Last Days & Biblical Inspiration: 2 Timothy 3
This is the second last sermon in the series on the Pastoral epistles. In the last 2 episodes we have examined the first 2 chapters of 2 Timothy. To recap, Paul now wants Timothy to come to Rome to be with him during the final stages of his life. Paul knows his time is short, that he will soon lose his life for the sake of the gospel, suffering a martyr’s death. Paul’s reasons for wanting Timothy by his side are not altogether selfish, as he wants to help Timothy to be a great Christian leader. The more Timothy can be with Paul, the more he will discover and learn about leading the infant church forward. If Timothy does not get to Rome before Paul dies, he will have this 2nd letter to help him discover what Paul wanted him to learn.
In chapter one, Paul encourages Timothy to be faithful to his calling, and not to be timid. In chapter two, Paul encouraged Timothy to become a worker approved by God.
In this chapter Paul warns Timothy what the last days will be like, and then reminds him about the real dangers of ministry.
In the last days Paul says here in 2 Timothy 3:2-5:
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
These are specific denials of the Christian virtues. Even in church circles, religion is not denied, but it is an empty sham. There is no preaching of the gospel, for therein is the power to change lives.
Paul urges Timothy to dissociate with such people. Have nothing to do with them. Then Paul urges Timothy to be on the lookout for those who lead others astray.
In verse 10, Paul begins a solemn charge to Timothy, reminding him of the sorts of things that he, Paul, had undergone for the sake of his call to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. If you are fair dinkum about the gospel, and you are fair dinkum about being a true follower of Jesus, then some people will make your life hell.
Ever seen an inspirational performance? How about ‘Phantom of the Opera’s 25th anniversary showing at Royal Albert Hall, London? It was staged earlier this year, but Jenni and I saw it on the silver screen for over 4 hours last Friday afternoon. At the final curtain, 5 tenors who had played the phantom over the years, with the original Christine, including most of the original cast, all came on stage together singing the overture. What made it even better was that Anthony Warlow, the Aussie tenor was one of the phantoms. What a stunning and inspirational performance!
The last part of the chapter deals with how we understand God’s Word, or the concept of biblical inspiration.
Paul encouraged Timothy to continue in the things he had been taught. These included: the gospel of redemption…
the promise of God’s presence…
the hope of the resurrection…
and the call to ministry.
Timothy had learned the holy Scriptures since he was a child.
It is a knowledge of the Scriptures that makes us wise in spiritual matters, leading to salvation though faith in Jesus.
All Scripture is ‘God breathed’ and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in righteousness. (v16).
There are different ideas across the Christian Church about what “God breathed” means when referring to the Scriptures. When we talk about the Bible, some Christians say that it contains God’s Word, others say it is God’s Word.
For the fundamentalist, only the words themselves are inspired. This leads us to thinking the Bible was divinely dictated.
The liberal understanding of inspiration is that only the biblical authors were inspired. This leads to the thinking that the Bible is just a good piece of literature, like Shakespeare’s plays.
But orthodoxy holds that both biblical authors as well as what they wrote were equally inspired. Most evangelical Christians believe this, as it enables them to treat the Scriptures as the Word of Truth.
The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
Because God’s Word is alive, there have been and are many ways in which we discover God’s Word.
The first revelation of God’s Word is in creation. God spoke, and it was (Genesis 1). Christ’s creation continues as he sustains the universe by the word of his power (Colossians 1:17).
A second revelation of God’s Word was through the Old Testament prophets. Amos testified that the Lord always reveals his plan to his servants, the prophets, who are compelled to speak it forth (Amos 3:7-8).
A third revelation of God’s Word is through Jesus Christ who is the Living Word. The Word (Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
A fourth revelation of God’s Word is the Bible of both Old and New Testaments (2 Timothy 3:16).
A fifth revelation of the Word of God is the preaching of the gospel. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by preaching Christ’s Word (Romans 10:17).
A sixth revelation of God’s Word is in the lives of people who live out the gospel. “You … are a letter from Christ … written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts”. (2 Corinthians 3:3).
Why has God entrusted us with his inspired word?
So that we, as God’s people, may be completely prepared and ready to do anything that God wants us to do (v17).
So, let us continue in what we have learned (14), because we trust those from whom we heard it. We know it is true because it is consistent with God’s inspired Word.
The inspired Word of God is far more living, active, and powerful, than anything any human could create. We would do well to know it, learn it and apply it to our lives.
