The Coming of Apostasy
2 Timothy 3:1-9
King James Version (KJV)
3 This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
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 theirs also was.
KEYS TO WISE LIVING
One with spiritual wisdom possesses spiritual perception
and a wise value system. He realizes
that any theological quarreling is unproductive and refuses to be drawn into
it. Rather, he learns gently to persuade
others to godliness, not being easily deceived by feigned godly behavior. He also recognizes the human tendency to
avoid the demands of truth and to listen, rather, to what they want to hear.
3:1-9 Paul exhorts Timothy to continue
in the gospel in the face of a great increase of evil. In the last days,
the time from the first appearing of Christ until His Second Coming, people
will be characterized by all kinds of self-centered and unnatural perversions.
Some will maintain an outward pretense, speaking the vocabulary of Christianity,
but refusing the reality that Christian faith expresses (v.5). The power
they deny is the heart of Christianity – the fact of a risen Redeemer, the
truth of the inspired Word and the indwelling and overflowing of the Holy
Spirit, working within believers and transforming their lives.
·
The false teachers are compared to Jannes and
Jambres, Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses because of their base and
perverted minds (see Ex. 7).
3:5 Do not be deceived by
Jargon or religiosity. Look
for true spiritual power and godliness in
others.
Janet Thomas
Founder/President/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre
No comments:
Post a Comment