Now are you going to, you know, take the word of Jesus? The same Spirit that breathed reason into us breathes revelation among us: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved or carried forth by the Holy Ghost,2 Peter 1:21. 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. But [Paul said] they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as [Jannes and Jambres] also were ( 2 Timothy 3:9 ). And this, I believe, is much to be considered. The result would often be either that the woman broke off married relationships with her husband in order to live the ascetic life, or that she gave the lower instincts full play and abandoned herself to promiscuous relationships. We must remember that they were Gnostics and that the basic principle of Gnosticism was that spirit was altogether good and matter altogether evil. Paul instructed Timothy concerning what God had revealed would take place in the last days. Note, It is not enough to learn that which is good, but we must continue in it, and persevere in it unto the end. He wants to accustom his mind to expect hardship instead of shirking it. In other words, you may go along for a while, but ultimately it's going to catch up with you. In the terrible times men will be so set on self that even the closest ties will be nothing to them. In these last terrible days men will come to have no love for good things or good persons (aphilagathos, G865) . Second Timothy 3:12-13 "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being. It is needful to exercise judgment now. (2 Timothy 2:1.) That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." 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. On the other hand, it is unholy to tamper with evil. Second, there are the qualities of the apostle. I've got a file up here that says, Wait for further information. 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. The world easily puts up with the mask of a religion which depends on itself, but the piety which derives its vigor directly from Christ is as odious to modern Christians as it was to the ancient Jews [Bengel]. You know the persecutions that I experienced, but the Lord delivered me out of them all. 2 Timothy Greeting. Only here and Titus 2:12. 1:15; 4:9-12, 16) and facing imminent execution, Paul wrote to Timothy, urging him to hasten to Rome for one last visit with the apostle ( 4:9, 21 ). It is not a question here about elders, but what would abide all the same when elders could not be duly appointed. There were those who would revenge themselves on an enemy by informing against him. It is interesting that the Scriptures in many places speak of the last days and in every case where the Scriptures speak of the last days, you find that it is an apt description of the day and the age in which we live. Surely if it is an urgent call to convey what we know of Christ and the truth to those that know nothing, it is a great privilege to help to contribute a greater knowledge of the truth to those that know little. He must maintain this confidence, knowing that the Scriptures are divinely given and that they are Gods means of instructing people in right belief and right living. 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. O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! 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. It is the attitude which bears with everything men can do and refuses to be either angry or embittered, and which will never seek anything but their highest good. But yet it is absolutely unavoidable that all of them shall have the world for their enemy in some form or other, that their faith may be tried and their steadfastness proved; for Satan, who is the continual enemy of Christ, will never suffer any one to be at peace during his whole life; and there will always be wicked men that are thorns in our sides. 2. The same tone of mercy is equally promised in this #epistle as in the last. And when you lose authority you have anarchy. God said it.They are profitable. Edited by David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, this new commentary series, projected to be 48 volumes, takes a Christ-centered approach to expositing each book of the Bible. I'm just saying, Hey, I am stupid and I lack an understanding. Look at the rapid deterioration of our society. In the light of this warning from the Saviour, no Christian should be surprised at persecution. The essence of Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self. This world is in rebellion against God. It is profitable to us for all the purposes of the Christian life, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And suddenly, of course, their tears were changed because Paul began to breathe and move and he stood up and he said, Let's go back in and preach some more. The age of children is the age to learn; and those who would get true learning, must get it out of the Scriptures. Salem Media Group. It begets a contempt of men which can issue in hurting actions and in wounding words. Marks of Perilous Times; Excellence of the Scriptures. And that quality of conquering endurance is necessary, because persecution is an essential part of the experience of an apostle. They claimed that the law was so imprinted on the heart and mind of a Jewish child that he would sooner forget his own name than he would forget it. The ancient world set duty to parents very high. And many shall be stirred up in anger to injure many; And they shall rouse up armies in order to shed blood. It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields every point in which religion is opposed to the world. At the same time there is not the smallest slight of the only and abiding standard. I believe that God intended you to have pleasure, but when it comes before God, it means that it has become your God and it makes a very poor God to worship or serve. This is the right thing to do. Socrates skid that they were to be found in every walk of life but were worst of all in politics. What does 2 Timothy 3:13 mean? There was no longer the freshness of a new thing; and where the heart was not kept up in communion with the Lord, the value of divine things was less felt, if it did not quite fade away. You have no authority.So if I tell you that some scriptures are not really inspired of God, then I become the authority, not the Bible anymore, because you can't just read the whole Bible and trust it because not all of it is inspired. For it is not dogma pure and simple, it is not mere instruction; and we may thank God for it. 4. It is not enough to be satisfied when a church is humming like a dynamo and every night in the week has its own crowded organization. We find a precisely similar kind of combination in Paul. At the same time He will have them undividedly for Himself; and He is also jealous of the way in which they seek even the ends of God. You're in an alien world. McLean, Virginia: MacDonald Publishing Company, n.d. Wuest, Kenneth S. Wuests Word Studies From the Greek New Testament. To love men is to forgive them and care for them as God forgave and cares--and it is only he who can enable us to do that. First, there are the duties of an apostle. Then the apostle brings out most important directions for the days that were then coming in, but now come, and more. I have many scriptures that I don't understand yet. ", Persecution = The essence of persecution consists in subjecting a person to injury or disadvantage on account of his [beliefs].. And there came that place where, hey, Moses performed a miracle of God and they backed away. Men will refuse to recognize even the ultimate decencies of life. 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. 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). In simple fairness, no man seeking for the truth has any right to neglect the reading of the Bible. Such is the perversity of sin. And why read them anyhow if they're not inspired? You're a pilgrim.
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