2 Timothy 3:10-17

S - 2 Timothy 3:10-17
So change the reading plan and now I feel completely no pressure to read at all...and this passage is about listening to God. How ironic.

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconiumand Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


O - Though Paul's obedience to God's word has led him into persecution and jail, he stands firm in his faith that God will bring him out of these times just as he did before. He has a feeling this time he is about to face his death (4:6-8) but writes a letter to Timothy to encourage him to guard the gospel (1:14).


1. Stand firm - a right relationship with God comes from a true knowledge of God. That's why Paul wants Timothy to guard the gospel.
But why Timothy?
A) 4:12 - "Do not let anyone despise your youth"
Youth - at the time referring to adults to age 40
Timothy risked being despised.
1 Timothy 5:23 - Paul hinted that Timothy was often sick
2Timothy 1:7-8 - Timothy was timid when it came to standing up for Jesus


B) 2 Timothy 2:17-18 "wandered from the truth"
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "will not put up with sound doctrine...turn aside from truth"
People were abandoning the gospel.
v13 - people will go from bad to worse.
3:15 - "lovers of themselves, money, pleasure, rather than lovers of God."
Results in breakdown of morals in relationships from the godless self-centredness.
3:5 - "Holding a form of godliness but denying its power" - showy, no substance. religious but no godliness. faith without good works of a life changed by Jesus
3:6-7 - they also evanglise, spread like gangrene.


John Stott says the false teaching has 3 marks:
declining morals
Increasing showiness
Passionate/evangelising zeal


but they are about myths, not the Messiah
Religion not righteousness,
superstitions not salvation


They are what our "itching ears want to hear" 2 Timothy 4:3-4
About God revolving around me; nothing to do with Jesus, nothing about me revolving around Jesus. Nothing about the gospel which saves us. Everything about the half gospels which please us.


C) Jesus and the gospel is not a popular message.
Timothy should not expect to be popular as he preached and lived this. Could be deserted like a spiritual leper - like Paul his mentor, like Jesus his Saviour.
Paul says "Do not mind these..."
3:14 - "but as for you continue"
Continue in what and whom? Timothy learnt the gospel of Jesus from Paul who taught him how Jesus fulfilled the OT promises and how Jesus is the saviour.


But "mind" the credentials of your faith - "All scripture"
"All scripture is God=breathed and is useful" - Paul wants to defend the origin and purpose of the Bible.


Origin - The scripture is the Word of God because he spoke it. How do you know God spoke it? The Bible says so.
Jesus' attitude to God's Word 
Matt 4:4 - "Man does not live by bread alone but every Word that proveeeds from the mouth of God".


Purpose - "useful for teaching, rebuking"
teaching the truth of God, the gospel, Jesus
and refuting false and half gospels
Paul's call to teach sound doctrine, trustworthy message of the Gospel.
The more Timothy and us know the real Gospel, we will be able to tell apart the false ones.


"...correcting & training in righteousness"
righteousness - right living. True thinking leads to true living. The Gospel affects godliness.




This will lead us to be "thoroughly equipped" - mature


A -
The focus of Scripture is Salvation - how God saves us and we have to keep listening to Jesus
Salvation is
being saved from Sin in Jesus Christ
a past action with present implications
a point in time and a process of time




v15 - "make you wise for salvation"
How can we make full use of the Scripture, or do we need to fulfill what's been mentioned and written in the Scripture?
The Bible is supremely about God saving us. Through Jesus. The focus of attention is Jesus first, not us first. In reading the bible, look for Jesus - not for comfort, blessing, promise, morality, religion or spirituality.
The Scriptures will instruct you for salvation through faith in Jesus


P - living a life changed for Jesus in godliness, especially since about to be baptised. Keep close and continue to stand firm. read the bible!