Verses 1-5, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” That time is certainly now. We can clearly see evidence in our day, that the time Paul was describing is happening now...ears have turned away from the truth. Why would they do this? John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” The natural tendency of our flesh is to desire and lust for ungodly things. But by the power of God, we no longer have to be slaves to this power, and can instead have the fruit of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18, 22, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”
In light of this turning away from the truth, Paul is charging Timothy to preach the word...using it to convince, rebuke, and exhort the listeners to the truth, without giving up. First of all charging is no light word. It comes with authority behind it, that Timothy must obey. Notice that the word preaching is used, which also has authority. There is a huge difference between talking about the Bible and preaching the Bible, which is a bold proclamation of the truth by the power of God. Many Christian circles today no longer allow this kind of speech, because it causes offenses that will affect church attendance. After all, it is not what the consumers want. The word is not preached and people are not convinced, rebuked, and exhorted back to the truth. Scripture is God-breathed, alive and powerful. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Preaching God has been replaced with the teaching of self or man's agendas, and the encouragement of selfishness and self love. This type of teaching has no power, because it is void of the Spirit and full of the flesh; although it may contain demonic powers.
Our goal in this life is not to please the people around us, but rather the One who created us and will judge us. 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” We cannot please God by walking after our flesh. It takes genuine faith with the evidence of obedience to His commands. Sometimes we just need a good swift kick in the butt (spiritually speaking) to get back on track. When our time here is done, I hope we will be able to say the same as Paul in Verses 7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
We are called to love God first, and then our neighbors, just as we love ourselves. In addition to that, we also need to love our enemies, knowing that Christ loved us while we were His enemy. Sometimes these enemies can be those that are closest to you in ministry...even members of your own family. People you love will let you down, but God is faithful. Those that were the closest to Paul turned their backs on him in his time of need, but notice his heart toward them. Verse 16, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.” He can say this because he knows Who stands with Him and that He has a plan for good even through the trials he faced. Verses 17-18, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”
Although you should have the courage to stand behind your leader when they take a stand for the truth, God will come to their defense regardless. You, however, may just suffer consequences for your denial. Yes, you can indeed deny Him with your actions, not just your speech, even in your failure to do anything. Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” True believers can take encouragement in knowing that God will protect and comfort us. When it seems like the whole world is out to get us, we know that nothing will happen to us that God does not allow, and He will give us the strength we need to endure it. Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
ReplyDeleteII Timothy 4:3-5
Today, there are many people who will not endure sound doctrine. People do not want obey what the scripture says. So they try to find people who will scratch their ears and tell them what they want to hear, what is pleasing to their flesh. When they hear the truth they get angry because it is not what their flesh wants. These people get angry and try to find something with wrong with the messenger, however they can't come against it because it is impossible to refute the scripture. So, they end up coming up with something ridiculous thing that they can find wrong with that person.
We need to make sure that we are willing to hear the truth, even if it goes against what our flesh wants. We need to be willing to obey God on whatever that matter is, because it is very easy to become one of these people, if we are unwilling to hear the truth and obey it.