The contrast between the character and conduct of true servants of God with false teachers, using 2 Timothy 3:9-13. It likens false teachers to the Egyptian magicians Jannes and Jambres who could imitate miracles but ultimately failed, predicting their folly will be revealed. In contrast, the sermon highlights the Apostle Paul's testimony to Timothy, emphasizing his sound doctrine, consistent manner of life, unwavering purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, and patience as the hallmarks of a godly life. The core lesson is the essential balance between sound doctrine and sound living, urging believers to not only believe the truth but to live it out, following Paul's example of living for Christ and finishing the course with integrity. The message concludes by encouraging listeners to emulate Paul's commitment to Christ and his glory, even amidst persecution.
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Greetings, radio friends. We come again in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. We lift our hearts with gratitude and praise that we have such an infinite, loving and eternal Savior as Jesus Christ our Lord. We thank him also that we have a divine spirit, the very person of the Holy Spirit, who is the indweller of every believer and the revealer of Christ and of the truth of God to his own. We continue learning from the second epistle of Timothy regarding the darkness and the character of the last days of Christianity that find within its pages the guidance which we need for these days of spiritual disaster.
Shall we go to Second Timothy chapter three, continuing from our preceding message at verse nine, and may I read down through verse thirteen. But they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured.
But out of them all, the Lord delivered me, yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecutions, but evil men and seduces shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. May God bless the reading of this portion from his word. May the Holy Spirit illumine your hearts and minds, as well as mine own, as we consider the further revelation of Paul regarding the last days of Christianity. In our preceding message, The beloved apostle touched upon the example of two of the greatest and wisest men in the land of Egypt, whom in the court of Pharaoh, withstood the testimony and the demands of Moses and Aaron.
We have no other knowledge of who they were, except the revelation in this New Testament writing. They were called Jannies, and the other was called Jambrees. They resisted Moses and Aaron. May I go further, if you recall the story in the book of the Exodus, they were able to imitate the first three miracles that Moses and Aaron performed. They were imitators of miracles, but when it came to bringing life by the plague of life, they had to say, this is the finger of God. Their powers were able to go so far, but no further.
Now the beloved apostle Likens, the false teachers of the last days, to these magicians in Egypt. They will go so far that someday their folly will be made known unto everyone, as it was in the case of the two magicians in the land of Egypt. Oh, my friend, I have no hesitancy to believe that someday, openly, there will be revealed to all the universe the false teachings of men who with corrupted minds reprobate concerning the truth of God have led many astray but in contrast to those men that are false in contrast to those men with corrupt minds and reprobate in relation to the truth Paul the beloved apostle the greatest apostle and the greatest exponent of Christianity without a doubt, in my humble opinion, states in verses ten and eleven, what was his own testimony?
And I want you to recognize the testimony of a godly servant of God. I want you to recognize the humble boast regarding his character and regarding his work and regarding his experiences. Now know what Paul begins with as he writes to Timothy that thou hast fully known my doctrine. As he writes to help his young son in the faith who also was facing even in his day the apostasy from the truth and the falling away of men from the Word of God. Paul reminds him, Timothy, you have perfectly and completely known what I teach.
You know my doctrine. Oh, my beloved, may I say lovingly, earnestly, sincerely, would to God that you and I and all would follow Paul. Many years ago it was my privilege as well as sad privilege to have it related to me. that one of the great teachers of a specific college, representing a religious institution, made the statement, We do not need the epistles of Paul. My beloved no greater mistake, and no greater diabolical, devilish suggestion could ever be made in relation to the Christian truth.
We do need Paul. We do need the teachings of Paul. You and I would not know what the church is. You and I would never know what are the principles of truth related to the church, together with the responsibilities and the administrative responsibilities concerning the church, together with all that Christ has in view in the purposes of God for this Christian age, whether it's not for the writings of Paul. I covered earnestly that my friends would follow the teachings of Paul. Paul could say, as perhaps none other did, Be ye followers of me.
Then why did he say that? Even as I am of God, was his continuing statement. And Paul writing to Timothy says, Thou hast known my manner, fully known my doctrine. And then go on, not only my doctrine, but my manner of life. Beloved, may I say, we've emphasized it in the commencement of these epistles to Timothy. Two great truths permeate the epistles that are called the pastoral letters. First and second Timothy and the epistle of Titus. On one hand, they emphasize sound doctrine, so necessary, sound teaching, the sound and helpful teaching of the Word of God.
On the other hand, God emphasizes not only sound teaching, but he emphasizes sound living. How important they are to be balanced. And I wish to speak to my own heart. I'd like to speak to every brother and every sister in Christ. Born again, washed in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, we who are the children of God, we are not only to be sound in doctrine, we should be sound in living. This is the happy balance. This is the needful balance of a godly testimony. And the dear beloved Apostle Paul witnesses and testifies to the knowledge that Timothy possessed, fully knowing my doctrine, fully knowing my matter of life.
Oh, what a testimony. The beloved Apostle was not ashamed of what he believed, but neither was he ashamed of how he lived. My beloved Christian, shall not you and I take these facts to our hearts and apply them to our consciences? It is not only necessary to know what you believe, but it is just as needful to live what you believe, and that the truth that you believe is lived out in actual practice. One wrote these fitting words, teach me to live, tis easy a father died, Gently and silently to pass away, on earth dark night to close the heavy eye, and waken in realms of glorious day.
Teach me that harder lesson, how to live, to serve thee in every path of life, arm me for conflict now, fresh vigor give, and make me more than conqueror in the strife. My beloved radio friend, I mean it from the depths of my heart. and by the energy of the Spirit of God. Doctrine is essential, true doctrine, but also true and righteous living to balance it is imperative. This the beloved Apostle Paul could testify to. But along with sound doctrine, along with sound living, there was a There was a domitable purpose, an indomitable purpose of heart.
You know my purpose. Oh, beloved, what was that purpose? Can I fold his words in Philippians one twenty-one? Father me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. And thank God for such a purpose, from which the apostle would not be swayed, straying away from it, never. But continually down to the end, he could say, I kept the faith. I finish my course. And thus he could indeed add with joy that he had fought in the good combat. Beloved, the purpose of the heart and mind of this apostle was to lift the glory of the one who saved him.
And he says, You know my faith. And you know, all along with that faith that I practiced and manifested, it's been a testimony of long suffering. It's been a testimony of love, and it has been a testimony of patience. My radio friend, take these words together. They are indeed the apex of Christian testimony. My teaching, my doctrine that I believe and preach, my manner of life that supports what I believe, I live what I believe, my purpose of heart, my purpose of life, as well as my energy of faith, and the long-suffering that has been my portion to thus experience as I've gone on, but with love and with patience and endurance in the conflict before me.
Oh, beloved, I say humbly, but I say it with confidence. Here is an end. that I can fully uphold to you and present to you as the greatest exponent of Christianity. What a contrast to the false teachers, what a contrast to the wise men of the earth who lead away from the truth of God. God grant you and I will be willing to follow the teachings that the Spirit of God is given to this age. through the pen and the writings of the beloved Apostle Paul, who not only wrote what God gave him, but lived out the truth that God entrusted to him.
God helped us to do the same. Shall we pray? Blessed God and Father, we thank thee for the testimony of thy servant Paul, who is now in the glory, that who in his life as Christian testimony thus could be able to give at the end of those days These words that we have meditated upon, may it challenge us to go on for Christ and his glory. We ask it in his precious and worthy name. Amen.