The world just exists, no real goal, no real meaning; you're just existing. This is a further reason why Timothy should endure hardship and not turn aside from the work God has given him (3-5). It is not "the commandment," as of authority, but "according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus." One dark night in a forest in Sicily a brigand held up a colporteur at the point of a revolver. And the comfort is that, if prepared to cleave to the will of the Lord alone, we shall have, through His grace, fellowship with the true-hearted. Didn't you know that's just a myth? Only here and Titus 2:12. Second, there are the qualities of the apostle. A man may embrace some absurd opinion, and call it religion; he may adopt some mode of dress irresistibly ludicrous, from the mere love of singularity, and may call it "conscience;" or he may be boorish in his manners, and uncivil in his deportment, outraging all the laws of social life, and may call this "deadness to the world;" and for these, and similar things, he may be contemned, ridiculed, and despised. And come up a hundred days later and be deposited at a port. This he had known most extensively, but it was closed; no longer had he before him any prospect of having to fight the battles of the church of God. Here we come back to where we started; such men place their own wishes in the centre of life. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. ", The Bible tells about God giving people over to reprobate minds, men who resist God and the truth of God. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. They cannot understand an inspired apostle talking about a cloak in the midst of a divinely given pastoral charge. That is, it is not enough that I should walk with the Lord individually, but I must clear myself of association with that which is contrary to His name. When our Lord was pleased to take upon himself the form of a servant, and to go about preaching the kingdom of God; he took all opportunities in public, and more especially in private, to caution his disciples against . Those who are well instructed in the Scriptures will always be ready when an opportunity arises to do good (16-17).Since Gods servants must give him an account of their service, they should not miss any opportunity to teach the Scriptures, though they must always speak in a manner suited to the circumstances (4:1-2). 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.". More and more the Christian is a marked person because the more corrupt the world becomes, the more the Christian stands out. In other words, the word of God is that which thoroughly prepares me for any work that God might have for me to do. The moment a man makes his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. (3) If we are persecuted, we should carefully inquire, before we avail ourselves of this consolation, whether we are persecuted because we live godly in Christ Jesus, or for some other reason. It is an immense blessing that we have the truth not only in a book, but in a practical shape, the truth that comes out of the heart and from the lips of living men of God. And a less confession than this God never permitted the church to accept; nor in fact in Jerusalem itself was less ever accepted than the naming the name of the Lord. Things are very much taking this direction of late, and at the present moment. It is derived from two Greek words which mean to show oneself above. There were false teachers who were quick to take advantage of that. So don't expect the world to speak well of you or to applaud you for your living a godly life and taking a righteous stand. If anyone proposes to accept a set of standards quite different from the world's, he is bound to encounter trouble. What Paul is thinking of here is more than faithlessness in friendship--although that in all truth is wounding enough--he is thinking of those who to pay back an old score would inform against the Christians to the Roman government. When we know the afflictions of good people but in part, they are a temptation to us to decline that cause which they suffer for; when we know only the hardships they undergo for Christ, we may be ready to say, "We will renounce that cause that is likely to cost us so dear in the owning of it;" but when we fully know the afflictions, not only how they suffer, but how they are supported and comforted under their sufferings, then, instead of being discouraged, we shall be animated by them, especially considering that we are told before that we must count upon such things (2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Timothy 3:12): All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: not always alike; at that time those who professed the faith of Christ were more exposed to persecution than at other times; but at all times, more or less, those who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Timothy, again, winced under trials, too sensitive to slights, disappointments, and the manifold griefs that came upon him. It is said that, after hearing an evangelical sermon, Lord Melbourne once remarked: "Things have come to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade the sphere of private life." Titus, we know, did so; but God took care that it should never be positively stated about Timothy. He did not pull down by his living what he built up by his preaching. No man can teach what he does not know, and therefore before a man can teach Christ to others he must know him himself. For after all, I'm worth it. Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man" ( Luke 17:26 ). Now these seem to many very difficult indeed to combine. They appear to think that if you hold life in Christ to be the one thing that is most precious, to be the prize that your heart reverts to, all owning of anything short of this would be out of place; but it is exactly the contrary. Narcissism is at an all-time peak, but with lovers of yourself comes. Each one of these words in the Greek is an interesting word study. A book with a record such as it has cannot be disregarded. shall suffer persecution; it is the will of God, and the appointment of heaven; Christ has foretold it, that so it shall be; and he the head has suffered it himself, and it is necessary that his members should, that they may be conformed unto him; it is the way Christ himself went to glory, and through many tribulations his people must enter the kingdom; and this is the common lot and certain case of all the saints, in one shape or another; for though all do not suffer confiscation of goods, beating, scourging, imprisonment, or a violent death; yet all are more or less afflicted and distressed by wicked men, and are subject to their reproaches and revilings, which are a branch of persecution; and that for professing Christ, and living a godly life in him and under his influence: and since such suffer as Christians, and not as evildoers; and this is the common condition of the people of God, in this world, it should not be thought strange, but be cheerfully endured; to encourage to which is the apostle's view in this passage. If, in any manner, or in any way, he is subjected to disadvantage on account of his religious opinions, and deprived of any immunities and rights to which he would be otherwise entitled, this is persecution. And why read them anyhow if they're not inspired? In the terrible times men will be so set on self that even the closest ties will be nothing to them. God is right. "Blessed is he who will come in the name of the Lord" ( Psalms 118:26 ). Why does the world hate Christians? Some of you are separated not by your own desire or wish, but because someone was a trucebreaker. [ See verse text ] Persecution against godly people is to be expected in this world; it's one of the few constants in life (2 Timothy 3:12). Here is one of the most terrible pictures in the New Testament of what a godless world would be like, with the terrible qualities of godlessness set out in a ghastly series. Jambres. 2 Timothy 3:12, NASB: Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Assuredly he would rejoice to scare Timothy from the field of serving Christ, and would shrink from no means to secure it. ". Lear's words remain true: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is. Xenophon in the Memorabilia tells how Socrates utterly condemned such impostors. Paul "the aged," as he says, was just about to leave this world. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. They must not lie by us neglected, seldom or never looked into. "Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ii. Practical Bible study on 2 Timothy 1. It is as if he said to them: "You have been well warned." The scriptures are able to make us truly wise, wise for our souls and another world. "And God prepared a great fish and it swallowed Jonah" ( Jonah 1:17 ). We should be asking: what, if any, is the unifying purpose which binds all this activity together? He opened out the pages to make it burn more easily. There was a state of things coming when it would be impossible to have local charges chosen according to the full sanction which they had in apostolic days. But we must exclude that which is contrary to His name; and the very same desire to prove one's love, one's faith, one's appreciation of Christ, will make one anxious not to be dragged into that which is not for His glory. As far as appointment went, Titus had a commission to establish elders in each city of Crete; but not so Timothy, as far as the inspired records speak. So he's referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, those which Timothy knew from the child and he called them the "holy scriptures," which they are, "and they are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus." The Gnostic heretics taught, either that, since matter is altogether evil, a rigid asceticism must be practiced and all the things of the body as far as possible eliminated, or that it does not matter what we do with the body and its desires can be indulged in to the limit because they do not matter. And you will find as God's word becomes a very part of your life and you begin to be guided by the word of God, that God will begin to use you in very exciting ways. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. The qualities he lists are not qualifications in the sense that anyone who fulfils these requirements is an elder (for such a person may not have the elder-shepherd qualities outlined above). It is a great happiness to know the holy scriptures from our childhood; and children should betimes get the knowledge of the scriptures. "It denotes living in the right attitude to God and to things divine. The best way to overcome and to banish the false is to live in such a way that the loveliness and the graciousness of the truth is plain for all to see. It's instructing us in righteousness. Closely allied with the braggart, but--as we shall see--even worse, is the man who is arrogant. This may be either an injury done to his feelings, his family, his reputation, his property, his liberty, his influence; it may be by depriving him of an office which he held, or preventing him from obtaining one to which he is eligible; it may be by subjecting him to fine or imprisonment, to banishment, torture, or death. It was the glory of the Jews that their children from their earliest days were trained in the law. These things may be expected in the best times, and under the most favorable circumstances; and it is known that a large part of the history of the world, in its relation to the church, is nothing more than a history of persecution. Avoid such people. But the phrase may mean any future time, whether near or distant. Well, Jesus has and He told us what to, what it's about in Luke, the sixteenth chapter. i. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: a. There is love. Fear and timidity will keep us from using the gifts God gives. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life . It is the Greek parakolouthein ( G3877) and literally means to follow alongside; but it is used with a magnificent width of meaning. They will be inflated with a sense of their own importance. And if you align your life with God, you're going to find yourself out of alignment with the world and persecution will come. It is not meant that the Scriptures are valuable for finding fault; what is meant is that they are valuable for convincing a man of the error of his ways and for pointing him on the right path. Rather he must "labour before he partake of the fruits." And many shall be stirred up in anger to injure many; And they shall rouse up armies in order to shed blood. At any rate the apostle presses this very strongly on Timothy. Besides that, persecutions today are manifested much more indirectly. If we would know the holy scriptures, we must read and search them daily, as the noble Bereans did, Acts 17:11. To the Greek it was anosios ( G462) to refuse burial to the dead; it was anosios ( G462) for a brother to marry a sister, or a son a mother. Just to go line upon line, precept upon precept, plodding right straight through the word of God. 4. Everything today is, you know, for the body beautiful. The doctrine of the necessity of persecution was no new thing to Paul. These were graces that Paul was eminent for, and Timothy knew it. Let us look at them one by one. These were the names given to the court magicians of Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Aaron, when Moses was leading the children of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt. Living here almost in a Sodom-Gomorrah atmosphere and environment. But, if one confesses the name of the Lord, the word is imperative: "let him depart from iniquity." false accusers, incontinent ( 2 Timothy 3:3 ). C. Description of His Present Resource 2 Timothy 3:13-17. In these last terrible days men will come to have no love for good things or good persons (aphilagathos, G865) . Of course it was infinitely higher, it is needless to say, in the Master; but the servant was as closely as possible following in His steps. "Trucebreakers". 5. It is a great happiness to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed (Luke 1:4); not only to know what the truths are, but to know that they are of undoubted certainty. It would not be accordant with the mind of God. Paul cites three instances when he had to suffer for Christ. And yet, it is becoming in this hedonistic society commonplace, all too commonplace, tragically commonplace. And indeed the world easily wears that mask of religion which depends on itself; but the piety which flourishes directly from, is very hateful, as it was to the old Jews, so to the modern Christians, who are without any token of good, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. 3:2-5 For men will live a life that is centred in self; they will be lovers of money, braggarts, arrogant, lovers of insult, disobedient to their parents, thankless, regardless even of the ultimate decencies of life, without human affection, implacable in hatred, revelling in slander, ungovernable in their passions, savage, not knowing what the love of good is, treacherous, headlong in word and action, inflated with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. How big is your God? Accordingly, although they are not exposed to the same assaults, and do not engage in the same battles, yet they have a warfare in common, and shall never be wholly at peace and exempt from persecutions. We must remember that Timothy's work lay in Ephesus, perhaps the greatest market in the ancient world. Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ( 2 Timothy 3:5-7 ). There is patience. 2 Timothy 3:12 New International Version 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, Read full chapter 2 Timothy 3:12 in all English translations 2 Timothy 2 2 Timothy 4 New International Version (NIV) That the man of God may be perfect,2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Timothy 3:17. But let him not infer, therefore, that he is to be enrolled among the martyrs, and that he is certainly a real Christian. "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers, with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears." Now hatred is attended by cruelty, and hence arise persecutions.
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