2Timothy 3:1-9

Read Psalm 1

Verse 1
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”
1. “But”
a. But what?
i. “Even though God may grant repentance to people who are straying from the truth…”
2. The phrase “the last days” refers to the entire length of time after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. “The last days” refers to the entirety of this time up to the present and will continue to be “the last days” until the Second Coming.
3. Why does Paul want Timothy to be aware that the last days will be times of difficulty?
4. How does knowing what we can expect in living in the last days help to guide us in our living?

Verses 2-5
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
1. Paul is NOT talking about people out in the world who are openly opposed to Christ. Paul IS taking about people in the church who claim to follow Christ.
2. The dangers Paul mentions concerning the last days come not “from war, famine, disease, or any other…disaster…but it will come from the wickedness of depraved people.” (Calvin, Commentary on 2 Timothy)
3. What is at the root or what is the base sin of the sins listed in verses 2-4?
a. Lovers of self; people who worship themselves.
4. What are some of the sins listed in these verses that stand out to you as to what you see in the church?
5. In what ways is the modern church in America like our culture?
6. In what ways should the church in America be different from our culture?
7. What is the power of godliness?
8. Why is having a form or appearance of godliness but not having the power of godliness a bad thing?
9. Do people ever hide their faults by pretending that what they are doing is okay or even godly?
10. What should our attitude be towards people who live ungodly lifestyles but wear a front, or a mask, to disguise themselves as being godly?
11. Name some instances where people have appeared to be godly but were not truly godly.
12. When we are told to avoid such people or have nothing to do with such people, what does that mean?
a. Not to share close connection with people who are unrepentant in the church.
13. Why are we to have nothing to do with people who claim to know Christ but are unrepentant of their sin?
a. Distracts us
b. Tempts us to sin or be led astray
c. Easy to be led astray
d. When we are closely associated with these types of people and the evil deeds of the false teachers become exposed, our witness will be dampened. Although we may not be actively participating with people in their ungodliness, it may appear that we are in line with the false teachers or ungodly people’s way of life simply because people will associate us with them.

Verses 6-7
“For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”
1. To worm or creep into people’s homes means using flattery or being cunning to get a person to let their guard down.
2. “For among them”
a. What type of people are people who lead others astray?
3. Will the people who are giving a false message about God always be easy to spot?
4. Why does Paul mention weak-willed women as the ones being targeted?
a. Is it just women that can be deceived?
5. What does the description about these women tell us about them and why they are easily led astray?
6. What does it mean for people to be “always learning but never able to arrive at or acknowledge the truth?
a. People can be easily led astray by various passions when they are both curious and restless. People are curious because they are interested in learning what the person who appears to be godly has to say, as the deceiver appears to take interest in and care about the person they are deceiving. When people are restless and do not have a firm foundation built on Christ, they are open to any suggestion that appears to give them rest and satisfaction. Often times, the blind begin leading the blind and both become increasingly ensnared in their own folly because they are blinded in their sinfulness.
7. “When every man is eager for what he can get, and anxious to keep what he has, this makes men dangerous to one another. When men do not fear God, they will not regard man.” (Matthew Henry, Commentary of 2 Timothy)

Verses 8-9
“Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
1. Jannes and Jambres are not mentioned explicitly in the Bible. Extra-biblical material has told us that these two men are the magicians/sorcerers mentioned in Exodus 7-9.
2. Exodus 7:1-3; 8:16-19
a. The magicians challenge Moses and for a time seem to be somewhat of a match for God and the plagues God brings on Egypt.
3. How are the false teachers like Jannes and Jambres?
4. How will the false teachers’ folly be made plain?
a. False Teachers are never allowed to get away with what they are doing. God allows spiritual error to advance, but only so far.

Summary
1. What is the overall message of verses 1-9?
2. What are some practical things we can take from these verses to apply to our lives?