2 Timothy 3
There is one point in the second chapter which we had under our consideration last week, to which I must revert for a moment this evening, so as to make that portion of our subject complete. I allude to the twentieth and twenty-first verses; and if I recapitulate a little, it is simply to keep up the connection with what I propose to look at in this third chapter tonight.
Observe how the apostle presses this truth of the house of God—all-important, not only in the consideration of the epistles before us now, but of any portion of Scripture; because you cannot grasp the mind of the Spirit in the epistles, unless you intelligently understand the difference between the Church of God in its responsibility as His house, and the body of Christ, in its perfectness before God. The latter is before the apostle distinctly when he likens (in this twentieth verse) the “house of God,” the sphere of profession, committed to man in responsibility as a builder, not to the great house, as we noticed last week, but to a great house; that is, he takes up the figure of a house, any house, with all kinds of vessels in confusion in it; and he likens the house of God, which he calls the “church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,” to this house. He says this is what it has become in man’s hand; God entrusted it to man, as the sphere of his building, and that is what he has made out of it. He has reduced it to that state, that it is compared to a great house, with everything in it, clean and unclean.
And now comes the solemn question, What is a Christian, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, to do in that state of things? And what becomes a child of God, awakened to the sense of the confusion in which everything is, the wreck which the house of God has become, how is he to walk according to God? What is called Christendom is really “the house of God,” let people say what they will. I will only say in connection with it: If you deny that Christendom is the house of God, you take away the ground upon which God will judge it. It is because it is His house, He will judge it. Now no one denies that Christendom will be judged; on what ground, then? Because it is His house. He has a claim on it, He has authority over it. It is an entire blunder to say, as many do, that because it has become confused and in ruin, because man has introduced all sorts of false materials into it, that therefore it ceases to be, in responsibility, the house of God. I will tell you what it has become. It is a witness to confusion; but it does not cease to be God’s house, because of this confusion.
Well now, the apostle here, speaking to any saint of God (because it is individual here) wishing to find his or her way, in the confusion in which everything is, says, “If a man therefore”—what? Leaves it? How can he do that? Let me dwell a little further on this for the sake of many who may not understand: you cannot leave this house of God. Are you prepared to give up the profession of Christ’s name? Leaving the house would be as much as to say that you give up the profession of the name of Christ; in other words, you would cease publicly to profess that you were a Christian. If a person could go out of the house, that is what it would amount to. It would be an entire disavowal of the distinct and open profession of Christ’s name. You cannot do that. That is the very thing that a Christian glories in, he rejoices to profess the name of Christ.
But the words of the Spirit of God, through the apostle, to any one seeking His path in the midst of confusion, are these—much more difficult than going out of the house, if that were possible—“If a man purge himself” from what is unsuitable to God in the house, “he shall be a vessel unto honor”; &c. And, beloved friends, it is that purging one’s self from vessels to dishonor that are found now in the house of God here upon this earth that entails upon us trouble, exercise, anxiety, difficulty, and persecution. When I see I have to retain and keep my place in the house, but to purge myself from the vessels of dishonor that are in it, then I am called to exercise of soul, nearness to God, to know what is suitable to His tastes, and what is not suitable; and a boldness, which nothing but devotedness to Christ can really give, a determination that at any cost I will glorify Him. And therefore, says the apostle, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
Now I do not deny that there are instruments whom God in His grace uses, which have not purged themselves from the things that are unsuitable; but mark this, they are not vessels to honor, they are not sanctified vessels, not meet for the Master’s use, and not prepared to every good work. I could not deny that God uses as instruments many who are mixed up with all the things that are unsuitable to Him in the sphere of profession. There is one thing—just let me suggest it in passing, because it may be helpful to bring in what is closely connected with this subject. A difficulty presents itself to some people with reference to the gifts which Christ has given to His church, because these gifts are found in all sorts of associations. Now mark this, the gifts are in the whole church, not in part of it; and when you see intelligently that this is the case, that the gifts are scattered over the whole thing, and not found only in one part of the church, then you are not in the least surprised if God in His sovereignty is pleased to make use of the gifts, though they may be in associations unsuitable to Him. Many a person argues to a false position, because of the sovereignty of God in the use of some gift. Now I cannot argue so at all. I may argue as to His sovereignty, or as to the fact that the gifts are in the whole church; but I understand this clearly from Scripture, that in order for a man to be a vessel suited to the Master’s use, sanctified, and prepared unto every good work, he must be purged, and therefore it comes down to the individual thing, “If a man therefore purge himself” &c.
Now that is the first practical point which the Spirit of God brings out in connection with the disorder in which this sphere of profession is found. The first thing is, I have to purge myself from the things that are unsuitable to Him in this house of His. Mark the next verse, and then we will proceed to the third chapter: “Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
The pathway of God for His people in times like these would not be clearly marked without that verse. I can conceive this, that many a person might have confidence in God sufficient to say, “Well, I will purge myself.” Many a person says, “I am not connected with any of the associations.” And I am not speaking this unkindly, or disrespectfully, with reference to any denomination so-called. Many say, “I am not mixed up with any of the associations which are found in that sphere which has become confused. I am apart from them all.” But observe this, the apostle does not say that a man is to purge himself so as to remain in intense individuality. There is not a word of that in Scripture. Therefore that meets the question of the condition in which you will find Christians sometimes now. They say, “I am apart from the whole thing; and I am standing all alone by myself; and I am not with anyone else.”
But mark this, it is “follow with.” Who are we to follow with? Now just leave out for a moment the beginning of that 22nd verse, so as to make the sense a little clearer, and read the passage thus: “Follow with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart” {2 Tim. 2:2222Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)}.
There are certain characteristics of this following—“righteousness, peace”; but just leave them out for the moment. The associations, then, what are they? What is their character? Not that I am to be an individual unit, that is clear. Not a person isolated and alone, associated with no one else. It is “follow with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.” What is the meaning of that? I have no hesitation in saying that it refers not so much to individual purity of heart, as to corporate purity. That which is in the mind of the Spirit of God here, is collective purity; that is, a purity marking the association. Those who are gathered together in the association which is spoken of here are those who meet on the ground of the word of God with a devotedness and affection for the Lord Jesus Christ, seeking the maintenance of His name, His truth, and His honor, in the non- toleration of everything that would be unsuitable to Him. That is, I believe, what the apostle speaks of when he says, “Them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”: purity of heart, integrity of heart, and personal devotedness to Christ, are the characteristic marks of the association that I am bound to seek when I have individually purged myself.
Thus we have the two things, very distinct and marked, as to the path which becomes the saint of God in days contemplated in 2 Timothy.
Well, now I will say one word on the 24th verse: the infinite wisdom and blessed care of God the Holy Ghost in putting these words in connection with what has gone before, is manifest. He says in this verse, “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” {2 Tim. 2:2424And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, (2 Timothy 2:24)}.
Because there is nothing that makes more demands on the patience, meekness, and long-suffering of the saint, than to be called to walk in a path of entire separation and isolation from all that is unsuitable to Christ in such days as these. And that is the very reason why those words are put in there by the Spirit of God; a seasonable exhortation to Timothy, and, of course, to every saint of God in measure. Every saint of God is a servant in one sense, though of course Timothy was in a special sense, and therefore more exposed to the attacks, and trials, and difficulties which beset the path.
Let me recall to your memory then these three things before we pass on to the third chapter. The first simple direction of the Spirit of God is, that I am to purge myself from what is unsuitable to Christ in the house; then, that I am to follow all these characteristics of godliness with those that are corporately pure; and last, that I am to maintain this position in patience, and gentleness, and meekness. These three things are most distinctly marked.
When we come to the third chapter we find what comes down more to our own times, because we have in it the distinct features of this present moment. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall be present” (not “come”). These are the very times in which we are. We are in the perilous times of the last days. Now the first thing the apostle does is to give a description of certain great characteristics of these times. I do not dwell upon them, because I believe most here are familiar with them. When we come to the fifth verse we have what unquestionably fastens all these characteristics upon the present period, and that is, “having a form of godliness.” It is a wonderful thing that with all that is enumerated in those verses, all the covetousness, boasting, pride, blasphemy, and so on, that mark these days, there should be this “form of godliness”: with all these salient features of the very times we are in, there is to be found around it and over it all a specious pretext or form of godliness, but without “the power thereof.”
That this really brings the subject down to our days must be allowed. Is there any one here tonight so lacking in observation as to the character of these times as not to see that the apostle is exactly describing them? If you were asked to delineate them, you could not do so more accurately than this; you could not select certain great features of character which would more adapt themselves to the circumstances we are in than in these verses before us. Is it not what is all around us? Is there not an increasing, growing “form of godliness”? Is not religion entwined around everything that men take up? You must remember, there is a very great difference between “religion” and Christ. Man will do anything for “religion.” He is “religious” in his very nature; and thus “religion” is connected with everything. There must be a certain amount of “religion” about everything to give it respectability in the eyes of man, and to make it palatable—oftentimes to an uneasy conscience.
But where is the “power” of it? Now you must know very well that men will not have Christ, and that is why I make the distinction between “religion” and Christ. People must have “religion,” they have no objection to it whatever; but when it is Christ, when it is what is suitable to Christ, when it is what is becoming the claims of Christ, the honor of Christ, it cuts, like a knife, far too deep for such an age as this; and thus it is people reject it, and throw it off.
Now I would speak even to those here this evening, who may have escaped from the corruptions that are in the professing house of God. Although we may have escaped, through sovereign grace and mercy, so as to stand outwardly upon a divine position, it is quite possible for us to put that position in place of Christ. And where a person puts any position, be it ever so divine or true in itself, in place of Christ, he will lose the power to retain that position, suitably to Christ, and sooner or later he gives it up. Because you never can maintain anything of God except as in relation to Christ. That is the safeguard of your heart, and a power to keep the affections of your heart true to it.
Now here, you observe, it is very distinctly said that there is all the outward show of godliness, and that is on the increase. There is formality and profession abounding, and everything of the kind is freely accepted and freely owned, but the “power” is wanting. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.”
Well, I pass over the next verse: “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Such are the actings of the promulgators of this false system that abounds. When we come to the eighth verse, we find another character of present days; a distinct mark is that eighth verse of the present time. “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
The apostle here is likening the characteristics that are found in this great show, this empty pageant of religion without the power of it, to what took place in the history of Gods dealings with His people Israel, when He was bringing them out of Egypt into Canaan. There were the magicians of Egypt (they are those referred to here) who sought to set aside the power of God through Moses, in the hearts of His people; not by open opposition—not by distinct, hostile, inimical display; not that, but something a thousand times more dangerous, it was subtle imitation. It was the imitation of the real thing which was attempted by Satan, through Pharaoh’s magicians, to turn aside the power of God through Moses in the deliverance of the people. There is a saying with which many here are familiar; viz., “history repeats itself.” That is perfectly true in divine things, as in human; and here you have Satan repeating himself. The very effort of the devil to hinder the deliverance of Israel, through the hand of Moses, is the principle which is resorted to by him in Christendom, at this present moment, to set aside the truth of God; viz., a specious, subtle, and crafty imitation. You will therefore admit that we are justified in saying, and in saying solemnly, that what is most dangerous at this present moment is the thing that is nearest to what is true. The thing that is nearest to the truth is the thing that is most dangerous, because there is more of imitation about it, and souls are less on their guard respecting that which has the appearance of truth upon it, than that which is marked by open opposition.
I feel it is exceedingly important, and very solemn, to read such a word as this, and connect it with the past history of God’s dealings with His people, and also with the present moment—that as Jannes and Jambres, by their imitation of God’s doings, sought to withstand God’s working, so do these also “resist the truth.” And I would say to my brethren in the Lord this evening, be not without exercise in your consciences and hearts as to whether you are lending yourselves in any sense to a principle like that; because I believe there is far more of this imitation passing current, and receiving countenance, amongst the saints of God, than we have the smallest idea of.
There is one peculiar element about all this, one special feature—it is all intensely human; and the more a thing appeals to what is human, the more general is its reception on all sides; it is acceptable and attractive. But the moment you introduce what is divine, that which makes demands upon a person’s conscience, and brings a person to stand totally outside the whole platform of the first man, as such, and to have to do with “the second man,” the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is another matter altogether. And therefore you find now that any effort in Christendom that seeks to benefit man as he is, will be acceptable to the mass. Why? Because it does not ignore, and disallow totally, the standing of the first man as such; in fact, it works from the first man as a basis. It seeks to ameliorate him, it gives him a place, it seeks to operate upon him, whether upon his religious feelings, like ritualism, or upon his intellectual feelings, like rationalism. You get these two things—ritualism and rationalism, allowing the status of the first man in a religious way and in an intellectual way.
These are world powers. You know well—you must be conscious—that these are growingly popular. There are a certain large class that are caught by each of them. Now I call that imitation; it is Jannes and Jambres repeated. It is exactly the same thing over again as that by which Satan sought to obstruct the deliverance of God’s people. And therefore, says the apostle to Timothy, warning him with reference to it, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all, as theirs also was” {2 Tim. 3:88Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8)}.
Where then is the security? I answer, as I have often done before, that the only security for any person against what is false is, knowing what is true. I do not believe any one is ever safe against that which is spurious unless he knows the genuine article. You must know the real thing not only in order to be fortified against what is false, but in order to be able to unmask it. Is it not solemn to think that there are numbers of God’s saints who could not tell you what is false? Why? Because they do not know what is true. They have not the knowledge of the truth, by which to weigh that which is false.
Here, then, is the preservative: the apostle says to Timothy in this 10th verse, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine.” Now, may I ask you, What does the apostle really mean, what has he in his mind, what is the purpose of the Holy Ghost in speaking in that way? If you were asked tonight what is Paul’s doctrine, what answer would you give? He speaks of something special, something peculiar—“My doctrine.” What was it? Let me tell you in as few words as I can. Paul’s doctrine started with this—the total and complete setting aside and non-recognition of man as man—the utter denial of the first man before God, and the putting of everything in connection with the second Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who in His death closed the history of the first man, and in His resurrection became the last Adam, the second Man, the beginning of God’s creation.
That is what Paul’s doctrine especially rested on; that was the basis of it. Of course I do not mean to say that he does not include here the Church, the body of Christ—what he calls else- where “the mystery”—but, mark this, even the truth of the church, the mystery (that is, the taking Jews and Gentiles out of their respective nationalities, and uniting them in one new man to the Lord Jesus Christ, as we have it in Eph. 2), all this stood for its basis on the redemption work of Christ, which was itself the complete setting aside of man in the flesh, and placing everything in connection with the second Man. The whole truth of the Church, the body of Christ, flows from that. And therefore Paul’s doctrine may be described as specially that which brought out the complete setting aside of man as a child of Adam before God, and the union of Jew and Gentile in one body, united by the Holy Ghost to the Head in heaven, and equally to one another on earth. Paul says to Timothy, “You have fully known my doctrine”; and, at this present moment, not a soul in this company tonight, is safe from the hostile wiles and imitations of Satan unless he knows Paul’s doctrine. You are not, be assured, safe without this; you may be tripped up at any moment by the subtilty of Jannes and Jambres, unless you are versed intelligently in your soul in what the apostle speaks of here, by the Spirit, as “my doctrine.” Unless you know that, you will not be able to unravel the mysteries, cunning, and imitations of Satan at this present time.
Now Timothy (and is not this open to every saint of God today?) had “fully known Paul’s doctrine,” not partially known it. In connection, there is a passage I should like to refer to in Col.1:24, 25, “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church: whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to complete the word of God,” i.e. “to fill up the word of God.” What he means is, that until he had by the Holy Ghost brought out the special truth which God had committed to him to be the minister of, the testimony of God was not filled up. The testimony of God, or “Word of God,” comprised all that we have in the New Testament Scriptures, and in the New Testament Scriptures, minus “the mystery”; but the moment that the apostle brought out what is called “the mystery”—i.e. something that was hidden, but is now revealed; as soon as he had brought out this special revelation which was committed to him, exercising his stewardship in bringing it out, then the word of God was complete; and the whole word of God, His testimony, as the fortifying power to keep His people in the midst of the hostilities and imitations of present times, was then fully filled up.
Now it is to this that the apostle alludes here, when he says to Timothy, “You have fully known my doctrine.” The whole word of God is complete. The testimony which God has provided for His people to guard them against the counterfeits and imitations, and everything else that Satan would bring against them, is embodied now in the Scriptures; and hence it is that the apostle refers to the Scriptures a little lower down, when he says, “From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.”
There are thus three great realities in 2 Tim. 3 upon which the apostle would ground Timothy and the saints of God, as their security with reference to everything that besets them. There was Paul’s doctrine which was pre-eminently the truth of Jew and Gentile, united into one body by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven—with the “manner of life” corresponding to it; that was the first thing. Then there was the person of Christ, in which everything was secured for eternal life, and for God’s ways even upon this earth; that was the next. And then there were the Scriptures, the revelation of the one and the other.
The apostle thus casts Timothy upon this blessed word of God, which is able to make a child wise unto salvation, and to fully furnish the man of God for every good work. And if ever there was a day when the saints of God needed to be recalled with more distinctness than ever to that blessed, precious revelation and communication of His mind, these are the days. It is to be feared there is little deep searching of God’s word; and there is this danger, lest that which is based upon scripture, and founded upon it, though blessed and useful in its place, should take the place of the authority of God’s own blessed book, in the hearts and consciences of His people, and make them correspondingly deficient as to power, and firmness, and definiteness, amid a hostile Christendom. Because, be assured, if it is not the Scriptures that are at the foundation, if it is not the word of God that is the power of our souls with regard to everything, every position I take and occupy, then our faith is simply standing in the wisdom of men. And I do say that we are not free from that danger. We as much as others are exposed to the snare of our faith resting in the wisdom of men instead of the power of God. It is the Scriptures, the word of God alone, which “can furnish and perfect ("DJ4@H) a man of God for every good work.”
I will say a little upon the latter part of the tenth verse. “You have fully known my doctrine,” which he connects with “manner of life.” Now, here is the terrible lack, more or less with us all; that is, as to the “manner of life” which is suited to “my doctrine.” What is the “manner of life” as he expresses it, which he connects with his doctrine? I have no hesitation in saying that it was a practical maintenance of heavenly citizenship in an earthly scene. I believe his “manner of life” was that complete, total, thorough strangership, heavenly strangership, in the midst of a scene that is pre-eminently earthly, and in the midst of a world characterized greatly by those who profess largely, and yet “mind earthly things.”
This it is which makes it solemn to every one of us. A man may say, “I know what Paul’s doctrine is” but let us challenge our hearts, is there “the manner of life”? Are there the circumstances, habits, ways, appearance, suited to that doctrine? And mark how he lays as much stress upon one as the other. It is not simply, “You have fully known my doctrine,” but “doctrine, manner of life”; and then he tells the features of this life, “purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience” (endurance). All these are to be combined with the maintenance of a distinct isolated, heavenly citizenship, and narrow path in a hostile world.
I know very well we are sometimes inclined to plead the narrowness of the path as an excuse for the narrowness of our affections. That will not do. If a man says, “My heart is narrow because my path is narrow,” I say he is ignorant, foolish, or worse; if your heart is narrow it is because you are not near enough to Christ; that is the true reason. Oh; the nearer I am to Christ, the more I know what it is to have personal fellowship with that blessed One who has brought me into such a wondrous position; the narrower will my path be; but I shall seek to have my heart large. That is, my heart will expand in proportion to my knowledge of the heart of Christ; and at the same time my feet will traverse more closely the path which He has marked out for me.
The Lord, by His Spirit, fix these things upon our hearts this evening! I feel it is a subject of the deepest importance for every one of us, in view of the nearness of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have positively arrived at the beginning of the end. If the apostle could say, by the Holy Ghost, that it was “the last hour”—“little children, it is the last hour” (1 John 2:1818Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18))—how much more are we in the closing seconds, as it were, of that last hour? And ought there not to be in your heart and mine, not merely a desire to be found in a clean path in the midst of the corruptions around us, but if Christ is our object, ought there not to be in our hearts at least this longing to be suitable to Him? It is not merely that I may be suitable to the claims of my conscience. I believe many are satisfied with that. I do not overlook it, but what I am stating now will secure that. But the thing is, suitability in the power of life, and in the affection of a heart that draws its springs from a love that never changes! It is suitability to my object, and how can I be suitable to Him if I do not study His pleasure, and how can I know what that is, unless I personally know Himself? It is from Himself I get the expression of His mind and will, His desires and His tastes. How much do we study the pleasure of the One that we delight to call our object? What exercise of heart does it give you to be suitable to Him? What exercise of heart do you go through to find out what He would like, and when you have found out what would please that blessed One, who is so little pleased in this world, how much self-denial is there to carry it out?
Remember, too, that you will never get motives apart from your object; and you never get the satisfaction of your desires except in the Person who creates those desires in you. Oh, what one looks for increasingly is, such a real, whole-hearted, genuine desire to be suitable to Christ, that blessed One, the rejected man on earth, but the accepted, glorified Man at God’s right hand, pursuing my way in the face of the hostilities, confusions, and imitations that are in His house! And do not forget that it is His house still. You may call it “the great house,” if you rightly understand the expression; but it is His house, “the house of God.” It belongs to Him. He has authority, claims, rights, over it, and He will judge it.
Here we are, then, in the midst of all this, with Himself set before us as the spring and power for all that is suitable to Him; and if we are looking for His coming, and expecting Him, what delight to the heart to desire through grace that which is suitable to Himself. What a blessing it would be if there was a little more of that amongst us, nothing about us that could prevent us looking forward, with a welcome and anticipation of joy, to His coming for us any moment.
The Lord, by His Spirit, set Him before us increasingly, and give us a more true desire to know His mind; and cast us more upon the word of God in these times; more upon the blessed revelation of God, so that we may know what we are standing upon. I maintain there is not one of us who ought not to be as certain about his position ecclesiastically, as he is about his soul’s salvation. You ought to have as much divine certainty about the one as the other. Because if it is contained in this book, then I ought to be sure of it; divinely certified because my soul is resting upon this unerring testimony; just as I know the truth with reference to my title by the blood of Christ.
The Lord bless His word by His Spirit, and create a desire in us to know its depths, for His own name’s sake!
From Light for the Pilgrim Path, London: Morrish, n.d.