2 Timothy 3

Overcoming The Dangers of the Last Days
(1) You should know this, Timothy, that in the *last days there will be **very difficult times.
• *last days:
o The phrase "the last days" is eschatais hemerais in the Greek. “eschatais” is where we get the word “Eschatology” (the study of prophecy). It normally refers to those days just prior to Christ's return.
o A New York Times book review began, "Some 50 million Americans share a belief that these are the last days."
o It would be tempting to get sidetracked into prophecy and lose our focus on 2 Timothy, but, if we look at 2 Timothy as a whole, Paul is specifically warning Timothy (and us) what is going to happen in “Christendom” as the time of the end approaches – false teachers, false religions imitating true Christianity, abandonment of the Bible as the source of truth. See 2 Timothy 4:3-4 below. Is this happening today? I remember taking the religion class at Butler University, which was a required class even for those of us majoring in chemistry. The professor, who was also an ordained minister of the so-called “Disciples of Christ Christian Church” tried to convince everyone that the Bible was just a collection of myths, that none of the miracles happened and even questioned whether Moses, David, Solomon or even Jesus were actual historical figures! What do they teach in the Methodist Church today – that Jesus was just a great man, like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. That’s what was being taught in the Methodist Church I went to in the seventies, let alone now! How well 2 Timothy 4:3-4 applies today. Who are the most popular preachers today (Joel Olsteen) and the biggest churches – those preaching a false prosperity gospel.
o 2 Timothy 4:3-4: For A TIME IS COMING when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
o 1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
• **very difficult times: perilous or menacing times. The word he uses for "difficult" (chalepos) is used only one other time in the New Testament (in Matthew 8:28) where it describes two demon-possessed men who were "exceedingly fierce," so that none could pass by them. So, the last days are going to be demon-possessed times. Were the Jewish leaders who had Jesus crucified demon possessed? Nero? Was Hitler demon possessed? Stalin? Mao Tse-Tung? Pol Pot? Arafat? Were the founders of Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Science, Mormonism, etc. demon-possessed? Was Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple? Is Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran (Persia), demon-possessed? Is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (the “Supreme Leader” of Iran) demon-possessed? Osama bin Laden? We could go and on with others! The bloodiest century in the history of mankind is the 20th century with the two bloodiest and most horrific events: World War I (8.5 million) and II (61 million) where a total of 70 million humans died. This does not include the two holocausts that Joseph Stalin (1879-1953) and Mao Tse Tung committed. Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung together killed 120 million of their own citizens. This is more than the number of people who died in World War I & II combined. Counting the deaths of 120 million by these two evil dictators plus 70 million more deaths for both WW I and II, we have a staggering total of 190 million that died during the 20th century, not counting deaths resulting from the other wars of this century. Prophecy states that the two world leaders The Beast (political leader), and the False Prophet (religious leader), will both be possessed by Satan and by demons, and that the False Prophet will work miracles in the sight of men as proof of their authority. And the tragedy...MOST OF HUMANITY WILL EMBRACE THEM AS SAVIORS!
o Ephesians 6:12: For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
(2) FOR people will *love only themselves and their **money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
• *love only themselves - Greek philautos.
o Today, we have what is known as the "Me" society. The focus is all on "my" -- my rights, my needs, my views, is all we hear about on every side. The first question that is asked about anything is, "What am I going to get out of it?"
o Our society is heavily intoxicated with "love for self." The best-selling book of 1977 well illustrates this, “Looking Out for Number One”, by Robert Ringer.
o "It is no accident that the first of these qualities will be a life that is centered in self. Love of self is the basic sin, from which all others flow. The moment a man makes his own will the center of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. The essence of Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self." (Barclay)
o “'Lovers of self' aptly heads the list since it is the essence of all sin and the root from which all the other characteristics spring. The word is literally 'self-lovers' and points to the fact that the center of gravity of the natural man is self rather than God." (Hiebert)
• **money: 1 Timothy 6:10: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
We have seen in the last decade an exponential growth of the false doctrine of “the prosperity gospel.” It’s all over the place...all over the place in the evangelical church! The two largest congregations of professing Christians in America today are both solidly committed to the prosperity gospel of health and wealth: ‘God doesn’t want you to be ever unhealthy, ever unhappy, ever unwealthy. If you only have enough faith, you’ll have everything you want.’ “Reverend” Robert Tilton advertises a book, “How to Be Rich and Have Everything You Ever Wanted.”
(3) They will be *unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have **no self-control. They will be ***cruel and ****hate what is good.
• *Unloving: “Without natural affection” in the KJV – Greek astergo. The acceptance of homosexuality today! This word literally means "without family affection" or "without love for kindred." It is frequently used of parent-child relationships. This is the sort of degradation that allows mothers to have abortions or to leave their babies in trash cans. Certainly, basic family love is lacking in our culture today. Every few months we hear of some woman who gives birth in secret, and throws the baby away, discarding it as something inconvenient.
The most common Greek words for “love” are eros, (physical love); phileo (emotional love) and agape (God love or self-sacrificing love). But there was another word for love. And that was stergo. And that was the love in the family, the love for your child, the love for your parents—stergo. Now in Greek, “a” is a negative prefix. You put “a” in front of stergo and you have astergo, which is without love, or without natural love. It all comes back to lovers of their own self. That self love, me-first love. Not willing to make a sacrifice, not willing to do without, in order that you might be able to provide for your children and all. “My marriage is all about me.” “My career is all about me.” “My “friendships” are all about me.” “Me first!”
• **no self-control: The story of no self-control can be written across almost everything today - sex, drugs, alcohol, food, work. “Sexual orientation” laws are the legal embodiment of the old ’60s slogan, “If it feels good, do it.” Over the past 90 years, a steady campaign has unfolded in this country and in Europe to overthrow Christian morals and self-control.
• ***cruel (brutal): The Greek word is anemeros. It’s usually used of a wild beast. Men will become like wild beasts—fierce. Cruelty and brutality are nothing new in the world; but Paul is saying that the last days will be marked by a particular brutality. Ask yourself: are men brutal in a special measure today? Is this an indication that we may be in the last days? Look at the “terrorists” – what is their goal? What are their methods?
• ****hate what is good: Greek – aphilagathos. The word means "not lovers of the good" or "not fond of goodness." Men will continue "to love darkness rather than light" and will despise all genuine good and this will become worse as we approach the end.
(4) They will betray their friends, be reckless, be *puffed up with pride, and **love pleasure rather than God.
• *puffed up with pride: The root word was used to describe being "filled with smoke," a very appropriate imagery for man's pride. The man who is "swollen with conceit" is really just "filled with smoke" for all his accomplishments will be reduced to nothing more than smoke and ashes one day. 2 Peter 3:10.
o John Lennon, the former Beatle, once stated, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now." All that John Lennon ever accomplished will be turned into wisps of smoke (Malachi 4:1), but Christianity will continue to flourish until "…the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord." Habakkuk 2:14.
• **love pleasure rather than God: This is the key to the problem.
(5) They will *act religious, but they will reject the **power that could make them godly. ***Stay away from people like that!
• In other words, Paul says that the primary cause of these repetitive cycles of stress and danger is the hypocritical lives of Christians who outwardly look pious, religious, committed and devoted, but are actually unchanged inside. Hypocritical Christianity -- that is the bottom line in these times of stress.
• *act religious:
o Here is a great group, which Scripture faces, of those who are not saved but think they are. That is the group that is being confronted in this passage. Jesus said, "Many shall come to me in that day and say 'Lord, Lord, have we not done many mighty works in your name, and cast out devils in your name, and preached in your name?' And I shall say to them, 'Depart from me, I never knew you.'" (Matthew 7:22-23).
o There is a phony "folk Christianity" around today that will enable you to apparently escape all these persecutions. In every church there are people who are trying to put on a Christian front. Paul described them as, "having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof," in the KJV. They act like Christians, they read the Book, and sing the hymns, but they have no reality of Christ in their lives. That kind of Christianity does escape a lot of persecution because it never stands for anything. But, in the end, it perishes along with the world; it is destroyed in the judgments of God.
o Titus 1:16: Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.
o Jude 1:12: they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
• **power: 1 Corinthians 1:18: The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
• ***Stay away: Today, people who do the things on this list are not only common in our society, they are our cultural heroes. The simple responsibility of Christians is to turn away not only from these attitudes, but also from the people who do these things. Many think it is enough if they themselves are not like this, and give little heed to the company they keep. But if we spend time with people like this - either personally or by allowing us to entertain us - they will "rub off" on us. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “bad company corrupts good character.”
There is a story of John the Apostle, who, when he found himself in the bath-house in a city in Asia Minor, and he heard that the false teacher, Cerinthus, was also in that same bath-house, he fled from the bath-house saying, “Surely the roof will come in because of this heretic Cerinthus here!” He avoided him! And we need to avoid false teachers.
6) They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and *win the confidence of **vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.
• *win the confidence: Greek take captive.
• **vulnerable women: Literally, “little women”, a contemptuous term indicating feebleness of character, as contrasted with Timothy’s mother and grandmother.
(7) (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)
(8) These teachers oppose the truth just as *Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.
• *Exodus 7:11: Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. The magicians were allowed to imitate Moses up to a point and then God stopped them.
• There are many counterfeit Christians who pretend to know the Lord, but lack genuine saving faith. Even the best counterfeit faith that comes close to resembling the kind of faith that justifies one before God is inadequate for getting someone into heaven. Imposters are eventually exposed because their faith does not produce good fruit. Paul talks about the type of faith that is based on good deeds. When writing to the Ephesians, Paul makes it clear that a faith that relies on good deeds is inadequate to meet God’s standards. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Another type of counterfeit faith believes in right doctrine but not in redemption through Christ’s righteousness alone. Many denominations teach the necessity of faith plus additional requirements for salvation. Some people have an intellectual understanding of correct Biblical doctrine, but they may lack a conviction that brings one justification through Christ’s atoning blood. Everything God does, the devil tries to counterfeit. The devil's counterfeit looks like the real thing.
• We live amidst false teachers who propagate all kinds of counterfeit "Christian" ideologies, philosophies, and worldly false religions, every "ism" and "wasm" imaginable!
• Simon the Sorcerer was one such false teacher mentioned early in the Scriptures. After his baptism by Philip, Simon attempted to buy the office of apostle from Peter, hoping to obtain the power to grant others the Holy Spirit. Motivated by his greed for wealth, power and influence, he faked conversion to appear Christian (Acts 8:9-23). Later historical sources indicate that he blended various philosophical elements of paganism, humanism, mysticism and gnosticism into a counterfeit-Christian theology of humanism and psychology.
• In the third century, Constantine, came to power. He successfully molded ancient Roman political and pagan doctrine with Christianity to form a new universal Roman controlled religious. The early Roman church under the auspices of the Roman government eventually sold indulgences to the wealth oriented, materialistic class of merchants, businessmen, politicians etc. They were to give a certain portion of their income, or profits, to the church in exchange for the church's blessing and "seal of approval" upon their worldly business, their political ambitions and upon all their other worldly, personal endeavors. In those early centuries the counterfeit Christianity that the apostles of Jesus Christ had fought so hard to contain grew in size and popularity. Historians still marvel at the brilliance with which Constantine converted the sun-worshipping pagans to Christianity. By fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties. Egyptian sun disks became the halos of Catholic saints. Pictograms of Isis nursing her miraculously conceived son Horus became the blueprint for our modern images of the Virgin Mary nursing Baby Jesus. And virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual---the miter, the altar, the doxology, and the communion were taken directly from earlier pagan mystery religions. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship. About 405 AD, images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored and worshiped. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana; the Lord’s Supper became a sacrifice in place of a memorial; and the elder evolved from a preacher into a priest. The church and the state became one when Christianity was adopted as the religion of the empire, and out of the unnatural union arose two evils, one in the eastern, the other in the western provinces. In the east the state dominated the church until it lost all energy and uplifting life. In the west, the church gradually usurped power over the state, and the result was not Christianity but a more or less corrupt hierarchy controlling the nations of Europe, making the church mainly a political machine.
• Although Alexander Hislop, author of “The Two Babylons” carefully pointed out---with much historical documentation---that the modern Roman Catholic Church is a continuation of the ancient Babylonian mystery system, and that its religious festivals and most of its practices were drawn directly from the Babylonian religion and its priesthood.
• “It has been known all along that Popery was baptized Paganism; but God is now making it manifest, that the Paganism which Rome has baptized is, in all its essential elements, the very Paganism which prevailed in the ancient literal Babylon, when Jehovah opened before Cyrus the two-leaved gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron.... Her judgment is now evidently hastening on; and just as it approaches, the Providence of God, conspiring with the Word of God, by light pouring in from all quarters, makes it more and more evident that Rome is in very deed the Babylon of the Apocalypse; that the essential character of her system, the grand objects of her worship, her festivals, her doctrine and discipline, her rites and ceremonies, her priesthood and their orders, have all been derived from ancient Babylon; and, finally, that the Pope himself is truly and properly the lineal representative of Belshazzar. In the warfare that has been waged against the domineering pretensions of Rome, it has too often been counted enough merely to meet and set aside her presumptuous boast, that she is the mother and mistress of all churches----the one Catholic Church, out of whose pale there is no salvation. If ever there was excuse for such a mode of dealing with her, that excuse will hold no longer. If the position I have laid down can be maintained, she must be stripped of the name of a Christian Church altogether; for if it was a Church of Christ that was convened on that night, when the pontiff-king of Babylon, in the midst of his thousand lords, ‘praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of wood, and of stone’ (Daniel 5:4), then the Church of Rome is entitled to the name of a Christian Church; but not otherwise. This to some, no doubt, will appear a very startling position; but it is one which it is the object of this work to establish; and let the reader judge for himself, whether I do not bring ample evidence to substantiate my position” (Hislop, pp. 2–3).

• Later, Hislop describes how the Catholic “confessional” was borrowed from paganism, giving priests greater authority over the lay members. He explains that the pagan festivals of Christmas and Easter were introduced into “Christianity” centuries after Christ revealed the full Truth to His apostles. “Indeed,” Hislop writes, “it is admitted by the most learned and candid writers of all parties that the day of our Lord’s birth cannot be determined, and that within the Christian Church no such festival as Christmas was ever heard of till the third century, and that not till the fourth century was far advanced did it gain much observance. How, then, did the Roman Church fix on December the 25th as Christmas-day? Why, thus: Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early developed” (ibid., pp. 92–93).
• Jesus condemned the religious leaders of His day for their hypocrisy. Those ecclesiastical figures made a pretense of being godly, yet refused to follow the spiritual intent of God’s law. Jesus attributed to them Satan’s own character, using the analogy that since their father was Satan, they could only behave “like father, like son.” The Devil lies and murders, so who should be surprised if the Devil’s children do the same, preaching a perverted gospel of deception and falsehood?
• James 2:17: So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
• Matthew 23:28: Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
(9) BUT they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.
(10) BUT YOU, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.
• Timothy has followed a markedly different path than the pious counterfeits described in verses 5-9.
• Paul saw Jesus as his own personal Savior Who forgave him his sins, who picked him up when he was discouraged, who stood by him in times of pressure. He saw Jesus as his Companion, as his dearest Friend who never left him. That is the secret of standing today. Christianity was never intended to be merely a creed that you believe, or certain doctrines that you subscribe to. Christianity is a Person whom you know, whom you live with, rely upon and walk with day-by-day.
• Paul was consumed by his purpose in life and kept his eyes riveted upon that great eternal goal - ". . . that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. . . " Philippians 3:7-14 (KJV).

• In Acts 14:12 and many other passages, the Apostle Paul indicated his purpose: He was determined to take the gospel as far as the Lord would let him take it. He wanted to see Gentiles converted. He wanted to see Jews converted. He was ready to lay down his life so that people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In fact, he said, ‘Lord, if You would save all of Your ancient people—my kinsmen in the flesh, the children of Israel—if You would bring all of them savingly to Christ, I would be personally willing to be damned, if You would just bring them to Jesus Christ.’ And the Apostle Paul is saying, ‘Timothy, you followed me in that purpose. I see it in your heart; I see it in your life.’
• So, how are we to live in such a day? 2 Corinthians 5:9: So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
o Everything Paul did in life was done with the understanding that it would either please the Lord Jesus or it would result in grief of heart to him. That was Paul's guiding light. When you’re 80 years old (if you live that long) and you look back on your life, what will you see? What are your goals in life?
(11) You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and *Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.
• *Lystra is where Paul met Timothy. Acts 14:5-7, 19-20: Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News. … Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul reminds Timothy of the specific occasions of persecution which he endured: at Antioch, where Paul was kicked out of the city for preaching the gospel (Acts 13:50), at Iconium, where Paul was almost executed by stoning (Acts 14:5) and at Lystra, where they actually did stone Paul and left him for dead (Acts 14:19).
• Acts 9:16: And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
• Galatians 6:17: From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
(12) Yes, and everyone who *wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
• *wants: “is determined” – Weymouth
• More Christians have been put to death for Christ's sake in this century than in any other century since the very beginning.
• 1 Peter 4:4: Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.
(13) But evil people and *impostors will flourish. They will **deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
• *imposters: The word for "imposters" (goes) is significant in this context. It is found only here in the New Testament and is used for "magicians, enchanters, swindlers or jugglers." These men will be out to deceive by whatever trick or sleight of hand it takes to "deceive the hearts of the simple."
• **deception is one of the marks of the end times.
(14) BUT YOU must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.
(15) You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
• The effect of the Scriptures is to save us, to transform us, to keep us from the downhill slide that is evident in every life not in touch with the Word of God. Everybody starts out life with certain hopes, dreams and ideals, but unless he has the guiding of the Scriptures, inevitably he will find himself not moving toward, but away from the high ideals with which he began. But Timothy had, and it was transforming him, delivering him, saving him.
• It was not, of course, the Scripture that saved him. The Bible itself does not save anybody, but the Scriptures are able to bring us to faith in Christ Jesus. He is the one who saves us. The Jesus who saves is the Jesus who is revealed only in the Bible. The only way we can come to know this Redeemer, this Savior of men, this One who can deliver us from the bondage of our own selfishness, is revealed in the pages of the Scriptures. That is the uniqueness of the Bible. In it, you will find revealed a Person, and he will become even more real to you than the Book itself. That is the wonder and the glory of the Scriptures.
• Paul is calling on Timothy to live by the Book.
(16) ALL Scripture is *inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
• *inspired: Greek – theopneustos = God-breathed.
o Just as God breathed into the dust of the ground and made it be a living, vital person, so he breathed into the words of men the Spirit of vitality and life. So these words have a unique quality about them: Whenever a heart is touched by them, it moves toward life. That is the quality of the Word of God. Theopneustos is a combination of theos, meaning God, and pneō, meaning "to breathe or blow." Ancient Greek writers used this word to describe wisdom, dreams or speech that came from the gods.
o God breathed into the nostrils of Adam the breath of life Genesis 2:7 and Jesus breathed on his disciples, and said, " Receive the Holy Spirit;" John 20:22. The idea seems to have been, that the life was in the breath, and that an intelligent spirit was communicated with the breath.
o Psalm 33:6: The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
o Genesis 2:7: Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
• There are at least 332 distinct Old Testament predictions regarding the Messiah which Jesus fulfilled perfectly (such as His birth in Bethlehem, His emergence from Egypt, His healing of the sick, His death on the cross, and so forth). Professor Peter Stoner has calculated that the probability of any one man fulfilling eight of these prophesies is one in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (10 to the 17th power).
• This is Paul’s answer to the perilous times of the “last days.” People need the Word of God. They need the Scripture which is inspired by God.
• Our Bible is composed of 66 books, by about 40 different writers of various backgrounds, living during a period of about 1,600 years -- yet they present one message. Such a miracle can only be explained by there being one divine Author, who was in control of all these human writers. The Bible writers came from many walks of life, including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, herdsmen, poets, statesmen, scholars, soldiers, priests, prophets, a tax collector, a tent-making rabbi, and a Gentile doctor. The Bible was written in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
• The French philosopher Voltaire boasted that within 100 years of his death, the Bible would disappear from the face of the earth. Voltaire died in 1728, but the Bible lives on.
• Matthew 10:20: For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
• John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!
• Luke 24:27: Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
• 2 Peter 1:20-21: Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
• James 1:18: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13: Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.
• Hebrews 1:1: Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
(17) God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
• Romans 15:4: Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
• The truth of the Bible leads to life, not death. Anybody who believes that truth, and acts on it, will become enriched. Life becomes peaceful, calm, and joyful even in the midst of trouble. The Bible invariably imparts an inner strengthening to those who live by it.
• Everyone wants to be a "whole" person, healed of all his inner conflicts, able to cope, able to handle life. That is exactly what this Book is provided for. It is the Book that goes with man. It is the instruction Book that will work out all your kinks and quirks, and enable you to be a whole person as God intended you to be, through faith in the Lord Jesus whom the Book reveals.
• One of the characteristics of the last days will be a turning away from God’s Word and replacing it with “vain philosophy”.
• We now see the intended purpose of the word of God for the man of God. It is to "fully equip" him for his tour of duty as a "good soldier of Jesus Christ."
• God gives to us through the Word, guidance for life. It furnishes us to deal with the issues of life. Only the Word of God can feed the spirit.

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NOTE:
Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.
Sources and References are on-line at:
http://2timothy-study.blogspot.com/2011/03/2-timothy-references.html

2 Timothy 2

Exhortation to Persevere

In this chapter Paul uses seven figures of speech to describe a disciple of Christ who’s striving to serve the Lord and win the crown.
1. A SON -- should follow Paul’s example and teach others, so those can teach others -- verses 1-2.
2. A SOLDIER -- is to "endure hardness" or hardships and avoid the entanglements of the world--to please the One who made him a soldier -- verses 3-4.
3. AN ATHLETE -- he is to contend for the reward. He is to abide by the rules -- verse 5.
4. A FARMER -- must labor before he partakes of the fruit -- verse 6.
5. A STUDENT -- must correctly teach and properly handle the Word of God -- verse 15.
6. A VESSEL -- a vessel must be clean to be usable -- verses 20-21.
7. A SERVANT -- a disciple is a servant, gentle, apt to teach, patient -- verse 24.
The truths of this chapter may be viewed in the following order:
1. The spiritual condition necessary to discern and take God's path for us amidst the failure of Christen-dom (verses 1-13).
2. A brief outline of the course of the evil that has led to the corruption of Christendom (verses 14-18).
3. The resource of the godly and the path of God for the individual in the midst of the ruin (verses 19-22).
4. The spirit in which to meet those who raise opposition to God's path (verses 23-26).
In the original Greek, this chapter begins with two significant words, sew oun (You, therefore). By placing "you" at the beginning of the sentence, Paul is emphasizing Timothy's responsibility. Just as Lois and Eunice passed the faith on to Timothy, so Timothy must pass his faith on to the next generation. As Paul reminded Timothy of the things he had learned (2:8), so Timothy must remind others (2:14). Timothy is to pass the torch by committing himself to men who have proven faithful and by instilling the truths of the faith in them. They, in turn, are to teach these truths to others. "Therefore" is probably referring back to more than just the immediate preceding verses (15-18); rather it seems to include all of what was said in chapter 1. In light of Paul's own example (1:1,11,12),-Timothy's sincere faith (1:5), his personal responsibilities (1:6-8, 13, 14), the greatness of the gospel (9, 10) and the responses of contrasting Christians (1:15-18); Timothy is to fulfill 2:1,2.
(1) Timothy, my dear son, be *strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.
• *strong: He can only be strong with the power of the Holy Spirit:
o When Peter said he’d die for Christ rather than to deny him, he was strong in his own strength and he failed; had he been strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, he would have kept his standing better.
o 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
o Ephesians 6:10: A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
o 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2) You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now *teach these **truths to other ***trustworthy people who will be able to ****pass them on to others.
• *teach: Everywhere you go, people are observing what you do and they're listening to the words that come out of your mouth. There’s a paper weight on my desk at work with the words “Wherever you go, preach Christ and if necessary, use words”. So you're teaching a mes-sage in two ways: By what you "say" & by what you "do". The question is: "What messages are your words and conduct getting across to others?"
• **truths: 2 Timothy 1:14: Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.
• ***trustworthy people (faithful people). That is, people who will pass on the truth without alter-ation.
• ****pass them on: Paul is concerned not about his dying but that the true gospel be continued to be taught and spread by people like Timothy who would not corrupt it. We cannot pass on some-thing which we don't possess. Timothy was to pass on the things which Paul had poured into him. Paul discovered long ago that the most effective way to expand the reach of the gospel was to invest deliberately and personally in younger disciples. Although he preached to crowds, he always traveled with a small team. He wasn't a one-man show. He shared his life with people such as Timothy, Silas, Phoebe, Lydia, Luke, Priscilla and Aquilla—and they became spiritual giants. This is commonly called “The Timothy Principle”, the best example of which is Richard Daw-son’s “The Navigators” group.
(3) Endure suffering along with me, as a good *soldier of Christ Jesus.
• Most manuscripts begin verse 3 with "therefore."
(4) Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.
• *soldiers: Paul does not suggest that we are not to attend to the affairs of this life, or that we are necessarily called to give up our earthly business. In other Scriptures, he refutes such a thought, for he definitely instructs us to work with our hands to provide things honest. But, he warns us against allowing the affairs of this life so to occupy our time, absorb our energies, and so wholly engage our minds, that we become entangled as in a net, and are no longer free to carry out the Lord's will. The good soldier of Jesus Christ is one who seeks, not to please himself, or even oth-ers, but first and foremost to please the One who has chosen him to be a soldier. Remember that Paul was chained to a soldier even as he wrote this! As a Christian, you should not get involved in things that will stop you from keeping your spiritual priorities straight.

• Ephesians 6:12-13: For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-4: We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.
(5) And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
• Paul often drew upon the world of athletics for illustrations of the Christian life, mentioning track and field (1 Corinthians 9:12), boxing (1 Corinthians 9:26) and wrestling (Ephesians 6:12).
• The primary RESPONSIBILITY in view here is to "compete according to the rules" (nomimos athlese). He must KNOW and OBEY the rules. The life of an athlete was very rigorous in ancient Rome and he underwent severe training just to compete in the various events. All contestants were obliged to undergo intense preparation and training for 10-12 months prior to the competition. This excerpt from Epictetus is instructive in this regard. “Would you be a victor in the Olympic games? So in good truth would I, for it is a glorious thing; but pray consider what must go before and what may follow, and so precede to the attempt. You must then live by rule, eat what will be disagreeable, refrain from delicacies; you must oblige yourself to constant exercise at the appointed hour, in heat and cold. You must abstain from wine and cold liquor; in a word, you must be as submissive to all the directions of your master as to those of a physician."
• For us, however, the reward will be a crown which is "imperishable," and does not fade with the passing of time. (1 Corinthians 9:25) It is also a crown which comes not from human judges, but from the King of kings and Lord of lords. No earthly crown or trophy can possibly come close to matching the value of this heavenly crown.
• He is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules: The point is clear. An athlete can't make up the rules as he pleases; he must compete according to the rules if he wants to receive the crown. Too many Christians think they are "competing" for God, but they make up their own rules, thinking they have a special arrangement with God. For some people, their special ar-rangement goes something like this: "I know this is sin, but God understands, so I'll just keep go-ing in this sin."
• So in the spiritual sphere, the crown will not be given for great activity, nor for the amount of ser-vice, but for faithfulness in service. The crown is given to the one who strives lawfully.
• In the ancient world these included requirements for training as well as rules for the competition itself.
(6) And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.
• Unlike the soldier and the athlete, there is nothing glamorous about the farmer's work. It is often tedious and boring and often unexciting.
• The emphasis of this verse is found in the word "hard-working" (kapiao). This particular word differs from the other Greek words for "work" in that is speaks of working until one is exhausted (Reinecker). The ministry of sowing and harvesting in God's fields will bring us to the point of exhaustion time and again. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, the laborers were called on to bear "the burden and the heat of the day." (Matthew 20:12) While the farmer is toiling, he sees little results from his efforts. But the day comes when his hard work is rewarded when he reaps the harvest. So it will be for all faithful laborers who have sown and harvested in God's fields. Some planted and some watered, but "The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work." (1 Corin-thians 3:5-8).
• William Barclay has summarized these illustrations well in his words: "One thing remains in all three pictures. The soldier is upheld by the thought of final victory. The athlete is upheld by the vision of the crown. The husbandman is upheld by the hope of the harvest. Each submits to the discipline and the toil for the sake of the glory which shall be. It is so with the Christian. The Christian struggle is not without a goal; it is always going somewhere. The Christian can be certain that after the effort of the Christian life, there comes the joy of heaven; and the greater the struggle, the greater the JOY.
• The faithful servant waits to hear the "Well done" of the One he seeks to please, to receive the crown after striving lawfully, and to partake of the fruits after having labored.
• Paul has just laid out three illustrations of the Christian life - a soldier, and athlete, and a farmer. Each of these three occupations must have great perseverance if they will succeed.
o The solider who stops fighting before the battle is finished will never see victory.
o The athlete who stops running before the race is over will never wear the gold medal.
o The farmer who stops working before the harvest is complete will never see the fruit of his crops.
(7) Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
• "Think about" means to "perceive clearly in your mind, understand fully, carefully consider these things, ponder and think on these things." And then, apply them to your own life!
(8) Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.
• Here, in 2 Timothy, Paul is seeking to uplift a discouraged young Pastor. And in 2:8-13 he does this by bringing to his attention 4 important things that will help any discouraged Christian not to get side-tracked as he finds himself under fire at the Frontlines of the Greatest Spiritual Battle this fallen World will ever know. These 4 important things to remember are:

1. REMEMBER THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
2. REMEMBER THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD,
3. REMEMBER OUR PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING HERE, and
4. REMEMBER HOW GOD RICHLY REWARDS TRUE FAITHFULNESS.
• Hebrews 12:2: We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…
(9) And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.
• Go ahead; burn it, ban it, mock it, distort it, ignore it - but the word of God will still stand forever. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8). Yet, if there is any sense in which the word is bound, it is bound when it is abandoned by its very friends! When pulpits sound more like self-help books than proclaimers of God's word; when Scripture is used sparingly like a spice in a message, instead of being the core of it, pastors them-selves are making the word bound! Remember that Yale, Princeton and many other of our nation’s colleges and universities were at one time seminaries teaching God’s Word – but no longer. John Wesley would be pretty upset if he saw and heard what is now preached in the Methodist churches that he founded.
• Since in Rome, Paul was considered the chief exponent of the Word of God, Satan and man no doubt supposed that in confining him, they would also confine the truth he proclaimed; but it went forth even from his prison; prisoners were converted by it, and even soldiers; and it spread abroad in every direction, and just as effectively as if it had been favorably used.
(10) So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
• Verses 11-13 contain a further installment in Paul’s declaration of the gospel for which he is in chains. Jesus is the Christ (2:8), the promised Messiah, Who was crushed for our sins (see Isaiah 52:13—53:12). He is the One Who was raised from the dead (2:8), which assures us of our resur-rection and rewards (2:11-13). It was Christ that Paul preached, and it was for this preaching that he suffered imprisonment. He did so for those who were chosen for salvation, knowing that they will obtain salvation and eternal glory (2:9-10). The words of verses 11-13 are perhaps the words of a hymn, and they speak of this glory.
(11) This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.
(12) If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

• Does this mean that a Christian can lose his or her salvation? Too many verses tell us that this cannot be the case. What, then, is this verse saying? All believers have died with Christ, and they have also been raised to new life in Him (Romans 6:1-11). Thus, those who have died with Christ have the assurance that they will also live with Him. This assumes the perseverance of the saints, which is reinforced by verse 12a: “If we endure, we will also reign with him.” Christians are those who have died and risen from the dead in Christ, and because they are Christians they will endure. Even in times of suffering this gives us the assurance that we will also reign with Him when He returns to establish His kingdom. The second half of the hymn turns to a word of warning for all those who are not true believers. If someone denies Him, our Lord will deny them (Luke 12:8-9). The term “denies,” found in Luke 12:9, employs the same verb that Paul uses in 2 Timothy 2:12b. The one who “denies” Christ is the one who does not believe.
• The second thing to consider is the literary structure of the quote. It is quite common in Hebrew literature to see things arranged around a chiasm. It is possibly the case in this passage. And thus we have the following:
a. For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.
b. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him;
b1. If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
a1. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.
• Line “a” deals with the issue of eternal life. It is clear that if one has died with Christ, eternal life is his. This first statement is in the aorist which taken in context with the next two tenses, which are present and future, must point to a past event in Paul’s and Timothy’s lives. The death must therefore refer to their positional death with Christ.
o Line “b” deals with their present situation. This is in the present tense which points to their present circumstances. They were enduring suffer-ing. If they continued to endure, they would reign with Christ. Reigning is different than living eternally and refers to receipt of rewards and a superior quality of eternal life. This concept can be supported by pas-sages like 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Peter 1:11; 2 Corinthians. 5:9-10; Romans 14:10. This then is the motivation: eternal rewards, not eternal life.
o Line “b1” uses the future tense and thus looks to a future possibility in which Paul and Timothy might, in their human weakness, deny Christ. If that were to happen, Christ would certainly deny them something. Here is where the debate centers. But because line “b1” is paired with and contrasted to line “b” in the chiasm, the thing denied must be re-wards and the superior quality of life.
• Line “a1” returns to the topic of eternal life and to the assurance that this eter-nal life is theirs. Thus Paul says that Christ will remain faithful even though we do not endure.

• It must be noted that lines “b” and “b1” deal with the same issue and lines “a” and “a1” deal with a different issue. To include “b1” and “a1” as being more closely related than “b” and “b1” is to misunderstand Paul’s logic and the logic of the Hebrew mind.
• Furthermore, it is characteristic of the chiasm that the center holds the main idea, and so it is in this periscope which is concerning rewards. Thus, under-standing the use of the chiastic structure, and taking into consideration the con-text of giving Timothy further motivation for endurance, helps the reader un-derstand that Paul is explaining that eternal rewards can be earned. And con-sequently our eternal position is secure, it is the eternal rewards which are at stake.
(13) If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.
• The term which is rendered “unfaithful” in 2:13 is found 8 times in the New Testament. The term is used to describe the disciples “unbelief” with reference to Jesus’ resurrection (Mark 16:11; Luke 24:11, 41). In the other texts, excluding 2 Timothy 2:13, the term is used to depict the unbe-lief of the lost. The meaning in all cases is unbelief (whether in Christ as Savior, or in Christ’s resurrection); the term is never used of unfaithfulness, or of a lapse in faith (as we see, for exam-ple, in our Lord’s disciples). The last half of verse 12 and verse 13 refer to the same people – un-believers.
• Paul’s words in verse 13 are clearly conveyed in another Pauline passage: Romans 3:3-4: True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” In the con-text in Romans, Paul has just shown that the Jews failed to live up to the law that they professed to esteem and uphold (Romans 2:17-29). The question he raises is this: “If the Jews have refused to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, does this mean that God’s promises are null and void?” “Does Israel’s lack of faith undermine and nullify the faithfulness of God?” Paul’s answer is very clear. “No!” Israel’s unbelief does not, in any way, undermine God’s covenant promises, or His faith-fulness to these promises. God will show Himself true, even if all men prove to be liars (which they are). This is precisely the point Paul is making in 2 Timothy 2:13. Men who deny the Sav-ior will be denied by the Savior; they won’t get into heaven. Put differently, even though men don’t believe in Him, God will still remain faithful to Himself, and to His promises (and these promises include the threat of eternal torment, as well as His promises of blessing).
• The essence of this hymn is to stress the outcome of one’s faith or unbelief. Those who are saved and who endure in their faith (as Paul has exhorted Timothy to do) are assured of eternal life and a place of honor and authority in His kingdom (2:11-12a). Unbelievers who deny the Savior are assured of rejection; they will have no part in the kingdom (2:12b-13). These two destinies take place after the resurrection of the dead, the very thing the false teachers seek to deny in one way or another (see 1 Corinthians 15:12; 2 Timothy 2:18).
(14) Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
• In verses 14-19 of chapter 2, Paul contrasts the sound doctrine Timothy is to proclaim with the false teaching of the deceivers.
(15) Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive *his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who *correctly explains the word of truth.
• *his approval: Never compromise receiving His approval by seeking the approval of others. If everyone disapproves of me and He is the only one who does approve, what more do I need? Timothy was possibly trying to win the approval of all he led and taught and may have been dis-couraged because some rejected him.
• **correctly explains: "Handling accurately" (lit. cutting straight) is a figure that paints a picture of a workman who is careful and accurate in his work. The Greek word (orthotomounta) elsewhere describes a tentmaker who makes straight rather than wavy cuts in his material. It pictures a builder who lays bricks in straight rows and a farmer who plows a straight furrow. The way a minister of the gospel presents the Word of God was of primary importance to Paul, and it should be to us. The Greek word ergaten (workman) stresses the laborious nature of the task rather than the skill needed to perform it.
(16) Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.
• Profane talk leads to ungodly walk.
(17) This kind of talk spreads like *cancer, as in the case of **Hymenaeus and Philetus.
• *cancer: The word here for "cancer" (gangraina) is the word that our English word "gangrene" comes from. The metaphor here is very striking. Gangrene is a disease which "breeds death" and its only remedy is amputation.
• **Hymenaeus and Philetus: 1 Timothy 1:20: Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God. These are examples of those who do not correctly explain the Word.
(18) They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.
• They did not deny the resurrection, but they put a corrupt interpretation upon that true doctrine, saying that the resurrection was past already, that what Christ spoke concerning the resurrection was to be understood mystically and by way of allegory, that it must be meant of a spiritual resurrection only. If there be no resurrection of the dead, nor future state, no recompence of our services and sufferings in another world, we are of men the most miserable, 1 Corinthians 15:19.
• In Corinth the denial of the resurrection by some was a matter of grave concern to the apostle (1 Corinthians 15:12, 33, 34). But, 2 Timothy is written much later, with most of the New Testament having been written and Christianity established as the pure truth of God. Consequently, such denial is even more serious now, for it is a turning from the truth once delivered; and the believer must decidedly separate from this type of error. Though the names Hymenaeus and Philetus have lovely meanings ("a wedding song") and ("beloved") the men themselves possibly attractive, pleasant characters, yet their error must be absolutely refused. If the resurrection is past, then there is no more suffering for Christ and with Christ, no more tes-timony of the faith in an adverse world, no more warfare against the forces of evil. This false doctrine was designed to settle souls down at ease in the world: the faith of some was overthrown: they were robbed of their proper direct relationship with the Living God.
(19) But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
• It may be a great comfort to us that the unbelief of men cannot make the promise of God of no ef-fect.
• Numbers 16:5: Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The Lord will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence.
• Isaiah 52:11: Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord.
(20) In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.
(21) If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
• Paul is saying that the true believer must be characterized by purity in life, while the unbeliever will be evident by impurity. To give a biblical example, Pharaoh was a “common” vessel. Moses, on the other hand, was a clean vessel (clean, not perfect). God used Pharaoh to glorify Himself through his unbelief and rebellion, while He used Moses to glorify Himself through obedience. Moses was a vessel to honor; Pharaoh a vessel to dishonor.
• In verses 22-26, Paul further clarifies what he means by being a vessel of honor. It means the avoidance of youthful passions and the pursuit of godliness (2:22). It means maintaining a pure heart and living in peace with others. This is in stark contrast with the false teachers who love to argue. The honorable vessel avoids senseless controversies because he knows where they lead – to fights (2:23). Instead, the Lord’s servant is to be characterized by a peaceable spirit, even when engaging those who hold and promote false doctrine:
(22) Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
• Timothy is urged here to flee those lusts which have an especially strong pull during the earlier years of life -- "youthful" (neoterikas). Timothy was probably around 36-37 years of age, and a man was still considered "youthful" until age 40 (Irenaeus). Some of these lusts described by Paul elsewhere would include FORNICATION 1 Corinthians 6:18; IDOLATRY 1 Corinthians 10:14; and LOVE OF MONEY I Timothy 6:11.

• Here, the Lord is telling us to "flee" what the sinful nature loves with a passion to do. The Greek term for "run" or “flee” here is "phuego" from which we get the word "fugitive". And "fugitive" is what the Christian is when it comes to his relationship with his old sinful nature: he's running away from it. It's not a once and for all "break", from the flesh. It's a constant running so he won't become its prisoner again. Paul is actually saying here, "Continually discipline yourself to run away from "the evil desires of youth." "The evil desires of youth" include much more than sensual desires. They refer to the basic sinful desires that seem to be at their prime during young adult-hood: Pride, Selfishness, Greed, immorality, adultery, criticism, jealousy, envy, complaining, discontentment and everything else that is common to natural man yet contrary to God's will. God says, "Run from it as if you were running away from a life-threatening plague!"
• Running away from some thing bad is not enough. When you flee from wrong, you must run "toward" what is good. And here God gives 5 good things you should pursue, which boil down to a godly lifestyle.
(23) Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.
• Those who advanced the arguments considered themselves wise and learned; but Paul calls them foolish and ignorant. The mischief of these is that they gender strifes, that they breed debates and quarrels among Christians and ministers.
(24) A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
(25) Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.
(26) Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
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NOTE:
Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.
Sources and References are on-line at:
http://2timothy-study.blogspot.com/2011/03/2-timothy-references.html