2 Timothy 3:1-9

Recurrent Thought

The Cultural Environment we live in impacts our behavior consequently our destiny.

Life is lived in specific environments, which are also known as Cultural Climates. Cultural Climates are the prevailing attitudes, values, and shared behaviors within a society, organization, or community which determines how life is lived. These Cultural climates deeply impacts our behaviors by shaping our values, communication styles, and daily decisions. Consequently, these learned behaviors and choices compound over time, heavily influencing the path of our lives and our ultimate destiny.

Scriptures recognizes cultural climates; they are just called by different names. Patterns of this World are cultural climates that are recognized as being contrary to God. Romans 12: 2 reveals that we should not allow our lives be conformed to the Patterns of the World, which are in effect cultural climates consisting of prevailing values, attitudes, and behaviors of secular societies that oppose God. Jesus recognized that environments we live in affects what we become, that is why he prayed for His Disciples to be protected in the midst of contrary cultural climates (John 17:16). Ephesians 2:2 unmasks another cultural climate called “course of this world" (from the Greek word aion), which refers to the prevailing, fallen spirit of the age as one significant cultural pattern. It describes society's organized, godless system of values, ideologies, and behaviors that are entirely opposed to God's will and truth.

Background

• Paul is in prison and writes a farewell epistle
• It is an intimate pastoral Letter to his son in the faith
• He is fully aware of his impending death, and he writes on the transmission of the truth of God
• He by the power of the Spirit he Prophesizes and predicts the type of Cultural Climate that will impacts the last days.

2 Timothy 3:1-9 reveals a cultural climate of the last days. Notice that elsewhere Paul talks about a violent and persecution driven environment of the last days, this is totally different. It is largely a cultural climate. It is a climate of attitudes, values, ideologies, behaviors that mark the times. In this message we deal with Five Truths about the Cultural Climate that Apostle Paul wanted Timothy to know.

1. We should Know the Times of our Existence

2Ti 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

• By the Spirit of God, Apostle Paul informs Timothy that the last days, are times that are perilous, meaning that they difficult and grievous.
• The Difficult is not in relation to the economy, natural disasters or job scarcities but the attacks that will come upon the church! Difficult times are coming for the church. Men will arise and attack the church. He then proceeds to describe the type of men for this age.
• The times that Paul prophetically writes about are known as Last Days. What are these days? Ordinarily, many people think that this refers to the days just before the coming of Jesus. In one sense, this is correct; but it means more than that.
• The " last days" refers to the time between the first and second comings of Christ. "The last days" are the days of the Church Age.
• Peter quoting Joel showed that the “Last Days” are the days of the Church, the days of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He said that

 "This is what was spoken of through prophet Joel: And it shall be in the last days, ... that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:16-17).

"The last days" refer to the days when the Holy Spirit would do His work in the church. Hebrews 1:1-2 also shows that the “last days” are the days of the Son (Heb. 1:1-2a).

Heb 1:1  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 

Heb 1:2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world

• This Passage is not just for the future prophetically; it is for the present. It was also appropriate for Timothy 2000 Years ago. We must pay attention to what these times are; they are speaking about our times too.
• These times are perilous; grievous and wicked, Apostle Peter also warned that:     

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test

you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1Pe 4:12 

Difficult times are part of the reality of what we need to deal with as believers in Christ.

2. We should Discern the Character (People) of the Times (3:1-9)

3. We should Recognize the Methods of the Enemies (verses 6-7)

2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 

2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

• The enemies of the Church prey on the weak. Now, in the days of Paul, predominantly it was the women who were weak. They were vulnerable in more ways than today. So he gives an example of how the wicked enter into households.
• The devil targets areas where we show naivety (weakness) and propensity to different forms of lusts.
• Lust after self, money, sex, power, fame etc., is the weak points the devil manipulates
• The enemy also attacks people that are never satisfied with their search. The ones that are constantly search but never come to the knowledge of truth.
• The example we are given is that the sly teachers weaved their way in these women households. How do they do it today? They do through many modern ways: Internet, gambling, through networks of wealth creation, sects for power, etc. Be aware of communities that satisfy and glorifies self without the sacrifice of Christ, they are channels of enslavement.

4.  Reflect on the Their End (verse 8-9)

2Ti 3:8  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 

2Ti 3:9  But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was

• Paul uses the encounter Moses had with the Magician as an example of what shall happen to the enemies of the Church
• The Magicians names are never stated in Exodus, but Hebrew traditions had them and Paul at this junction mentions them as, "Jannes and Jambres."
• They contended with Moses but finally, failed (Exo. 7) and Moses was vindicated as sent by God.
• Similarly, Scripture shows with certainty that the False Prophets will be exposed and the ministry of the Church would be vindicated

5.  Recognize How to Navigate the Times (verse 5b)

2Ti 3:5  Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 

• There are two commands given in this section of Scripture. The first comes in verse 1, "but realize this." The second comes at the end of verse 5, "Avoid such men as these." You can summarize this entire section by two commands. 1. Know them. 2. Avoid them.
• The call is clear, to navigate the Cultural Climate of the Last Days one has to stay away from those that influence them negatively.
• You don’t need to know everything about them. You don't need to enter in their controversy. You don't need to correct them. You have no responsibility toward this. They will be exposed eventually. Just avoid them. In the Last days, be wise and learn to avoid them.

"The prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." (Proverbs 22:3)

• In the last days, wisdom is not only in knowing the truth, it is knowing when to walk away. Avoidance is not fear; it is wisdom.

• Throughout Scripture, God's pattern is consistent: Recognize the Danger, Discern the Source, Separate from Its Influence and then Pursue Righteousness Instead.
• The principle of avoidance is well established throughout Scripture. It is not a call to isolation from the world (John 17:15), but to exercise discernment by avoiding people, teachings, and practices that corrupt faith and godliness.

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul's command is not merely to identify those who have "a form of godliness, but deny its power; it is to avoid them.

Ask yourself:

• What are you legitimately running away from?
• What are you righteously avoiding?
• From whom or what are you intentionally separating yourself for the sake of your faith?

Biblical wisdom is not only knowing what is right; it is also knowing what to avoid.

Altar Time

• Are you overtaken over by the Culture of the Last Days, Allow the Lord to give you strength to avoid them