2 Timothy Lesson #18

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
2TIMOTHY 3:1-17
LESSON #18
PRESERVING DOCTRINE AND AVOIDING APOSTASY

MEMORY VERSE: 2TIM 3:12

• READ 2TIM 3:1-5 A WARNING CONCERNING APOSTASY IN THE LAST DAYS:
• REMEMBER THAT THE DEFINITION OF APOSTASY IS A DELIBERATE FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH. THE PERSON KNOWS THE TRUTH BUT DECIDES TO TURN AWAY FROM IT.
• THERE HAVE BEEN APOSTATE PEOPLE ALL THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. HOWEVER, PAUL SEEMS TO REFER TO A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME.
• TO WHAT TIME PERIOD DOES THE PHRASE “LAST DAYS” REFER?
• HE REFERS TO THE PERIOD OF TIME JUST BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH. THESE ARE THE LAST DAYS OF THE CHURCH AGE. PAUL SAYS THESE ARE “PERILOUS TIMES” = DANGEROUS TIMES. HOWEVER, THIS APOSTASY WILL ALSO CONTINUE INTO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• THE 19 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE APOSTASY IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE CHURCH AGE:
• ALL OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS WILL BE PRESENT ON EARTH AT THE SAME TIME. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS PERIOD DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE REST OF CHURCH HISTORY.
• MANY CHRISTIANS AT VARIOUS POINTS IN CHURCH HISTORY (AND SOME STILL DO TODAY) BELIEVED THAT THE CHURCH WOULD EVENTUALLY CONVERT THE WORLD TO CHRIST. BY DOING SO THE CHURCH WOULD BRING IN THE MILLENNIUM (THE 1,000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH). THAT TOTAL CONVERSION WOULD CAUSE CHRIST TO RETURN TO EARTH.
• OBVIOUSLY, THIS PASSAGE IN SCRIPTURE IS TEACHING A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE LAST DAYS OF THE CHURCH AGE. KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE CHURCH AS WELL AS SOCIETY IN GENERAL IN THE LAST DAYS. OF COURSE YOU EXPECT THESE CHARACTERISTICS IN A WORLDLY SOCIETY, BUT YOU DO NOT EXPECT THEM IN THE CHURCH.
• LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES (2)
• THIS REFERS TO PEOPLE WHO DEMAND PRAISE FOR THEMSELVES. LEADERS WHO ARE IN THE POSITION OF LEADERSHIP FOR THEIR OWN GLORY FIT THIS CATEGORY.
• COVETOUS (2)
• THIS REFERS TO LEADERS WHO ARE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY LOVE MONEY. TODAY WE SEE MORE AND MORE WEALTHY TV MINISTRIES.

• BOASTERS (2)
• THIS REFERS TO LEADERS WHO HAVE A SUPERIOR ATTITUDE.
• PROUD (2)
• THIS SUPERIOR ATTITUDE RESULTS BECAUSE OF PRIDE IN THEIR OWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
• BLASPHEMERS (2)
• THIS SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THOSE LEADERS WHO CAUSE DISCONTENT BY PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERYONE’S BUSINESS.
• DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS (2)
• THIS REFERS TO CHILDREN WHO REBEL AGAINST THEIR CHRISTIAN PARENTS AND REFUSE TO ATTEND CHURCH.
• UNTHANKFUL (2)
• THE ART OF GIVING THANKS TO PEOPLE WHO DO A KINDNESS FOR YOU IS LOST IN OUR GENERATION. CHRISTIANS ARE TO NOT ONLY GIVE THANKS TO GOD, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO GIVE THANKS TO PEOPLE.
• UNHOLY (2)
• THIS REFERS TO LEADERS AND CHRISTIANS WHOSE CONVERSATION AND STYLE OF LIFE IS WORLDLY HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD AND THINGS OF GOD.
• WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION (3)
• THIS REFERS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABNORMAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS. HOMOSEXUALITY WITHIN CHURCHES IS BEING TOLERATED MORE AND MORE TODAY.
• TRUCEBREAKERS (3)
• THIS REFERS TO LEADERS AND CHRISTIANS WHOSE WORD MEANS NOTHING. THEY BREAK THEIR PROMISES AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. AS A RESULT, YOU CAN’T TRUST THEM.
• THE DIVORCE RATE AMONG CHRISTIANS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THAT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
• FALSE ACCUSERS (3)
• THIS REFERS TO CHRISTIANS WHO GOSSIP ABOUT LEADERS AND OTHER CHRISTIANS.
• INCONTINENT (3)
• THIS REFERS TO CHRISTIANS AND LEADERS WHO ARE WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL.
• FIERCE (3)
• THE WORD FIERCE MEANS = “SAVAGE”. THIS REFERS TO VIOLENCE AMONG CHRISTIANS.
• DESPISERS OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD (3)
• THIS REFERS TO LEADERS AND CHRISTIANS WHO TURN WHAT IS GOOD INTO SOMETHING EVIL AND PROMOTE THE EVIL.
• FOR EXAMPLE: PEOPLE REFERE TO TRUE CHRISTIANS WHO OPPOSE ABORTION AS ANTI-CHOICE.
• TRAITORS (4)
• THESE CHRISTIAN LEADERS BETRAY THE TRUE GOSPEL TO PREACH A DIFFERENT GOSPEL.
• HEADY (4)
• THIS WORD MEANS = “RECKLESS”. THESE ARE CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO MISUSE THEIR POWER AND AUTHORITY.
• HIGH MINDED (4)
• THIS REFERS TO THOSE LEADERS WHO ARE DRUNK WITH POWER AND PRIDE.
• LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN OF GOD (4)
• THIS REFERS TO CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHOSE PRIORITIES IN LIFE EXHIBIT MORE EMPHASIS ON PLEASURABLE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SPORTS, BOATS, CARS, AIRPLANES, VACATIONS, ETC. THAN ON THE THINGS OF GOD.
• HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING THE POWER (5)
• THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN AND PARTICIPATE IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, BUT THEY ARE NOT SAVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

• READ 2TIM 3:6-9 PAUL’S EXPLANATION AND COUNSEL FOR APOSTASY
• PAUL SAYS TO TRUE CHRISTIANS AT THE END OF VERSE 5 TO TURN AWAY FROM THESE APOSTATE THINGS AND THESE APOSTATE PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE THEM.
• PAUL COUNSELS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN TO LEAVE A CHURCH WHERE THIS KIND OF APOSTASY HAS OVERTAKEN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH. THE REASON PAUL SAYS THIS IS BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER LEARN THE TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD IN THIS KIND OF CHURCH. (7)
• “SILLY WOMEN” (6) REFERS NOT SPECIFICALLY TO WOMEN BUT TO THE CHARACTERISTIC OF A LACK OF SERIOUSNESS REGARDING YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. THERE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO ATTEND RETREATS, CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, ETC. BUT WHOSE LIVES ARE NEVER CHANGED BY WHAT THEY LEARN.
• THE CHURCH THAT BEGINS TO TOLERATE THESE 19CHARACTERISTICS ESPECIALLY AMONG THE LEADERSHIP, WILL EVENTUALLY FALL INTO COMPLETE APOSTASY. (6-7)

• PRINCIPLE #44

CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHOULD CAREFULLY GUARD THEMSELVES AND THE CHURCH AGAINST THE 19 CHARACTERISTICS OF APOSTASY

• PAUL’S SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF APOSTASY (8-9)
• WHO WERE JANNES AND JAMBRES (MEANS HE WHO SEDUCES)?
• THEY WERE 2 MAGICIANS DURING THE TIME OF MOSES’ CONFRONTATION WITH THE PHARAOH OF EGYPT. (EXODUS 7-8)
• THE BOOK OF EXODUS DOES NOT TELL US THEIR NAMES BUT GOD REVEALED THEIR NAMES TO PAUL.
• READ EXO 7:2-5. 8-12
• WHY DOES PAUL MENTION THIS ACCOUNT IN EXODUS IN REFERENCE TO APOSTASY?
• YOU WILL NOTICE IN EXODUS THAT THESE TWO MAGICIANS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE GOD’S MIRACLE. THAT TELLS US THAT SATAN DECEPTIVELY DUPLICATES THE THINGS THAT GOD DOES. SATAN HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POWER TO DO MIRACLES. HOWEVER, THESE MEN LOST IN THE END.
• THIS IS, THEREFORE, PART OF THE WARNING AGAINST APOSTASY. PEOPLE MAY LOOK LIKE CHRISTIANS, AND ACT LIKE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE TRUE CHRISTIANS. THEY MAY ONLY BE SATAN’S DECEPTIONS.
• “MEN OF CORRUPT MINDS, REPROBATE CONCERNING THE FAITH” (8)
• THIS PHRASE MEANS THEY HAVE FORSAKEN THE TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD. THIS IS OUR DEFINITION OF APOSTASY.

• READ 2TIM 3:10-13 PAUL’S REMEDY FOR APOSTASY
• PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY THAT AS HIS LEADER, TIMOTHY KNOWS PAUL IS A TRUE BELIEVER.

• PRINCIPLE #45

WE CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH, SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND OUR LEADERS

• WHAT IS IT ABOUT OUR LEADERS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW?
• WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE
• WE SHOULD KNOW HOW THEY CAME TO KNOW CHRIST PERSONALLY.
• WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEIR LIFESTYLE IS LIKE.
• WE SHOULD KNOW HOW GOD IS WORKING IN THEIR LIVES.
• WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT IS THEIR FUTURE VISION FOR THEIR MINISTRY

• PRINCIPLE #46

A CHURCH SHOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THE CONGREGATION GETS TO KNOW THE LEADERS

• IF WE KNOW THESE THINGS:
• IT HELPS PREVENT BEING LED ASTRAY (13)
• IT PROMOTES A UNIFORMITY OF DOCTRINE WITHIN THE CHURCH
• IT PROMOTES A UNIFYING SPIRIT OF COOPERATION WITHIN THE CONGREGATION

• READ 2TIM 3:14-17
• THEREFORE, PAUL’S REMEDY FOR APOSTASY IS:
• KNOW YOUR LEADERS (10-14)
• KNOW THE TRUE, INSPIRED WORD OF GOD (14-17)
• THE WORD OF GOD (FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION) IS GOOD FOR:
• CORRECT DOCTRINE
• REPROOF
• SCRIPTURE CONVICTS YOU OF SIN
• CORRECTION
• SCRIPTURE TELLS YOU HOW TO CORRECT THE SPECIFIC SIN FOR WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS CONVICTED YOU.
• INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
• SCRIPTURE TEACHES YOU THE CORRECT WAY TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US WHAT IS RIGHT, WHAT IS NOT RIGHT, HOW TO GET IT RIGHT, AND HOW TO STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH.
• AS YOU COOPERATE WITH THIS PATTERN THAT THE WORD OF GOD ACCOMPLISHES IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL SEE GOD WORK IN YOU AND YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY.
• SUMMARY:
• THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD WORSHIP GOD, LOVE PEOPLE, AND USE THINGS.
• IF AN APOSTATE LEADER WORSHIPS HIMSELF, HE WILL IGNORE GOD. HE WILL BEGIN TO LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
• WE ARE LIVING IN THESE “PERILOUS TIMES” TODAY WHERE IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT PERSECUTION OCCURS GRADUALLY OVER TIME IN THE FOLLOWING PATTERN:
• GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY IDENTIFY A GROUP TO PERSECUTE.
• SOCIETY MOVES TO ISOLATE THIS TARGET GROUP AND SET IT ON THE MARGINAL LIMITS OF SOCIETY.
• THE GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY BEGIN TO MOCK THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP.
• THE GOVERNMENT PASSES LAWS AGAINST THE BELIEFS AND ACTIVITIES OF THIS GROUP.
• THE GOVERNMENT INCREASINGLY SUPPORTS AND ENFORCES THESE LAWS.

HOMEWORK

2TIMOTHY 4:1-22

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION FOR 2TIM 3:
• IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN LEADER, ARE ANY OF THE 19 CHARACTERISTICS OF APOSTASY PRESENT IN YOUR LIFE TODAY? IF SO WHICH ONES?

• REPENT OF THEM AND MAKE A DETERMINATION BEFORE GOD TO BE THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN LEADER HE WANTS YOU TO BE.

• IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN LEADER, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, “HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR LEADERS AND TEACHERS?”
• IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THEM WELL, ASK QUESTIONS THIS WEEK TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS.
• PREPARATION FOR 2TIM 4:1-22
• READ 2TIM 4:1-5
• WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IDEA IN THESE 5 VERSES?
• READ 2TIM 4:6-22
• WHAT IS PAUL’S ATTITUDE IN THESE LAST DAYS OF HIS LIFE?
• MEMORY VERSE: 2TIMOTHY 4:2