Stand Firm
In contrast to the present decline and compromise in morals and the spread of false religion and teaching Paul calls Timothy and Paul calls us to be different. To stand against the tide.
? Are there pressures on Christians to conform?
There are direct challenges to our faith and there are also challenges that we don’t even realize, secular ideas that are so pervasive that we don’t even realize that they have made their way into our thinking and action. Do not be conformed to this world. Romans 12:2
Paul tells us this because he knows that we will be conformed to the world, we must be on guard.
Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:10-15
In other words Paul is saying, no matter what the false teachers say, no matter how bad they get, going from bad to worse, you need to follow the truth revealed from God that I have taught you, you need to follow my way of life, my purpose, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings. In that is life. In that the kingdom grows … counterintuitive!
“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His Empire upon love, and to this very day millions will die for Him.” Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
- The Past
Contrast; the behavior of the unbelievers to the behavior of believers.
Unbelievers follow the desires of their sinful hearts. They are lovers of self, lovers of money and lovers of pleasure. The people that they convert to this lifestyle are, similarly, carried away by their impulses.
In contrast, we are to follow a different standard, “Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 2 Timothy 3:10-11
We are to follow Paul’s teaching.
? How do we know that Paul’s teaching is true and worthy of following??
Paul gives us two objective evidences to verify the genuine nature of his teaching.
a. His Life
While false teachers were self indulgent, Paul was selfless, thinking more of others than of himself. He had an eternal perspective. He knew and underestood that the lives of those he spoke to were in grave danger – they were facing the wrath of a Just God.
Look at Paul’s life. His…
Conduct
Aim
Faith
Patience
Love
Steadfastness
So Paul could say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” I Corinthians 11:1
b. His persecutions
? Would you allow yourself to be persecuted for something that you knew to be false, when all you had to do is admit you were lying, or you were confused or deceived to have the persecution end??
Instead, Paul had the courage of his convictions.
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great company believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to molest them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they preached the gospel.
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet; he was a cripple from birth, who had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and walked.
11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, because he was the chief speaker, they called Hermes. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the people.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out among the multitude, crying, 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways; 17 yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 With these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the people, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. Acts 14: 1-19
Perhaps Paul’s courage in the face of persecution had played a part in Timothy’s conversion in much the same way as Paul was a witness to Stephen’s courage.
1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium. Acts 16:1-2
But note, persecution by unbelievers, is assured for believers:
12 Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 2 Timothy 3:12
Christ promised His followers as much
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. John 15:18-20
“Christ here told His followers to expect persecution. He envisaged that they would be both in the world (living among godless people) and at the same time ‘not of the world’ (living a godly life in Christ). Those who are in Christ but not in the world are not persecuted, because they do not come into contact and therefore into collision with their potential persecutors. Those who are in the world but not in Christ are also not persecuted, because the world sees nothing to persecute. The former escape persecution by withdrawal from the world, the latter by assimilation to it.” Stott
- The Future
Contrast: Timothy is to continue in the truth as opposed to unbelievers who continue in their sin, going from bad to worse.
14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3: 14-15
But as for Timothy:
No matter what others say or believe do not be moved from the truth. Continue, abide, hold.
It seems the church is always reinventing Christianity.
There is new theology.
There is new morality.
“The church of every generation must seek to translate the faith into the contemporary idiom, to relate the unchanging word to the changing world. But all translations are a rendering of the same message into another language; it is not a fresh composition.” Stott
Paul gives Timothy two reasons why he must continue in the truth.
a. He learned the truth from Paul, Christ’s apostle,1:1. As such, the truth was completely reliable and trustworthy. Paul led Timothy to Christ, 1:2, Paul laid hands on Timothy, 1:6, Christ had entrusted Paul with the gospel, 1:11.
b. Timothy had learned the Scriptures of the Old Testament from childhood from his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice.
We have the same evidence before us today;
The testimony of Paul and the other New Testament writers explaining the gospel.
The testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures pointing to the coming Messiah.
… the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3: 15
- Scripture
16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
a. ? What is the Origin of Scripture?
Inspired by God
No prophesy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Peter 1:21
“Inspiration did not destroy the individuality or the active cooperation of the human writers. It originated in God’s mind and was communicated from God’s mouth by God’s Spirit.” Stott
b. ? What is the Purpose of Scripture?
profitable: Scripture is the only place where we can learn about salvation. The Bible is a book about salvation. It does not try to teach us about science or math for we can discover such things for ourselves. It is concerned with teaching us about those things that we could never discover for ourselves, namely salvation through Christ alone and the Christian life.
“Scripture contains the perfect rule of a good and happy life.” John Calvin
Scripture is profitable in two ways, 1. creed 2. conduct
- creed;
teaching truth
refuting error
- conduct;
training in righteousness, right living
equipping for every good work
“We can appreciate the relevance of its message to our pluralistic and permissive society. The times of stress in which we seem to be living are very distressing. Sometimes one wonders if the world and the church have gone mad, so strange are their views, so lax their standards. Some Christians are swept from their moorings by the floodtide of sin and error. Others go into hiding, as offering the best hope of survival, the only alternative to surrender. But neither of these is the Christian way. ‘But as for you, stand firm.’ Never mind if the pressure to conform is very strong. Never mind if you are young, inexperienced, timid, weak. Never mind if you find yourself alone in your witness … Continue in what you have come to believe. You know the biblical credentials of your faith. Scripture is God breathed and profitable. Even in the midst of these grievous times in which evil men and impostors go on from bad to worst, it can make you complete and it can equip you for your work. Let the word of God make you a man of God! Remain loyal to it and it will lead you into Christian maturity.” Stott
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