Timothy was a special young man to Paul. He had traveled with him quite a bit....and now Paul had essentially left him as the pastor of the church in Ephesus. There were big problems there. Some supposed teachers thought that they discovered ancient mysteries that only confused the people. Some were still clinging to the law for salvation....others were political....demanding their rights....and many others were hooked on riches. This was now probably in the mid-to late 60s....and Timothy was thrown into it for on-the-job-training until Paul if even possible could come himself. Roughly twenty-five years later....give or take a few years....John was given what would be the book of Revelation....and in it was a letter to that same church in Ephesus....along with six other churches in the same general area. Timothy apparently had done his job well. The church was still defending the essential doctrines of the gospel against false prophets and false teachers....but a problem had developed....in their zeal to defend doctrine....as the ESV translates it....they had...."abandoned the love [they] had at first." In their quest to get every jot and tittle right....they forgot how they themselves came to faith....and who they were before they came to faith. A reset was needed....and that was the purpose of Revelation's....letter to the church of Ephesus....and also to us today!
Paul had sent two letters to Timothy in those early days....encouraging him....and trying to strengthen him in this difficult task....in the midst of persecution. There is one passage that I hope you sit down and take at least a whole day thinking about....and comparing it to us today....in the second letter to Timothy....chapter three....the first nine verses....and a few verses after that. Paul is talking about....'right then'....but also looking ahead. Verse one begins with this....continuing in the ESV....
"But understand this, that in the last days terrible times will come...."
"For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money"....think about our culture
today.
"proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless"
Are you still with me?
"unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..."
Are you spending time on these descriptions or just reading over them as if you understand it all?
"having the appearance of godliness....but denying its power...." In other words they said all the right words....but they were just words....fake godliness....fake everything.
Then here is the kicker...."Avoid such people." These are not to be our....'influencers' folks! Read on....in fact I hope that you are reading through both letters from Paul to Timothy....
"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.....while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse....deceiving....and being deceived."
I want to skip on down to three verses in chapter four....verses two....(a very familiar verse)....and three and four....
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove....rebuke....and exhort....with complete patience and teaching." That is verse two....now for three and four....I'm adding my comments in italics....
"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching....(this is today on steroids folks)....but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers....to suit their own passions." (and with us today it is politics)
"and will turn away from listening to the truth"....(No one has to be born again anymore folks....we just have to be conservative)...."and wander off into myths."
