The Dynamic Church
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A dynamic church shines brightly in a dark world. 2 Timothy chapter 3 shows us the kind of world we live in and the way we should behave in it. We read in verse 1, “But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days”. The last days began with the coming of Jesus and his death and resurrection. We read in Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 and 2, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many time and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”.
In 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 2 to 9 we read a list of various types of sins. They were apparent in Paul’s day. The sins listed here are to be found in every generation. Arguably, it can be said that they will be particularly apparent leading up to the return of Christ. In verse 2 we read, “People will be lovers of themselves”. This is top of the list. This is because all other sins arise out of this one. People sin because they want to and choose to. Their attitude is I’ll do what I want. Central to their thinking is love of themselves. The opposite of self love is to love God. Those who do love God avoid the sins listed here because they want to please him. The list shows the typical features of a world without any concern for God. Verse 2 goes on to say that people will be, “lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy”. All of this means that people without Christ will pursue material things; they will have a self-centred arrogant proud attitude. They will argue that they’ve got what they have, and are where they are, solely because of their own ability. There will be a breakdown in family relationships, especially between parents and children. Society will be marked by the absence of thankfulness toward those who have been helpful. There will be total disregard for God and the things of God. People will be hedonistic.
Verse three continues the list. We read that people will be, “without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good”. The picture here is that love will be lost. The original Greek word for love in this verse is the word for family love. Close family ties will become second to self interest. Husband and wife will pass as ships in the night and latchkey children will fend for themselves. The word “unforgiving” means here “continual hate”.
People are so full of hate that they refuse to be reconciled. This lies behind all family turmoil, national unrest, international wars and strife where one will not give way to another. People will slander others and tell all manner of lies about them. Many will go through life controlled by drugs, sex, and drink rather than exercise self control. Brutality will be common. It won’t be safe to walk the streets even in daylight. People will love the bad things and hate the good.
Verses 4 and 5 conclude this list. We read that many will be, “treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power”. This list tells us that people will be unprincipled. They’ll be carried along without thinking about the consequences of their selfish actions. They will live with a sense of self importance. Their main concern will be their own personal pleasure. Some will be religious. They’ll have a form of godliness. We can find people who can get along with religion because they appreciate religious tradition that’s been a part of their background. They appreciate church music. They like the traditional Easter and Christmas services. They admire religious art and architecture. But they have no powerful conversion experience, and oppose any idea of living under the authority of the Bible and Jesus Christ. Are you just religious? Do you have a real and powerful experience of being changed by the power of the gospel?
The Christian lifestyle is altogether different to that of the world. Paul lists those things that should characterise the believer. He presents himself as the example of this. We read in verses 10 and 11, “You however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and sufferings”. These are the qualities produced through Christian conversion. The gospel does people good. It changes them and society for the better. How different the world would be if people displayed those characteristics! Timothy had seen the same characteristics in his mother and grandmother. We read in chapter 1 verse 5, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, now live in you also”. How does this godly lifestyle become a part of your life? We read in chapter 3 verses 14 to 17, “and from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”.
These verses show us the importance of the Bible in Christian experience. Most importantly, the Bible points to Jesus and shows you how you can be saved from your sin. It points the way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God. The Bible is inspired by God. It comes from him. He breathed it out using human writers to communicate the words to us. Scripture is authoritative because when scripture speaks God speaks. The Bible demands our attention, confidence and response. It’s a very practical book.
Paul lists four benefits that the scriptures bring. They bring teaching so that we can know God’s will for our lives, and how we can please him. They highlight sin in our lives and rebuke us for it. The scriptures point out the right way for us to live and they correct us. Our thinking is faulty because of the influence of sin and it needs straightening out. We need to have our minds renewed. What we think is what we become. We need the mind of Christ duplicated in our mind. The Bible provides training in righteousness. The ideals of God are revealed. We learn what God expects and how to do it. When we apply the scriptures to our lives we have all we need to live the kind of life that pleases God. The Bible obeyed will produce a different lifestyle from the world. It will enable us to be what Paul says in Philippians chapter 2 verses 15 and 16, “blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life”