Producers Of A Hostile Environment-6 Series

PRODUCERS of a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT-VI—2Timothy 3:1-9

The last days will be characterized by a hostile(antagonistic) environment.

The Apostle Paul, revealed to Timothy that a hostile(antagonistic) environment will characterize the last days.

A(n) hostile(antagonistic) environment will characterize the last days.

Why will hostility/antagonism characterize the last days?

23 producers of a(n) hostile(antagonistic) environment.

“Perilous/Difficult”—calepov—Hard to do, to take, to approach; Hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous.

‘....it is hard to keep our integrity in the midst of general corruption.’—Matthew Henry(1721)

A(n) hostile(antagonistic) environment is produced by,

a distortion of….

1. Self(:2a)

2. Wealth(:2b)

3. ACHIEVEMENT/Ability(:2c)

4. VIEW/Pride(:2d)

5. Reverence(:2e)

6. Authority/Respect(:2f)

7. Position/Grace(:2g)

8. SEPARATION(:2h)

9. AFFECTION(:3a)

10. RECONCILIATION(:3b)

11. ACCLAIM(:3c)

12. CONTROL(:3d)

13. DIGNITY(:3e)

14. Goodness(:3f)

15. Loyalty(:4a)

16. CIRCUMSPECTION / Uprightness(:4b)

17. SUPERIORITY/Humility(:4c)

18—A hostile(antagonistic) environment is produced by…

A Distortion of LOVE(:4d)

Explanation:(:4d)

:4—“traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,”

“Lovers of Pleasure”—filhdonov—Loving pleasure

Argumentation:

Prov. 21:17—“He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine & oil will not be rich.”

Rom. 8:7-8—“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Jude 20-21—“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

—Both God’s love for you & your love for God.

Mk. 12:29-30(Mat. 22:37, Lk. 10:27)—“Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, & with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

Isa. 58:13-14—““If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken.””

Ps. 27:4—“One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.”

Ps. 84:2—“My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart & my flesh cry out for the living God.”

Jos. 23:11—“Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God.”

Dan 9:4(Neh. 1:5)—“And I prayed to the LORD my God, & made confession, & said, “O Lord, great & awesome God, who keeps His covenant & mercy with those who love Him, & with those who keep His commandments,”

Rom. 16:17-18—“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions & offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, & avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, & by smooth words & flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Illustration:

Take a new Job at Long Horn Steakhouse/Dish Washer/Tired of being wet & having mashed potatoes in shoes/Want the day off/Take it unannounced & without permission/Don’t show up at work/Lover of pleasure—Pleasure over Duty-Responsibility-Calling/Distortion of LOVE

Using money for my benefit only/Deny the millions in the world who can be helped by your money—Buy bigger barns, as it were/Distortion of LOVE/God wants my wealth used for good.

Application:

?You guilty of Distorting LOVE?

?You contribute to a Hostile Environment or a Friendly/Benign one?

19—A hostile(antagonistic) environment is produced by…

A Distortion of GODLINESS(:5a)

Explanation:(:5)

:5—“having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Pretense in denying Holy Spirit power

“Form”—morfwsiv—A forming, shaping; Form

“Godliness”—eusebeia—1)Reverence, respect; 2) Piety towards God, godliness.

“Denying”—arneomai—To deny; To deny someone; To deny, abnegate, abjure; Not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered.

“Power”—dunamiv—Strength power, ability. Power, natural ability, general & inherent.

“Turn away”—apotrepw—To turn one’s self away from; To shun, avoid.

‘Turn these away.’

Argumentation:

Ezek. 33:30-32—““As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls & in the doors of the houses; & they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come & hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, & they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. “Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice & can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.”