October 13, 2023

Passage Read: 2 Timothy 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:9

Thought

How will the folly of these false teachers be clear to everyone when people in the last days are so selfish and given over to their own evil desires? How will their folly be evident to all when men deliberately gather around themselves teachers who tell them what their itching ears want to hear? Will their folly be evident only to those who actually know and love the truth? Or will men in their duplicity know their own duplicity but doggedly seek their own desires over and against their own consciences? Will men be deceived or purposefully seek their own desires, knowing full well what they're doing? It sure seems like the false teachers have so thoroughly infiltrated the Church, so that few in the Church have any sense of the error they have embraced. The Word of God has so little influence on believers, having been pretty well eclipsed by the word of men.

Application

In such a context, Paul's command to Timothy is to stand firm on the Word of God, preaching it faithfully and proclaiming the true gospel in spite of the opposition and unpopularity of doing so. I cannot lose heart though everyone turns away from the truth. And I cannot turn away from the truth, even if the whole Church does. The apostasy must come, but I don't have to be caught up in it. The Church must turn away from the truth, but I don't have to follow everyone in it. I don't have to follow everyone into a life of self and pleasure and all the rest. Jesus called me to abandon myself and live for Him, and that I must do, even if I must offend everyone who claims to love Him but justifies the pursuit of their flesh. If Jesus warns that family members will betray family to death, how much more will church members do the same?! Preach, but don't be surprised by the opposition of those who hate God and those who think they love God. Jesus Himself was condemned by those who considered themselves faithful to God and diligent students of His Word.