2 Timothy 3

2 Timothy 3:1-5

He foretells Timothy what the last days would be, with the reasons thereof, ver. 1.—9. 2. Prescribes various remedies against them, ver. 10. to the end, particularly his own example, and the knowledge of the holy scriptures, which are able to make as wise unto salvation, and will be the best antidote against the corruptions of the times we live in.

1. THIS know also, that * in the last days perilous times shall come. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, * covetous, * boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3. Without natural affection, * truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4. Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasers more than lovers of God; 5. * Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such also turn away.

The apostle apprazes Timothy of the dangerous doys which approached, that he might not be surprised when the offences came. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, when sad corruptions, creeping into the church, shall make it difficult to preserve a pure conscience. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, wholly devoted to the pursuits of their worldly honour and interests; covetous, infuriate after filthy lucre; proud, and vain-glorious boasters; blasphemers of God and man; disobedient to parents; unthankful to their benefactors; unholy to heart and convertion; without natural affection, which appears even in bruises; truce-breakers, perfidious to the most solemn engagements; false accusers, like devils incontinent, blackening, with every oppressive calumny, their opponents; incontinent, indulging every bestial appetite; fierce and furious in their tempers; despisers of those that are good, and treating men, for their betters, with contempt; traitors, false to their truths, betraying their warmth friends; heady, driving furiously in their wildest courses, impatient of controul; high-minded, puffed up with a vain conceit of their own superiority; lovers of pleasers more than lovers of God; and what is the aggravation of all their other obominations, making great pretensions to piety, having a form

of godliness, and afflicting rigid attachment to the extremity of worship, but denying the power of it, real enemies to vital religion: from such turn away, and thus them as the plague.

These corruptions began in the Gondleks, which in the apostle’s days appeared, and the perilous times advanced to their heights, when the Roman Pontiffs, after a train of dishevelal practices, raised their blasphemous hierarchy, and reinterested their abominations. And to the papal apollsy are all which characters strikingly applicable.

6. For * of this sort are they which creep into battles, and lead captive filly women laden with sins, lest away with divers lusts, 7. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8. * Now as James and Jambore withstood Moses, to do their also resist the truth: * men of corrupt minds, * reprobates concerning the faith. 9. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, * as theirs also was.

2 Timothy 3:6-9

The apostle proceeds,

1. To point out the artful and pernicious practices of the for ducers. For of this sort are they which creep into battles, with every wheedling art, and lead captive filly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, impeding upon them with flattering, pernicious, and gaining them to their party, ever learning of these vast teachers, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, but bewildered in the endless maxes of error. Now as James and Jambore withstood Moses, setting up their pretended miracles in opposition to his divine commission, so do these also resist the truth of the gospel: men of the like corrupt minds as their Egyptian forcerers, reprobate concerning the faith, rejected and abhorred of God.

2. He foretells that all their efforts should be impotent. But they shall proceed no further than the magicians did, nor be able to deceive the elect; for an effectual check shall be given to them, and their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also tear, and all their lying miracles shall be deceded. Note, Error may, for a time, prevail, but truth shall finally be triumphant.

3. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, 11. Perfections, afflictions which came unto me * at Antioch, * at Iconium, * at Lyrica: what perfections I endured: but * out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12. Yes, and * all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perfection. 13. * But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Or had been a diligent fellow. Phil. ii. 14. § Acts xii. 10. ¶ Acts xii. 11. 1st. vii. 12. 1st. vii. 13. 1st. vii. 14. 1st. vii. 15. 1st. vii.

2 Timothy 3:10-13

Nothing could better serve to guard Timothy against these seducers than the striking contrast between their conduct and that of the blinded Paul.

1. He reminds him of what he had seen. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, and the uniform tenor of my preaching; my exemplary manner of life, steady purpose to advance God’s glory and the good of men’s souls, unthaken faith, fervent charity, unwarranted patience, amidst the many and grievous pernicious, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lyrica: what perfections I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. With such an example Timothy should be animated to fidelity, and might surely expect the same supports and deliverances.

2. He informs him that suffering must be every Christian’s lot. Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perfection, of one kind or other, from mockery to martyrdom. There is indeed a godliness in turn that the world speaks well of; but to be godly in Christ Jesus, in Spirit and temper conformed to him, will ever render us abhorred of a world that loth in wickedness.

3. He predicts the fatal end of these deceivers. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, hurried on from one eacute of wickedness to another, deceiving and being deceived, till, having filled up the measure of their iniquities, they perish with the arch-deceiver in everlasting burnings.

4. But * continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and had been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them: 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, * which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16. * All scripture it gives by inspiration of God, * and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17. * That the man of God may be perfect, * thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

As he would be exposed to great temptations, the apostle exhorts him to cleave to the scriptures, as the only infallible guide to truth.

But

But continue then in the things which then had learned, and had been offered of, the pure and unadulterated doctrines of the gospel, which, on the most satisfying evidence then had believed, knowing of whom then had learned them, even from me, divinely commissioned from the great Redeemer: and that from a child then had known the holy scriptures, early initiated in their sacred records, which are able to make the holy unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus, who is the sum and substance of the whole, and to whom both the law and the prophets bear witness. All scriptures is given by inspiration of God, both the Old and New Testament have the same divine originals; and is probably for doctrine, none demanding our credence and substantiation, but what can be clearly proved from thence; for reproof of errors, heretics, and all manner of evil; for revulsion of whatever is found amish in the church; for instruction in righteousness, how righteousness before God can be obtained, through faith in a Redeemer, and how we can be enabled to walk as to please God: that the man of God, the true believer, may be perfect, thoroughly instructed in all the mind of God, and furnished unto all good works, whether as a Christian for those of his Nation, or as a minister for the arduous service in which he is engaged. Now, (1.) Parents should become endeavour to lead their children to the Bible. (2.) All the volumes of human learning can never teach us so much true wisdom as one page, one line of the book of God; after all these labours we must have been left to perish, ignorance; but in the oracles of truth, life and immortality are brought to light, and the poorest and most unlettered faint of God is wider, in the things which make for his everlasting peace, than the deepest metaphysician, or the most profound philosopher. (3.) All scripture is of divine authority, therefore on God’s testimony to be received with faith. Our wisdom, where ought mysterious is revealed, is not to reason, but to believe. (4.) The book of God is the Christian’s great magazine; he can be in no state and condition, but he will there find direction, instruction, reproof or comfort, exactly suited to his circumstances.