April 27, 2008
Morning Service

II Tim. 3

 

Review:

1.       In chapter one, the Apostle reminded Timothy of his upbringing, and responsibility to carry on the gospel work.

2.       In chapter two, Paul tells Timothy to teach other men who are faithful, so they can teach others.

3.       Paul told Timothy to endure hardships as a good soldier.

4.       Paul uses the illustration of an athlete, and how we must compete according to the law.

5.       He used the illustration of a farmer, and how he must be the first to partake of the crops.

6.       Paul reminds Timothy to study to show himself approved unto God.  To shun away from all the untrue doctrines that are going to come his way.

7.       Paul reminds Timothy that in every house there are clean, and unclean vessels.  Some to honor and glory, and some to dishonor, and shame.

8.       Paul closes chapter two by telling Timothy that a servant of the Lord must be gentle, and able to persuade someone to accept the true gospel message, that has been led astray by false teachers.

 

Today we are concerned about the high gas, and food prices, but there is, and has been for some time, a much more dangerous thing happening.  We will look at that this morning in chapter three.

 

2Ti 3:1-17 KJVR  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

• If you recall Paul warned Timothy of this in the first letter.  I Tim. 4:1.
• But notice how the Apostle goes into great depth on describing these people.

(2)  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  (3)  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (which means uncontrollable ), fierce, despisers of those that are good,  (4)  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

• Then notice.

(5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

• Having a form of godliness - That is, they profess religion, or are in connection with the church. This shows that the apostle referred to some great corruption in the church; and there can be little doubt that he had his eye on the same great apostasy to which he refers in 2 Thes. 2:, and 1 Tim. 4: All these things to which he refers here have been practiced and tolerated in that apostate church, while no body of men, at any time, have been more zealous in maintaining “a form of godliness;” that is, in keeping up the forms of religion.
• But denying the power thereof - Opposing the real power of religion; ( Which is the power of the Holy Ghost, ) not allowing Him to exert any influence in their lives. It imposes no restraint on their passions and carnal propensities, but in all respects, except in the form of religion, they live as if they had None. This has been common in the world. The most regular and bigoted adherence to the forms of religion furnishes no evidence in itself that there is any true piety at heart, or that true religion has any actual control over the soul. It is much easier for people to observe the forms of religion than it is to bring the heart under its controlling influence.
• Paul said in the Roman letter, “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  God forbid.”  We must allow the Holy Spirit to mold us, and make us what God wants us to be.  We must not deny, or fight against the power thereof.  The Holy Spirit.
• From such turn away - Have no contact with them as if they were Christians; show no countenance to their religion; do not associate with them; compare 2Jo_1:10-11; If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed:   For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.
• Also,  2Co_6:17.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
• Hopefully we can see what is truly dangerous, and should be of great concern today.  We know things are going to get worse, because the Bible teaches us this.
• The sad part is that it has been happening for some time.  When the Catholic church would not listen to Martin Luther, and make the changes needed to line up with the Word of God, this started the great falling away that Paul speaks about in his letter to the Thessalonicans.  From there it has just gotten worse.  Denomination, after denomination has sprung up, following some particular truth in the gospel message.  Rather than stay Unified, they built their denomination on the idea that this particular truth is so important, that it is worth splitting over, and thus denying the power of the Holy Ghost, which cries out for Unity throughout the Bible.
• There is no one truth of the gospel, that is any more important than another.  They all are to be taught with the same importance.  Repentance;  Baptism;  Sanctification;  Justification;  Predestination;  Communion;  Eternal security;  Absolution;  The resurrection;  The gifts of the Holy Ghost; The offices in the church;  so on, and so forth, all important, but none so important that it should split the church.
• We are living in the last days, so, there will be no more rise of big denominations, all the important doctrinal truths have been built upon.
• This leads me to think, what are we doing here sitting by ourselves?  We are not by ourselves, go to your browser, and type in The Bride of Christ, and you will see that there many others that feel the same way we do concerning preaching the purity, and the doctrines that the Bible teaches.  Every doctrine in the Bible will be taught, and none any more important than the other, it takes them all, to bring us into the unity of the faith, and the full stature of Christ.  They are taught as we come to them in our Bible studies.  None are left out, and all are taught in their original words.
• We are as guilty as everyone else in putting up with all the splits that have happened in the church. 
• I believe that there are good, and saved vessels in every denomination, and they will be part of the Lord’s Bride when He comes after her.
• But we must understand that there are those vessels fit for destruction, such as Paul has warned us about this morning, that will also be in the church.  These are not part of the Bride of Christ, and they will not go when Jesus comes back after the church, His Bride.

Listen to this parable from Jesus;  Jesus is speaking of all ungodly men, and false teachings, and I would like to use this as reference to the church.

 

Mat 13:24-30 KJVR  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:  (25)  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  (26)  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  (27)  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?  (28)  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  (29)  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.  (30)  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

 

I THINK WE CAN SEE HOW THIS WOULD APPLY TO THE CHURCH.  THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH.  HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBLE STUDY, AND STAYING WITH THE TEACHINGS OF THE WORD OF GOD.

 

MAY GOD ADD HIS BLESSINGS TO HIS WORD.