But they nourished me along the way, and without them, I would be a much different man!” The Bible will do its spiritual work in us, if we will let it. If I will be both a hearer and a doer of the word, I will be complete as a Christian, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Pauline Epistles The age of children is the age to learn; and those who would get true learning, must get it out of the Scriptures. There is some debate among manuscripts whether whom is singular or plural. Prophets ii. The characteristics Paul will describe speak not of bad times, but of bad people. Love of self is the basic sin, from with all others flow. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Timothy caught Paul’s manner of life: There was just a certain way that Paul lived, and Timothy was around him enough to learn it and follow it. It is possible that Jesus would have the same rebuke for some Christians today who are unaware of the last days and the soon return of Jesus Christ. i. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Even as Jannes and Jambres were eventually put to shame (though for a while they matched Moses “miracle for miracle”) and were eventually compelled to give reluctant glory to God, so also will the evil men of the last days. People who do the things on this list are not only common today but they are often also our cultural heroes. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse: Evil men refers to the obvious, open enemies of Jesus; impostors refers to those who appear good and many think of as fine, but they are actually destructive forces among Jesus’ followers. The simple responsibility of Christians is to turn away not only these attitudes, but also from the people who do these things. The numbers for the Old Testament are even more impressive. The great Greek scholar Dean Alford understood this as meaning, “Every part of Scripture.”. ii. iii. Wisdom Literature i. Boasting, pride, and blasphemy each act as if I am the most important person. Carefully followed means that Paul did not merely teach Timothy these things in an academic sense; Timothy learned these things by carefully following Paul’s example. Historical Books Luke-Acts 4 they will be treacherous and reckless and demented by pride, preferring their own pleasure to God.. 5 They will keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it. Several years ago a judge in Orlando Florida ruled that an 11-year-old boy had the right to seek a “divorce” from his parents so that he could be adopted by a foster family. iv. ii. Now, you have to continue in the things which you have learned. Poetical Books The emphasis is on a pattern, a philosophy, and then Timothy was to implement that into his own situation. “When it takes somebody a day to report two dead bodies, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to say who the suspect is,” Ramer said. Timothy learned this starting in childhood. of Scripture. Collectively, the combination of this evidence together is absolutely overwhelming. Much harm has been done by people who were sincerely deceived and who tried to do wrong things out of wonderful motives – and because others look at their wonderful hearts, they accept their dangerous deceptions. i. The power of godliness that men will despise in the last days is the power it should have to guide their lives; power in the sense of rightful authority – and many, many, today deny that God has the power to tell them what to do through His Word. Men will be... despisers of good: There just seem to be too many examples of this in modern society to pick out examples. 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. 3. a. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Yet, Peter said that we even have something more certain than a voice from heaven in knowing the Bible is from God: We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19). i. Paul stars with all scripture which is different from sacred writings. After that, he travelled to other places. The Gospels When Moses brought forth a plague of frogs, Jannes and Jambres could do the same. That is true, but not what Paul says here. Minor Prophets But never forget that it didn’t start with me; it’s a heritage that was passed on to you. Serving God is the ultimate pleasure; Psalm 16:11 says, At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Whatever we do, we often do it out of control. If we are not willing to have others think us strange; if we are not willing to be rejected by some for the sake of Jesus Christ; if we are not willing to be an outcast before some people, then we can never be true followers of Jesus Christ. If the Bible could not be understood, there would be nothing profitable about it. They will not be able to sustain their hopes, for Scripture gives them no solid basis to rest upon.... Apart from the second Advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise into a millennium.” (Spurgeon). Take a week off from letting anything marked by the spirit of the last days into your household – and see if chains bind you back to those things. It proves that it was authored by Someone who not only can see the future, but Who can also shape the future. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17) Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point ©2013 David Guzik – No distribution beyond personal use without permission ii. f. Men will be... slanderers: Men have always told hurtful lies about other men; but today, in media and in politics, slander has been elevated to both big business and big money. We must see ourselves as we really are – both the bad of what we are in the flesh and the glory of what we are in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God: Paul exhorted Timothy, “Continue in these things because the Bible comes from God and not man. She being brought up by her aunt, the Lady Wheatenhall, before she was nine years old (not much above eight), could say all the New Testament by heart; yea, being asked where any words thereof were, she could presently name book, chapter, and verse.” (Trapp). It is an anvil that has worn out many, many hammers. So we believe it forever: it is all inspired, and all profitable. a. This sort of atmosphere will mark the last days. It was as if Paul wrote, “Remember, Timothy: you learned these things from me.” Paul was too humble to say his own name here, but it certainly seems that is what he meant. iii. iv. A critic once wrote a letter to a magazine saying, “Over the years, I suppose I’ve gone to church more than 1,000 times, and I can’t remember the specific content of even one sermon over those many years. iv. ii. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. When someone asked her about the place of love in such relationships, Blackman said that finding a mate with that much money is the hard part; learning to love that person is easy by comparison. What is the chaff to the wheat? i. Wisdom Literature 2. -------------------- So, Timothy was to remember who taught him these things, knowing from whom you have learned them. It was as if Paul wrote this: “Timothy, you learned these things. “No way,” she replied. He was going somewhere, and that purpose had been established by God. ii. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Minor Prophets 2Sa 21:1;21:2,3 Ps 15:4; Ezek 17:15;17:16, 17, 18, 19 Ro 1:31; 2 Timothy 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries; Irreconcilable (Aspondos from a = without + sponde = libation or drink offering, truce or an agreement) so literally not pouring out a libation (an act or instance of drinking often ceremoniously). Here, Paul said these things will be especially prevalent in the last days. vi. iv. d. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God: Remember that one may believe in the inspiration of the Bible in principle, but deny it in practice. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. I cannot remember the specific menu of any of those meals. v. Paul began the chapter warning Timothy about dangerous times. iii. 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. In fact, some level of persecution is certain for people who carefully follow this kind of life: Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2Ti 3:13-15) The course of evil men and the course of the godly. i. For greater evidence, one can look to the phenomenon of fulfilled prophecy. Many people get discouraged because they feel they don’t get much when they read the Bible on their own and so they give up. iv. i. (2Ti 3:1) Perilous times in the last days. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God.” (Clarke), ii. c. By inspiration of God: One may easily argue that the Bible is a unique book, but it does not prove that God inspired it. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point This was all centered on God’s word, but “the things which you have learned” seems to be more than just Paul’s Bible studies; it was those, but also his pattern of ministry. 3:14-17 Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation. He had carefully followed Paul’s doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions. However, we should expect that they would be even more numerous and have increased power in the last days shortly before the return of Jesus. Many people get discouraged because they feel they don’t get much when they read the Bible on their own and so they give up. This pattern of ministry doesn’t deal much with specifics, such as when to have Christian services, how long to have them, a schedule for what to do during service, and so on. Timothy fully knew Paul’s good character, which he might gather from his doctrine, manner of life, and purpose; for he gave proofs of his faith (that is, of his integrity and fidelity, or his faith in Christ, his faith concerning another world, by which Paul lived), his long-suffering towards the churches to which he preached and over which he presided, his charity towards all men, and his patience. ii. -------------------- We are part of them and they are part of us, because we are connected by our trust in the same Jesus, revealed to us by the same Holy Scriptures. Poetical Books “Also he speaks here of women rather than men, for they are more liable to be taken in by such impostors.” (Calvin). iii. iv. She feared the day her husband might discover her secret stash of credit cards, her secret post office box or the other tricks she used to hide how much money she spent shopping for herself. ii. People are told to love themselves unconditionally and that such self love is the foundation for a healthy human personality. But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra— what persecutions I endured. Security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains dangerous. Free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies get! Is not the religion of God. ” ( Clarke ), ii now, you these! Combination of this evidence together is absolutely overwhelming whether whom is singular or plural which... We believe it forever: it is all inspired, and all profitable, many hammers established... We often do it out of control from the people who do the things this! An anvil that has worn out many, many hammers which is from... Fears the Bible easy and rewarding men and the course of the godly somewhere, and blasphemy act... 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