ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE IN DIFFICULT TIMES 2 TIMOTHY 3 Paul knows that he has reached the end of life 's journey He says, "I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith". He is resting in quiet assurance as he anticipates the glad day of reward, when he will receive a crown of righteousness from the hand of the Lord Whom he loves, and has served so faithfully. Then he adds, "And not to me only, but unto all them also who love His appearing" (ch.4:6-8). But Timothy, his son in the faith, and close companion in the Lord's service, will be left to carry on after his departure, so he writes to encourage him in the face of the difficulties that he will encounter. But as he does so, he is carried forward in thought by the Spirit to the last days of this age of grace, so that the instruction and encouragement that he gives is designed to equip Christians of every generation to continue steadfast and useful to God to the end of the journey.He forewarns us that life in the last days will be difficult for everyone, but particularly for Christians, because of the evils that will become prevalent in society generally. The list he gives portrays a proud and selfish lack of fidelity, loyalty, and self-control, but as usual, Scripture goes to the heart of the matter, and Paul mentions three things that men will love, or set their hearts on. 1. Men shall be lovers of their own selves. There is a place for legitimate concern for one 's own welfare, but Paul gives balance to this as in Rom.12:3 he teaches "every man...not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly". Should we be surprised at the rise of crimes against society when increase of self-esteem is prescribed as the remedy for so many problems? When self-love and self-interest dominate, there is little concern for the interests and welfare of others.2. Men shall be covetous, or lovers of money. When Paul warns Timothy of the hazards of this in his first epistle (ch.6:9,10), he says, ‘for the love of money is the root of all evil", or, a root of all kinds of evil '. As W.E. Vine has said, ‘There are other passions which are productive of evil, yet there is no sort of evil which the craving for wealth may not induce". Once the love of money finds a place in the heart, there will be a price at which the integrity of that person can be bought.3. Men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This could be better understood as ‘lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God '. Love of God brings respect for the things that please Him. Where love of pleasure dominates, duty will be neglected when it becomes unpleasant; responsibilities will be shirked when they require patience and sacrifice, and appointments will be lightly regarded if they are found to clash with more entertaining fixtures.Add to these three, the absence of love to God, and the absence of love for that which is good as opposed to what is evil, and together they tend to promote all the other evils that Paul lists here. No wonder he says that the days will be difficult, for these things threaten the very fabric and function of home life and of society. We all do well to heed the warning of Solomon in Prov.4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life". The difficulties of the times are increased because of the deceptive form of godliness that some of these men maintain. They seem to observe certain Christian principles, but being devoid of faith in our risen, living Saviour, they are powerless to live in integrity and purity. However, they creep into the homes of a class of women who lack the discretion of true womanhood, captivating them and leading them away with a variety of lusts. These teachers are men of corrupt minds, who have lost all sense of the power and purpose of the Christian faith, and whose folly shall be manifest in due time. To encourage Timothy to stand firm in such difficult times he directs him to three great stabilising factors. 1. Paul 's doctrine and his resultant manner of life. How highly Paul prized the doctrine that was committed to him! He calls it "my doctrine". Elsewhere he refers to it as "the doctrine of God our Saviour"; as "sound doctrine"; and as "the doctrine which is according to godliness". From their years of close association, Timothy was intimately acquainted with his doctrine and manner of life. He would doubtless remember many a testing experience they faced together when the features of Paul's godliness shone out: - His purpose, his faith, his longsuffering, his love, his patience. Could he ever forget those early days in Lystra and Iconium when he first came to know the Lord through Paul's preaching - the persecutions and afflictions he endured -the stoning when he was left outside the city for dead. But out of them all the Lord delivered him. What a reassuring contrast with the powerless form of godliness of which he had been warned.2. Timothy 's personal responsibility. Although godly living will bring persecution, and evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, Paul says, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of". This exhortation is intended to reach the heart of each believer today. Whatever others may do, Continue thou. Paul adds the incentive, "knowing of whom thou hast learned them". He had learned so much from Paul himself, and he was no deceiver. His grandmother and his mother had taught him the Holy Scriptures from infancy, and their unfeigned faith was evident.From these he had been assured that salvation in all its power for godly living, comes through faith in Christ Jesus alone. This is the true wisdom in contrast with the folly of those corrupt teachers. 3. The authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. The supreme authority of the Holy Scriptures derives from their Divine origin. Paul clearly states here that they are "given by inspiration of God", or, "God-breathed". Peter tells us that the Scriptures did not come by the will of man, but the men who spoke them, did so as they were moved, or carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet.1:20,21). The Lord Jesus had the utmost confidence in the Scriptures, for He said in John 10:34 "The Scriptures cannot be broken". The Holy Scriptures remain the infallible and sufficient resource from which the Christian can be fully furnished and prepared for every good work, even in the most difficult times, and Paul states this in a fourfold way. 1. The Scriptures are the source of doctrine. Only from the Scriptures can we learn the truth about God and man, life and death, and the life to come; the origin and end of the heaven and the earth; the true nature of the world in which we live, and judgement to come. Only by the Scriptures can we be kept from false and deceptive teaching. 2. The Scriptures are useful for reproof. Because of their supreme authority they can be used to reprove, or convict wrong-doers. That is, to convince them of the error of their ways. 3. The Scriptures are useful for correction. Because they provide a perfect standard, they can be used to set right that which is wrong, and to adjust that which requires amendment. 4. The Scriptures are useful for instruction in righteousness. This carries the idea that they are adequate for the training of believers in right living. Whatever the difficulties or discouragements that may tempt us to give up, let us take courage from godly example, and with renewed confidence in the Word of God, let us respond with fresh purpose of heart to these words: Continue Thou. -R.M. Goatley. OUR FUTURE PROSPECT "The throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it: and His Here we have summed up in a sentence the felicity of heaven, It will not be a place without order and government, for the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. It will not be a state of listless idleness, for His servants shall serve Him in holy worship. To "see His face" is mentioned as one of the delights of heaven. To see by faith now the "glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" is joy unspeakable; but to see Him then - to see Him as He is in His unveiled glory - will be a fulness of joy it is impossible to know on earth. If we would see His face in glory with joy, we must know what it is to behold Him now by faith. - Selected. GRIEVING THE SPIRIT
Every child of God is sealed by the Holy Spirit - separated and marked as the possession of God by His indwelling presence and activity. It is this same Divine Person dwelling within us who gives us confidence before God, and witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God (Rom.8:15,16). What then are the things that grieve Him? He is the Holy Spirit, given to sanctify us, and make us holy, therefore whenever we yield to sin He is grieved. Let us mark four great sins that Paul mentions in connection with our text. 1. Lying - v.25. There is no single sin in the Bible that is linked so directly with the devil as is lying. The Lord Jesus said of him, "When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). The Holy Spirit cannot possibly carry forward His blessed working in a man or woman that lies, that is insincere, that does injury to the truth. Young Christian, review with care what the Word of God says about lying and liars, and pray God that you may never speak anything but the literal truth. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. 2. Anger - vv.26,31. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger and clamour and evil speaking, be put away from you". This follows on the command not to grieve the Spirit. Hastiness, proneness to anger are among the most common sins by which the Christian is kept back from increase in grace. Let all angry passion be put away from you. "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath". Believe that the Holy Spirit, the all-powerful One is in you. Yield to His control and He will make you and keep you gentle. Believe, I pray you, in the power of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit to overcome temper. Confess the sin and God shall cleanse you from it. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. 3. Stealing - v.28. This includes all sin against the property of my neighbour: all deception and dishonesty in trade whereby I do wrong to my neighbour, and seek my own advantage at his cost. The law of Christ is love, whereby I seek the advantage of my neighbour as well as my own. The love of money and property, which is inseparable from self-seeking, is incompatible with the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Christian must be a man who is known as honest, righteous, and loving his neighbour as himself. 4. Corrupt Speech - v.29. The apostle Paul says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth". Even the tongue of God's child belongs to his Lord. He must be known by the mode of his speech. By his speaking he can grieve or please the Spirit. The sanctified tongue is a blessing not only to his neighbours but to the speaker himself. Foul talk, idle words, foolish jests grieve the Holy Spirit. They make it impossible for the Spirit to sanctify, comfort and fill the heart with the love of God. Christian, if you would walk in the stability and joy of faith, listen to the Word: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God". - Extract A.M. SOLOMON'S
CONVERT Although in the days of Solomon no charge had been given to "Go.. .and preach the Gospel to every creature", nor, so far as we know, had he any command to "Pray for all men", yet in his supplication at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53), we find three interesting verses (vv.41-43), in which he turns aside from personal and national needs, to cry to God for the "stranger that.. .cometh out of a far country". He suggests that such a one may hear of the great name and fame of the God who had so wonderfully delivered and blessed His people, and may come, not merely to investigate, but to call upon this God for himself. Solomon prays that the Lord will so answer the prayer of the stranger, that he may get to know and fear Him, or, to put it another way, that the stranger may be saved. Should not this part of Solomon 's prayer put many of us to shame? As those who have the charge to "Go", and the command to "Pray", do we have the concern for the salvation of the stranger that he had? Or do our prayers hardly reach beyond our own children and near relatives?In chapter ten we are shown how God gave Solomon the privilege of helping to answer his own prayer in the case of the Queen of Sheba. Our God often does this. When the disciples in Matt.9:38 began to pray for labourers, the next verse records how they were made labourers themselves. When I become really concerned about the salvation of sinners, and cry to God on their behalf, it is quite likely that He will find a way for me to reach some of them myself, so that I will no longer need to wail, "Must I go and empty-handed". It was said in l Kings 10:1 that the Queen of Sheba, in her far-off country, "heard of the fame of Solomon, concerning the Name of the Lord". Solomon 's testimony at that time was good, and had spread far. It was so in a later day with the young converts at Thessalonica. "In every place their faith toward God was spread abroad" (l Thess.l:8), and the apostle's preaching was rendered much easier thereby.So the queen came to him with her "hard questions". These were not merely knotty problems upon which so much time can be spent with little profit, but they were matters of the heart. She came to the right man, for Solomon was still at this time in a fit condition to help an anxious soul. When she told him "all that was in her heart", he was able to give her what he himself calls in Prov.24:26, "a right answer". Moreover, what she saw of his household, and of his worship, confirmed to her what she had heard from his lips, with the result that she believed "and glorified God". What a mercy it was that she came at the time she did, and not a few years later. She would have found a saint old before his time, a saint whose wives had turned away his heart unto other gods, and whose heart was not perfect with the Lord his God (ch. 11:4-8). While she would have still seen "his ascent by which he went up to the house of the Lord" (ch.10:5). She would have also seen an "ascent" to Ashtoreth here, an "ascent" to Chemosh there, and an "ascent to" Molech somewhere else. How would Solomon have replied to her queries about this diversity of religious loyalties? Would he have pleaded excuses, or would he have honestly confessed the truth, that he had turned away in his heart from God? In any case it is probable that she would have gone away home without hearing or seeing what would have induced her to turn to God. Now, can we not transfer most of the points of this narrative to ourselves? Have we borne a testimony that is doing work for God, even in places where our voices have never been heard? Are we so living before those who do not know the Lord that they will turn to us in confidence when in soul trouble? When they do turn to us, are we "ready always to give an answer"? (I Peter 3:15). And what about our worship? Is there in our meetings such a spiritual atmosphere, and such manifest help from God, that a stranger who comes in and looks on, will fall on his face to worship God himself, and go away with the report that God is in us of a truth? (l Cor.14:25). And what about other "ascents"? Are there places you go to, and things you indulge in, which make your acquaintances stand in doubt of you, and which hinder their conversion to God? Let us examine ourselves with care as to these matters, for as it is a dreadful thing to be without concern in prayer to God for the unsaved "stranger", so it is also a dreadful thing if our prayers are "hindered" (I Peter 3:7), through our failure to bear a good testimony for the Lord in our lives. - Extract, W. Rodgers. THE BELIEVER 'S POINT OF VIEW"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal". - 2 Corinthians 4:18. What is our point of view? How do we as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ look at things down here? The above passage supplies God's own answer to this question. The right point of view is of the highest importance. When standing close up to a large object, only part of it can be properly observed. To obtain a true and correct idea it is necessary to be some distance away. Only thus can we get a right perspective. This is perfectly well known to us in natural things, and instinctively in the things of this life we seek to get the right focus and obtain the correct perspective. The same principle holds good in the things of God. When the apostle John is to be shown the Bride, he is taken up into a high mountain (Rev.21:9,10), thus his view was from above,as God's is. If we desire to get the correct view of things in this world while we wait for the coming of our Lord, we must look at them as He does, from the point of view of His throne, from the vantageground of the glory. There is a natural tendency for us to attach far too great importance to earthly things. For one thing, we are down here amongst them all. They are all around us and this must needs be so. We are living here in the midst of the rush and bustle of the world's business life, its political life, its social life, and its religious life as well. But how do these things appear in our Father's eyes as He views them all from the eternal calm of heaven? How does He view the rush of poor blinded human beings in their search of wealth and position in this world? How does He view his creatures occupying their minds with the fleeting pleasures and pursuits of Time, and forgetting Eternity? Thanks be to our God, as His beloved children His view-point can be ours. We can look at things through the eyes of our Lord, and we can value them as He does. Let us seek His grace and wisdom to do this. Let us think too, of the time when we shall be at home with the Lord in the glory looking back. How trivial the things we allowed to worry and disturb us will appear then. We shall see then, how often we dishonoured the Lord by unbelief and lack of trust. We shall see then, in the light of God, that the time we gave to our own pleasures, and mixing with the world in its aims and desires was lost time, and that the only moments well and truly spent were those in which we walked by faith, waiting for our Lord's return, and seeking to please Him in everything. This is how we shall look at these things then; let us adopt the same point of view now. In this way we shall see the things of this present age to be as vain and empty as our God sees and knows them to be, and we shall be better equipped to resist the subtle allurements that this world offers to us all. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever". (l John 2:16,17). From this view-point too, we shall be able to look at our present difficulties and trials as things that will soon change to the joy and eternal blessedness of heaven. As Paul wrote, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor.4: 17). Though passing through a time of heaviness, through manifold temptations, we shall yet be "rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory". We shall be able to reckon as Paul reckoned, that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us" while we keep our eyes on eternal things. - Slightly adapted. F.T. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST "He rose again the third day,
according to the Scriptures". The resurrection of Christ has a many-sided meaning and bearing in Holy Scripture. Here are some of the rich blessings which flow from that monumental event: It forms a focus of fulfilled prophecy, linking Old and New Testaments in one (Acts 2:24-31). It is the grand proof and demonstration of our Lord 's deity and divinity: "The Son of God with power" (Romans 1:4).It is the greatest and most comprehensive of all miracles, making credible all others (Matt.11:5; John 20:8). It is the finishing touch of Christ 's atoning work, and includes His ascension to God's right hand (Rom.4:25; Jn.16:10).It is the pledge of the resurrection of the believer, and the firstfruits, showing the nature of the harvest. (1 Cor.15:49; Phil.3:21). It was the new model of the believer 's life, typifying the introduction of the whole being into a new plane. (Rom.6:4; Col.3:1,2).It became the new measure and standard of God 's power in the believers, working in them mightily (Eph.1 :19).The Cross should not be our tarrying place, nor the tomb, but rather the throne. We are not to think only of a Christ Who died, but a risen One. Here atonement finds its completion and the life of the believer finds its true commencement. "The Lord is risen indeed"! - A.T. Pierson. OUR LIFE What is our life upon this earth - Is there a path of which the bright Is there a life where naught of woe Ah, no! the Christian 's path belowIs mingled shade and light; ‘Tis thus the Father teaches us To lean upon His might; To trust to His all-powerful arm To rest upon His changeless love When clouds and tempests lower. And then to know Him still the same -E.T.C. Please address Wholesome Words correspondence to: R.M. Goatley, |