September 5, 1999
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I wanted to continue with the Holy Spirit this morning, but
I did not want to ware you out on that topic. As I thought about
a topic, this passage in Timothy came to mind.
The reason this was on my mind is because I have been going through
the book of 2 Timothy for some time now. It takes months for me
to seriously go through a book, and I gather more material than
I will ever use. I just finished chapter two (46 pages), and have
been doing an overview of chapter 3 before I get into it seriously.
As I was thinking about what to use this morning, I was reminded
of 2 Timothy 3:2.
Before we look at an application of this passage, let me give
you an outline of what Paul is saying.
First, chapter 2 Paul warns Timothy of false teachers who will
come into the church. The clear warning is found in Acts 20.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Second, chapter 3 warns about the last days when men shall
be lovers of their own selves. The MEN of 3:2 are PROFESSED CHRISTIAN
MEN, particularly those in place of Christian leadership. The
context tells us that these men are the wolves warned about by
Paul in Acts 20. These men are respected pastors and teachers
in the Christian religion.
Paul warns Timothy that men will soon arrive in the history of
the church, and will seem to take it over. The motives of these
men will not be love for God nor will their motives be to love
their neighbors as themselves. Their motives will be selfish --
what they can gain for them selves. Their motives will be for
gold, glory and gals.
Third, the lovers of self are not all controlled by all the evils
mentioned in this passage. But self love and self esteem lead
to these evils. And the evils will be more prevalent in some people
more than in others.
In fact, in order to exalt themselves, some may even have an outwardly
holy life above reproach, but the motive behind that life is that
they love their own selves. They will see a godly life style as
a way to exalt self.
Fourth, the reason these men are placed in leadership positions
though they love their own selves is found in 2:25 -- Those responsible
to properly instruct them did not. In fact, we could say here
that self love breeds self love. And just like the proverbial
rabbits, the doctrines of self love and self esteem soon take
over the Christian community.
The evils of 3:2-5 are common because the instructors of 2:25
did not do their jobs properly.
(Remember, the chapter and verse divisions were not in Paul's
letter. So 3:1 is simply a new paragraph in the same letter, following
2:26, and it further develops the same thought.)
So, the proper understanding of this section is Paul warning Timothy
that the church will be overrun with Christian leaders controlled
with self love and self esteem. Leaders who are in love with their
own selves are unable to set the hearers free of the devil's snare,
so the church falls victim to the errors of 3:2-5.
Though the context of the passage warns against Christian leaders
who are lovers of their own selves, this is not the message this
morning.
Rather, I would like to apply Paul's warning to us as Christians
living in a wicked world given over to self love.
FIRST, we live in a world controlled by self loving people.
3:2-5, describes some of the attributes of these self loving people.
We will not look at the many cross reference passages. It is easy
to trace each of these evils to the root cause -- they are lovers
of their own selves, and their lives revolve around that love.
They are dangerous people.
As I mentioned, those who love their own selves may live morally
pure with all the right actions and words, but their common motive
is to exalt self. Actually, when carried to its logical conclusion,
the self esteem gospel will result in the following (Philip. 2:3):
Covetous -- money loving. People are out for what they
can get, regardless of what they must do to others.
Boasters -- they boast of having what they do not have.
They pretend to be something they are not.
We see boasters all around us as people go horribly in debt to
show themselves to be something they are not with their large
houses and expensive cars.
Proud -- they exalt themselves over others. They see
themselves better than others. The proud expect others to order
their lives for the convenience of the proud. They treat others
with contempt.
Blasphemous -- they regard neither God nor man, and speak
abusively about both.
Disobedient to parents -- the character of the times
can be seen in the attitude of the youth.
Unthankful -- also means ungracious, or unpleasant. They
have no regard as to where their blessings come from, and are
not thankful to anyone about anything. They are in love with self,
so they refuse to be indebted to anyone else, especially to God.
Unholy -- wicked.
Without natural affection -- inhuman or unloving. There is a natural
human affection due to all, and everyone should be treated with
human dignity. But these people are bound by self love, not by
love for anyone else nor love for good. They see no need to follow
the GOLDEN RULE.
Trucebreakers -- IF these people can be influenced to
enter into an agreement, they will only keep it as it suits their
own goal of exalting self, or gaining what they want. They are
lovers of their own selves, and everything revolves around that
love.
False accusers -- they have no regard for the good name
of others, nor to any obligations to anything except to their
own self. If they see the opportunity to advance self, they will
do it at the expense of those around them.
Incontinent -- without self-control, intemperate. They
have no self government. They indulge themselves, for they are
in love with self.
Fierce -- their love for self knows no bounds as they
move against anything and anyone who might stand in their way.
They are soft on themselves while being hard on others.
Despisers of those that are good -- opposed to good and
good people. Though they may profess to love good, their love
is for self and for their own way. They define good as those things
which promote their goal. And even a good life can promote self.
Traitors -- they will betray anything necessary in order
to obtain their goal.
CLINTON, is a traitor as he sold secrets to China for his own
profit. But Christians do the same as they sell out their testimony
for Christ to obtain their goal.
I am continually surprised at how lightly Christians give and
take their WORD. They commit them selves to something, and then
dismiss that commitment as though it were nothing.
The commitment made to the Lord in baptism is ignored, then the
same people get upset when others will not keep commitments.
Heady -- rash and reckless, their PASSIONS rule their
lives.
High minded -- puffed up with pride, haughty. This also
includes being blinded by pride or conceit, and so making foolish
and stupid decisions.
I have made this observation many times. I seem to be unable to
keep from noticing the extremely expensive houses being built
around here, Lafayette and Indianapolis. The thought that crosses
my mind is that these people are high minded. They are determined
to present themselves as someone they are not, so they go deeply
in debt. They are blind by pride, so they cannot see that they
are condemning themselves to 30-50 years of servitude.
People are in love with their own selves, and covetousness rules.
Their love for self blinds them to the reality of the bad decisions
they are making.
They are puffed up. It is like a fog that blinds them. This last
summer had a lot of early morning fog. It has been so thick that
at times I could only drive 25-30 mph. But the high minded charge
ahead in that blinding fog as though there were no fog at all.
They do not realize that they are headed for sure destruction.
Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God -- this phrase
is self explanatory. Their god is their belly, their natural lusts
and pleasure. Their love is for self, and everything revolves
in pleasing self, not around pleasing God.
Really, the only god they know is the one who damns everything.
Though we are using this passage in the sense of the pagans around
us, I will mention the next couple points:
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof -- this
identifies the lovers of self as professed Christians. V. 6 also
supports the understanding that these men are "Christian"
teachers. V. 7, they also increase in academic knowledge of God's
word, but they do not increase in godliness.
But we will not pursue this point.
Paul warned Timothy that those who loved God would be surrounded
by people who are lovers of their own selves. We can fully expect
these self loving people to act toward us according to these attributes.
They will use us to further their own goals. They will use their
words for their own advantages. And Paul implies the situation
will not improve any time soon.
SECOND, how must we respond to those controlled by self love and
self esteem?
1) 2 Timothy 2:22, we must flee from the youthful lusts to strike
back.
2) v. 23, we must avoid the things we know set people off--things
that lead to strife. There are things we must strive for, but
neither is that the subject this morning
THIRD, is there hope to salvaging those controlled by self love
and self esteem?
The only hope of "salvaging" those who are full of self
esteem and self love is by doing v. 25, meekness and proper instruction
in the truth. The Lord alone can change their hearts from self
love to godly love.
The world is full of self esteem -- people who are in love with
their own selves and esteem their own selves above others. They
are proud, boasters, false accusers, truce breakers, unthankful,
despisers of those that are good, high-minded, and they are more
interested in the pleasures of this world than they are in God
or in doing right.
We can count on encountering people like this.
Illustration: I used this illustration before. When I worked for
HONEYWELL, there was a man nick named, Boom Boom Bouser. His name
was Bouser, and Boom Boom described his makeup. HONEYWELL sent
me to a job to replace him and send him to another location. Because
I was not a journeyman, he went "Boom Boom." Rather
than going to the new job site, he exploded that a non journeyman
would tell him what to do, and could replace him on a job.
He went to the Union Hall, and that was it. The next night, the
union passed a resolution that a permit man could not work on
a job by himself. That was the end of my good job with HONEYWELL.
There are many "Boom Booms" in the world. These men
are in love with their own selves, and they are proud and lifted
up. It seems that every one has a certain number of "Boom
Booms" to encounter in life. So it is just a matter of time
before you will encounter your appointed share. And it seems the
number of self esteemed, self loved individuals is increasing.
How must they be addressed?
I) They will be there. Maybe your appointed number of the self
lovers is higher than mine. "Boom Boom" is the one who
stands out in my mind, because he cost me the best job I ever
had. And I would still be there if it had not been for him.
II) We become comfortable with where we are and what we are, so
the Lord has a way of sending Boom Boom along our paths. The Lord
uses him to disrupt us, and to call our attention to who and what
we are. If we do not learn from the first one, there will be another
and another.
IV) We must respond with v. 25, meekness and a soft answer.
V) Thank God for Boom Boom, because God sends him our way for
a reason.
III) Is there hope for Boom Boom? Yes, 25, avoid strife as much
as possible, and meet his attacks with a meek spirit.