O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! The more the person who lives godly and righteous in Christ stands out. And you will find as God's word becomes a very part of your life and you begin to be guided by the word of God, that God will begin to use you in very exciting ways. We must remember that Timothy's work lay in Ephesus, perhaps the greatest market in the ancient world. He speaks of "all God-inspired scripture." His mental palate loses its taste. He might even seem to be humble; but in his secret heart there is contempt for everyone else. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. So you see, I'm not inerrant in all, but the scriptures are. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (there must, I suppose, have been some ground for the exhortation), "nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." From , before, and , to deliver up.Those who deliver up to an enemy the person who has put his life in their hands; such as the Scots of 1648, who delivered up into the hands of his enemies their unfortunate countryman and king, Charles the First; a stain which no lapse of ages can wipe out. Now, there's nothing wrong with enjoying life. Resurrection is the form and character of the lowest blessings of which Jesus is the dispenser; much more is He risen to exalt God in the highest. What am I to believe about sin? Look at the rapid deterioration of our society. The moment a man makes his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. It seems to me, I confess, that if there were simplicity of faith, the Lord would give one eyes to see some at least that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. If anyone proposes to introduce into his life a loyalty which surpasses all earthly loyalties, there are bound to be clashes. [Note: Knight, p. The coming of the Lord will in no way manifest the faithfulness of the servant; His appearing will. In either case home and family life were destroyed. If we consult the scripture, which was given by inspiration of God, and follow its directions, we shall be made men of God, perfect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work. There was the great trade route from the Euphrates valley which came by way of Colosse and Laodicea and poured the wealth of the east into the lap of Ephesus. for it is evident that there have been many godly persons who have never suffered banishment, or imprisonment, or flight, or any kind of persecution. [2.] Now we see that when Paul was touching the confines of that difficult and most perilous moment when John was to be left alone, he brings out as his last note that very truth which John was to develop with special care and fulness. They love pleasure more than they love God; that's the indictment. "To Timothy, my dearly-beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Finally, we have his assertion of the blessed Lord's care, and his confidence in Him that He would preserve him from all evil to His heavenly kingdom; closing this solemn and touching epistle (it would seem the last words he wrote) with salutations to various saints. Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Oh God, I want you to use my life. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" ( Psalms 34:19 ). Now here observe. But let him not infer, therefore, that he is to be enrolled among the martyrs, and that he is certainly a real Christian. She had waded through book after book and laboured with philosophy after philosophy in an attempt to find satisfaction. They were violent and dangerous. The man who is anosios ( G462) offends against the fundamental decencies of life. "Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." Still the man has become crude, blasphemous, ranting and raving, a disgrace to Jesus Christ who said, "By this sign shall men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another" ( John 13:34 ). If your God is big enough to create the heavens and the earth, no problem, but you see, we stumble on the very first verse. My wife and I eat out quite a bit. 2 To Timothy, d my beloved child:. It is to be remembered that a man may lose his soul far more easily in prosperity than in adversity; and he is on the way to losing his soul when he assesses the value of life by the number of things which he possesses. The word is propetes ( G4312) , precipitate. Even if we look at Him so, He was raised from the dead. When God came on the scene and entered the conversation with his friends? The ancient world set duty to parents very high. And I will tell you what scriptures are inspired and which ones aren't. When a man's language becomes filthy, obscene and crude, it shows that there's something wrong with him. "Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.". She had been finding life, as she herself said, futile and meaningless. (8) Using the boldness God gives, don't be ashamed of the imprisoned apostle. Bishop Pearson proves the divine origination of Christianity from its success being inexplicable on the supposition of its being of human origin. 2 Timothy 3 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. In those days trade tended to flow down river valleys; Ephesus was at the mouth of the River Cayster, and commanded the trade of one of the richest hinterlands in all Asia Minor. 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. What a blessing. And they use the book of Job as their proof text. "They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. that will, &c.Greek, "all whose will is to live," &c. So far should persecution be from being a stumbling-block to Timothy, he should consider it a mark of the pious. 4. There is no occasion for the writings of the philosopher, nor for rabbinical fables, nor popish legends, nor unwritten traditions, to make us perfect men of God, since the scripture answers all these ends and purposes. The braggart is a swaggering creature, who tries to bluster his way into power and eminence. Lipscomb's Commentary on Selected NT Books, Verse 12. In Greek writings these two words often went together; and they are both picturesque. Wow, watch out now because Jesus bought it. Whose will is to live, or who are bent on living. So the Greek word that is used here to describe these that are going around, leading captive the silly women, is the same Greek word that was used to describe quackery, and that's probably they're quacks, Paul is saying. With this prospect he comforts Timothy no less than his own spirit; but at the same time he speaks as to joining him, with a glance at one that had forsaken him. Christian life is a life of purpose. It may well be a proof of Timothy's courage and consecration that he had seen very clearly what could happen to an apostle and had yet not hesitated to cast in his lot with Paul. Each one of these words in the Greek is an interesting word study. He said, Who is this? The essence of persecution consists in subjecting a person to injury or disadvantage on account of his opinions. It is something more than meeting his opinions by argument, which is always right and proper; it is inflicting some injury on him; depriving him of some privilege, or right; subjecting him to some disadvantage, or placing him in less favorable circumstances, on account of his sentiments. 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. Look at the magazines that were once really under the counter kind of stuff and sold illegally. 3. They should remember that, in this respect, they are treated as the Master was, and are in the goodly company of the prophets, apostles, and martyrs; for they were all persecuted. Paul met him on his first missionary journey. There is only one test for falsity--"You will know them by their fruits." The volume of the book, the Old Testament, it's all about Jesus Christ. Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Sets before him his own example, which Timothy had been an eye-witness of, having long attended Paul (2 Timothy 3:10; 2 Timothy 3:10): Thou hast fully known my doctrine. It imagines "the faith" as something to be guarded (see 2 Timothy 1:14), lest it become corrupted or . I. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, (12) Yea, and all that will live godly.--But St. Paul would not allow it to be thought for a moment that in the fact of his enduring persecution and suffering there was anything remarkable or singular; so he adds the words of this verse, which repeat in a peculiarly solemn way the great Christian truth that eternal glory was only to be reached by man through an avenue of sufferings. This is God's attitude to men. The Christian, the minister, is the man of God. Having a form of godliness ( 2 Timothy 3:5 ). Yet. Our God is much too small. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NASB) Verse Thoughts We live in a fallen world, and there are many challenges that face the believer who has not only trusted Christ for salvation, but is also ready and willing to deny self, take up his cross, follow Christ's example, and say without compromise - Thy will, not mine, be done. But we must exclude that which is contrary to His name; and the very same desire to prove one's love, one's faith, one's appreciation of Christ, will make one anxious not to be dragged into that which is not for His glory. Avoid such people. (187) And he says this, partly that believers may prepare themselves for submitting to this condition, and partly that good men may not view him with suspicion on account of the persecutions which he endures from wicked persons; as it frequently happens that the distresses to which men are subjected lead to unfavorable opinions concerning them; for he whom men regard with aversion is immediately declared by the common people to be hated by God. 2 Timothy 3:12 New International Version 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, Read full chapter 2 Timothy 3:12 in all English translations 2 Timothy 2 2 Timothy 4 New International Version (NIV) Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus All that live according to the will of God revealed in his word; and to the glory of God, as the end of all their actions; and which the grace of God in the Gospel, and in their own hearts, teaches them; and who have the principles of a godly life from Christ, and derive the fresh supplies of grace and life from him, to maintain it; in whom their life is hid, and who live by faith upon him; all such that live, and that will live so, are desirous of living after this manner; in whom God has wrought in them both to will and to do, and are concerned when it is otherwise with them: these. The absence of persecution, in any active sense, from the lives of most Christians of this era is generally due to the watered-down version of their Christianity and not to any subsidence of the savage hatred of the darkness for the light. So I listened to that voice, and heard the truth, and found my Saviour.". 2 Timothy 3:12, CSB: In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. I've never found that in one of those little Bible promise books, I mean, promise things yet. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. The promise of the Messiah, the details of the Messiah, they are all there. [ See verse text ] Persecution against godly people is to be expected in this world; it's one of the few constants in life (2 Timothy 3:12). It would not burn. 1. Not so the apostle Paul. She doesn't have the time to prepare the meal on Friday evening and we'll go out on Friday night. A. M. Chirgwin in The Bible in World Evangelism tells the story of a ward sister in a children's hospital in England. Barnes' Notes. This is a further reason why Timothy should endure hardship and not turn aside from the work God has given him (3-5). VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. In other words, you may go along for a while, but ultimately it's going to catch up with you. Certain of the temporary persecution, he is equally certain of the ultimate glory. That's not the kind of promises we really enjoy, is it? In the former epistle, Timothy was told how to behave in the house of God, as yet in order; but now we are told how to behave in such a state of things as the present disorder. Storge is the word used especially of family love, the love of child for parent and parent for child. Every man doing his own thing or every man believing as he wants. So the same Greek is used of the same thing, Lu 14:28, 33, "intending (Greek, 'wishing') to build a tower counteth the cost.". They appear to think that if you hold life in Christ to be the one thing that is most precious, to be the prize that your heart reverts to, all owning of anything short of this would be out of place; but it is exactly the contrary.