Introduction
: A follow-up of sorts or continuation from my message two weeks ago. Last week we spoke about the Temple Dedication but two weeks ago I spoke about the significance of God’s word.
‘We believe that all Scriptures are Inspired by God in a verbal, plenary way; the revelation of God to us; Infallible and inerrant and; The authority over our faith and living’.
We believe that all Scriptures are •Inspired by God in a verbal, plenary way; •the revelation of God to us; •Infallible and inerrant and; •The authority over our faith and living.
[
In the last days
] This often means the days of the Messiah and is sometimes extended in its signification to the destruction of Jerusalem, as this was properly the last days of the Jewish state. But the phrase may mean any future time, whether near or distant.
2 Timothy 3:2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
[For men shall be] The description in this and the following verses the Papists apply to the Protestants; the Protestants in their turn apply it to the Papists; Schoettgen to the Jews; and others to heretics in general.
There have been both teachers and people in every age of the church, and in every age of the world, to whom these words may be most legitimately applied.
Both Catholics and Protestants have been lovers of their own selves, etc.; but it is probable that the apostle had some particular age in view, in which there should appear some very essential corruption of Christianity.
[
Lovers of their own selves
]
Philautoi
. Selfish, studious of their own interest, and regardless of the welfare of all mankind.
[
Covetous
]
Philarguroi
.
Lovers of money
, because of the influence which riches can procure.
[
Boasters
]
Alazones
. Vainglorious: self-assuming; valuing themselves beyond all others.
[
Proud
]
Hupereephanoi
. Airy, light, trifling persons; those who love to make a show-who are all outside; from huper, above, and phainoo, to show.
[
Blasphemers
]
Blaspheemoi
. Those who speak impiously of God and sacred things, and injuriously of men,
[
Disobedient to parents
]
Goneusin apeitheis
. Head-strong children, whom their parents cannot persuade.
[
Unthankful
]
Acharistoi
. Persons without grace, or gracefulness;
who think they have a right to the services of all men (self-entitled)
, yet feel no obligation, and consequently no gratitude.
[
Unholy
]
Anosioi
. Without piety; having no heart reverence for God.
2 Timothy 3:3
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
[
Without natural affection/Unloving
]
Astorgoi
. Without that affection which parents bear to their young, and which the young bear to their parents. An affection which is common to every class of animals; consequently, men without it are worse than brutes.
[
Unforgiving
/
Truce-breakers/irreconcilable
]
Aspondoi
. From a, the alpha negative, and spondee, a libation, because in making treaties libations both of blood and wine were poured out. The word
means those who are bound by no promise, held by no engagement, obliged by no oath; persons who readily promise anything, because they never intend to perform
.
[
False accusers/Slanderers
]
Diaboloi
. Devils; but properly enough rendered false accusers, for this is a principal work of the Devil. Slanderers;
striving ever to ruin the characters of others
.
[
Slanderers/Malicious Gossips/False Accusers/
Incontinent
]
Akrateis
. From a, the alpha negative, and kratos, power. Those who, having sinned away their power of self-government, want strength to govern their appetites; especially those who are slaves to uncleanness.
[
Brutal
/
Fierce/Cruel
]
Aneemeroi
; From a, the alpha negative, and heemeros, mild or gentle. Wild, impetuous, whatever is contrary to pliability and gentleness.
[
Despisers of those that are good
]
Aphilagathoi
.
Not lovers of good men
. Here is a remarkable advantage of the Greek over the English tongue, one word of the former expressing five or six of the latter. Those who do not love the good must be radically bad themselves.
2 Timothy 3:4
[
Traitors/Treacherous
]
Prodotai
. From pro, before, and didoomi, to divide up.
Those who deliver up to an enemy the person who has put his life in their hands
; such as the Scots of 1648, who delivered up into the hands of his enemies their unfortunate countryman and king, Charles the First; a stain which no lapse of ages can wipe out.
[
Heady/Conceited
]
Propeteis
. From pro, forward, and piptoo, to fall; headstrong, precipitate, rash, inconsiderate.
[
Haughty/High-minded
] Tetuphoomenoi. From tuphos, smoke; the frivolously aspiring
; those who are full of themselves, and empty of all good
.
[
Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
] This is nervously and beautifully expressed in the Greek, phileedonoi mallon ee philotheoi, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; i.e.
pleasure, sensual gratification, is their god
; and this they love and serve; God they do not.
2 Timothy 3:5
[
Having a form of godliness
] The original word
morphoosis
signifies a draught, sketch, or summary, and will apply well to those who have all their religion in their creed, confession of faith, catechism, bodies of divinity, etc., while destitute of the life of God in their souls;…
and are not only destitute of this life but deny that such life or power is here to be experienced or known.
They have religion in their creed, but none in their hearts.
And perhaps to their summary they add a decent round of religious observances.
From such turn away-not
only do not imitate them, but have no kind of fellowship with them; they are a dangerous people, and but seldom suspected, because their outside in fair.
Verses 6-9 continue with Modus Operandi: method, manner, distinct pattern.
So What do we do?
Transition
: The antidote is found in verses 10-17
2 Timothy 3:10-17
,
‘But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
11
persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra– what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work’.
(NKJ)
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