2 Timothy 3:1-9 - Living in the Last Days
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
What is it like living in the last days? Although the end of the last days will be marked by the Tribulation - a time period marked by the worst world events to ever occur - we are actually living in the last days now!
As we look around our world, darkness is everywhere. Wars rage, false teaching is rampant, many supposed churches have gone apostate by accepting the lies of our culture, sexuality is perverted, and truth is rarely found.
Many world leaders are marked by being lovers of self, money, and power. Frankly, many pastors can be described in the same way.
How are we to live out our Christian lives in a world with even many churches marked such by evil?
Join me as we read this difficult, yet applicable section of Scripture today…
Read Full Scripture:
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.
Prayer
Today we will see three things that we should expect as we understand that we are living in the last days. The first is…
I. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect Difficulty (1)
I. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect Difficulty (1)
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
If you recall from last week, Paul has just taught on what it means to be an approved worker. Before that he charged Timothy and those he trained to be good soldiers.
And now he is going to warn against false teachers in this section. He urges Timothy and all of those who would read this letter to understand this. What do they need to understand? That in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
The last days mentioned here is likely the same idea that the writer of Hebrews uses as he starts off his book.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
Here we see that these last days begin at the coming of Christ and continue until His return.
So in other words, we are all in the last days now as well.
These last days are marked with difficulty. There will be times of difficulty meaning that there will be seasons that are worse than other seasons. We have seen that throughout the history of the world thus far. There have been time periods of horrendous wars and there have been times of relative peace and security. There have been times of church growth and fidelity to the Scriptures and there have been times of apostasy of much of church leadership.
Yet we know that ultimately these last days will reach a climax during the Tribulation. After the rapture of the church, the Antichrist will come to power and lead the people into grievous sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The judgments of God will be swift and far-reaching.
However, how are we to handle being in the last days before the rapture? What does it look like to be a believer living in the last days as we await our glorious Savior?
We need to be prepared for and expect times of difficulty. The Greek word translated difficulty here can also mean troublesome, distressing, and even perilous.
Throughout the church ages we have seen many times of difficulty such as the corruption of the Catholic church selling indulgences and seeking to be a replacement for God, the coming of the age of rationalism that substituted reason for God, and even today where we see mysticism and experientialism that replaces God with self-based feelings and intuitions.
Although the world most certainly brings hardship on the Church, the worst damage is done by false teachers within the church.
If you recall, Timothy was the lead pastor/elder in the church of Ephesus at the time of this letter. Listen to Paul’s warning to the elders of the this church about what was to come years before in Acts 20:29-30:
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
We have already seen this prophecy come true. We have seen multiple false teachers addressed by Paul in his letters to Timothy and the Ephesian church.
These wolves are often dressed in sheep’s clothing. They sneak their way in and cause havoc among the body. Unfortunately, there are many false converts within the churches who fall for such false teachings as well.
Paul, later in his letter will state the following:
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
We will address this further in a couple of weeks, however, we are most certainly in this age now.
Many in the church refuse to endure sound teaching and instead flock to places of worship that preach what their itching ears want to hear.
And many pastors today preach soft messages that are void of the truth in order to pragmatically grow their fellowships. This sinful leadership style has left many believers feeling left out in the cold.
I have talked with many believers who have seen the downfall of churches that refused to preach the truth. They have relayed to me their accounts of trying to contend for the truth in a church that was heading down the wrong path. They have shared with me the difficulty of seeing heresy enter the church, and seeing many in the church go after it.
My friends, we live in a time of difficulty. Yet, we must stand firm on the truth. We must learn under pastors who love God, love His Word, and handle it rightly. And we must each stand firm on the truth of God’s Word.
Brothers and sisters, expect times of difficulty and stand firm despite the trials to come.
Next we see that…
Scripture References: Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Acts 20:29-30, 2 Timothy 4:3
II. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect to Encounter Depravity (2-4)
II. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect to Encounter Depravity (2-4)
The definition of depravity is a state of moral corruption or wickedness. The verses that follow certainly fit this description well.
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,
That is a mouthful right there isn’t it! We will go through each of these in a minute. But before we do, there are two overarching things that are important to understand.
First, the people described here are likely false teachers/false pastors. We understand this from the context of the letter. However, we can also apply this list to all unbelievers as well as false converts within the church. The application of this Scripture is endless, but the main aim of this is to discuss false teachers in the church.
Next, before diving in we should take note of the bookends of this list. Although the middle of this list seems to be unorganized and in a rapid-fire order, there is an important word that starts and ends the list. And this is the word love.
We see at the beginning that people will be lovers of self and of money and at the end lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This is because the basis for all sin is a love problem. People have chosen to love self, things, and pleasure more than God.
Warren Wiersbe once stated:
“In this universe there is God, and there are people and things. We should worship God, love people, and use things. But if we start worshiping ourselves, we will ignore God and start loving things and using people.”
Warren Wiersbe
This quote seems to encompass the fundamental problem seen in this vice list. Our major problem is a worship problem. Instead of worshipping God, man has a tendency to worship self instead.
We have seen this from the beginning in Genesis 3. When tempted to exalt self, Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. This temptation continues for all of us today.
As we go through this list, we know in context that it applies to false teachers. However, I pray that as we go through this, you not only evaluate those you may listen to for theological understanding, but may you also evaluate yourself. These are marks of a false convert. They are the marks of the world. And ultimately, they are the marks of the devil and his followers. Be sure that these do not describe you. And if you see a semblance of one of these, repent.
Let’s go ahead and hit this list head on now and describe this depraved behavior…
In the last days, depravity will be displayed by those who are…
1 - Lovers of Self
We have already discussed the underlying worship issue with this sinful vice. At no time in history has the love of self been more apparent and even encouraged than today. The self-esteem movement has infiltrated even the church. This self-love has become a common teaching among modern-day pastors.
I was in a study a few years back when a gentleman propagated such false teaching. He made a comment saying that we cannot love others unless we love ourselves first. The leader at the time quickly rebuked the man - and rightly so - by saying that our problem is not that we do not love ourselves enough - it is that we love ourselves too much.
Our self-love hinders our relationship with God. Even in our prayer lives we have a hard time becoming self-unaware. It is incredibly difficult for us to completely forget our self and focus completely on the Lord.
Self-love and self over-awareness causes damage to our ministries, friendships, and other relationships.
Our goal should never be to love self more, but instead to love God more.
2 - Lovers of Money
Paul hit this clearly in his last letter. We see in 1 Timothy 6:10 the following:
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Jesus clearly taught that one could not serve both money and God (Luke 16:13).
The old saying is true - money makes a good servant but a terrible master.
Greed never ends. And one who loves money will never have enough. They will find themselves like Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes - chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 5:16).
False teachers are known for their love of money. This has become even more clearly shown in today’s world. Many of these rock-star pastors don’t even try to hide their love of money anymore. They flaunt it and encourage others to follow them into their depravity.
3 - Proud and Arrogant
These two words are very similar in definition. The first deals moreso with behavior and the second deals with feelings.
These false teachers act out what they believe inside. Because they are arrogant they are outwardly proud and boastful.
Listen to James warn against this type of evil leadership in James 4:16:
As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
This boasting comes out of one’s love for himself. Instead, we should boast in Christ as Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 10:17.
Beware of those who like to let everyone know how smart they are. Those who boast in themselves are evil. We should boast in Christ alone.
4 - Abusive
The Greek word translated abusive here literally means to be a blasphemer. It is used to describe those who malign God and others.
This is the natural consequence of one who puffs himself up.
The eighteenth-century preacher Samuel Johnson one said:
“He that overvalues himself will undervalue others.”
Samuel Johnson
Which brings us to our next vice…
5 - Disobedient to Parents
This seems to be a unique interjection among some “big sins.” The fact that this seems more light of a sin to us today only magnifies the fact that we have been desensitized by the sins of our world.
The blatant disregard for parental authority has been propagated by many false teachers over the years. These false teachers seek to drive a wedge between parents and their children. We see this common today. So-called experts seek to steal children’s affections.
Yet, God clearly teaches that children are to obey their parents in Ephesians 6:1. The fifth commandment clearly articulates the need to honor one’s father and mother (Exodus 20:12).
6 - Ungrateful
Perhaps one of the most common sins of our affluent world today is the sin of ungratefulness. We are commanded by God to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Yet, today’s world is filled with ungratefulness.
False teachers seek to make their followers discontent. The prosperity and health and wellness false teachers are great at this. They are always encouraging their followers to ask for more. There is never a contentment in the Lord.
As we saw in Paul’s last letter to Timothy…
But godliness with contentment is great gain,
7 - Unholy
There has been a modern movement away from living holy and set apart. In an effort to combat legalism there has been a movement of destructive so-called Christian liberty. Those teaching this dangerous and false teaching are sending a confusing message to young people today. There is a push to understand the Bible correctly but still live as the world lives.
The New Testament directly says “be holy” 6 times with the Old Testament giving that command some 26 times. That is not including the countless requirements for holy living that do not directly give the command to ‘be holy.’
Believers should seek to live their lives as set apart and holy unto the Lord. We do not live holy lives to earn salvation or to earn God’s favor. We should seek to live holy lives because He who called us is holy.
Though we must strongly avoid the sinfulness of legalism - we must understand that the question is not what can we get away with - but instead, how can we glorify and magnify Christ in what we do.
8 - Heartless
This literally means without love or unfeeling. False teachers, because of their love for themselves, can develop a heartlessness toward others.
I have heard accounts of such heartless false teachers time and time again. This is also clearly seen in the modern health and wellness movement. When someone gets cancer and dies, these false teachers spew hate by saying that the person just didn’t have enough faith to be healed.
This is a heartless response to such a situation. Despite the fact that this is a false teaching and a lie, it burdens families with such guilt and shame.
9 - Unappeasable
This word means unforgiving and merciless. False teachers may be quick to cut someone off that doesn’t buy into their heresy.
These are people who murder you in their mind. There are those false teachers out there who cancel those who disagree with them. They are unforgiving and murder others in their hearts by refusing to engage in any loving dialogue and living like those who don’t agree 100% with them are no longer alive.
Men like this are incredibly dangerous.
10 - Slanderous
Gossip appears to have been a big problem in the Ephesian church. This word actually occurs some 6 times in the Pastoral Epistles.
This is likely one of the gravest sins amongst the church today. And when gossip comes from those in authority, it spreads even faster and with even more suspected credibility.
We must be sure to not spread this deadly poison amongst our churches. As Matthew 18:15 so clearly teaches, we must start by going directly to the person that has wronged us. Beware of spreading lies or accusations for this is slander and a grievous sin in the church.
11- Without Self-Control
Leaders without self-control are unable to restrain their passions. This can obviously lead to an immoral failing sexually. However, a lack of self-control can also lead on to angry-outburst and tantrums. Men without self-control can be extremely dangerous to be around. They are often quick to demean those around them and may seek to take advantage of those under their authority.
12 - Brutal
Taking this a step further, these false teachers may be brutal. This word means savage or violent.
Some false teachers can be quite cruel in how they lead others. Like wild animals, they prey on those under their authority.
They are in direct opposition of the requirement for an overseer/pastor as seen in 1 Timothy 3:3:
not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
The Lord’s servant should not be given to violence but instead gentle.
13 - Not Loving Good
Here we have the word love yet again. Instead of loving the things of the Lord, the false teacher loves evil. Instead of peace, he seeks violence. Instead of righteousness, he seeks sin.
14 - Treacherous
This describes one who is a traitor. He may seem like he is a true believer by his pseudo-morality, but he is not. These false teachers follow in the steps of Judas who betrayed the Lord Jesus.
15 - Reckless
To be reckless is to do something rash, foolhardy, and thoughtlessly.
False teachers cause havoc wherever they go.
As a side note - this is one reason I don’t like the word choice in the popular Christian song ‘Reckless Love.’ Although there are beautiful words within this song, God is never reckless. He is sovereign and always calculated in everything that He does. His love is perfectly in sync with His consistent nature.
Reckless is never a word that should be used to describe God and should not be true of those who seek to preach His Word.
16 - Swollen with Conceit
Oscar Wilde, a famous yet ungodly playwright of the 1800’s, once famously told a customs officer: “I have nothing to declare but my genius.”
This is a common mentality among false teachers who have arrived at a special revelation or knowledge that the average person supposedly cannot arrive at.
And finally, false teachers are…
17 - Lovers of Pleasure Rather Than Lovers of God
Instead of loving God above all, they love themselves as we saw in our first vice. This love for self translates into a love for self-gratification and enjoyment. These wicked men are hedonists - controlled by their pleasures and carnal appetites. They are slaves to sin (John 8:34).
This list of vices has been quite depressing yet quite eye-opening as we look around at our world today. I pray that we are not marked by these. May we stand firm against such falsehood and resist the love of self as we seek to love God with all of our being.
Lastly, we see that…
Scripture References: Genesis 3, 1 Timothy 6:10, Luke 16:13, Ecclesiastes 5:16, James 4:16, 2 Corinthians 10:17, Ephesians 6:1, Exodus 20:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, 1 Timothy 6:6, Matthew 18:15, 1 Timothy 3:3, John 8:34
III. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect Deception (5-9)
III. Since We Are Living in the Last Days… We Should Expect Deception (5-9)
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.
What are we to do with such people? Again, Paul is first and foremost talking about false teachers and false pastors. He tells us to avoid such people. These are men who should be thrown out of our churches and church disciplined. We should avoid such evil men who are liars and deceivers.
He is drawing a line between those who are led astray but open to conversing about the Gospel in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 and those who are bent on rebellion here in 2 Timothy 3:2-4.
Those who are bent on rebellion should be dealt with Scripturally in the church as outlined in Matthew 18. They should be approached personally, then by a few leaders in the church, and then brought before the church. If still unrepentant they are to be removed from the fellowship.
But many might say after such a statement - doesn’t that seem too harsh? Shouldn’t we just accept them into our fellowship and love them where they are? Paul gives a grave warning in bringing these evil men into the church…
Here is what happens when you bring wolves in sheep’s clothing into the church.
They will creep into households like a slithering serpent - unnoticed and pretending to be an angel of light as Satan so often and masterfully does.
They have the appearance of godliness as we see in verse 5 and yet deny the power of God. They are outwardly moralists, but inwardly evil.
They use their influence to capture weak women. Paul doesn’t speak of every woman as weak here. He speaks of a subgroup of women who have been burdened with sins and led astray - those who are always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. These are women who do not understand the Gospel. They are women who have fallen for the false teachings of an evil leader.
Because of their burden of sin, they are unable to discern correctly. These parasites of false teachers, like a birds of prey, feast on the weak in the church.
We should take note of the grave warning given here. We need to be sure to teach our children - especially our daughters the truth of the Word. Men and women both need to be theologically trained well in the church. Although we have different roles in the church, we both need to be able to resist and avoid false teachings. In Jewish circles especially, daughters would not always be taught like their sons. This would open them up to false teaching.
Sadly, in some legalistic circles even today, daughters are not taught the Word of God like sons are. This is tragic and leads to weak women and even leads to weak men in the future as these weak women raise weak sons. I praise God that I am married to a woman of the Word. She is a great example to me and our children and a wonderful helpmate in ministry. Men should seek to marry a strong yet gentle and submissive wife - not someone who will leave you unchecked in sin.
Paul moves forward to illustrate these false teachers further by an Old Testament illustration:
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.
Many of you may not know who Jannes and Jambres were. If you are like me, you have scoured the Old Testament to find these two men who opposed Moses only to find their names not mentioned.
According to Jewish history, these two men were sorcerers who opposed Moses on behalf of Pharaoh in Egypt as seen in Exodus 7-8.
During their first encounter in Exodus 7:10-12, they were able to turn their staff into a snake like Aaron’s. Yet, Aaron’s staff ate theirs up. They were also able to duplicate the next two signs of turning water into blood (Exodus 7:22) as well as bringing frogs (Exodus 8:7). Like Satan, they were able to counterfeit the true miracles of God by fake ones. Yet their ability to counterfeit ran dry as the rest of the plagues that were brought were unable to be replicated (Exodus 8:19). In fact - they even state that this is the finger of God in Exodus 8:19.
Paul, in comparing the false teaches of his day to Jannes and Jambres, tells us that these men are opposed to the truth. Not only are they opposed to the truth, they are corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Paul issues a sharp warning to these false teachers. They were will be noted as heretics by all - this means true believers will note this. Just like Jannes and Jambres were seen to be lacking in their opposition to Moses, false teachers will be unable to go up against the truth of God’s Word.
The Word of God will never pass away. God’s will always prevails.
Despite the deception that we will continue to see in the last days, the true followers of Christ will stand firm and not be deceived.
Scripture References: 2 Timothy 2:24-26, Matthew 18, Exodus 7, Exodus 8
Conclusion:
Today’s message has been a difficult one. Paul has spoken of a lot of the issues that we see first-hand even today. False teachers and evil leaders fill our earth today. We understand from our Scripture today that we are living in the last days. And by living in the last days, we should expect times of difficulty, depravity all around us, and deception. Though we should expect to see this, may we, through the power of the Holy Spirit within us, fight against the depravity and deception of our world by standing firm on the inerrant Word of God. By His power may we persevere unto the end. And may we at CrossPointe never tolerate or stand for heresy.
