Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 2 Tim 3.2 and following. Indeed, this dark moral portrait resembles that of Rom 1:28-32, with the difference that it does not depict here pagans but people who call themselves Christians. And what makes it worse: the form of piety, hypocrisy, covers these awful features with a deceptive veneer. On the one hand those immoral people “who are always learning and who can never come to the knowledge of the truth…”. On the other hand, this young servant of God, nourished from childhood by “holy letters” under the influence of a pious mother and grandmother. Blessed are those who, from an early age, have been avid readers of the Word of God! To them, and to all of us, this exhortation is addressed: “Abide in the things you have learned.”
Then, verset 16 establishes the full inspiration of all the Scriptures, along with their authority to teach, convince, correct, instruct in righteousness. The Word of God nourishes and trains the man of God. Timothy was one, despite his youth(1Tim6:11-12). This title of man of God is even more noble than those of soldier, worker or slave of the Lord. God shows us here how we become one. May He also give us the desire to be! Paul encouraged Timothy by expressing his satisfaction that he had understood and followed exactly the example the apostle had set for him. What joy and consolation for him to see his dear child follow the same path of fidelity, self-denial, suffering, witness as his father in the faith.
Then the apostle exhorts Timothy to abide in the things he has learned, in direct opposition to the wicked who do not remain stationary, but go from bad to worse. When it comes to divine truth, there is no development to be attained; it remains immutable. We can grow in knowledge, but it itself has its absolute character of eternity; we just have to stay there. This is a firm position. Timothy had once learned these things in front of several witnesses and was able to present them to others. He was in absolute opposition to those who “are always learning,” because he had been “fully convinced” of these things. He knew “from whom he had learned them.” These words are of all importance. Timothy had received them directly from the mouth of the inspired apostle. In the same way we receive them directly from the inspired writings of this same apostle. It is not that God does not teach us through His uninspired servants, but we are bound to control their teaching by the Word itself, and if we do not, we easily fall prey to erroneous doctrines that we would have avoided if, instead of putting our trust in the man who presents them to us, we had sifted through them with the Word.
But God had not only been careful to put Timothy in touch with the inspired bearer of his word; he had, from childhood, nourished him with “holy letters” (John 7:15). These holy letters are the whole content of the Old Testament. As shown to us in Proverbs 4. 1-9, he could draw wisdom from it to salvation, that is, to be preserved, saved from the innumerable traps placed in the footsteps of the believer, in these perilous times of the end. For this purpose it is necessary that the things learned in the Word have been received by faith. Christ is the object of piety as he is the object of faith. This last verse is based on the Old Testament as a child can read it and affirms that it is sufficient to make wise to salvation those who come into contact with it by the faith that is in the Christ Jesus.
But, if there are those employed and ordained means of God, such as Christian education, contact with the servants of God, knowledge of the holy letters, that is, of the Bible, to prepare from childhood the man of God for his service, the supreme resource for his whole life and ever more urgent, as decadence and ruin becomes more apparent, it’s Scripture, all of Scripture. Timothy had grasped by faith the truth that Christ has as its object. The scriptures that contain this truth could provide him with all the elements of his ministry by making him fulfilled for every good work.
Note that the term used here is not “the Word,” but Scripture. Paul himself refers to his own writings as prophetic writings (Rom. 16.26). And so the apostle begins by establishing the divine inspiration of all Scripture,and we have seen what the Worditself means by that word. The apostle does not present to us here the role of inspired Scripture in bringing divine light into the soul, in convincing of sin, in making salvation known to lost sinners; but it brings out the supreme and absolute Resource that Scripture offers to the “man of God” – at a time when the Assembly, the house of God, is in ruins – to be perfectly fulfilled, so that it glorifies God in all its march.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
The difficulties of last times:
- Corruptions, bad weather
Gen 6:12 God looked at the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way on earth. 1 Kings 19:10 He answered: I have displayed my zeal for Jehovah, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have abandoned your covenant, they have overthrown your altars, and they have killed your prophets by the sword; I have remained alone, and they seek to take my life. Ps 12:2 Save, Eternal! for pious men go away, The faithful disappear among the sons of man. 2 Tim 3:1-2 Know that in the last days there will be difficult times. 2 For men will be selfish, friends of money, braggarts, haughty, blasphemous, rebellious to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious,
- Pleasure of the world, fruit of a life dedicated to the search for pleasure
-Poverty Pr 21:17 He who loves joy remains in poverty; The one who loves wine and oil does not get rich.
-False security Isaiah 47:8-9 Now listen to this, voluptuous, Who sits you confidently, And who says in your heart: I, and nothing but me! I will never be a widow, and I will never be deprived of children! 9 These two things will happen to you suddenly, on the same day, The deprivation of children and widowhood; They will melt right on you, Despite the multitude of your spells, Despite the great number of your enchantments.
Spiritual sterility Lk 8:14 What has fallen among the thorns are those who, having heard the word, leave, and let it suffocate by the worries, riches and pleasures of life, and they bear no fruit that comes to maturity.
-The presumption Lk 12:19 and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have many goods in reserve for several years; rest, eat, drink, and rejoice.
Spiritual death 1 Tim 5:6 But the one who lives in pleasures is dead, though alive.
-The incessant search for entertainment 2 P 2.13thus reducing the wages of their iniquity. They find their delights in indulging in pleasure in broad daylight; Men tarred and defiled, they delight in their deceptions, making good food with you.
- Disbelief
Luke 12:46 the master of this servant will come the day he does not expect it and at the hour he does not know, he will tear him to pieces, and give him his share with the infidels. John 4:48 Jesus said to him, “If you do not see miracles and wonders, you do not believe. Acts 14:2 But those of the Jews who did not believe in them excited and embittered the spirits of the Gentiles against the brethren. 2 Thess 3:2 and that we may be delivered fromthewicked and evil men; for not all have faith.
- The stages of spiritual preparation
-Abandonment of idols 1 Sam 7:3 Samuel said to the whole house of Israel: If it is with all your heart that you return to the Lord, remove from your midst the foreign gods and the Astarte, direct your heart to the Lord, and serve him alone; and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.
-Purification of God’s temple 2 Ch 29:15 They gathered their brethren, and after sanctifying themselves, they came to purify the house of Jehovah, according to the king’s command and according to the words of Jehovah.
-Returning to the Lord Luke 1:17 he will walk before God with the spirit and power of Elijah, to bring the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the rebels to the wisdom of the righteous, in order to prepare for the Lord a well-disposed people.
-Personal purification 2 Tim 2:21 If, therefore, anyone keeps himself pure, by abstaining from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to his master, proper to all good work.
From all of the above, we note thatfirst of all there is not a single part of Scripture(all) that is not useful. Then it’s useful for what? 1° To teach, that is to say, to establish the doctrine in the mind of the one who is put in relation to the Word. 2° To convince, that is to say, to speak to the conscience and attain it, so that the believer has a firm basis for his relations with God. 3° To correct:Scripture exercises an educative discipline as it is shown to us in such a striking way in Proverbs. 4° For instruct in justice. Here we find here again the great subject of Proverbs. It is a question of making ourselves known and following a path from which sin is excluded, a walk free from falls, and characterized by practical justice here on earth. In the last verse we find the consequences of the teaching of the Scriptures for the man of God, that is, for the believer called to represent God in this world. These consequences are that it will be “accomplished and fully accomplished (or formed) for every good work.” Before applying them to others, the man of God begins by applying to himself the teachings of the Word; yet this is a crucial truth for the exercise of his ministry. Without this individual application no effect can be produced. The Word trains us to be the living model and presentation (1 Tim 1. 16) of its results, when we are called upon to carry out the ministry. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and for centuries of ages. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow”role and qualities of a faithful servant.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.