A Desire To Live Godly
2 Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Four Attributes of False Teachers and Those Who Follow Them.
Lovers of Pleasure rather than Lovers of God
Depraved Mind - spoiled, corrupted, perverse
Having a Form of Godliness But Denying Its Power
Arrogance - I’ll do it my way.
Today instead of having only a form of godliness, we will discuss having an actual desire for godliness.
A Desire For Godliness
What It Means To Live A Godly Life
The Result of Living a Godly Life
The Lord’s Presence Through Persecution
What Does It Mean To Live A Godly Life? (vs 12)
What Does It Mean To Live A Godly Life? (vs 12)
The Desire - Thelo
Contrasts those who really want to be godly vs those who only have a form of godliness.
“Form” - morphosis - the process of shaping something to externally appear like something else, but in this application, it ends up being a sham, a fake.
Fool’s gold, a faux finish, an imitation of the original.
Those who practice such religion find the external forms and expressions of evangelical worship to be amenable to their lifestyles,
But they are violently at odds with the gospel’s internal power of subduing sin and nurturing holiness.
All form and no substance.
The problem is, they are only fooling themselves.
The word for desire here expresses the will, purpose, and resolve of person.
It is not just wishful thinking, a hopeful someday, or when I get around to it, but purposeful intent followed up by pressing on to action.
To live godly - eusebos
Practical Piety.
Rendering to God the reverence and worship emanating from a holy life.
A respect for God that affects the way a person lives.
Active obedience to God’s revealed will and a personal devotion to know, love, honor, and glorify Him in all we do.
Some Attributes of a Godly Life
Knowledge
Veneration
Affection
Dependence
Submission
Gratitude
Obedience
Living a godly life only can come from a life submitted to Jesus at the cross being covered under His blood by faith and then by being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
A condition that grace brings about in the life of the one saved by Christ.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Just like salvation doesn’t come by our own works - Justification
The ability to live godly doesn’t come from our own energy - Sanctification
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
The willing is the word Thelo here.
The word for work is energeo - where we get our word for energy.
God gives us the desire and the energy to do those things that bring Him pleasure.
Our part is submitting to the leading, guiding, and power of the Holy Spirit and committing to act upon the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
The Works of the Holy Spirit
The indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; John 20:22; Eph 1:13)
The gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom 12; I Cor 12; Eph 4; I Peter 4)
The fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)
The power and empowering of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; Acts 19:1-6)
The infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52; Eph 5:18-20)
The help of the Holy Spirit (John 14:18, 26)
The truth giving of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13)
Submission to the Holy Spirit, then leads to obedience and worship, which then requires effort on our part. But the effort is in response to the conviction and moving of the Holy Spirit.
The Godly Example - Paul (vs 10)
The Godly Example - Paul (vs 10)
However, you...in contrast to following the false teachers.
Followed vs Opposed (truth)
This following is more intentional.
Not just from a distance, but intimately. To accompany side by side.
Timothy had intimate experiential knowledge of Paul’s ministry and life
Ministry
Paul’s teaching (didiaskalia, implies the act of teaching) vs. the heretics.
opposed to the truth
deceiving spirits
doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1)
Paul’s conduct (way of life) vs. foolishness
Madness, lack of understanding.
Do as I say AND as I do.
I didn’t just teach it, I lived it out.
Paul’s purpose vs. depraved mind.
predetermined intent.
conviction and commitment.
acting strategically
his driving motivation and overall plan
Paul’s predetermined intent was to face all that came his way with patience and perseverance.
Life
Faith (what we believe) and Love (what we do)
Faith - Trust God / Trust God’s Word
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
divine power - Holy Spirit
for by these - His glory and His excellence given us through the Holy Spirit.
Precious and magnificent promises
by these you may partake of the divine nature (holiness)
having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Love - Imitate God / walk in love
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Sacrificially
Jesus is our example
Faith, patience, and love.
Faith and love are juxtaposed in many places.
Here patience is interposed between the 2.
Faith - What we believe.
Love - What we do.
Patience - the bridge between Faith and Living a life of love.
Patience - the bridge between the 2.
makrothumia - patience in respect to people.
putting up with people.
Long- suffering
Self-restraint before proceeding to action
“to keep one’s heart from jumping”
“to remain seated in one’s heart”
The quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrains from doing so.
Often makrothumia is associated with mercy.
Giving a second chance.
Compassion. Mercy. Forgiveness
The best way to meet error is through long-suffering.
Perseverance in persecutions and sufferings
bearing up under
Hupomone - patience in respect to things or circumstances.
The quality of character that does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.
The bearing of evils and suffering with a tranquil mind.
Courageous endurance.
The Result Of Living A Godly Life (vs 11-12)
The Result Of Living A Godly Life (vs 11-12)
Not only did Timothy follow Paul’s life and ministry, he followed Paul’s persecutions and sufferings.
All the places Paul mentions are from the region around Lystra.
Timothy was from Lystra and was well spoken of throughout the region.
So, Timothy was familiar with Paul’s sufferings in that area.
Places Paul Suffered
Persecution
To systematically organize a program to oppress and harass people.
Hostile pursuit of enemies.
Sufferings -
misfortune, sorrow, to be subjected to evil,
but specifically suffering for bearing the name of Christ.
Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. Acts 13 and 14
Verbal abuse (Ac 13:45)
Expulsion from the region (Ac 13:50)
Poisoning the minds of others against Paul (Ac 14:2)
A plot to mistreat and stone him (Ac 14:5)
Stoned and dragged outside and left for dead (Ac 14:19)
Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
All Who Desire To Live A Godly Life Will Be Persecuted.
Persecution is inevitable.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Persecution is normal.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
We don’t seek persecution, but we must live ready for it.
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
How we handle it is imperative
A danger: a lack of persecution has also lead to a lack of power and godliness.
A desire to live godly, in spite of.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.
The Lord’s Presence Through Persecution (vs 11)
The Lord’s Presence Through Persecution (vs 11)
Yet God rescued him.
This section feels like Psalm 34 fleshed out.
I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
To snatch from danger
Being delivered out of, not being kept from them.
But the nuance is to draw to one’s side that just merely rescuing someone or something,
Lord draw us to your side.
Another in the fire.
the faith statement of Rack Shack and Benny
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Paul has the same attitude as the 3 Hebrew young men.
But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
In Antioch he shook the dust off his feet in protest and went on.
In Iconium he found out about the plot and fled to neighboring cities.
In Lystra, he got up and on the next day left for Derbe and later returned to the region with Barnabas, encouraging the converts to “remain true to the faith,” teaching them that “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Ac 14:22)
And the end result of God’s rescuing is praise
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
Summary:
Living a godly life is having the heartfelt desire to worship and please God in all we do. It is not mere lip service, but an intentional, purposeful walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Unfortunately suffering and persecution will come to those who desire to live godly. But we are to respond with patience towards those people who afflict us and endure with perseverance the situations and circumstances that arise from our living for God’s will and sharing His word.
But when we do go through the fiery trials, God is there to hold us close and help us through those difficulties.
And our response in the end is to thank and praise Him for who He is, what He has done, and how He has helped us.
Closing Prayer
Closing Song: Another In The Fire.
