2 Timothy 3:6-9 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Timothy 3:6-9, which read,
v.6, 7 - For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, lead on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Paul gave Timothy of a list of characteristics of people that he is to avoid getting tangled up with. These are people who are lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loves of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they denied its power. That is quite a list and now Paul gives Timothy one of their tactics as they promote this "other" gospel that is not based on Jesus.
They will take advantage of people who are spiritually weak. They are weighed down by their sin and the guilt they carry and maybe it is put upon them by others of their worthlessness because of what they have done. They know they are sinners but these false teachers are keeping them in that low position with little hope of rising up unless they do as they say. Yes, we are all sinners but God saves sinners by the blood of the Lamb to be children of God to walk after Him and do good works to glorify His name. There is an upward trajectory in the Christian life. The false teachers are taking advantage of those who have had "great" sin in their lives and therefore are in "great" sorrow and keeping them in their position of apparent inferiority to them who are superior.
These are some who are on the brink of the "knowledge of the truth" or another way to say "saved." Those who are close to the kingdom of God are being taken advantage of instead of being assisted to see the God who saves.
v.8, 9 - Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes and Jambres's folly was also.
Paul brings to Timothy's attention an Old Testament example of this practice of the false teachers. It is Jewish tradition that these two were Egyptian magicians during the time of Moses who pretended to be Jewish proselytes, converted to the Jewish religion, and following the Israelites to the Promise Land. Tradition holds that they were the instigators of creating the golden calf to worship in the desert while Moses was on the mountain receiving the 10 commandments from God. They deceived many of the people who were vulnerable because Moses was not there at the time and their end was elimination by God.
These false teachers are like Jannes and Jambres as they take advantage of others and oppose God's words and ways. It will become evident to others that the direction they are going is not right. I can't help but remember the video we watched this Sunday in Sunday School class of the persecution of the Christians in the Middle East by ISIS. The Christian leaders were saying that conversion to Christianity is great among the Muslims in this area because they can see the darkness of that religion in relationship to the light of Christianity. The folly of that false religion that is trying to take advantage of others through fear is showing that there has to be a better way and the Christian pastors are telling them there is and His name is Jesus.
This is good news. It is something we endure and hate to see happen in our world but we can stand on the truth of God that will have a positive effect as the deception of Satan falls apart. Our witness of the truth needs to be there so a comparison can be made of something that will last forever because it is based on the One who was and is and will ever be and He offers a forever life with Him. Let's pray.
"Lord, we have this great responsibility and opportunity to speak of You to our world. In the midst of all the darkness and the taking advantage of others with other messages that due harm, we get to bring a message of light that glorifies You as You provide forgiveness of sins, adoption into Your family, and eternal life to all who believe. What a contrast that needs to become evident to others who are walking the wide road that leads to destruction behind false leaders who are just thinking of themselves masked by a false front of godliness. Help us to keep our eyes on You and our words and actions patterned after You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.6, 7 - For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, lead on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Paul gave Timothy of a list of characteristics of people that he is to avoid getting tangled up with. These are people who are lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loves of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they denied its power. That is quite a list and now Paul gives Timothy one of their tactics as they promote this "other" gospel that is not based on Jesus.
They will take advantage of people who are spiritually weak. They are weighed down by their sin and the guilt they carry and maybe it is put upon them by others of their worthlessness because of what they have done. They know they are sinners but these false teachers are keeping them in that low position with little hope of rising up unless they do as they say. Yes, we are all sinners but God saves sinners by the blood of the Lamb to be children of God to walk after Him and do good works to glorify His name. There is an upward trajectory in the Christian life. The false teachers are taking advantage of those who have had "great" sin in their lives and therefore are in "great" sorrow and keeping them in their position of apparent inferiority to them who are superior.
These are some who are on the brink of the "knowledge of the truth" or another way to say "saved." Those who are close to the kingdom of God are being taken advantage of instead of being assisted to see the God who saves.
v.8, 9 - Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes and Jambres's folly was also.
Paul brings to Timothy's attention an Old Testament example of this practice of the false teachers. It is Jewish tradition that these two were Egyptian magicians during the time of Moses who pretended to be Jewish proselytes, converted to the Jewish religion, and following the Israelites to the Promise Land. Tradition holds that they were the instigators of creating the golden calf to worship in the desert while Moses was on the mountain receiving the 10 commandments from God. They deceived many of the people who were vulnerable because Moses was not there at the time and their end was elimination by God.
These false teachers are like Jannes and Jambres as they take advantage of others and oppose God's words and ways. It will become evident to others that the direction they are going is not right. I can't help but remember the video we watched this Sunday in Sunday School class of the persecution of the Christians in the Middle East by ISIS. The Christian leaders were saying that conversion to Christianity is great among the Muslims in this area because they can see the darkness of that religion in relationship to the light of Christianity. The folly of that false religion that is trying to take advantage of others through fear is showing that there has to be a better way and the Christian pastors are telling them there is and His name is Jesus.
This is good news. It is something we endure and hate to see happen in our world but we can stand on the truth of God that will have a positive effect as the deception of Satan falls apart. Our witness of the truth needs to be there so a comparison can be made of something that will last forever because it is based on the One who was and is and will ever be and He offers a forever life with Him. Let's pray.
"Lord, we have this great responsibility and opportunity to speak of You to our world. In the midst of all the darkness and the taking advantage of others with other messages that due harm, we get to bring a message of light that glorifies You as You provide forgiveness of sins, adoption into Your family, and eternal life to all who believe. What a contrast that needs to become evident to others who are walking the wide road that leads to destruction behind false leaders who are just thinking of themselves masked by a false front of godliness. Help us to keep our eyes on You and our words and actions patterned after You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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