2 Timothy 2 and 3

Nice to see you. I missed my last turn because I wasn't feeling well. I was all ready to come and had my study all done and I just couldn't make it. So I thank Randy Steiver for flying solo the last time for me. And I appreciated that very much. So Peter Eddington and I will be doing the Bible study this evening for you. And before I start, we'll ask God's blessing, of course. I wanted to recognize both Aaron Booth and also Tom Discher, who make it their aim to be here to webcast this to all of you. And so they give up their Wednesday nights all the time to be here for you. So I just want to thank them for the effort they've gone through. The whole idea of doing the webcast thing came from Tom Discher when I was trying to establish Bible studies here in the area. And he said, well, if you're going to do it here, why don't you just webcast it to the people who can't make it? Because we usually have about 30 to 35 who turn out on Wednesday evenings. And he said, why don't we just webcast it to the others who may not be able to make it? So I said, okay, that's a good idea. And then he said, well, why don't we webcast it to anybody who wants to get it? So I do know that there are people tuning in from all over. I've had people from Colorado, from the Pacific, other areas California, who tell me that they tune in. We've even had people in Germany, Philippines, and some of those areas tune in as well. So we certainly welcome you to the Bible study this evening. We hope our study in 2 Timothy chapters 2 and 3 will be profitable and inspiring to you. So we'll ask God's blessing if you bow your heads. Heavenly Father, our wonderful God, thank you, Father. First of all, that we can have Your Word, thank you. We can have it so organized in chapters and verses. We know that it always wasn't that way, and that the Apostles, when they used the Old Testament scriptures, would just say a book, and people would have to find out where it was in that book because there were no chapters and verses back then. So we thank You. Thank You that we can have so many different translations, so many commentaries, so much information that we can have about the Bible. But most of all, thank You for Your Word, Father. Thank You for breathing upon every word of it.

Thank You for inspiring holy men, men that You chose to write it, and thank You that we can have it to study, to learn, and to be edified with. So we ask Your blessing upon Peter and me as we cover the Scriptures in 2 Timothy. We may give inspiration, and the inspiration will not just be ours, but coming from You. We thank You for Your Word. We ask Your blessing upon the study now, and all those who hear, in Jesus' name, amen.

OK, 2 Timothy 2. I learned a Bible study in Big Sandy, Texas, on Timothy, just by himself, just about the person, Timothy. And what I said, I can understand just a little bit about how Timothy is, because when I worked with Hal Baird, who's a deceased minister now, in St. Louis, Missouri, I was 20 years old. I sent out to be a ministerial trainee. Between my junior and senior years, I turned 21 after I was there for about five or six months. But Mr. Baird was the minister there, and I worked with him. And it was like a son with a father, almost, because he was certainly old enough to be my dad.

And it was a real great learning experience to be with him, to spend time with him, to ride shotgun with him, to drive for him, to give sermonettes with him, to see him on counseling, and to see how he treated people. It was really a great opportunity for me to learn. And I was thankful for it, ever thankful for the way he treated me, because I was able to, hopefully, carry on some of those same characteristics in my ministry that I learned from him. So I have a little bit of an understanding of Timothy. But think about it. If you were Timothy, would you like the whole world knowing what some of your faults were? Or what you chided on? And for the whole world to read, not just once, not just some letter that somebody discovered and then put aside, but has been preserved in the book that's sold most of all in most people's homes, they can open up and see what Paul, the Apostle Paul, wrote to Timothy and urged him to do. And so you have to read from it and say, wow, look at all this information. And certainly we all have to apply it to ourselves. But when it was originally written, it was a letter to Timothy. A letter to Timothy encouraging him and exhorting him and helping him to stay out of the, keeping out of the difficulties and how to ride through them when they came. So 2 Timothy, chapter 2, we begin and we'll see in this section he gives exhortations in verses 1-13 to remain faithful. He gives rules of conduct of how he should conduct himself. And what he should do, and a lot of that last part of it is talking about how do you treat the Bible and how do you treat the words of the Bible? Do you argue? Do you use the Bible to argue? Do you use the Bible to argue? You're an ambassador college, but one thing we never even wanted to use the word was, we're having a debate. Didn't want debates. Didn't want people arguing and wrangling over things. Now there's nothing wrong with questioning and there's nothing wrong with a good discussion. But a debate, a debate just to have a debate where one side takes one side, one takes the other, and sometimes you're just arguing. I don't know about you, but sometimes it gets me when I see these many television shows now seem to really love and revel in debates. And these people, some of them just don't make any sense at all, but they take one side and they're just hanging on to that side and they're saying, throwing out all kinds of things. And I say, that doesn't make any sense, but just to give a debate and have a debate. So we'll see that in that last part. We're also going to see him compare us as Christians and certainly Timothy to a soldier, to an athlete, and to a farmer. And he tells them they have to all play according to the rules. But he talks about how to be good in those areas. So we're going to see some pretty good instruction here in 2 Timothy, chapter 2. So let's begin, 2 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 1. I'll read from the New King James, but I have my old King James with me because it's more well marked than my New King James, which I'm breaking in.

So he said, stay in that grace, and he said, that is in Christ Jesus. So he wants us to remain firm and faithful in Christ. And it's important that we stay in Christ, Christ's body, stay in Christ in contact with God and His ways in following what Jesus Christ would have us do as our example, as the head of the church, and as our Savior and leader. Verse 2, the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses... You've heard this. There have been people there. People around, perhaps, when he told him. There have been people around. You heard... There were people... Remember all those individuals who were standing around when I gave you this instruction? Commit these... The things that you've heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. This was one of the foundational scriptures that were used... that was used, rather, when ABC was beginning. That this was the scripture that reasoned why we wanted to have an ABC, why we wanted to have an Ambassador Bible Center, to pass on to those who will come, those who are interested of the young people and of those of all ages who come, that they may learn the way of God that we learned among many witnesses. So he says, commit those same things to faithful men. So once again, he talks about how important it is to be faithful. Chapter 3 and verse 14, if you just skip over the page, Chapter 3 and verse 14, in the next chapter, which Mr. Eddington will cover, he says, But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. Now please understand that apostles always had great credibility. Prophets? Not such a great credibility. Elders? They were solid local men. But apostles, ones who had seen Christ, ones who had been taught by Christ, they had enormous credibility. So he said, you know what? No, we're teaching you these things. We're telling you these things, because you'll see later on, some people were being dissuaded, some were saying there was only a physical resurrection, the resurrection's already passed. So they were teaching things that undermined people's faith, and he's saying, listen to me, I'm giving you this instruction. Also, I wanted to give you a verse for verse 1, which I passed over. Philippians 4.13 is a good verse to connect with verse 1, because the apostle Paul was able to say, I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.

So Philippians 4.13 is a good one. He talks about, stay in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. You can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength and help. But he tells us in verse 2, commit these things to others. Pass that on, that they may pass on that information.

They may teach others also. Teaching others by word, yes, sermonettes or sermons, teach others by their example. Any time you have a comment, Mr. Eddington, please just dive right in.

Verse 3. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. When I taught generally pistols at Ambassador College, I wanted students to do analogies, metaphors, to give me a sense of what they were doing.

It's that they could understand that God uses a lot of metaphors and similes, he uses a lot of analogies, he uses a lot of examples for Christians.

I think one person came up with a hundred different references, like, you know, the flock or sheep, you are my sheep, and babes in Christ.

And there's a lot more than just you being a conceived fetus or embryo in the womb of your mother. That's where you are on the road to eternal life, to be sure.

But he uses a lot of them in reference to Christians, and here's one he uses of being a soldier, being a good soldier.

And of course, Jesus Christ is called what? The captain of our salvation.

So he says, you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

I wasn't in the military, but I was in ROTC, Reserve Officers Training Corps.

And we had the drill every day. We had to learn how to take guns apart.

We didn't go through basic training, but had I finished that school before I went to Ambassador, I would have come out as a second lieutenant.

I went on through basic training, been shipped over to Vietnam, probably. I would have died.

Because most second lieutenants aren't very well trained in the field.

But they are a leader of a group. They are an officer.

And I would have probably been killed by that time.

But anyway, the point being, a soldier has to go through a lot of rigors to learn what he's supposed to do.

And it's hard. But he tells him that you must endure hardship.

We too must endure. Chapter 4 and verse 5, he says, over there, be watchful in all things. Endure afflictions.

Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry.

Don't give up through difficulties and through trials. Endure. Hang in there. In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus Christ urged all of us in this Olivet prophecy.

Matthew 24 and verse 13, he said, But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.

Sometimes all you have to do is hold on and write it out.

Sometimes the storms are so difficult you just have to hold on. Other cases you can hold on and move forward while you're holding on.

But in other cases you just hold on. He's telling you endure. That we need to endure hardship. Whatever difficulties come our way. We don't give up and throw in the towel every time somebody lands a good punch.

We can't throw in the towel. We've got to hang in there.

And that's what he's saying in verse 3. Verse 4, he says, No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life.

It's pretty austere being in the military. They're away from their families.

Have you seen people coming back and sometimes they bring them back for special occasions and the overwhelming love that is shown because they missed them so much.

But they have to endure hardness. He said, No one's engaged in warfare and tangles himself with the affairs of this life. That he may please him who's enlisted him as a soldier. If you're going to follow the captain, you've got to do what pleases him. Not what pleases you. Not what pleases your family.

And sometimes there is giving up. And sometimes there is where we have to sacrifice. And of course, most religions, they're sacrifice.

Sometimes it's animals and sometimes it's vegetables and fruit and various other things. And other times it's ourselves.

Giving up of our lives. Giving up of what we have to do. Giving up of what we want. So he said he's enlisted you as a good soldier. 2 Peter 2, verse 20. 2 Peter 2, verse 20.

We read this, For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He said, Don't get entangled again. They are again entangled therein.

And overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

So we don't want to be entangled in the worldly affairs. We don't want to let ourselves drag back. He's telling Timothy, Don't let yourself be dragged back into the way you used to be. Because remember, Paul's in prison at this time.

Paul's saying, I'm here in chains. Don't let yourself be dragged back. God enlisted you as a good soldier.

He says, Hang in there. Don't at all let yourself be dragged back into what you used to be.

Verse 5, he goes to sports now.

And also, if anyone competes in athletics, he's not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

I'm dribbling down the floor with my basketball and there's a guy coming in on me, and so I just grab the ball, run into the stands, and run back onto the court again and start dribbling.

Is that okay? It's not okay. I didn't do it according to the rules.

I'd either be good enough to maneuver around him, or get stopped and pass it to someone else.

I can't make my own rules up. He's saying once again, If we're going to make it, we've got to go according to the rules. We've got to go according to the rules of Christianity. And we know those to be the Ten Commandments, which I love and have taught for many years, like 27 at Ambassador College. We have to do according to the rules.

We can't go outside those rules. We can't say, I'm going to make up my own. Oh, that doesn't work for me. We've got to play according to the rules. If you're a Christian, you've got to play according to the rules. Those rules are outlined in the Scriptures, magnifying the Ten Commandments in all forms.

So he says, you've got to play according to the rules, verse 5. And of course, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9, he compared, in this case, the sport of boxing or the sport of running a track in 1 Corinthians 9, verse 24, as a reference scripture. He says, Don't you know, same apostles writing, Don't you know that they which run in a race run all? But only one receives the prize, so run that you may obtain. Every man that strives for the mastery, that wants to be really good, is temperate in all things. He doesn't drink alcohol. I know on my basketball team, you're caught drinking alcohol or smoking. When I was in high school, if they caught you drinking alcohol or smoking, you're automatically off the team.

And we had two guys that were smart aleks, and they got kicked off the team. They were found out, and they were kicked off the team. You've got to be temperate in all things. Now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown. I mean, how many hours a day do people practice? Practice, practice for sports.

And what's left?

Nobody will remember that I made 11 points in a game against Cecil.

Nobody will remember that, except me.

Nobody will remember how many games we won. Nobody will remember the pass I made. Nobody will remember when I got slammed to the floor, going up for a rebound. Nobody will remember that. And yet, people spend hours upon hours upon hours, and I'm off for sports. I love sports.

Stack up sports against the kingdom of God. Stack up any prize you get against the prize of eternal life.

What do you get? Not anywhere close to it. So the Apostle Paul said, every man who strives must be temperate. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run not as uncertainly, so I fight not as one that beats the air. You know, when they win the Super Bowl, they get a big ring. All kinds of diamonds on it, or the NBA championship, big ring, or the baseball, the champion, world series champion, big rings. And what do some of them do? Put them up for sale when they're running out of money.

That's how great they consider that honor. You will never have to put eternal life up for sale. You will never have to put your crown up for sale. So Paul said in verse 27, But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I've got to pay attention to the rules. He said, I've got to keep working, keep doing what's right. So he gives the example of an athlete, verse 5. Verse 6, he gives the example of a farmer. The hard-working farmer must be the first to partake of the crops. Some say he must first take care of the crops, and then he can partake of it. There's another translation of it. He could, the old King James puts it this way, verse 6. The husband and that labors must be the first partaker of the fruit. He must be the first one to get it. Well, it also talks, other translations say he must first work the field, and then he can partake. It doesn't necessarily mean I've got to be the first one to have a bite of this, because I planted it. It's not necessarily in the sense. But he is saying, if you work hard, you're going to reap. 2 Corinthians 9-6, remember that scripture where you read it often at the feast days.

Whatever you sow, that's what you're going to reap. And James 5, verse 7, you've got to be patient. You've got to be patient, like the husband, like the farmer, and wait for that crop to come through. So he uses the farmer here. He has to work hard, a hard-working farmer. He must be the first to partake of the crops. So he gets to partake of it, because he's sown the seed.

He's been the one who's taken care of the field. So he is able to have that, much like if you're doing your job now, you're working and doing diligence with what God has called you to do, then you're going to reap the benefits and the blessings. And you're going to reap eternal life, because God will give it to you. Not because you earn it. Verse 7, verses 7-14, he begins various instructions. He says, consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. And how valuable is understanding? And what does understanding mean? We have understanding when we look at things from all angles. We get the facts. That's good. But we know how those facts fit together. So he said to him, the Lord give you understanding in all things. Consider what I say. Listen to what I'm telling you, Timothy. And may the Lord give you understanding. Hear the words and connect the dots. Have understanding, is what he's saying. Verse 8, remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. The gospel message that was preached by the Apostle Paul included Jesus Christ. Go to Acts 28 and verse 31. Acts 28 verse 31. See the Apostle Paul.

Yes, Acts 28 and verse 31. What was he doing? Verse 30 says, He dwelled two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came to him. Verse 31. Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. With all confidence, no man forbidding him. Jesus Christ is the way into the kingdom of God.

He said, nobody gets there except by me. He's the way. He's the truth. He's the life. That's Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So he says again, Remember that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead according to my gospel, and Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead was so huge that that was spoken of so much in the book of Acts, which we just went through in our last Bible study.

We began this whole series of Bible studies with the book of Acts. So verse 8, he talks about his gospel. It wasn't his, it was God's gospel, but he took ownership of it as well. You might want to note 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 to 4, where he talks about the gospel being about Jesus Christ, his death, his resurrection, after three days and three nights in the grave.

1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 to 4. Verse 9, he says, For which, because of this gospel, because of preaching Jesus Christ, for which I suffer trouble, as an evil doer. People say, I'm a bad guy, because I'm preaching Jesus Christ. He's preaching Jesus Christ in the Roman world and in the Jewish world, and neither one liked him. So he said, because I preach this, I've suffered trouble as an evil doer. They call me evil, even to the point of chains. One of the commentaries says he was in fetters.

Here's this man, this older man now, the Apostle Paul. All the miles that he traveled, the weathered face that he probably had, bent, crooked back from having worked on tent making. And now he's in prison, and not only in prison, but he's in fetters, he's in chains. He still has an upbeat attitude about getting the job done. So he tells Timothy, he said, here I am, I'm suffering, even to the point of chains. He said, but the Word of Christ is not chained.

They can keep me in prison, but they can't keep God's Word in prison. They can lock me up, but they can't lock up the truth, because there are other good men who are out there preaching the truth, too.

And I'll do my best, Paul says, to write to people, to encourage people to do just that. And of course, the first imprisonment that he had was war house arrest. This time, it's not just house arrest. This time, he's really put in prison. That's what many of the commentaries bring out. There's quite a bit of difference between 2 Timothy and 1 Timothy. In 2 Timothy, he knows his death is coming. In verse 10, he says, therefore I endure all things.

I'll take anything that comes my way, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, because of God's people, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. I'll take anything for the sake of God's people. I'll take anything to see the job done. That's what he was saying. That was the zeal, enthusiasm that he had.

In Colossians 3 and verse 4, we can see that the life that we have that will come from Jesus Christ, our future, and Paul realized that. Colossians 3 verse 4, he says, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you shall also appear with him in glory.

Philippians 3, 21, our bodies will be changed like his glorious body. So there's a glory that's going to come to us. We're going to be glorified with God. My job is to help you obtain that salvation, which I'm looking forward to as well. Verse 11, this is a faithful saying, if we died with him, we shall also live with him. And of course, several scriptures bear that out in other places. Galatians 2, 20, the Apostle Paul said, I'm crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless, I live. Yet it's not me that Christ lives in me. And the life I now live, I don't live. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. He said, the person you see now is not just me. It's Christ, didn't he? Christ overshadows my life. Christ leads my life. And it's Christ that I want to follow. Galatians 2, 20. Also, Romans 6, he talks about if we die with him in baptism, we shall also live with him.

Romans 6, verses 3, 4, and 8. He talks about if you be dead with Christ, you shall also live with him. That's giving up your way now that you may have eternal life in the future. Verse 12, if we endure, we shall also reign with him again. Sorry, yeah, if we endure. Of course, that's endurance, that aspect of endurance. We shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us.

Don't ever deny Jesus Christ. Don't ever deny God the Father. If you do, he will deny us. Matthew 10, verses 32 and 33. Matthew 10, verses 32 and 33. Is it good connecting scripture or applicable scripture? Matthew 10, 33, he says, Whosoever there shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father, which is in heaven. There's a big rage now over Tim Tebow.

I mean, some commentators were saying that. I know he got slammed his last time. Before that, they said, we can't understand how this is happening. It's almost magical. Now, here's a man who's not ashamed of his belief. Here's a man who's not ashamed of his Savior. He's not ashamed to bow down and acknowledge his Savior.

Now, again, when I be bowing down in the middle of a football field, I probably bow down before I go out to the football field. But I'm not knocking him one way or the other. I'm just saying, here's a man who's not ashamed. He's a man who's not ashamed of his understanding of the Savior. How about you? Are you bold? Are you bold in Christ? There was a day when we all hid. They want to tell people, I'm a minister.

I'll tell them I'm in adult education. Well, that's nice. I am in adult education, but I'm also a minister. Well, we sit in this barber chair. If I'm telling them I'm a minister, they won't talk to me anymore. They'll just sit there. So I kind of dodged it. We went out to visit somebody. I'm a representative of Ambassador College, or I'm a representative of whatever. Come right out with it. I'm a minister of Jesus Christ. I'm not ashamed of that. I'm not ashamed of that.

I don't tell people. They ask me, do you keep Christmas? No, I don't keep Christmas. I don't keep Christmas. Now, do I put them down for it? No. It's not my business. What do I have to do to judge those that are in the world? I have nothing. So we can't go around being iconoclasts, knocking everybody down. But I think whosoever confesses him, he said, I'll confess him.

Verse 33, but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, which is in heaven. So again, and of course the apostles were told they should go out and not preach about the name of Jesus Christ anymore in the book of Acts, chapter 5. And they said, well, you judge. You judge whether we're going to do that or not. And they ceased not to preach Jesus Christ.

They would not be bullied into not preaching God's Word. They stood up firmly and solidly. I think it's Acts 5, verses 41 and 42. Okay, verse 13, he says, if we are faithless, if we are faithless, he remains faithful.

He's faithful to us. If you're faithless, he'll be good to you too. If we are faithless, he will be faithful. He remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. The fact that we don't believe in him or somebody doesn't believe in him doesn't mean he didn't exist. The fact that people want to poke fun at Christianity doesn't mean real Christianity didn't exist. So he's saying, it doesn't matter. I'm true. I'm here. Verse 14, remind them of these things. So now he tells Timothy as we begin to talk about conduct or rules of conduct, remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to strive about words to no profit to the ruin of the hearers.

That's where you call a timeout. That's where you call a truce when it starts to get into a war of words. Sometimes you say, you know what? It's obvious you believe that. It's obvious that here's what I believe the Scriptures say. It's obvious that's what you believe. I'm not going to argue over the Scriptures anymore. I'm going to call a truce to this. We're not going to get into wrangling.

And especially striving about words is no profit. What is the general meaning? And this is where God does expect us to search things out. He goes on to say, he said, striving about words, why? To the ruin of the hearers.

Because all you're doing is just focusing on this word or focusing on that word. To the ruin of the hearers. You don't want to do that. Verse 15, he says, be diligent to present yourself approved to God. Old King James says, study to show yourself approved to God. A worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So you can wrongly divide the word of truth. You can take one section out of it and not connect it with others. We know that the Bible must be worked together.

You must put it together and deal with the questions that way. Deuteronomy 17, 19. Deuteronomy 17, verse 19. We read, and this is what a king had to do. It shall be with him, and he shall read therein the book. He shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord as God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes and do them. So again, God's word must remain faithful, must be there. We must read it, we must study it, we must use it, we must compare it.

Isaiah 28, 13 is a famous scripture. Here a little and there a little. Not all the material or all the knowledge on one topic is found in one chapter, the same chapter. Usually it's amplified. Even the chapter 1 Corinthians 13, which we always say is the love chapter, is amplified by 1 John 5, 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. So other scriptures can amplify that. Not all topic, maybe you could say clean and unclean meats you can find in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. But wouldn't it be nice if everything was found, Leviticus 23, the Holy Days? Wouldn't it be nice if every topic just have, you didn't have to search it.

But God says you have to be a worker, rightly, correctly dividing the word of truth. So it's important for us to study God's word, to show ourselves approved. Verses 16 to 18, but shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And there, so again, he talks about don't go down that path. Shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer.

When there's error out there, it's easier to believe errors sometimes than it is to believe the truth. People shun the truth and dabble in error. He said it will spread like cancer, it will consume them. He said, Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort. These are the ones who did these things, these are the ones who didn't believe it. Notice verse 18, who have strayed concerning the truth, talks about the truth, staying in the truth, saying that the resurrection is already passed, and they overthrow the faith of some, because they say there's no more resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15, 19. What's the consequence of that?

If all you hope for is a resurrection in this life, you will be miserable. God says you've got to look to that resurrection in the future to eternal life, which the Apostle Paul said with all his being, that's what he wanted, if I can lie. Only means if I can attain to the resurrection.

And we know from 1 Corinthians 15 that that is a resurrection to immortality.

Verse 19. I'm going to try to give Mr. Hennington as much time as he needs to.

Verse 19. He says, So once again, what's he saying here? God knows his people, and his people know him. And how do they know him? Do you think of a scripture?

1 John 2, verses 3 and 4.

How do you know God? You know God because you walk in his ways. You know God because you walk down the paths that God gives for us to walk in. If he'd hold your hand and take you, he'd take you right down the path of God's law, God's way. If you want to serve him, you've got to walk in the paths of righteousness. What is righteousness? All your commandments of righteousness. Psalm 119, verse 172. We've got to walk in God's ways. John 10, the example of the shepherd, he said he knows his sheep. He calls them all by name. He knows who they are, and they know him. They know his voice. They recognize the message of Jesus Christ. They hear it. They understand it.

They respond to it. And he knows those who are his. That's what he says. He knows those who are his. Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Don't just say it. Luke 646. Why do you call me Lord, Lord? And do not the things that I say.

Luke 646. Don't just call me Lord. Show me I'm Lord. Do what I tell you. Follow me. Obey me. Verse 20. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wooden clay, and some for honor, and some for dishonor. So here he compares vessels. He said we should look to be golden silver vessels.

Not vessels that aren't very good. Have you ever had pots and pans and things that say, this pot, I don't really care if it gets stained or whatever. But you have other ones that are really good for cooking. You want to take care of those better. There are some that are not so useful. There are other ones that are really good. You may have plates that way. You may have mugs that way. I don't care if this mug gets shipped. This is my good drinking mug.

I have certain ones that I like. I have a lot of them. I have certain ones that I like. My fingers fit into them. The lip of it just feels good. You like cotton. I could choose from several different ones. Some people have given them to me, who travels and so on. There are certain ones that I just like. God says He wants you to be that vessel that He likes. That vessel of gold, that vessel of silver, not one of dishonor. He said, verse 21, therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, if you cleanse yourself from being a vessel of dishonor, He said if you cleanse yourself from the latter, He will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work, ready to do the work because you understand your value and you want to be that golden vessel that God can use.

So become golden to Him. Verse 22, he says, if anyone cleanses, verse 22, he says, flee also youthful lusts and follow and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace. Some of those are the very fruits of the Holy Spirit, righteousness, the general category for God's law, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But he says flee youthful lusts. Some things you stand and fight against. Satan the devil, you stand and fight against him.

But other things you flee from. 1 Corinthians 6, 18, he says flee fornication. We know the example of Joseph in Genesis chapter 39, verses 11 to 13, when that Pawnafar's wife tried to seduce him, he caught the picture and he said, my Master gives me everything but not you. He puts everything in my hands but not you. When she tried to make a play for him, he ran out of there and because he had a hold of his garment, he grabbed it and pulled it and he ran out naked.

Pled. Joseph fled. He didn't say, well let me stay around here and maybe I can figure out something. My perspective, no, he ran. Flee fornication. Flee youthful lusts. There are certain things you turn away from. And he says, do it out of a pure heart. Verse 23, but avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, going back to what he said before, knowing that they gender strife, or generate strife. And the servant of the Lord, talking about a minister but talking about God's people too, must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.

So you go back to 1 Timothy 3, you'll find some more characteristics and attributes that need to be present in the servant of the Lord. He's talking to Timothy first of all, but to all of us too. And in verse 25 he says, in humility, or meekness, Old King James, correcting those who are in opposition. Old King James says, who oppose themselves. They don't really know what they're doing.

They're opposing themselves. If God perhaps will grant them repentance. Maybe God, you know, correct them, maybe God will help them see what they're doing so that they may know the truth. And it's interesting, Romans 2.4 says it's God who leads you to repentance. God could bring you to repentance. And he wants people to quit opposing themselves because when you're going wrong, you're actually opposing yourself if you know better. And in verse 26, And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

We used to be a booklet I called The World in Captivity, or The World Held Captive. Satan the devil has tried to captivate the world, take them away from God. And he says you don't need to do that. And Romans 6.16 says, whoever you yield to, that's whose servant you are. If you yield to sin, you're Satan's servant. You yield to God, you're his servant. So again, we want to yield to God. We want to fight Satan the devil, James 4, verses 7 and 8.

Humble yourselves. Resist the devil. Don't let him come to you. Don't let him get advantage over you. Mr. Eddington? Thank you, Mr. Eddington. Good evening, everyone. Good to be here with you once again. Going through Timothy, the first Timothy and second Timothy, after the last Bible study when we're here, I thought, it's almost like an early ministerial policy manual. One of the earliest policy manuals the church ever had, written by Paul the Apostle to one of the elders.

Here's how we do things. And he was explaining third tithes. He was explaining how to take care of the widows, how to ordain people, how to find proper people that can be church leaders, rules for how to correct people, ideas or clarifications on doctrine. It's almost like an early policy manual for the ministry in those days.

That's how I looked at it back then after the last Bible study. And so what we're seeing here is we're getting a view into the working of the early church. And it's fascinating to see the discussion and the letters coming back and forth between the various ministers and people.

As we get into chapter 3 now of 2 Timothy, there are two main themes here. First of all, wickedness of the last days, wickedness in the end times, and then the enemies of truth, or the enemies of true doctrine. Two main sections here in chapter 3. If we look at verse 1, we read but know this that in the last days perilous times will come. Last days, as we know from a number of other passages, can refer to the end of the age of our human rule, not too long before Jesus Christ returns to restore order, to save us from annihilating ourselves. That can be the last days or the end time.

But as we'll see in verse 5, Paul is also referring to a current church problem of the day. And so there was an immediacy to it as well. And so we could say it would apply to us too, and there's a warning for us as well. But there is certainly an end time application too. A couple of parallel scriptures to make a note of in your margin. 2 Peter 3.3.

Knowing this first that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts. And so one reason they're going to be perilous times is because people are not obeying God, and they're walking according to how they want to walk according to their own lusts. That's one of the reasons there'll be perilous times. Jude verse 18. How they told you that there will be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

So once again, why will it be perilous times? It's because of sin. Because the people are acting in an ungodly way. Perilous, here in verse 1, literally means difficult times. In which it is difficult to even know what is to be done. Difficult to even know what to do. It is so out of control that you don't even really know how to fix it.

Difficult times. Grievous times is another translation. And you're not even sure what to do to fix things. And it's because of ungodliness. At the end it says, perilous times will come. The Greek, here for shall come, means shall be imminent. Shall come unexpectedly. So perilous times will come unexpectedly upon people. And you notice some other passages where we're told to watch, to be alert, to be following God, so that we're not caught unawares.

Because these perilous times will come unexpectedly on many people. Moving on to verse 2, For men will be lovers of themselves. And now we start to see some of the reasons for the perilous times. Some of the sins. Men will be lovers of selves. Lovers of money. Boasters. Proud. Blasphemers. Disobedient to parents. Unthankful. And unholy. And these men that Paul is telling Timothy about are those who are living immorally, as we see here.

But these are men who also say that they know God. But they're obviously not obeying Him, so they don't really. But these are men who say they know God, who profess to know God, as we'll see here in a few verses of time. And it may have been issues, even in the church. There's a similar explanation to verse 2, although it goes a little bit further. It's also written by Paul in Romans chapter 1, verses 28-32. I'll read it to you, Romans 1, verses 28-32. Listen to how similar this is to what he wrote to Timothy. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, their whispers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

So there's a much longer list that he mentions in Romans chapter 1. But obviously issues of the day in the Roman world during the first century. Paul talks about there being boasters here in verse 2. Empty boasters. One translation says that they're even boasting about things that they don't even have. Boasting about things that they can't even really boast about, but they say they got it anyway.

Proud. Literally saying that they're better than other people. Showing themselves to be above other people. Blasphemous, which is rendered in some translation, evil speakers or revilers. Evil speakers or revilers. And then disobedient to parents. And so the character of the times, these perilous times, even shows the family relationships going astray. And children being disobedient to the parents. So this is even affecting the younger generations. Let's move on to verse 3 and continue with the list here. Unloving. And of course, once again, many of these were in Romans chapter 1 as well. Unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control. Brutal, despises of good. And without self-control means lacking self-restraint. And often from an immoral sense.

Slanderous, those who accuse falsely. False accuses as slanderous. Those who put stuff out on the internet that they know as a false accusation. They're slandering you. And despises of good. We are to be the opposite of despises of good. We are to be lovers of what is good. Titus chapter 1 verse 8 is a parallel verse. Titus 1 verse 8, but hospitable. A lover of what is good. That's what we are supposed to be.

Continuing the list in verse 4. Traitors. Headstrong. Haughty. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. So it's quite a list here. Paul's addressing some of these reasons for perilous times at the end. Headstrong is someone who will just do things out of his passion to do it. He will just precipitate in action without really caring what the consequences are because he wants to do it. He's headstrong. A haughty. Literally it means puffed up. Puffed up with pride. Someone who has their head in the clouds. But of course the clouds or the smoke up there is blinding them that they can't even really see what's going on or what they're doing.

They're haughty and puffed up. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Those who are lovers of pleasure are not able to truly sense the love of God. The one destroys the other. It is difficult to have a love and sense of God when you are a lover of pleasures. Turn to Luke 12-15 with me for a moment. Luke 12-15. Make a note of this one. This is the parable of the rich man and this is about covetousness. Those who are lovers of pleasure and personal belongings and things more than God.

I'll just read you a few verses. Luke 12-15. He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Here's the parable about a rich man. The rich man thought, verse 17, to himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

He said, This I'll do. I'll pull down my barns and build bigger barns, and then I'll put all my fruits in there. Verse 19, I'll say to my soul, You have much goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you. Then who shall those things be which you have provided?

So is he that lays out treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. So it's a matter of priorities. Is God first in your life, or is it the things that you have? And this is a lesson here in Luke chapter 12 on covetousness. And so we have to be lovers of God, more than lovers of pleasure. It has to be the other way around. God comes first. First Timothy 6, verse 6, which we covered a month or so ago, and first Timothy 6, verse 10.

So first Timothy 6, 6 and 6, 10, talks about godliness with contentment. Godliness with contentment. Godliness with contentment. Being happy with what you have. That's verse 6. And verse 10 is, don't covet after money. The first Timothy 6, 10 is, don't covet after money. Because money can be a root of evil. So be careful.

So verse 4 there is a little bit about covetousness there as far as pleasure goes, as far as background there. And then verse 5, having a form of godliness, but denying its power, and from such people turn away. A parallel verse would be Titus 1, verse 16. In Titus 1, verse 16 we read that they profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him.

So by the way they live their lives, they're proving that they don't really know God. A form of godliness. And a form is just an outward appearance, an outward semblance, but it doesn't go deep. When it says denying it, denying God, denying the power thereof, denying its power, the Greek gives the impression of having denied the power of God.

As if it's past tense, it's renounced. They've already denied God, rather than denying. Now, at the end of the verse he says, from such turn away. And this is implying that some of these characters that Paul is illustrating here, who are forerunners of the last days, forerunners of the end time issues that we'll face, were already in the church.

Because if they're not there, why would you have to turn away from them? He's saying, watch out for these people and turn away from them. Don't be a part of it. So not only is this a warning for the end times, but for the church today, and in Timothy's time as well. From such turn away. These would be forerunners, perhaps of a much worse time at the end. And then verse 6, For of this sort are those who creep into households, make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts.

He says, for of this sort, the Greek means of these. Of these, he's talking about the ones that were described earlier, like in verse 5. Of these, like the ones I described in verse 5, are those who creep into households. So when you're creeping, you're doing it stealthily. You don't want to get noticed or caught, do you? You're creeping in stealthily, and he talks about the gullible women, loaded down with sins. And, I guess the way we could put it is, there are women whose consciences are burdened with sin.

And so, they're ready prey to false teachers who promise an ease of conscience if they'll follow them. And you see what I'm getting at? These women become gullible. They know that they are not living right, and so it's easier to take advantage of them spiritually and lead them astray.

And a bad conscience leads easily to shipwreck of your faith. I'd like to note for you 2 Timothy 1, verse 19, which is just a chapter or two back. 2 Timothy 1, 19, having faith in a good conscience, which some have rejected concerning the faith, and have suffered shipwreck. If you don't have a good conscience, if you don't have a clear conscience before God, if you have not repented for your sins, then you have a chance of suffering a faith shipwreck. And so here were gullible women who were loaded down with sins, who had a bad conscience, that were easily taken advantage of.

And then verse 7, or maybe, I might just mention as far as various lusts, they're led away by various lusts in the verse 6. Could be immoral lusts, but it's also being led away by their passion for a change in doctrine and a change in teaching, following after false teachers. Verse 7, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Those who were ever learning, always looking for some new point. It's out of curiosity to know more.

Knowledge was big at that time, and even Gnosticism. They were ever learning to the disparagement of what they seemed to know before. Always looking for the perfect knowledge. The Greek for the knowledge here of the truth. The knowledge means looking for the perfect knowledge. They're looking for something that would be a safeguard against any further curiosity. They really wanted to have the perfect knowledge. But they were ever learning and couldn't contain it because of their immoral and sinful behavior.

Now, verse 8, Now as James, or Janice, and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth. Men of corrupt minds disapproved concerning the faith. So now Paul's coming down to a summary here in verse 8 of all of these sinful ways of life that are causing and will cause perilous times.

Just like Janice and Jambres resisted Moses, because they resisted the truth too. And they were men of corrupt minds. So when he says now as Janice and Jambres, it's almost like in the Greek, a but. He's saying, but it's no wonder there should be now such opponents to the truth, for their prototypes existed thousands of years ago too. It's always been like this, even back in Moses' time. Here's what Janice and Fawcett and Brown says, Bible commentary, Janice and Fawcett and Brown says about Janice and Jambres.

Who were these guys? Here's what they say. Traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses. And they give the reference Exodus 7. Exodus 7, verses 11, and verses 22. Traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses. And this is derived from the unwritten teaching of the Jews. In a point so immaterial as the names where Scripture had not recorded them, Paul takes the names which general opinion had assigned to the magicians.

So their tradition of the day, back in Timothy's time, was that Janice and Jambres were the magicians from Exodus 7. That was their tradition. And so Paul seems to be using that tradition here. It seems to be commonly understood. Continuing with Jambres and Fawcett and Brown, Paul takes the names which general's opinion had assigned to magicians. Eusebius, in his book, Preparation of the Gospel, quotes from Numenius, Janice and Jambres were sacred scribes, a lower order of priests in Egypt, skilled in magic.

Hiller interprets Janice from Absinian language as a trickster and Jambres as a juggler. So here's just a bit more background for you. A trickster and a juggler. A juggler. Yeah.

And a juggler. Anyway, what Paul is referring to here is, no doubt, the tricksters of the early time back in Moses' day. From Exodus. But, the command, though, is...or the point is that these are resisting the truth. These kind of people resist the truth. They don't really want the truth to be known. They're resisting it. And they're withstanding it. Just as before, in ancient times. Janice and Jambres did so by trying to rival Moses' miracles. They tried to be one up on what Moses and Aaron were doing, what God was doing. Also, this chapter here is about the last days as well.

And so, false teachers shall exhibit lying wonders in the last days. It'll be a problem in the end time as well. Matthew 24, verse 24. For false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders and receive, if possible, even the elect. So, of course, Matthew 24 is an end time prophecy. And false prophets will have great signs and wonders as well.

Miracles, trying to deceive people. Here in this verse, Paul says that these are men of corrupt minds. These are people who are now incapable of testing the truth, of passing the truth test. Their minds are now corrupted.

And their minds are rejecting the truth. You'll notice in Jeremiah 6, verse 30, that God may eventually reject or disapprove those who resist the truth like this. Because they are rejecting the truth, resisting the truth, and have corrupted minds, God may eventually reject them. Jeremiah 6, verse 30 says, people will call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.

Quite an indictment. So, you've got to be very, very careful when it comes to managing and handling God's truth. Verse 9, but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all as theirs also was. So, it will reach a limit, and God will not allow it to go any further. This kind of sin and deception and twisting of the truth. Those who have a form of God's limits, people think they're righteous, but they're not really.

There's a final limit beyond which they will not be able to progress any further. Job 38, verse 11. When I said, this far you may come, but no further, and here your proud waves must stop. That's in Job 38. It reaches a point where God says, enough is enough, you can't go any further. That's an interesting passage in Job 38. This far you may come, but no further. There's a limit. Now, they themselves will progress, you know, get worse and worse themselves, but they shall at last be prevented from affecting others.

Their fate may be sealed, but they'll reach a point where they won't be affecting other people any longer. 1 Timothy 5, back from an earlier study, in verses 24 and 25, talk about how our sins will be made manifest, our sins will be made known. And so, here in, that's in 1 Timothy 5, verses 24 and 25, but here in verse 9, their folly will be manifest to all, and their folly literally means their demantation or their dimension, their mindlessness. They think they're wise, but they're not really.

And will be made manifest means shall be brought forth from concealment into the light of day. People are going to eventually see what these ungodly people were all about, and it won't be allowed any longer. And it will become manifest to all. And then it ends with, as theirs also was. And as theirs also was, it's referring back to Janice and Jambres. Because the magicians tried to rival Moses and Aaron's miracles through God, but what happened was they ended up getting boils themselves, the magicians, and everybody suddenly saw who they were.

They tried to send boils, and the boils fell upon themselves. They tried to send lice out, and they got infested with lice themselves, and they were shown to be false magicians. So, just like Janice and Jambres, false prophets of the end time will progress no further, and everyone will know, just like everyone knew, that Janice and Jambres were false. Were not God's representatives. Verse 10, But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance. Paul is thanking Timothy or appreciating him for his faithfulness, and he says you've carefully followed, which means that he's fully followed up on what he was taught.

Timothy is fully followed up on what he was taught, and he was following Paul's pattern as Paul followed Christ. The doctrine here, of course, means teachings. Manner of life means the conduct or behavior that he exhibited. And then Paul says, my purpose. Paul says, followed my doctrine, manner of life, and my purpose. The Greek is elsewhere usually used of God's purpose, but this is not talking about God's purpose. This is talking about Paul's determination. His purpose of heart to follow Christ. And there's an example of this in Acts 11 verse 23, where Paul said, I have a determined purpose of heart to follow Christ.

And that's the same Greek word used here in 2 Timothy for Paul's purpose. His purpose of heart was to follow Christ. And he was long suffering through these persecutions, long suffering toward his adversaries, towards false teachers, towards brethren who were bearing in their infirmities, towards the unconverted. Paul just was very patient through all this. And now, as he writes this book, he is in prison knowing that his end of life is near. The verse there ends with perseverance, which can also be translated patience. And it is translated patience in some other verses, that same word.

It means endurance. A patient continuance in well-doing amidst adversities. Patience while you're suffering trial. Patience while you're suffering adversity. And he continues that I have suffered persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, which persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Afflictions means sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. In Antioch, you read about that in Acts 13, when he was in Antioch and was suffering. At the hand of the authorities in Antioch, that's in Acts 13. At Iconium is in Acts 14, the first part of Acts 14.

Lystra is in the second part of Acts 14. So he is reminding Timothy of some of the persecutions that he went through in these various places, that were very grievous persecutions, but out of all the Lord delivered me. And so this is an encouragement to Timothy not to fear persecutions, because we answer to a higher authority. While it can be very difficult, and it's not easy, we don't fear persecution. It's not something that we have an unhealthy fear for. Psalm 34 verse 17 is very encouraging. Psalm 34 verse 17. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

So ultimately know that we have the promise of eternal life, and God will deliver us out of all of our troubles. Because of time I won't read all this, but 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 4 through 10, tells a lot about what Paul went through. The persecutions, the afflictions, the suffering that he had at the hands of the authorities, and at the hands of the religious leaders of the day, quite frankly.

That's 2 Corinthians 6, verses 4 through 10. But he talks about the imprisonments, the sleepless nights, the fast things, and on and on he goes. In verse 12, yes, and all who desire to live Godly in Christ, Jesus will suffer persecution. So yes, it won't be easy if you're a true Christian. And so he's giving an additional consideration for Timothy. He says, yes, Timothy, and if you wish to live a Godly life in Christ, you must make up your mind to encounter persecution and be prepared for it. Because yes, all who desire to live this life will suffer persecution. And there's no Godliness outside of living like Christ. Philippians 1, 21, for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1, 21, for to me to live is Christ. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. So there are reasons why persecution must be expected. And it's becoming worse and worse as the end approaches, and it's because of evil people. The world is not a Godly place. And so it will get worse and worse. These are evil men, not Godly men. Impostors literally means conjurers. And magical arts did prevail at Ephesus, where Paul was for quite a while, to the point where some of the newly converted, in Acts 19, verse 19, had to bring all their sorcery books and burn them on the fire once they were converted.

And so these evil men and impostors can literally be conjurers and seducers and magicians. And so, no doubt, now there's a return of some of these conjuring tricks appearing that he's writing about. Remember that sorcery will be a problem in the end time as well. So this chapter is about end time events relating to current conditions in the church too, but Revelation 1823 talks about the false prophet using sorcery to deceive all the nations.

Revelation 18 verse 23. So these kind of evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse to the point in the end time they will deceive all nations. It's only the elect that will not be deceived if you stay close to God. And so it's going to get worse and worse. People being deceived and being deceived. And the more you deceive, the harder it is then to get out of it. Verse 14.

So not just when he says of whom, it's a plural term in the Greek. It's not singular. In the oldest manuscripts, some say from the teachers, plural, that you learned them from. So that was from Paul, it was from Lois, and it was from Eunice. And that from childhood, verse 15, you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

And Paul knew Timothy from a very young age. 2 Timothy 1, verse 5, talks about this. Acts 16, verses 1 and 2, Paul meets Timothy, finds out that Timothy has a Jewish mom and a Greek dad. And so Paul makes sure that Timothy gets circumcised. And Timothy was younger at that time. So he's known him from childhood. And the holy scriptures would have been at that time the scrolls that were in the synagogue, primarily the Old Testament that we have today.

Maybe there were some letters from the apostles that they had now too as the early New Testament started to be canonized, but those holy scriptures would have been what they had access to in the synagogues. From childhood literally means from an infant. You've known this from infancy, Timothy. And these scriptures, he says, are able to make you wise to the point of salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. These holy scriptures are powerful. And they provide the path and the direction and the plan for you to follow to attain salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

You can't do it yourself. Jesus Christ has to be whom you have faith in. You have to be called by the Father. But the holy scriptures are going to make you wise for salvation. What we have before us is very, very powerful. And as we read in verse 16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Notice it says all scripture is given. Didn't say it was given, but it is. Present tense. The Bible is inspired. Not that it was inspired, the Bible is inspired. Inspiration means God breathed. God breathed. The message of God is given by inspiration. The message is infallible. There may be a typo or an error or a period missing at the end of a sentence somewhere in some manuscript, but the message of the kingdom of God and salvation is not compromised.

The word of God is infallible. Jamison 4th and Brown puts it this way regarding the scriptures being given by inspiration of God. The Greek, God-inspired, is found nowhere else. So this is a unique use of the Greek language here. Most of the New Testament books were written when Paul wrote this, his last epistle, so he includes it in the clause, All scripture is God-inspired.

Paul means all scripture is God-inspired and therefore useful. Because we see no utility in any words or portion of it, it does not follow it is not God-inspired. Just because we don't understand something doesn't mean it's not God-inspired. And Jamison 4th and Brown continues, It is useful because God-inspired, not God-inspired because it's useful. One reason for the article not being before the Greek, scripture may be that if it had, it might be supposed that it limited the sense to the Haira Grammata, the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, whereas here the assertion is more general, all scripture.

So it's not just referring to the Old Testament that they may have had in the synagogues. By then, other letters were already circulating that were becoming canonized too. So, all scripture. Romans 14 verse 4, these things were written a four time for our learning. That's Romans 14.4. John 10.35, the scripture cannot be broken. That's John 10.35. The Word of God is infallible. The scripture cannot be broken. In 2 Peter 1, verses 20-21, holy men spoke as they were moved by the Spirit of God. In 2 Peter 1, verses 20-21, holy men spoke as they were moved by the Spirit of God.

When Paul says that it can be used for reproof here, it means it can be used for evidence, or for refutation, to convince people or ways of error. These words can be used as evidence of the truth. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. And of course, the man of God is Timothy, verses 10 and 14.

Timothy, you can be complete, you can be a man of God, but it's also referring to all of God's saints, all of his sons and daughters. You can be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. Being thoroughly equipped here, or thoroughly perfected, in the Greek, means thoroughly perfected or become perfect. The man of God is perfectly furnished out of Scripture for his work. No further tradition is needed to be added. These are the words of life. You can be thoroughly equipped for your Christian life, as far as your understanding goes, by this book. Once you're converted and led by the Holy Spirit, of course. But you can be thoroughly equipped, for you do have to be equipped, and you do have to work.

You have to show, by the way you live, that you love God. I'll finish it there, in the chapter 3. What do you want to add? We both tried to make sure we finished the chapters, so we took you a little bit long. Were there any questions sent in at all from anybody? Do you have any questions? I wanted to add something. Romans 15.4 was the Scripture, I think Mr.

Eddington gave you 14.4. Oh, did I? Sorry. So you may be looking for a wrong verse on that particular one. I wanted to share two things with you before we conclude tonight. First of all, we had a number of people writing in, some highlighted things. I'll read just a few comments. Here's one sent in on today, in fact, and I wanted to thank you for the booklets and for your Beyond Today TV program. It is fantastic. Mr. McNeilly is sitting here in the audience, and one of the presenters, and Mr.

Eddington is here, is the producer. I wanted to thank you for the booklets and for your Beyond Today TV program. It is fantastic. Since I am handicapped and don't get out much, I love to watch it on my computer, at home, and again, profound thanks, sincerely. There's another person that said, thank God for the Good News magazine. My family members think my wife and I are weird not putting up a tree and gift giving. We have not done this since we found the true meaning of these pagan beliefs years ago.

I've tried talking to them, but in vain I go on and do what I know is right in God's eyes. Here's another one the opposite way. I still see God and His love, work, and compassion, especially during these days. It doesn't seem to limit Him, whether we are celebrating on right or wrong days. There are many scriptures that can be argued the other way, too, depending on how you interpret them. My son has chosen to go with your message, and it has caused a division in our blessed Christian family.

Help me understand what good this division is. For now, I don't see the fruit, only the judgment that we are in the wrong. One lady said to me, I know it's pagan, but if it's done in love, so love covers a multitude of sins. Love makes it easy for you to sin, I guess, or do wrong. But anyway, I thought there were a couple of interesting comments on there.

Here's another one. I am in the middle of studying the Ten Commandments, and I am so happy to have received this booklet. It has explained God's rules better than I have ever read before. Thank you so much. I am looking forward to receiving the other booklets I have ordered. I do not, nor do I have access to a printer, so I need to order the booklets.

I know they will be very well read over the next years. Thank you so much. And there was another one here that said I'd do all that I could. If I had the money, I'd give you an offering. It says, thank you for your hard work. On the website, putting it together and everything, please keep up the good work.

It talked about all the things that you've given to help them through spiritual nutrition. I find it here. And peace. But another person said I'd love to be able to give you something but right now I don't have the funds. I'm a widow or whatever to not be able to support it. And finally, to conclude, we have Winter Family Weekend coming up. These are the booklets that everybody will get when they register or when they come.

It gives a whole packet of things that are ongoing Friday night. We have a Bible study with Mr. Matt Fentchel kicking off at 7.30 for an hour Bible study. And then after that, there's a dessert social. And hymn singing and fellowshiping, if you choose afterwards. And then on Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock, there'll be five seminars.

Two for the teens, three for the adults. At 11 o'clock, there'll be five seminars, three for the teens, and two for the adults. And then followed by Sabbath services at 2.30 with four wonderful young people doing special music presentation and a sermon by Mr. Greg Thomas. So that's all coming up next week. And then follow that with a teen dance and a young adult dance and games and water park and arcade.

And on Sunday, we have seminars all day long, as well as sporting activities and games. On Monday, we have all types of, again, seminars that day. And then on Tuesday morning, they finish up. Everybody will be checking out who's staying there, that the water park is open. Both the day you check in and the day you check out, you're still welcome to use it all day long. What I always liked about the Sabbath morning seminars at the winter weekend was the fact that I got to choose from about five different speakers and decided who I wanted to go listen to.

That's right. There'll be five of them there, and you should have a good time with all of them. When you hit the brochure, you'll be able to look them up and see who's doing what, where, and when. It's got a map of the schedule and a map where the sporting activities are, and it tells you how to get there and it gives you a description of all the different presentations and who's doing the presenting. On Monday morning, we're doing a live recording of three Beyond Today programs for the live audience up there at the Great Wolf Lodge. At the symposium. That will be a really nice opportunity to see three programs done by the presenters and also to be able to interact.

The Council of Elders is having a meeting as well there to explain about the Council of Elders, how it goes, and the Q&A afterwards. So there'll be four of us there anyway to be able to answer questions and be able to interact with any of God's people who are there. That's on Sunday afternoon. Monday afternoon, I do some presentations. Okay, and Mr. Admires will do two of them on ABC on Sunday. Thank you for being there with us. We went a few minutes over time. We'll say goodnight, thank you for tuning in, thank you for being here tonight. Goodnight and God see you next time.