. The first is found in the first couple of verses. Paul reminds Timothy of how Paul suffered for the faith. These aren’t bragging points, though. Paul is reminding Timothy of the examples of Christian grit. If God can carry Paul through his trials, God can carry Timothy also. Church, if God can carry Paul and Timothy, He can carry you too.
Study and remember the examples of past heroes of the faith to encourage you through times of difficulty.
Second, Paul tells Timothy to continue in what he has learned and believed. The principle is for God’s people to just keep moving. “Just keep swimming” as the tenacious little blue fish says. The difficult times Timothy will face, and those we will face, are not news to God. He is the one who told us they would come. If God knew these times would come, then He has already worked out a plan for us.
Keep forging ahead knowing God has already marked the path we should take.
Last, Paul reminds Timothy to keep his Bible handy. 2 Timothy 3:17 is famous for its illustration of how God inspired the Bible writers to write, but the thrust of the verse is less about God’s inspiration and more about why God inspired the writings. Scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
How should Timothy address those who bring difficulty? Use his Bible. Whenever the sinful attitudes listed above creep into the church, Timothy is to take his Bible out and teach them the better way. He is to reprove their misconduct. He is to correct their faulty interpretations and beliefs. And most important, he is to train his flock toward righteousness.
Return to your Bible time after time to know and do the will of the God who saved you.
That last phrase, “training in righteousness,” conjures the image of an athlete. If you recall last week, we looked at how Paul used the metaphors of a soldier, athlete, and farmer to illustrate the principle of suffering faithfully in times of trial. Those metaphors help explain how the Bible can train us for righteousness. The Bible is our manual for how to live, but it will not live life for us. Likewise, we may know trivia related to the Bible, but until we act on those beliefs, we are not actually becoming righteous. It takes time and training to become righteous.
That’s why Paul ends with the description of the mature man of God. He is complete and equipped for every good work. We cannot be complete and equipped overnight. It takes time, and it takes us following the examples of great Christians of the past. It takes us forging ahead knowing God has already marked the path we need to take. And it takes diligent study in order to know how to address the problems we will inevitably face in the trials of this life.