His Word Today

⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:6–7 (ESV)

The following commentary is pastor Dr. J. Ligon Duncan. He preached this excerpted text Sunday May 8, 2005. The sermon is entitled The Last Days.

I want you to see in verses 6 and 7, because here Paul’s going to remind us
of the importance of spiritual discernment. He’s telling Timothy about the
tactics of those who are desiring to infiltrate the church, and he’s telling
Timothy and that congregation at Ephesus, and he’s telling you and me as
Christians today that we must be aware of the methods of deceptive teachers.
And he says this: “For among them are those who enter into households and
captivate weak women weighed down with sins….” — (and I would get this text on
Mother’s Day!).

But you understand the Apostle Paul is not making a derisive, demeaning remark about women here. Remember how he began this book. Do you remember how he began this book? He takes Timothy by the lapels, and he says, ‘Timothy, I want you to know something. I knew your grandmother and I knew your mother, and I know that the faith that’s in you was in them first. They were godly women. They were wise women. They were consecrated women. Timothy, you’ve got a lot to live up to, because you’ve heard the truth from the lap of your grandmother and your mother.’ This is a man who loved godly women; this is a man who loved strong, biblical women. Paul’s not slagging women in this passage.

What’s he doing then? He’s doing two things. First of all, Paul is actually
telling you the tactic that was being used by these false prophets. 

They were literally going into homes of (especially the wealthy, middle, upper-class) women of that Greco-Roman culture who had been introduced to faith in Christ through the preaching of faithful teachers like Timothy and Titus and Paul. They were actually going into their homes. They were actually going into their homes while their husbands were away, and they were tickling their ears with false
teaching. They were making disciples out of them. They were bringing them into
the fold of this false teaching.

Now, it’s interesting. That very thing is one of the ways that Christianity spread in the Greco-Roman world. Christians had the opportunity to preach the word to women who were at home managing household affairs, and the gospel spread through households in that very way. But the false teachers had figured that technique out, and they were now using it for devious ends: they were sneaking in bringing division, bringing their false teaching. So, Paul is telling you this for one reason because this was precisely what the false teachers are doing. He’s warning another pastor, ‘Watch this, Timothy. They’re going to try and do this in your own church.’ (By the way, my friends, I’ve told you this story before. I’ve seen this happen. I’ve seen it happen.)

But secondly, he’s telling you this for another reason, and that is because he wants you to look at the leverage, at the things that the false prophets try and hook into in the lives of these people.

Look at the five things that Paul tells you here–first in verse 6: He tells you that the false teachers will try and take advantage of a lack of spiritual discernment, a lack of biblical truth and knowledge. 

You say, ‘Well, where does that come from?’ Well, look–what does he call these women? They are “weak willed” or “weak minded.” Their minds, their hearts, their wills have not been sufficiently formed by biblical truth so that they are spiritually discerning, and therefore they are easy targets. My friends, if your mind has not been formed and shaped by the truth of the word of God, you’re an easy target.

And Paul says, ‘Timothy, look. That’s the first thing they do. They go to people who haven’t really grasped the truth that you’ve been teaching Lord’s Day after Lord’s Day, in prayer meetings, in groups all over the city. They haven’t really grasped it. So, they go for those, and they grab them, they hook them.’

Secondly, notice what he says: These people are unstable in their sense of purpose and direction in life.

You say, ‘Well, where does that come from?’ Well, look what it says about them.
They’re led on by various impulses. They’re not led by a sense of principle that
has been derived from God’s word. They don’t understand that the chief end of
man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That’s what I’m here for.

No, they’re led on by various impulses. Their sense of purpose and direction in life is not derived from the word of God, it’s from whatever they feel drawn to at a particular time. And Paul says the false prophets are using that.

Thirdly, look at what he says: He says these people have guilty consciences. 

They’ve got sin in their life that has not been dealt with. You say, ‘Where does that come from?’ Look at what he says: They are “weighed down with sins.” And not only are they objectively weighed down with sins, they’re subjectively weighed down with sins. In other words, they have a desire to get out from under that guilt
complex, but they really have not fully understood the glory and the provision
of God in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sin, for the breaking of its
penalty and power. And so, they’re weighed down with sins, and they’re looking
for a way to get out from under that guilt complex.

And then, notice that these are people that take in everything, and they don’t properly question it.

They’re not like the Bereans. The Bereans hear Paul teach, and they say, ‘Paul,
that’s great. We’re going to go check our Bibles and we’ll get back with you.’
No, these people, they take it in. Look at what it says: “…Always learning
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

There are a lot of people that will quote the motto Semper Reformanda (which means “always reforming”) today in the church, and they very often mean that to say that we need to stop believing something that the Christian church has always believed. And when they use that motto that way, I always think of II Timothy 3:7– “…always learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.”

Now Paul says, ‘Look, Timothy, at those five things that the false prophets will get ahold of, and they’ll draw someone away.’ You see, that false prophet’s going to say, ‘I’m going to get you to God. I’m going to get you to God better than the preacher can. I’m going to get you to God, and it’s not going to be through the Bible. It’s not going to be Truth with a capital “T”–that’s for fundamentalist preachers. It’s not going to be through Jesus. It’s not going to be through the cross. It’s not going to involve a life of obedience, of taking up our cross and dying daily. No, I’ve got a better way to God.’

Now you say to me, ‘Well, that’s all fine and well, preacher, but this thing happened nineteen hundred and fifty years ago! What Paul is describing in verses 1-7 does not happen today!’…Want to bet?

About three years ago many of you heard that a very famous and controversial actress had been led to faith in Christ through Bible studies that she was attending. Her chauffeur went on a web site and said that he had led her to Jesus Christ, and then suddenly things went very quiet for a number of years and we didn’t hear much.

Well, just a few weeks ago her biography was released, and a few days ago she did an interview about her Christian profession of faith. And here is what she said: “When we talk about God, the Almighty, or Sophia, or the greater power or whatever…”–now, let me just stop right there. We’re already down the road in a direction we don’t want to go! –she goes on to say this: she had been turned off by the Jesus that she had been taught in these fundamentalist Bible studies, but, she says, “…then I read Elaine Pagels, I read The Gnostic Gospels, and it really impressed me. In fact, I read it when I was first feeling God. And then I read her book, Beyond Belief, which is a book that came out recently, and it had a lot
of references to the early Christians and to The Gnostic Gospels, and so
I read the originals. In fact, I got the whole Nag Hammadi Library and
started reading. And then I began to realize, ‘I’m on the right path now.’”

Gnosticism! Twenty-first century America! A woman starts off in a Bible-believing church’s Bible study–ends up in ancient Gnosticism! The Apostle Paul was nineteen hundred and fifty years ahead of time, my friends. This is precisely what he’s warning Timothy, and precisely what he’s warning you and me.

Always be alert to guard the deposit entrusted to you (I Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14). This is the gospel.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.  

⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:6–7 (ESV)

The following is a commentary on today’s text by John Calvin.

Of those are they who creep into families. You would say, that here Paul intentionally draws a lively picture of the order of monks. But without saying a single word about monks, those marks by which Paul distinguishes false and pretended teachers are sufficiently clear; creeping into houses, snares for catching silly women, mean flattery, imposing upon people by various superstitions. These marks it is proper to observe carefully, if we wish to distinguish between useless drones and faithful ministers of Christ. These former are here marked by so black a coal, that it is of no use for them to shuffle. To “creep into families” means to enter stealthily, or to seek an entrance by cunning methods.

And lead captive silly women laden with sins. Now, he speaks of “women” rather than men, because the former are more liable to be led astray in this manner. He says that they “are led captive,” because false prophets of this sort, through various tricks, gain their ear, partly by prying curiously into all their affairs, and partly by flattery. And this is what he immediately adds, “laden with sins;” for, if they had not been bound by the chain of a bad conscience, they would not have allowed themselves to be led away, in every possible manner, at the will of others.

By various sinful desires. I consider “sinful desires” to denote generally those foolish and light desires by which women, who do not seek God sincerely, and yet wish to be reckoned religious and holy, are carried away. There is no end of the methods adopted by them, when, departing from a good conscience, they are constantly assuming new masks. Chrysostom is more disposed to refer it to disgraceful and immodest desires; but, when I examine the context, I prefer the former exposition; for it immediately follows —

Always learning, while yet they never can come to the knowledge of the truth. That fluctuation between various desires, of which he now speaks, is when, having nothing solid in themselves, they are tossed about in all directions. They “learn,” he says, as people do who are under the influence of curiosity, and with a restless mind, but in such a manner as never to arrive at any certainty or truth. It is ill-conducted study, and widely different from knowledge. And yet such persons think themselves prodigiously wise; but what they know is nothing, so long as they do not hold the truth, which is the foundation of all knowledge.

Matthew Henry admonishes us: “A foolish head and a filthy heart make persons an easy prey to seducers.”

“If we would be discerning men and women, we must cultivate a pure heart and a wise mind through the study and application of Scripture. Meditating on things that are not true, good, or beautiful makes us unable to recognize those things that are. Spend time this month meditating on a few chapters of the book of Proverbs that you might learn to be wise,” concludes Dr. R. C. Sproul.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a God-glorifying day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:6–7 (ESV)

“The religious life, role, and instruction of women is a prominent theme in the Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Tim., Titus), which tells us that the problems facing Timothy and Titus involved some of the women in their churches. Paul has to make explicit the biblical teaching that only men may be ordained as elders in the church (1 Tim. 2:8–15) because certain women were taking upon them- selves the prerogative to lead. He must also give instructions for caring for older widows and tell young widows to remarry (5:9–16), for it seems that the propagators of error were taking advantage of those women whose husbands had died. Similarly, the apostle instructs older women in the church to disciple the younger women (Titus 2:3–5), as sound teaching could prevent the false teachers’ message from taking root in the hearts of the young ladies,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

The Apostle Paul addressed the issue of the character and behavior of false teachers during the last days prior to the return of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:1-5). In today’s featured text, the apostle also acknowledged the false teachers’ pattern of influencing women in the church. They were sneaking into households.

To creep (ἐνδύνοντες; endynontes) is a present active plural participle. It means to continuously, actively and collectively enter secretly with ulterior motives. Where these false teachers enter into are households (οἰκίας; oikias). These are homes, residences, and family dwellings. During the first century, the false teachers would do so physically. Today, they do so electronically through many avenues of media and communication such as television, radio, and the internet.

The false teachers creep into homes to capture weak women. To capture (αἰχμαλωτίζοντες; aichmalotizontes) means to presently, actively and collectively get control of something. In this instance, the objects false teachers seek to control are weak women (γυναικάρια; gynaikaria). These women are foolish, silly and frivolous.

Paul additionally wrote these women were burdened (σεσωρευμένα ; sesoreumena). This means to fully engage in something in one’s past which remains in the present. What these weak women were engaged in were their sins (ἁμαρτίαις; hamartias). This refers to their guiltiness, of engaging in wrongdoing.

If that was not enough, Paul wrote they were also led astray by various passions. To be led astray (ἀγόμενα; agomena) means to be carried and brought along. In this context, what was leading these women astray were their passions (ἐπιθυμίαις; epithymiais). This refers to their covetous lusts, evil desires, and sinful cravings. The adjective various (ποικίλαις; poikilais) means diversified passions.

Additionally, these women were always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Always learning (πάντοτε μανθάνοντα; pantote manthanonta) refers to a present, active and collective desire on every occasion to be instructed, taught and to learn. This was not a bad thing. However, the women of whom Paul had in mind were those who were never able to arrive (ἐλθεῖν δυνάμενα; elthein dunamena) or to understand the truth they sought to learn. The word knowledge (ἐπίγνωσιν; epignosin) means to understand. Truth (ἀληθείας; aletheias) is reality or the way things truly are. These women were not able to discern the truth they desired to know.

“First of all, then, these women are “heaped up with sin” (for the verb see Rom. 12:20). They are very wicked, and the fact that they welcome the smooth talkers seems to indicate that their sins have given them an uneasy feeling, though not in the sense of Rom. 7:24. These women are probably afraid of the consequences of their sins, but are not necessarily ashamed of them.” ^[1]

“Secondly, they are “swayed by various impulses” (or “desires,” see explanation of 2 Tim. 2:22 for word-study). What these evil incentives are is not stated. Perhaps we may think of such things as the following: the desire to find an easy way out of their guilt-complex, the desire to gain recognition, to be considered “well-informed,” to satisfy their curiosity, to have attention bestowed upon them by “prominent” representatives of the opposite sex, etc.”^[2]

“Thirdly, these weak-minded women are ever learning. Eager disciples are they, “taking it all in,” as with rapt attention they sit down to listen to their licentious teachers and to admire them. But their unwillingness openly to confess and to resist the evil promptings of their nature results in their being “never able to arrive at the acknowledgment of (the) truth” as revealed in the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25).”^[3]

“Paul in today’s passage indicates that many of the followers of the false teachers in the Ephesian church were women. Those corrupt men he describes in 2 Timothy 3:1–5 were sneaking into households and stealing away “weak” or as may also be rendered, “foolish” women (vv. 6–7). This is probably a reference to the fact that the early church often met in the homes of individuals, especially those belonging to wealthy women. Many commentators believe that the heretics were able to gain a hearing in these households because there were not many outlets for women of high social status in the first century. Women on the lower rungs of the social ladder tended to be uneducated and were busy all day with the household chores. on the other hand, wealthy women had an opportunity to be educated and led a life of relative leisure because of their many servants. For those women who were theologically naive, spending time with the false teachers was attractive because it gave them something to do. Indeed, Scripture is clear that idleness can beget trouble (Eccl. 9:10; 2 Thess. 3:10–12),” explains Dr. Sproul.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

^[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 287.

^[2] Ibid., 287.

^[3] Ibid., 287.

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV)

The following excerpt is by J.C. Ryle (1816-1900). John Charles Ryle was an English Anglican bishop, preacher, and writer in the evangelical and Calvinist traditions. He was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool, England. Taken from 2 Timothy 3:5, his article is entitled Formalism.

“Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”(2 Timothy 3:5

²⁸ For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹ But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” (Romans 2:28–29 (ESV)

The texts which head this paper deserve serious attention at any time. But they deserve special notice in this age of the Church and the world.  Never since the Lord Jesus Christ left the earth, was there so much formalism and false profession as there is in the present day. Now, more than ever, we ought to examine ourselves, and search our religion, that we may know what sort it really is.  Let us try to find out whether our Christianity is a thing of form or a thing of heart.

I know of no better way of unfolding the subject than by turning to a plain passage of the Word of God.  Let us listen to what Paul says about it.  He lays down the following great principles in his Epistle to the Romans: “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.  Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God” (Romans 2:28-29). 

Three most instructive lessons appear to me to stand out on the face of that passage.  Let us see what they are.

1. We learn, first, that formal religion is not true religion, and a formal Christian is not a true Christian in God’s sight.

It is when a man is a Christian in name only, and not in reality–in outward things only, and not in his inward feelings–in profession only, and not in practice–when his Christianity in short is a mere matter of form, or fashion, or custom, without any influence on his heart or life–in such a case as this the man has what I call a “formal religion.” He possesses indeed the “form,” or shell, or surface of religion, but he does not possess its substance or its “power.”

II. We learn, secondly, that the heart is the seat of true religion, and that the true Christian is the Christian in heart.

The heart is the real test of a man’s character.  It is not what he says or what he does by which the man may be always known.  He may say and do things that are right, from false and unworthy motives, while his heart is altogether wrong.  The heart is the man.  “As he thinks in his heart, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7).

The heart is the right test of a man’s religion.  It is not enough that a man holds to correct doctrine, and maintains a proper outward form of godliness.  What is in his heart?  That is the great question.  That is what God looks at.  “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).  This is what Paul lays down distinctly as the standard measure of the soul: “A man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart” (Romans 2:28).  Who can doubt that this mighty sentence was written for Christians as well as for Jews?  He is a Christian, the apostle would have us know, which is one inwardly, and baptism is that of the heart.

The heart is the place where saving religion must begin.  It is naturally irreligious, and must be renewed by the Holy Spirit.  “I will give you a new heart,” your old heart is naturally hard, and must be made tender and be broken.  “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”  “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.”  Man’s heart is a heart naturally closed and shut against God, and must be opened.  The Lord “opened the heart” of Lydia. (Ezekiel 36:26; Psalm 51:17; Acts 16:14).

The heart is the seat of true saving faith.  “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified” (Romans 10:10).  A man may believe that Jesus is the Christ, as the demons do, and yet remain in his sins. He may believe that he is a sinner, and that Christ is the only Savior, and occasionally wish that he was a better man.  But no one ever lays hold of Christ, and receives pardon and peace, until he believes with the heart.  It is heart-faith that justifies.

The heart is the origin of true holiness and the source for continued obedience.  True Christians are holy because their hearts are committed to Christ.  They obey from the heart.  They do the will of God from the heart.  Weak, and feeble, and imperfect as all their deeds are, they please God, because they are done from a loving heart.  He who commended the widow’s offering of a few pennies more than all the offerings of the wealthy Jews, regards quality far more than quantity. What He likes to see is a thing done from “an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15).  There is no real holiness without a right heart towards Christ.

III.  We learn, thirdly, that true religion must never expect to be popular.  It will not have the “praise of man, but praise from God.”

God’s truth and Scriptural Christianity are never really popular. They never have been.  They never will be as long as the world stands.  No one can calmly consider what human nature is, as described in the Bible, and reasonably expect anything else.  As long as man is what man is, the majority of mankind will always like a religion of form far better than a religion of heart.

Formal religion just suits an unenlightened conscience. Man must have some religion.  Atheism and downright unbelief, as a general rule, are never very popular.  But a man must have a religion which does not require very much–trouble his heart very much–interfere with his sins very much.  Formal Christianity satisfies him.  It seems to be the thing that he wants.

 Formal religion gratifies the secret self-righteousness of man.  All of us, more or less, are Pharisees.  We all naturally cling to the idea that the way to be saved is to do so many things, and go through so many religious observances, and that as a result we will get to heaven. Formalism meets us here.  It seems to show us a way by which we can make our own peace with God.

 Formal religion pleases the natural laziness of man.  It attaches an excessive importance to that which is the easiest part of Christianity–the shell and the form.  Man likes this.  He hates exertion in religion.  He wants something which will not meddle with his conscience and inner life.  Only leave his conscience alone, and, it will want to do works or actions.  Formalism seems to open a wider gate, and an easier way to heaven.

Let us thoroughly consider these great principles.  Two hundred years have passed away since a mighty Puritan preacher said, “Formalism, formalism, formalism is the great sin of this day, under which the whole country groans.  There is lighter than there was, but less life; more profession, but less holiness.” (Thomas Hall, on 2 Timothy 3:5, 1658).  What would this good man have said if he lived in our times?

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV)

Throughout our study of 2 Timothy. we’ll present biblical commentary from John Calvin.

But know this.  By this prediction he intended still more to sharpen his diligence; for, when matters go on to our wish, we become more careless; but necessity urges us keenly. Paul, therefore informs him, that the Church will be subject to terrible diseases, which will require in the pastor’s uncommon fidelity, diligence, watchfulness, prudence, and unwearied constancy; as if he enjoined Timothy to prepare for arduous and deeply anxious contests which awaited him. And hence we learn, that, so far from giving way, or being terrified, on account of any difficulties whatsoever, we ought, on the contrary. to arouse our hearts for resistance.

In the last days. Under “the last days,” he includes the universal condition of the Christian Church. Nor does he compare his own age with ours, but, on the contrary, informs Timothy what will be the future condition of the kingdom of Christ; for many imagined some sort of condition that would be absolutely peaceful, and free from any annoyance. In short, he means that there will not be, even under the gospel, such a state of perfection, that all vices shall be banished, and virtues of every kind shall flourish; and that therefore the pastors of the Christian Church will have quite as much to do with wicked and ungodly men as the prophets and godly priests had in ancient times. Hence it follows, that there is no time for idleness or for repose.

For men will be. It is proper to remark, first, in what he makes the hardship of those “dangerous” or “troublesome” times to consist; not in war, nor in famine, nor in diseases, nor in any calamities or inconveniences to which the body is incident, but in the wicked and depraved actions of men. And, indeed, nothing is so distressingly painful to godly men, and to those who truly fear God, as to behold such corruptions of morals; for, as there is nothing which they value more highly than the glory of God, so they cannot but suffer grievous anguish when it is attacked or despised.

Secondly, it ought to be remarked, who are the persons of whom he speaks. They whom he briefly describes are not external enemies, who openly assail the name of Christ, but domestics, who wish to be reckoned among the members of the Church; for God wishes to try his Church to such an extent as to carry within her bosom such plagues, though she abhors to entertain them. So then, if in the present day many whom we justly abhor are mingled within us, let us learn to groan patiently under that burden, when we are informed that this is the lot of the Christian Church.

Next, it is wonderful that those persons, whom Paul pronounces to be guilty of so many and so aggravated acts of wickedness, can keep up the appearance of piety, as he also declares. But daily experience shows that we ought not to regard this as so wonderful; for such is the amazing audacity and wickedness of hypocrites, that, even in excusing the grossest crimes, they are excessively impudent, after having once learned falsely to shelter themselves under the name of God. In ancient times, how many crimes abounded in the life of the Pharisees? And yet, as if they had been pure from every stain, they enjoyed a reputation of eminent holiness.

Even in the present day, although the lewdness of the Popish clergy is such that it stinks in the nostrils of the whole world, still, in spite of their wickedness, they do not cease to arrogate proudly to themselves all the rights and titles of saints. Accordingly, when Paul says that hypocrites, though they are chargeable with the grossest vices, nevertheless deceive under a mask of piety, this ought not to appear strange, when we have examples before our eyes. And, indeed, the world deserves to be deceived by those wicked scoundrels, when it either despises or cannot endure true holiness. Besides, Paul enumerates those vices which are not visible at first sight, and which are even the ordinary attendants of pretended holiness. Is there a hypocrite who is not proud, who is not a lover of himself, who is not a despiser of others, who is not fierce and cruel, who is not treacherous? But all these are concealed from the eyes of men. 

To spend time in explaining every word would be superfluous; for the words do not need exposition. Only let my readers observe thatφιλαυτία, self-love, which is put first, may be regarded as the source from which flow all the vices that follow afterwards. He who loveth himself claims a superiority in everything, despises all others, is cruel, indulges in covetousness, treachery, anger, rebellion against parents, neglect of what is good, and such like. As it was the design of Paul to brand false prophets with such marks, that they might be seen and known by all; it is our duty to open our eyes, that we may see those who are pointed out with the finger.

From those turn away. This exhortation sufficiently shows that Paul does not speak of a distant posterity, nor foretell what would happen many ages afterwards; but that, by pointing out present evils, he applies to his own age what he had said about “the last times;” for how could Timothy “turn away” from those who were not to arise till many centuries afterwards? So then, from the very beginning of the gospel, the Church must have begun to be affected by such corruptions.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV)

What type of difficulties will occur during the period of time the Scriptures call the last days? How may the believer in Christ not be shocked by the latter days while ministering to others at the same time? It involves being biblically aware of the nature of this time period. Scripture commands each believer to understand what the fallen world will be like prior to Jesus Christ’s return.

“Daniel 12:1–2 is an important text when considering the troubles in the last days, and it may have been on Paul’s mind when he wrote 2 Timothy 3:1. In verses 2–5 the apostle expands upon his reminder that the church would have to endure difficulties in the period between Christ’s first and second advents, fleshing out exactly what kind of trials we should expect,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Continuing our examination of 2 Timothy 3:1-5, today’s focus will be from vs. 4 & 5. I encourage you to read the previous blog concerning vs. 2 & 3.  

The ungodly will be treacherous (προδόται; prodotai). They will be traitors and betrayers. This will be their disposition.

They will be reckless (προπετεῖς; propeteis). This refers to being thoughtless, impetuous and rash. The proceed headlong into circumstances with little to no thought regarding the consequences of their actions.

They will be swollen with conceit (τετυφωμένοι; tetyphomenoi). This means to be insanely arrogant or extremely proud. This attitude began in their past and continues in their present and future.

The unconverted will also be lovers of pleasure (φιλήδονοι; philedonoi). They will be hedonists. They will love, and live for, personal enjoyment rather than lovers of God (μᾶλλον φιλόθεοι; mallon philotheoi). They will have no affection for God.

Finally, they will be people having an appearance of godliness. The word having (ἔχοντες; echontes) is a present active plural participle. It means to own and to possess. The word appearance (μόρφωσιν; morphosin) refers to an outward shape of godliness (εὐσεβείας; eusebeias) or holiness.

“Living among undesirable characters, whose traits are defined in verses 2–4, is part of this time of trouble. Paul’s list is not exhaustive but represents the many ways unrepentant sin manifests itself in people. That the apostle first says people will be “lovers of self” (v. 2) in the last days is likely intended to tell us that selfishness is a root from which many evils emerge. This is confirmed in the demarcation of troublemakers as “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” at the end of the list (v. 4). Inordinate self-love feeds the vices, leading them to yield even greater self-love. When love is misdirected toward the self and not the Lord, only sin follows, which cautions us against some manifestations of the modern self-esteem movement. Proper self-assessment has its place (Rom. 12:3), but a preoccupation with the self inevitably breeds narcissism,” states Dr. Sproul.

What was the Apostle Paul’s counsel to Timothy? It was an abrupt and forceful command; avoid such people (τούτους ἀποτρέπου; toutous apotrepou). This means to continuously, personally, and obediently have nothing to do with such individuals.

“Though they would intensify with time, Timothy had to beware of such people and have nothing to do with them. No doubt Paul had in mind here Timothy’s official associations, since he had already instructed Timothy to be kind to everyone (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24).”^[1]

“Paul’s call to have nothing to do with those described in 2 Timothy 3:2–5 means not to ignore relationships with non-Christians but to ensure that those who practice sin unrepentantly receive no affirmation from the church (1 Cor. 5:9–13). People who pay lip service to right doctrine without repentance of sin and earnest hunger for personal righteousness have only a form of godliness, not its power (2 Tim. 3:5) — the Holy Spirit who drives us to repent, forgive others, and chase after holiness. Without Him, the professing Christian ultimately produces only destruction in his wake and must be rooted out,” concludes Dr. Sproul.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria! 

^[1] A. Duane Litfin, “2 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 756.