IMPORTANCE OF BIBLICAL INSTRUCTION
2 Timothy 3 (NIV)
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-17.
This passage says that Paul encouraged Timothy to continue in the truth that he learned from God’s Word through his parents. Our message today says that every follower of Christ should be well-founded on the Word of God. We need to give importance to biblical instruction.
Let us find out why based on the experience of Paul and Timothy.
A. Deterioration of Moral Values (vv. 1-9)
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 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, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
Paul described in this passage the deterioration of moral values in the end times. He started by saying “Mark this,” to emphasize that opposition to the truth of God’s Word is not a passing situation but a permanent characteristic of the age. The phrase “last days” refers not to the immediate days preceding the end when Christ returns. Rather it refers to the period that commences when the Lord Jesus Christ first arrived until His second coming. (See Acts 2:14-17)
Therefore the description given by Paul in verses 1-4 is not something future but present during the time of Paul. And it is intensifying (“terrible”) that the level of stress is at its peak in our present situation. Who is responsible? People whose behavior is self-centered, godless, and who spread evil and dead religion in the church.
What is fundamentally wrong with these people is that love is misdirected. Instead of being “lovers of God,” they are “lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure.” Some of these negative values refer to the family life and especially to the attitude which some young people adopt towards their parents – “disobedient to their parents and ungrateful.”
Only the gospel offers a radical solution to this problem. For only the gospel promises a new birth or new creation, which involves “being turned inside out, from self to unself, a real reorientation of mind and conduct, and which makes us fundamentally God-centered instead of self-centered.”
The sad part is the people described by Paul can also be religious. Paul said that they preserved the outward “form of religion” but were “denying the power of it.” They evidently attended the worship services of the church. They sang the hymns, said the “amen” to the prayers and put their money in the offering plate.
They looked and sounded pious. But it was form without power, outward show without inward reality, religion without morals, and faith without works. Paul said to Timothy “have nothings to do with them.” This does not mean that we physically separate ourselves from them but morally disengage from them. If ever we need to influence them.
He also described these people in verses 6-9 as people who take advantage of others who are naïve, sensual, and burdened with sins. They are the kind of women who lack discernment of truth from lies and therefore deceive by false teachers.
Paul used an example of Jannes and Jambres, the two magicians in Pharaoh’s court who opposed Moses. But Timothy is not to catch this infection, nor be carried away by this immoral tide but to stand out boldly against the prevailing immoralities. He needs to rely on the truth of God’s word.
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Similarly, we need the Word of God to provide us control and safety as we navigate life. We need to strengthen our grip of the truth of God’s Word. We need to immerse our hearts and mind to the life-changing truth of God’s Word. We need include every member of our family to this undertaking so that they would not be overwhelmed by deteriorating moral values of our time. In stark contrast to the contemporary decline in morals, empty show of religion and spread of false teaching, we are called to be different, and if necessary to stand alone guided by God’s Word.
B. Persecution of the Godly People (vv. 10-13)
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Paul shared his personal convictions and experiences in relation to the prevailing moral values. Living in an environment where “evil doers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived,” we need to be ready for immoral and secular persecution.
Paul said that “those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This is so because our society would pressure us to comply and compromise our Christian values. Every Christian is called to be different from the world. Don’t the let the world around you squeeze you into its mold or standard.
It is obvious that the pressures upon us to conform are colossal, not only from the direct challenge to traditional beliefs and morals but also from pervasive atmosphere of secularism which even seeps into the church. The godly arouse the antagonism of the worldly. (See John 15:18-20).
Where do we get the strength to resist these pressures? As we immerse ourselves into God’s Word, we would develop inner strength and convictions that would enable us to counteract and endure the external immoral pressures. Indirectly, Paul encouraged Timothy to imitate his example of faith, patience, love, and endurance. He wanted us to gather our strength together by following the example of others and to find encouragement in the faithfulness of other believers based on God’s Word.
The principles of God’s word like righteousness, self-control, faith, love, honesty, hard work, discipline, service, humility, and endurance would always prevail against the tides of immorality and unrighteousness.
C. Function of God’s Word in Our Lives (vv. 14-17)
14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
In line with the above scenario, deterioration of moral values and persecution of the godly; Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was the continuation of his adherence to God’ Word. His strong conviction on God’s Word is based on the following factors:
a. He had an authentic teacher - “you know those from whom you learned it”
Aside from apostle Paul, Timothy’s strong and deep convictions on the principles revealed in the word of God is result of the faithful teachers in his life – his mother and grandmother. (See 2 Timothy 1:5). These women invested their time and effort for the spiritual development of their children.
Biblically speaking, the primary duties to education our children belongs to our home. We home school them for academics, why could we not home school them for spiritual values? Our church supplements this responsibility by providing Children’s Bible study and Daily Vacation Bible School. But we need teachers who are dedicated and discipline in the study and teaching of God’s Word.
Teaching of God’s Word is a mission given by God which aims to transform our society one person at a time. When we teach God’s word, whether adult or children, let us realize that we are instilling life core values that would enable the person to navigate the storms of life.
b. He had a long term educational plan - “how from infancy”
Note that Timothy’s educational program is not just from Pre K – College. It is way beyond his formal educational time frame.
c. He had an effective curriculum – “make you wise for salvation”
d. He recognized the authority and functionality of God’s Word – “all Scriptures is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
All Scripture is inspired by God. It was breathed out by God. It was brought into existence by the breath or Spirit of God. (See 2 Peter 1:21). Thus it is the authoritative Word of God.
In addition to its authority, Timothy also recognized the functionality of God’s Word – “useful.” God’s word is not for profit. But it is profitable or useful for:
1) Teaching – represents the didactic or nurturing function and includes both the task of teaching and its content. It also means teaching the true doctrine.
2) Rebuking – apologetic function, defending the faith from error or false doctrines thus reproaching someone for doing something wrong.
3) Correcting – denotes restoration to a better state, with the implication that there is some condition or fault that needs to be straightened up. Correcting people when they do wrong.
4) Training – discipline or punishment but in this context it refers to providing instruction to produce proper behavior.
5) Result: so that the man of God would be fully adequate or sufficient for the task of good works.
What can we do?
1) Be the Teacher. Volunteer. Don’t delegate this crucial task to others. Material things come and go but moral values and ethics are eternal.
2) Never stop teaching. Later on coach or send them to learning situations or meetings.
3) Use creative curriculum. Plan them.
4) Make God’s Word the Final Word.
