Don’t Oppose Truth

Paul Contrasts Timothy’s Life with Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses and opposed truth - they were disqualified regarding the faith.

-“having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (ESV)  

You shouldn’t Oppose Truth - because

1. I showed you

2. Your Momma Told You

3. Our God Has Fully Equipped You

I Showed You (Verses 10 - 13)

Let’s Unpack “followed” from verse 10

Term has a double meaning

Timothy travelled through Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, Troas, Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi (Lydia’s Conversion and Jailed - See Below), Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica (Mob), Berea (Chased by Thessalonian Jews).

I started this sermon prep on 11/19/18, then providentially on 11/20/18 I left work early, and unplanned, to take my last call from home and on the short drive heard a snippet from a David Platt Sermon, where Platt pointed out that Timothy Joined Paul in Lystra - the very city that Paul was stoned to the point the mob thought him dead (). This could have had a major impact on Timothy’s life. His encouragement to the disciples: -“continue in the faith...through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (ESV)  

Timothy travelled through Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, Troas, Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi (Lydia’s Conversion and Jailed - See Below), Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica (Mob), Berea (Chased by Thessalonian Jews).

Timothy literally followed Paul’s life - in observation (Antioch and Iconium) and in action (Lystra and others)

Your Momma Told You (Verses 14 - 15 )

-“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” (ESV)  

It was Jewish Custom to train children in the scriptures

It was Jewish Custom to train children in the scriptures

-“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (ESV)

In our Passover celebration Jewish tradition tells a story of 4 sons:

1. The Wise son: -““When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” (ESV)

2. The rebellious son: -“And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.” (ESV)

3. The simple son: -“And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.” (ESV)

3. The simple son in asks "What does this mean?" You are to tell him, with a mighty hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of bondage.

4. As for the shy: -“You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’” (ESV)

Their names for children, the stones and wells they would build as a reminder of God’s faithfullness - this is the background of training up children - Timothy was so well trained that he gladly went through a circumcision process - How many teenagers today would do that?

Our God Has Fully Equipped You (Verses 16 - 17)

Most importantly - God has provided sufficient means for us to be fully equipped:

The fourfold Purpose of scripture addresses thoughts and deeds:

Thought and Deed:

Thoughts:

Teaching - Formative Training

Reproof - Corrective Training

Deeds:

Correction - Don’t do that!

Training in Righteousness - Do THIS!

Verse 17 provides us with one of the most important truths, a truth we should not Oppose:

Artios - Complete, proficient - KJV says Perfect - Latin Vulgate says “perfectus”

Exertismenos - Equipped - Bring to an end - to complete

Together these words are saying that scripture can bring you to a perfect completion - it is fully sufficent. We don’t need Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, or the shelves of self-help books in most modern day book stores - we need scripture, rightly divided.

Don’t Oppose Truth

As Paul pointed out, Timothy was shown by Paul, trained by a Parent, but most importantly equipped by by God.

To be one who has a form of Godliness, yet deny it’s power, is to be one that has a form of religious practices not shaped and informed by the scriptures.