2 Timothy (Part 24)

vs.6-9. 1. Paul here warns of sham ministers that victimize silly women. 2. From the type of men guilty of Paul's description in vs.2-5 would arise teachers to support it. Ministers of a very base nature would arise. c/w 2KI 17:32-33. A. “For of this sort...” refers to the kind characterized previously from which Timothy was to turn away. B. Therefore, Timothy is also to turn away from these teachers/ministers. (1) They promote a non-committal, non-judgmental, free-living religion where personal sanctification and doctrine take a back seat to form and ritual. (2) Perhaps they conclude that sacraments and confessionals are the substance of true religion. (3) Perhaps they have impressive oratory skills and charisma which appeals to the weaker sex while they are living a debauched life in private. 2PE 2:18-19. a. The “liberty” which such promote is a liberation from the restraints of godly law. b. Their “liberty” is more likely to be libertinage (The conduct or practice of a libertine; habitual licentiousness with regard to the relation of the sexes). c. True liberty is only found in a conversation that accords with the word of the Spirit. PSA 119:45; 2CO 3:17; GAL 5:1, 13. d. Trains run much better on tracks than off. (4) Mark that true religion is emphatically doctrinal and that doctrine must emphasize godliness. 1TI 6:3-5. C. If the man of God is to turn away from sham ministers, how much more should the brethren avoid them, especially the women? 3. Mind that these false teachers creep into houses. c/w TIT 1:11. A. These houses could be families, dwellings or churches. B. Creep: “To move with the body prone and close to the ground, as a short- legged reptile, an insect, a quadruped moving stealthily, a human being on hands and feet, or in a crouching posture. fig. To advance or come on slowly, stealthily, or by imperceptible degrees; to insinuate oneself into; to come in or up unobserved; to steal insensibly upon or over.” C. They are clever enough to not be blatant about their agenda but introduce their errors gradually. D. Scripture speaks of creeping things that have no ruler over them. HAB 1:14 c/w PRO 6:6-7. (1) Creeps like these teachers may well have a problem with authority. (2) Perhaps they won't identify with a church because of its structured rule (HEB 13:7, 17) or are in the church but do not recognize that rule. (3) Jude speaks plainly about ungodly creeps that infest the brethren and which have a problem with authority. JUDE 1:4, 8, 17-19. 4. These false teachers make an appeal to silly women led by lusts rather than doctrine and reason, sensuality rather than spirituality. c/w 2PE 2:18. A. In this context, silly means: “lacking in judgment and common sense; foolish, senseless, empty-headed.” B. Satan has always used women. GEN 3:1; JDG 16:15-16; 1KI 11:4; 21:25; 2CO 11:2-3. C. False teachers generally prey on women. They know that women are more vulnerable and they also know the influence that women have on men. D. Consider the prolific religious shams in America today and the preponderance of women involved. E. These women are led by divers (various) lusts and laden (loaded) with sins. (1) False teachers captivate souls by flattery. PRO 29:5; 26:28; 1TH 2:5. (2) Those who are laden with sins and led by lusts are prey to deception. 2TH 2:10-12; EZE 14:4-5. (3) This is why lusts and sin must be laid aside if the word is to be received with profit. JAM 1:21; 1PE 2:1-2; TIT 1:1. F. In contrast with these women, godly women are sober, discreet and chaste. TIT 2:4-5. (1) The godly woman must be careful to not let emotion overrule reason. (2) The godly woman must also be careful to not open herself up to the influences of false doctrine. 2JO 1:1, 10. 5. These false teachers promote education, but not true learning. They and their victims are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth v.7 c/w MAT 15:14. A. Education of itself is inadequate to bring one to the knowledge of the truth since lies can be taught and no lie is of the truth. ISA 9:15 c/w 1JO 2:21. B. These false teachers and silly women pursue any novel notion that comes along but they never get a firm grip on the truth. ACT 17:19-21; PRO 17:24. C. There are many things to learn that will not bring one to a knowledge of the truth. ECC 12:12; EPH 4:14; HEB 13:9. D. The believer's attention is to be focused on the word of God. PRO 4:20-27; ECC 12:11-13; COL 2:6-7. E. Satan loves to direct attention away from what God said to another source of knowledge. GEN 3:5; 2CO 11:2-3. 6. These false teachers resist the truth by presenting a rival imitation. vs.8-9. A. These verses describe one of Satan's methods in resisting the truth. B. Jannes and Jambres are the names of the magicians who imitated the miracles of Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh. EXO 7:10-12, 19-22; 8:5-7. C. These magicians are not named in the book of Exodus. That information was reserved to Paul's writings. D. The contest between Moses and Pharaoh was really a contest between the God of the Hebrews and the gods of the Egyptians. NUM 33:4; EXO 18:10-11. E. These magicians, the ministers of Satan, withstood Moses by imitation. (1) Satan's ambition is to be LIKE the Most High. ISA 14:14. (2) Satan's ministers transform themselves into God's ministers. 2CO 11:13-15. (3) Satan empowers his ministers to perform miracles in imitation of the ministers of God. HEB 2:3-4 c/w 2TH 2:8-10; REV 16:13-14. (4) Antichrist is a christ that simulates yet opposes and rivals the true Christ. 1JO 2:18. (5) The magicians' works aped those of Moses and Aaron. a. On the surface, there appeared to be no difference. b. The best counterfeit is the one that is closest to the real thing. c. In contending for the faith, don't be surprised if the adversary doesn't prosecute his battle with obvious, glaring mistakes. (6) Miracles must be tested by the doctrine that accompanies them. 1JO 4:1-3; DEU 13:1-3. F. Men who resist the truth show that their minds are corrupt. 1TI 6:3-5. G. A corrupt mind reveals one that has been beguiled by the devil. 2CO 11:3. (1) Mark that this beguiling comes through subtilty (cleverness, dexterity, craft). It is deceptive because it sounds so good. ROM 16:17-18. (2) This underscores the importance of being well-grounded in the truth of God's word. COL 1:23; EPH 4:14; 1CO 15:2; PSA 119:31. H. These are "...reprobate concerning the faith” (v.8). (1) Reprobate: "Rejected or condemned as worthless, inferior, or impure." See JER 6:30. (2) Such men are of no value concerning the faith regardless of how many miracles they perform or how effective their ministries appear to be. (3) The worth of a ministry is to be tested according to "THE faith once delivered unto the saints." JUDE 1:3-4, 20. I. God will ultimately manifest the folly of all false teachers as He manifested the folly of the magicians of Egypt. v.9. (1) Jannes and Jambres reached a point where they could no longer duplicate the miracles of Moses. EXO 8:16-19; 9:10-11. (2) The miracles the magicians performed did not reverse the judgment of God, but only increased it! Satan cannot undo God's judgment! (3) False teachers and prophets may have their heyday, but God will justify His wisdom in time to their shame. 1KI 18:21-40; 22:23-28. (4) Satan's deceptive program is doomed to destruction as it was in Egypt. EXO 15:1-19; 2TH 2:8; REV 19:19-20; 20:10; ROM 16:20. (5) The minister who faithfully defends God's word will find that God's word defends him.