II Timothy Chapter 3 "Charges Connected with Apostasy [1-15]." This Bible Study is
written by Roger Christopherson, and made available with
written permission by http://www.theseason.org This chapter of Paul's letter to Timothy is a doctrinal letter that informs us as to what we should be looking for within a church body. It is instructing all pastors and ministers, through Timothy, as to what should be taught there. Now in chapter three, Paul is giving a warning, and a charge that is connected with the apostasy that comes in the end times. It is vital that the congregation be informed of these things. It is to be taught in all church meetings, right up to the time of Christ's return. We are living in the time that is spoken of in this chapter, and we are to pay special attention to the charges that Paul is giving to Timothy. When Paul would advise someone to do something, it is important that we listen and then use it as warning for ourselves, if we want to receive God's blessing. II Timothy 3:1 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." Face this fact that "in the last days", in that final generation, perilous times shall come. Those troubled times are going to come, and remember that the subject in this book is the church, and what is to be taught in the church. It is given for the holding the body of Christ together, and having God's people getting along with one another as God would have His people interact. God wants to keep His people out of trouble, and Paul is now going to warn us of the trouble that we will see happening in our day. This is something that you can count on, so identify it when you see it. Prepare yourself for it, not from within, but from without. There are those that will come into the Church and try to change what should be taught there. Those false teachers will cause the congregation to accept a substitute for the truth, a tradition and false doctrine; and that is why the congregation should be on guard against those that bring in another false doctrine. This is what Paul is warning us about. II Timothy 3:2 "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," In the Greek, this is aimed mostly towards money. They shall be proud of the wealth that God has put in their hands, and shall be covetous of others. The focus in this last generation will be centered on self, self gratification, boasting, and putting old number one first. When we go amongst the young people today, and attend their classes to observe what they do and say, you can see the fulfillment of this verse. I feel that the one third that fell in that first earth age, would be mostly the ones that would be tested in this final generation. The earth's population today is about one third of all souls that have existed from the beginning of time. The generation, or population living on the earth today will be tested and be given a choice, as to whether they will chose Satan, or know him for the deceiver and fraud that he is. This is discussed in Revelation 12, and in that first earth age Satan the great red dragon drew one third of the stars or souls to follow him against our Heavenly Father. The time is coming very shortly when Satan and his fallen angels will be cast out of heaven onto the earth, and the testing of those souls will happen again, as it is all part of God's plan to draw those that fell back to Himself. It would be a fair thing to do, and our Father is always fair and just. The war is taking place in the heavens right now, and shortly Satan the dragon and all his angels will be right here on earth with us, and ruling over the people of the earth. They will accept him in ignorance as their messiah because of they have been taught the traditions of men, and not the true and whole Word of God. Revelation 12:7 "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels," This war is going on right now, and Satan will lose the battle. When that war is over, we will see Satan and all fallen angels and evil spirits on the earth before us. Revelation 12:8 "And prevailed not, neither was there place found any more in heaven." Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." There should be no doubt in your mind who this Antichrist or great dragon is that is cast out of heaven. Jesus told us through the pen of John here in Revelation that the great dragon is that old serpent from the Garden of Eden, the man that deceived Eve, and became the father of Cain, who is the father of the Kenites. He is also called the Devil, Satan, Lucifer [morning star], and many other names for the roles that he has played down through the years. Satan is the Antichrist, and those fallen angels that come with Satan to earth are the locust army that will also deceive mankind. Satan will be given supernatural powers to cause the spiritually unlearned on the earth to believe that he [Satan] is God, and they will all be deceived into worshipping him. All, that is, but the elect of God, with the truth from God's Word sealed in their mind. The fact that everything that we hold dear from the Word of God is being degraded is why common sense tells us it is going on now. It is difficult to see how people can react the way they do. They are boasters, they are proud, and they do disobey their parents. Today it is quite common for children to create tales about their parents and run to school and tell the school officials their lies. Then the state is brought in and the state falsely accuses parents on simple matters concerning obedience and discipline. This is one of the tools of the four hidden dynasties, politics, using another of the dynasties Education, to bring the world under a one world political system. It more than likely could be the parents fault for this happening when you have a generation that did the things like was done in the sixties and seventies. It prepared the way for their children to turn their backs on them and set the way for these times within the final generation. As we now look back on the events that have happened since 1948, we can see how these things have developed into where they are today. Now Paul has told us that this is what could be expected in the last days, in the final generation, and they are going on here today. II Timothy 3:3 "Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good," Paul continues to tell us what we can expect in during the latter days. "Natural affection" is when you do what comes naturally. God created us in a very natural sense, and put within us a natural drive for protection of our physical bodies, and certain natural drives to reproduce for child bearing. Today it has become common for unnatural acts of filth, such as sodomy, same sex marriages, suicide, and so forth to be carried on in public. Our government itself has sunk to a point of degradation in that it is passing laws that would protect such acts of lunacy. There was a time when a man's word was his bond. A hand shake was good enough to seal a deal, and you could count on that agreement being upheld. To break your word was a very serious charge in the community. It seems today that truce breaking has become so common that it is expected, and even in contracts. The lawyers create holes in their contracts to where the can escape from the bonds of their own words. What is even written on paper is a lie because the intent from the start is a lie. "False accusers" in the Greek is "diabolos" and it means "gossipers and slanderers". This is when a lie or half truth is put forth to cause a false judgment on someone. It is common in the press and it is an everyday happening from the president of our land on down to the children on the playground. The feeling today is the first one to tell their lie or cover-up is the one that the people will accept as the truth, and all others have to defend themselves against these workers of iniquity. Is it any wonder that it goes on in the playgrounds, the homes and community today. "Incontinent and fierce" prevents the spirit of peace to come into ones soul and allows them not to be content. Today the major cause of sickness is stress, for stress throws off most of the systems of the body, and disrupts the natural course of things within the body. It is really sad but today it is a common practice of the press and the world at large to take aim at any one that claims to be a Christian and seeks to live their life as God's Word instructs us to. When you try to do what is right, and hold God's laws and commandments high in your life, the world laughs at you. The standards of our generation have turned up-side-down, and in-side-out, to where it is not a matter of how you made your money, but how much you have. In the media today religion and the things of God are made light of, and this becomes tolerable only when we take into consideration that it was written in God's Word that it would happen. It is one of the sign posts of our day, marking our generation, and the end of this earth age of the flesh. Remember what Paul started this chapter off by saying? "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." These acts of wickedness are the things that we should expect, when you are living in the last days. So it becomes important to us today that we be able to identify these factors when we see them and keep them out of the body of Christ. Though these things seem to be a common thing in the world around us, they are not to be allowed in our families and amongst the congregation. When someone or somehow these things creep into the congregation, it is time to stand up to those false traditions and doctrines and stop them before they have a chance to grow. This is called "discipline" in the church body, and any church body without discipline is not a church body. Give the persons involved the benefit of the doubt, and when they have explained themselves, and it is examined in the light of the Scriptures, the correction should then be made at that time. It could mean the expulsion of someone if that person is not open to the instruction of the Holy Spirit, after the the problem is pointed out from the Scriptures. But these things that Paul is warning us of cannot go one in the body of Christ. II Timothy 3:4 "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" Remember that these things are common in the world, but this is what the church should be guarding against. Many are becoming traitors to the cause of Christ when they are accepting the ways of the devil, and in ignorance adopting those ways into their church houses. Many even mock the things of the Bible and the patriotism that we once had for our nation. This turning against Scripture mainly started after world war two, a time when every family and every child gave their best effort to protect our nation. Through salvage efforts, bonds, ladies going into the factories, and men putting their lives on the line, they did what they did because our freedoms meant something to our people. However today, under international treaties and agreements, dragging the one world system of the United Nation into matters that they have no business in, the sense of loyalty of our nation has slid a great deal. "Heady and highminded" means that people are just plain puffed up with their own pride. They have placed themselves on such high thoughts of themselves that they refuse to listen to common sense. This happens when you lose your love and compassion that we should have for our fellow man. The thought today is "dog eat dog, do your brother before he does you, and so forth" is the rule of the day. "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God," means that they simply leave God out of their lives. This attitude has brought about biblical illiteracy. Today people claim to be things that they know nothing about. They claim to be a Christian, and they have no desire of living for Christ or even knowing anything about Christ. They claim to be teachers, and they have no idea in the world as to how to dig the truths out of God's Word. They just don't care, as they become hirelings and babblers for their life's occupation. They claim to be prophet of these end times, yet they have no idea in the world of the three earth ages, the Kenites, the seals and trumpets, and they could care less about studying Revelation or the Minor Prophets. They putter around seeking their own pleasures, rather than seeking the truths from God's Word and following those ways. The man on the street may claim to be a Christian but he has no idea of what it means. They may be able to quote some "one verse Charlie", but as far as knowing and understanding the overall plan of God, they are in a fog and don't know which way they are going. If you love the ways of this world more than you love the Word of God, you will never find peace of mind. It is the most blessed thing in the world to give God a period out of each day to thank Him and study His Word. This is not saying that you have to become a religious fanatic, but merely bringing the love of God back into your life, and keep Him in the forefront of your life. It is because of that love that we are in these flesh bodies, and on the earth today. The only reason that God created you and this earth is for His pleasure, and to draw you back to Himself. Revelation 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." If you lose sight of this, you have lost sight of reality. God loves it when you give that genuine love to Him, and He will bless you for it. II Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." Paul is speaking of those troublemakers, those traitors, coveters, and so on that are common in the world today. This is a warning to each of us that claim the name of Christ. When we see this in someone, we are to turn away from them. They may seem so very religious, but when they deny the power of God they are not of God. Know them for what they are and mark them will for what they are. Any one that claims that; "God can do miracles but He doesn't do them any more", is denying the power of God. They think that God is short on fuel, and the old engine just doesn't work any more. They just don't believe that God is the same yesterday as He is today, and He will be through all eternity. They deny the faith and what they say becomes a lie to them from their own mouths. Hebrews 13:7 "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Hebrew 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever." Man does change, but our heavenly Father, Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit will never change. What ever miracle God has preformed in the past, He can do today, but what He does is in accordance with His will and the conditions that are required by the Scriptures. God doesn't do party tricks, and He doesn't take part in side shows going on today to boost someone's name and pride. God performs only to those that have their heart right, that have that peace of mind and love Him, and that thank Him after they have been healed by the Lord. It pleases God to take care of His children, when they thank Him for the blessings that they have received. II Timothy 3:6 "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts," "This sort" are those that like to play religion, but they claim that God doesn't have any power. This word "creep" in the Greek is "enduno", and it is in reference to the way a person dresses and presents himself. It means that they enter into the church houses saying and camouflaging their true identity. They are the wolves in sheep's clothing. This goes much broader than what it appears to be, for it applies to men being silly as much as women. It is a figure of speech trying to get a point across. It was a method of the used within church systems that judge people by their sins, and allowed for only a particular person to give the forgiveness of sins. Only God can forgive sins, and this type of church system puts on the appearance of being from God, and God's representative here on earth, and as such demanded that all your sins be revealed to him. It appears that we are talking about a certain church system, but it applies to the denominations also, when they become judgmental of Christians and demand that personal sins be reveal in detail to them and made public also. Regardless what any man might say to you, he does not have any more power to forgive a sin, than any other man has. Your sins must be confessed to God the Father in Jesus name, with your faith in Christ strong enough that you know absolutely that Christ shed blood on the cross was sufficient to pay the price for your sins. Be very careful of anyone that wants you to repent your sins to them. They will take your sin that has been forgiven and place you in bondage with them. Jesus Christ and the Father has removed those sins from you and covered them with Christ's shed blood. This is common in cases as divorce, when whatever the sin that cause the divorce has been blotted out forever. The person that has repented for that sin is free to marry, but some church systems would like to bind you with that sin the rest of your life. You don't need them or their systems that would hold you in bondage in any manner. Christ came to give us freedom from the bondage of sin, and we just don't have to let any church system that calls themselves by what ever name, hold the key that allows us to enter into heaven. Only God holds that key, and the key is through His Son Jesus Christ. Only God can forgive sin, and when He forgives sin, He gives no church system any authority to hold you captive for past sins, or to reduce you to a lower status than any other Christian. Any church system that has a set of rules that would cause sinners forward and require a confession for repented sin publicly is not of God, and avoid those church systems. Any church system that would do such a thing to a Christian, when he or she have repented of their sins, are saying that God doesn't have power any more, and they are required to correct you in your ways. They are telling you that God doesn't have the power to forgive and they are taking God's place. II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Paul is referring to those churches that teach, give their conferences, and all their classes, yet what is taught is nothing but a bunch of emptiness. People have sat under teachers and pastors for many years, yet they don't know the most simplest parts of the plan of God. They are ever learning from their one verse Charlie, but old Charlie never gets around to the knowledge of the truth from God's Word. He stumbles through a verse or two each week, and never gets around to the basics of God's Word. If a person is not been through God's Word in its entirety, chapter by chapter and verse by verse, he will always remain ignorant to God's Word. In our generation it leaves the babe in Christ unprepared for the spiritual battle that is coming and upon us even now. The full power of God's Word comes when you take the verses back into the original languages, by the use of bible tools, such as Strong's numbered Concordance to the Numbered Greek and Hebrew dictionaries, to get the full understanding. The Companion Bible give us the background behind the Scriptures, and an outline to allow us to follow the subject and the object of what is being said. This is not being said to empty the church houses, but to fill them to where the Word is taught, and the Word of God is rightly divided. Any time Christianity does not free people from their sins, but holds them in bondage, it is not Christianity. If you have attended a church house for one year, and you are not familiar with a working knowledge the full plan of God, than you have not been taught. Paul is stating, they are always talking, but never bringing for the full understanding of the truth. II Timothy 3:8 "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." Paul is giving us an example of this here. "Reprobate" as used here in the Greek text means "worthless". Can you learn anything from something that is worthless? Of course not. They are worthless concerning teaching and strengthening your faith in Jesus Christ. So who were these two? Jannes and Jambres were two sets magicians written of in Exodus 7:11; a time when Moses went before the Pharaoh, Exodus 7:10 "And Moses and Aaron went into the Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent." Exodus 7:11 "Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments." When Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh to demand that he free the children of Israel that were held in bondage in Egypt, Moses told Aaron to through down his rod on the ground and it turned into a serpent. Then these two magicians Jannes and Jambres threw their staffs down to disprove God. They looked very religious in their dress and speaking manner and they appeared to be high holy men. They probably even looked much like Moses or Aaron with their staffs. So what Moses and Aaron did, so also these magicians did. There is one big difference, Moses' staff ate and consumed the staffs of Jannes and Jambres. That is exactly what truth will do, it will swallow up the fakes and false teachings. Teaching the truth from God's Word cuts the ground out from under the false teachers and false preachers. God's Word is given to give us peace of mind and understanding, and when confusion and fear come from one teaching it, then something is wrong. Truth is a message of freedom, even in this generation that Paul stated in verse one as being the final generation of this earth age. That in these times you could face the facts and recognize the fakes and those that have crept in with your own eye, and have discernment of spirits. You would know whether you are being deceived, or being taught with the love of God. Anytime somebody tries to present themselves in a high minded and better then God's way, and tries to take the place of God rather then admitting their own shortcomings and presenting the truth from the Word of God, it is time to be cautious. When someone tells you that God's power has changed and the things of God have changed, he is a religious magician just as Jannes and Jambres of Moses time. Don't let anyone rob you for the freedom that Jesus Christ paid an awesome price on the cross for. Jesus died so that you could be free from sins, all sins big and small. Once you have repented in Jesus name, you can walk in any crowd, holding your head upright, a child of the living God. You don't need to take a back seat to anyone, but can stand boldly with anyone. II Timothy 3:9 "But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." Paul is telling us through his instructions to Timothy, that just as it was with Moses coming up against those magicians and religious tricksters, so it shall be with you. Remember these are the instructions that are to be taught to the congregation and passed on to the final generation, for that is how it shall be in our day. If you believe and know that God has the power, you will put down opposition time after time. That is what happened to Moses. Moses went before the Pharaoh ten times before the freedom finally came, and Paul points out that no matter how many times it take you will have the victory in Christ because our Heavenly Father is more powerful than all of Satan's powers and spiritual forces. So as it was with Moses, so it shall be with you. This should bring you peace of mind because you know right from the start that you will face these religious nuts with their false doctrines many times, and each time you will have the victory. They may deceive some people, but they will not deceive you. II Timothy 3:10 "But thou has fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience," Paul is speaking to Timothy and reminding him that he has completely known the doctrine or teaching that Paul has taught him personally. Timothy had been a precious follower of those things that identify the true man or woman of God. Those things are the manner of life or life style that you live, the purpose or way that Timothy had brought forth the Word of God, focusing on the perilous times that shall come, and the power of God that is able to overcome them. Timothy had a strong faith in the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, and he had the true love of God in his heart for for the lost. Paul loved Timothy and was very proud of him. Timothy was the fruit of Paul's labor and teaching, and when you are the fruit of ones labor, you become a joy to them. It makes Paul feel good just to be around Timothy. Paul can see the results of God's Word in all parts of the life of Timothy when the Word and the changes are passed on to other peoples lives, and the increases come. Then the fruit of the Word grows, rather than the wicked things that rob people who are unlearned. When you plant the seeds of truth, in time those seeds will bring for the fruits which is manner of life, purpose for life, faith, longsuffering, charity [unveined love], and patience. Those fruits are given freely and demands nothing in return. This is how Christianity works and that is why it is so powerful today. II Timothy 3:11 "Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endure: but out of them all the Lord deliver me." Paul went through many persecutions and afflictions as he traveled about preaching and starting churches in the different town. He was beaten, stoned, jailed, shouted down, and the afflictions that came in his travels caused him to be shipwrecked three times, but with all that happened to Paul, God delivered him out of those troubles every time. We can expect it to happen in our generation just as in Paul's, and when those troubles come your way, you can handle it with God's help. When those things are to great and you are at your weakest, then you are at your strongest, for God will make the way for you to handle it. II Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." It is to all that live godly lives in our generation, as this is addressed to the end times, you yourself have the control valve on this persecution that you will face. When you get tired to it, you can put a stop to it. Though people still talk about you, it just doesn't matter, for the times remaining here on earth are very short. We are living in the season of the fig tree, and the end is very short. They don't know any better, so let them talk; fools are fools and that is all there is to it. It shouldn't bother you one bit when you are on a mission for God, spreading the Word of God. II Timothy 3:13 "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." Though as you grow in the Word, it will be getting better for you, but the condition of evil men and the deceivers of the Word of God are only going to get worse in the generation that we are now living in. We are living in those perilous times of the last days, and Paul has told us that the things that are happening today, are things that we are to expect. Our people will be deceived, and their preachers are deceiving other because the son of perdition, Satan the old serpent is coming to earth in his role as the false christ. It is going to happen so expect it to happen when you see it coming to pass. Of course it will not bother you, for you know the events of our day and what we should expect to happen. It will actually be a day of joy for us, because Satan has finally come to earth to face people in person. It is the marking of the final five months of this earth age. The warring that takes place when Satan is here on earth, it is the Holy Spirit that does the warring. II Timothy 3:14 "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;" This is Paul's charge to Timothy to continue in the things that he has been taught, and continue to teach them to others. The one whom Timothy has learned them from and understanding that was placed in in Timothy's mind was the Holy Spirit. It is only by the will of the Holy Spirit that you will have the eyes to see and the ears to hear the Word with understanding. The Holy Spirit gives unction to your mind whereby you can absorb the meanings of the words that are in the Scriptures. II Timothy 3:15 "And that from a child thou hast know the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Timothy was brought up in a Christian home and both his mother Lois, and his grandmother Eunice were Christians and knew the Word of God. Timothy was taught the Scriptures, and he had salvation through his faith which is in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" All Scripture that is written in the Word of God was given by the Holy Spirit of God. Every word that Moses wrote, that David wrote, and that Paul wrote were given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and placed by God into their minds. It is also through the Holy Spirit that will reveal to you the doctrine or teaching that you are to know from this Word. It doesn't come from any man, but from the Spirit of God and His Word. "For reproof" is so that you can prove it for yourself and see that it is true and real. To show you when something is right or wrong. "For correction" is to help you change those things that are not in accordance with God's Word. Correction is a daily thing in your life, for as long as you are in your flesh body, you will be doing things and saying things that need correction. "Instruction in righteousness" means to discipline yourself in those things you know to be righteous. We are living in that time when deception and false doctrine will be at its greatest, and that is why we must stay in the Word for our instructions in righteousness, and discipline ourselves to pay attention to what is said and the events that are going on around us each day. II Timothy 3:17 "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The only thing that is perfect about any man is the Holy Spirit that is within him. We all will fall short of God's Word, even after we have been saved, and that is why we must daily go to our Father in repentance in Jesus name. Never follow any man, nor any teacher to be a role model that you have propped up to be your idol, for all men and women will fall short of God's standard while they are in the flesh body. There is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was and is perfect and upon repentance, our shortcomings are forgiven. That forgiveness from all our sins allows us to be perfect in His teaching, and in the sight of the Father. This has been a doctrinal chapter that is powerful to us living today, for it is addressed to our generation.
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