WORD From The Woods
2 Timothy 3
“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. 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.
In the previous chapter, Paul instructed Timothy to be a good and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ. He continues on in chapter 3 to warn Timothy about of the difficulties he was sure to face as a faithful servant of Christ. Paul gave a long list of things that characterize deceivers and false teachers. And he assures Timothy that as a faithful Christian, he would face persecution by these kinds of evil people. But Timothy could rest in the reality that he could endure and even be victorious because of the power of Christ in him! These evil deceivers would be revealed in due time. They would not get very far because their folly would be made plain to all in light of the steadfast love and goodness of Christ revealed through the life of faithful saints like Timothy. All these things were true in the day and age that Paul and Timothy lived almost 2,000 years ago. And really, not much has changed. The same kinds of evil deceivers are still doing the same kinds of things today. Our technology might have changed, but the evil schemes of the enemy are still at play in the same old ways. The glorious reality for us is that the same Savior and King is still seated on His heavenly throne, ruling with all authority at the right hand of the Father. His steadfast love and goodness are still working and flowing out into the world through His redeemed people! At the end of this passage, Paul reminds Timothy that the greatest resource he had to arm himself to stand against evil was the sacred Scriptures. Scripture is in fact the very word of God, breathed out by the Creator through the pens of His holy prophets, and able to equip us for all things pertaining to life and godliness! I wonder if Timothy had any idea as he read this letter from Paul, that it was actually part of those sacred scriptures, being breathed out by God in real time? And now, thousands of years later, we are still arming ourselves and profiting from these same sacred writings. Friends, don’t take for granted the written word of God that He has preserved for us throughout the ages. Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy and arm yourself with the very words of God, that you may be competent, and equipped for every good work.
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-
2 Timothy 3
“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. 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.
In the previous chapter, Paul instructed Timothy to be a good and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ. He continues on in chapter 3 to warn Timothy about of the difficulties he was sure to face as a faithful servant of Christ. Paul gave a long list of things that characterize deceivers and false teachers. And he assures Timothy that as a faithful Christian, he would face persecution by these kinds of evil people. But Timothy could rest in the reality that he could endure and even be victorious because of the power of Christ in him! These evil deceivers would be revealed in due time. They would not get very far because their folly would be made plain to all in light of the steadfast love and goodness of Christ revealed through the life of faithful saints like Timothy. All these things were true in the day and age that Paul and Timothy lived almost 2,000 years ago. And really, not much has changed. The same kinds of evil deceivers are still doing the same kinds of things today. Our technology might have changed, but the evil schemes of the enemy are still at play in the same old ways. The glorious reality for us is that the same Savior and King is still seated on His heavenly throne, ruling with all authority at the right hand of the Father. His steadfast love and goodness are still working and flowing out into the world through His redeemed people! At the end of this passage, Paul reminds Timothy that the greatest resource he had to arm himself to stand against evil was the sacred Scriptures. Scripture is in fact the very word of God, breathed out by the Creator through the pens of His holy prophets, and able to equip us for all things pertaining to life and godliness! I wonder if Timothy had any idea as he read this letter from Paul, that it was actually part of those sacred scriptures, being breathed out by God in real time? And now, thousands of years later, we are still arming ourselves and profiting from these same sacred writings. Friends, don’t take for granted the written word of God that He has preserved for us throughout the ages. Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy and arm yourself with the very words of God, that you may be competent, and equipped for every good work.
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-