The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
2 Timothy 3.1-9 is another one of those “last days” passages that our Christian brothers often take as applicable here and now, as if we are in the last days. But as I showed in the last Weekly Perspective, “last days” has a wide pedigree in the Bible, such as in Joel 2, Acts 2, Hebrews 1, and it is clear from Acts 2 and Hebrews 1 that Peter and Paul are talking about events in “their” day.
The same is true here in 2 Timothy 3. Paul says that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. Is he warning us, 2000 years later? Well, no he isn’t; he is warning Timothy about their day and time so that Timothy is a better pastor and won’t be caught off guard. Again, the context alerts us to the faithful reading.
Paul mentions in verse 2 that people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, etc. What does he say about such people in verse 5? Avoid them! Avoid them because they will mislead you, Timothy, and pervert your ministry! Then Paul goes on to judge these men, saying they won’t get very far, for their folly will be plain to all. How so? Because these men oppose the truth, men who are disqualified regarding their faith. Paul is speaking in the present tense about these men, warning Timothy to avoid them. In contrast to the men of verse 1-9, Paul praises Timothy for having followed his teaching, conduct, faith, patience, etc. in verses 10-11. Timothy is contrasted with the living wicked of his day who suffer shipwreck of faith.
How do we apply these passages today? Well, there are still wicked people around and they still can and do attack pastors and spoil their ministries. Present day pastors, and their flocks, should avoid them!