Believers need to prepare for difficult days ahead; in fact, they have already come upon us. Even though people will become prideful, disobedient, committing unholy deeds, or even turning on their very own family - keep your heart centered on the Lord who is our only Hope and all Sufficient Savior!
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Outline
I. Introduction
II. Pretend Christians who are Lovers of Their Own Selves, Covetous
III. Pretend Christians who are boasters, proud.
IV. Pretend Christians who are blasphemers, disobedient to parents
V. Pretend Christians who are Unthankful, unholy.
VI. Pretend Christians who are Without Natural Affection, Trucebreakers
VII. Pretend Christians who are False Accusers and Incontinent
VIII. Pretend Christians who are Fierce, despisers of those that are good
IX. Pretend Christians who are Traitors, heady
X. Pretend Christians who are Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
XI. Pretend Christians who have a Form of Godliness
XII. Pretend Christians who are counterfeits of True Christians
XIII. Conclusion and Invitation Prayer
I. Introduction
2 Timothy chapter 3. I don't know whether you've noticed, but as you look out on our world, on our country and around the world, evil seems to abound everywhere. And for those of us who are a little older, it seems to be getting worse and worse every year. Now the younger people, they don't notice it yet cuz this is basically what they grew up in. But it's getting worse. I don't know whether it was always hidden or whether it's just becoming more evident. But I do know this.
Scripture says, when it gets really bad, Jesus is coming back. So, on one hand, you're saying, 'Man, I hope it don't get any worse' but on the other hand, you're saying, 'Even so come quickly Lord.' Here in 2 Timothy chapter 3, the word of God is telling us that we need to prepare; to prepare for difficult days, for things that are going to happen. Notice in verse 1 it says,
2 Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
That means difficult days, perilous times. When being a believer is going to be hard. Being a believer so that other people see you as a believer. We know in other countries, there are, because of their government, because they were saved under some very hateful and hurtful evil governments, that many believers are secret. What this is talking about is when you're an open believer, things are going to get tough. Now I know many will say that things aren't bad for Christians now. Not as bad as other countries, I'll agree. But there's not as much openness to accept Christians and Christianity as there was several years ago. Perilous times are going to come.
They're evidence by the attitudes of people, the actions of people. But in this section here, what's concerning is Paul is writing to Timothy and he said, this is going to be the actions in the attitudes of those who say that they're Christians. By those who say they're believers. Those who, everybody said well, when they're going to heaven when they die because they accepted Christ, but it was all a falsehood
And now their true colors are going to come forth and if you look at, I'm speaking in generalities .. look at many churches today and the things that they accept within their churches that God calls sin, you can understand what the apostle is telling us here. Sad that you have to look out to be aware and, as he says, sometimes even avoid those who say that they're Christians because they can cause you to fall yourself.
So, let's look at these. Not going to go too much in depth on the first part. If if you start reading verse 2 through verse 5, most of them if you really look at it, they're divided up into groups of two and they go together. Notice the first two. Remember this is what pretending Christians are going to be acting like, their attitudes.
II. Pretend Christians who are Lovers of Their Own Selves, Covetous
2 Tim 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy
Lovers of their own selves, covetous. That word covetous means lovers of silver, basically. So in the last days, people who say they're believers are really selfish. They care only about themselves and they care about how much money they have. There's nothing wrong with having money if that's what God want you to have. But if money becomes your God, that's when it becomes covetousness. That's why covetousness is also called idolatry. Now, I'm sure if I said, think of a, for example, think of a TV preacher who is a lover of themselves and lover money. We could all come up with names. But it's more than just them. It's people within churches.
III. Pretend Christians who are boasters, proud.
Notice the second one. Boasters, proud. Boasters are just people who brag about everything. Proud is those who boast because they think they're the best. Have you ever met somebody who tells you something, let's say about Christianity. They tell you something about Christianity, and, you know they're wrong. But they'll insist that they're right and you're wrong because God spoke to them. But here's the truth. If it doesn't match what's in the word of God, God didn't speak to them because this is how he speaks to us today: through his Word. So be careful of those who are bold, those who are proud, think that they are better than anybody else.
I met a lot of Christians in my life, who this proud, this boasting goes along with their Christianity. If you're not a member .. and I'm saying this as an illustration, They may say something like "if you're not a member of this church, you're not really a believer. If you leave this church, it's the same as leaving God." No. There's a lot of good churches. Churches aren't the building, their the people, amen?
And I'm glad about the people we have here. I like you guys. I know God says to love one another. But for the people that I know that go to this church on a regular basis, we don't just love one another, we like each other. And if suddenly God said, I think I need to move to another state .. when I said God said, he doesn't say it verbally, but he will impress upon you sometimes. As long as you get in another good church, fine.
But don't just think that just because you go to a certain church or certain denomination that you have all the truth, and you brag about it. The truth is here [Bible]. And honestly I told you before, if I say something and you can come to me and say Pastor, you said this was true. But this verse, this verse, and this verse goes against what you said, I'll read it. And if I'm wrong, I'll apologize. I know a lot, but I don't know everything.
IV. Pretend Christians who are blasphemers, disobedient to parents
Notice what else it says.
2 Tim 3:2 Blasphemers, disobedient to parents ...
That word blasphemer actually has the idea of abusers and what it means is, people who abuse others and abuse their parents, You said, well, are people really disobedient to parents?
Yes, scripture tells us you know 'children obey your parents in the Lord for that is right. Honor thy mother and father for this is the first commandment with promise.' But there are some .. we were talking about this. Children that are disobedient to their parents. I think somebody told me in California, right? Maybe in Rhode Island, they're passing a law that criminalizes parents if they don't allow their children to transition into something else. They're causing these children to be disobedient to their parents. The only one, the one that a child should listen to is his parents.
Are they always right? No. But parents try. We try real hard. Blasphemers, abusive to other people. I can't remember the name of it, there was a church, Baptist Church, a few years ago that would meet airplanes of servicemen that died and start holding rallies and proclaiming all kinds of sins and things. That's abuse. I was just sad they were called a Baptist Church. But, you know, we have to be careful when we're dealing with others.
But even within a church, you get some Christians that will abuse others because they don't do the same things they do. Or they abuse their parents, they're disobedient to their parents. Reading an article not long ago where a woman sued her parents because her parents didn't ask her permission for her to be born. Let that sink in. She actually went to court to sue her parents because their parents didn't ask for permission to be born before she was born.
The world's gone insane. And more and more, there are those in schools, there are those in government agencies that are convincing kids, you don't have to listen to your parents. It's the last days. And it's not what God's word says. What else? I know you're saying, I'm stepping on too many toes. I'm just reading what the Bible says.
V. Pretend Christians who are Unthankful, unholy.
Unthankful, unholy.
As we read in Romans, one of the signs of a people is they're not grateful anymore. Not just grateful to each other. Not grateful to God. That's why 'unthankful' and 'unholy' go together. Do you realize, especially believers, everything you have comes from God? You say, 'No, I work hard for it.' Well, you have that job because God allowed you to have that job. God allows you to work hard. So we should be thankful to God. You sit down at a meal, you should thank God for that meal.
"Yeah, but what if I'm in a restaurant and people are looking at me." Well they need a good witness, pray over your meal. Be thankful for everything. Over and over in scripture, it tells us to be thankful in all things. But in the last days, people aren't going to be grateful for anything. Because they're selfish, because they think that everything is because of them, they're not going to be thankful to God anymore. I hope that's not you.
VI. Pretend Christians who are Without Natural Affection, Trucebreakers
What else?
Without natural affection trucebreakers.
Without natural affection. As we read in Romans, when it said that women will go with women and men with men - that's not natural affection. It also has to do with the way parents treat their children, especially unborn children. When a mother can give up her child before it's born, that's not natural affection. But it goes even further. In the last days, you know what Jesus said? In Matthew chapter 10:21, for those that follow the Lord, Jesus said
Matthew 10:21 "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.”
Jesus said in the last days, people will be .. families will be turning on each other. You know. Got a son who doesn't follow God and the government says, 'we need to round up all the Christians'. They're [son] going to go, "My dad's one of them." Why? Because he wants to follow the government. You say, well that would never happen. It happens in China every day. It happens in countries like Russia. It happens in all kinds of countries. It already happens and it could happen here. I hope not. I hope the Lord comes back before then. Amen?
And you say well Pastor, These are all .. why are you tell us all the stuff? Because God says we need to be warned because all of these people that were talking about, and these attitudes - they need Jesus Christ as their Savior. They need to know the love of God so they don't act this way. Going through this list a little quicker.
VII. Pretend Christians who are False Accusers and Incontinent
It says,
false accusers and incontinent
False accusers mean you lie about each other. Just look at our political realm today and we're talking about false accusers, man. I'm not talking about Democrats or Republicans. I'm talking about the whole bunch of them. They'll do anything they can to get the other person to look [bad] .. That's what false accusers do. You do what's necessary to make the other person look worse than you are? And it also says incontinent. That means no self-control or rash. You feel like doing it. Let's do it. I don't care who gets hurt. I'm doing it because I want to have fun. No, that's wrong according to the word of God.
VIII. Pretend Christians who are Fierce, despisers of those that are good
Notice what else. Fierce. That just means. Despisers of those that are good. The time will come when people say that's what's evil is good and good is evil. And that's what he's talking about here. And people start to hate those, 'despisers of those are good' means despisers of those who practice virtue or morality. Those who practice God-given directions are looked upon as the bad guy.
Now, so far as you think about our world and what we gone through, do you think we're in the last days? Sure kind of looks like it, don't it. All right? Just a few more.
IX. Pretend Christians who are Traitors, heady
Traitors, heady. That means you just turn on everybody. High minded means very prideful, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. I know I'm going to get some disagreements here.
X. Pretend Christians who are Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
Lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God.
There are churches that care more about their entertainment than they care about worshipping God and studying His word.
Now we get down to verse five.
XI. Pretend Christians who have a Form of Godliness
1 Tim 3:5, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away."
People say 'Yeah, I believe there's a God.' Scripture says the devil's believe also, and they tremble. Just saying you believe in God doesn't make you Godly. What makes you Godly? Believing you're a sinner and that in your sin, you're going to hell. Believing that Jesus Christ came as the final sacrifice for our sins. He died for your sins, he bled for your sins, he was buried and he rose again the third day because he wants your sins to be forgiven.
So what do you do? First, you believe that what he said is right and you're wrong. God's, right? I'm wrong. That's repentance. You change thinking. Then you say, 'Lord, I trust what you did for me.' That's faith. You what he does then? Forgive your sins. Amen? And once he forgives them, once you're saved, once you're born again, you're a new creature, you're going to heaven.
But as you start to live for Christ as we've been studying recently, you'll find out that there's a lot of people who only pretended to do that. They have a form of godliness. They have rituals in their churches. They have things that they do that look worshipful. But they denied the power thereof. It tells us in Romans 1:16:
Romans 1: 16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
Where's the power of God? In the gospel of Jesus Christ. And if you're pretending to worship God and you haven't accepted the gospel, you're doing it without power. That's what God's word says. You need Jesus in your life.
XII. Pretend Christians who are counterfeits of True Christians
Then it goes on. In verse 6.
1 Tim 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, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
That's an interesting way of saying 'they creep into houses and lead, captive silly women.' Sorry, ladies. But why do they start with the women? Who did Satan start with in the Garden of Eden? Because women are made up different, they're more .. don't get mad at me, ladies. Many times, they are more emotional. They're looking for the truth, but on a different realm. One person said what this is talking about is when Feminism started. I'm not going much farther than that.
God created man, he created woman. I was talking about with someone today. Years ago, we had this thing called Roe v. Wade, think it was in what? [19]73? An abortion became more rampant. I believe that was the start of what led to the l b g t q because women first started proclaiming, it's my body, it's my choice. And then others decided if they can do what they want, I can do what I want.
The problem with it is, it's all against what God says. It's not what God wants. Abortion is murder. And I know, somebody said "Well I'm just trying ... you know. You're not accepting me for who I am." Truthfully, you're not accepting you for who God says you are. I know that's kind of hard. But my concern is, it's moved into churches. That's what he's talking about. This attitude has moved into churches and that's sad. We've gotten away from the word of God, and we've gotten more into social reforms. They look similar because we're all talking about the love of God, but we forget about his justice.
He talks about Jannes and Jambres and we're going to have to finish up here. We'll finish the rest of it this afternoon. These two guys are who withstood Moses. If you look in scripture, you won't find those two names anywhere else. Where they come from is - these are the two magicians that withstood Moses when he went to Egypt. And Jewish tradition, when they got written, they give them names. They give everybody a name. And so these two guys are the Magicians. Do you remember?
Moses came and he said 'I'm going to show you God's power' and he told Aaron, 'throw down your rod'. He threw down his rod and it turn into a snake. A serpent. And the magician said, 'Ain't no big deal.' They threw down their rod and in their sorcery it turned into a snake too. So, a few days later, they went to the river. Moses said to Aaron, hit the water with your stick, with your rod. It will turn into blood. He did, the river started turning into blood.
Magician says, that ain't no big deal. We can do that and then in their sorcery, they hit the river in the rest of it turned into blood. Then all the fish died and everything starts stinking. They're probably thinking, 'Man, that was a bad idea.' Then they took a rod, they called all the frogs and all the frogs started coming into the city. Frogs everywhere. Magician said 'ain't no big deal'. They use their sorcery and the rods, more frogs came.
Then it came to the lice, when the sand turned into lice. Suddenly God said 'that's enough'. Aaron's rod turned that into lice. The magicians tried and they couldn't. So, what's the whole point?
Satan will try to imitate God. And Satan is working in the lives of those who profess to be Christians, but aren't to get them to try to worship God, a form of godliness, but it's a replication of what God wants. It's an imitation of what God expects. Instead, God, says 'No worship me according to what I say in my word. Worship me in spirit and in truth. Worship me with the power of the Gospel when you've accepted me as your Savior.' Don't be like the Magicians and just try to imitate what God wants. Because it says, one day, one day, they'll find that they'll have to stand before God's judgement.
I know it's kind of a different message. But as I'm going, that's one of the reasons I like preaching and teaching through whole books. Because we end up going over things like this that normally we would want to skip.
But the bottom line is, he says, in the last days are perilous or difficult days. When Christians or so-called Christians are going to act just like the world and still say they're a Christian. Because they're imitating what God wants. They have a form of godliness, but they don't have the gospel. They deny the power thereof.
We need to get back to what the book says, and following God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and guide us. Can anybody say, Amen?
XIII. Conclusion and Invitation Prayer
Everybody bow your head please and shut your eyes for just a moment. God's word is true. And as we study it, we find out there's some things that God tells us that are a little disturbing. First of all, they help us to examine our own lives and we ask ourselves for these things that we went through, "Do I have that kind of attitude? Is that me?" Well, if you're a child of God, if you're born again believer, you can go to the Lord and confess your sins and he'll forgive that one. He's already forgiven your others, he'll forgive those two.
But what about those who may not have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior? Have you come to the point in your life when you realize that when we leave this life, there's either heaven or hell?
For every person ever born on earth, hell is guaranteed unless you come to the point when you realize that in your sin, that's where you're going. But Jesus Christ came and he died on that cross for your sins. He shed his blood as a sacrifice for your sins. He was buried and rose again. And all he expects from us is to believe that he did it for you, have faith in what he did for you. Accept the forgiveness of sins he has to offer.
So, I don't know where your heart is. But you do. So right now, let's go to the Lord in prayer as I pray, you lift up your heart to him. Seek his forgiveness, or praise him.
Heavenly Father; Lord, we thank you for your word and Lord it sometimes, it's just kind of hard to take. It's kind of hard to understand. But Lord, what you're telling us is that just before you come back, days are going to be difficult for the true believers because those that are false believers are going to try to drag, drag them down.
Help us Lord to be strong. Help us Lord to stay away from those who would draw us away from you and following you. Help those here, Lord, who may not know you was save you to trust you. Help us, Lord, as we go from day-to-day to be worthy of the title of child of God. Thank you in Jesus name, amen.