Perilous Times

The Bible talks about perilous times in the last days. What exactly does that mean? Well, open with us to Second Timothy, chapter 3, and we'll talk exactly about that.

While you're all standing, would you take out your Bibles with me? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We are in the book of Second Timothy, chapter 3, this morning. As you are turning there, I have a quick announcement. If you've been around the last couple of weeks, you know we've mentioned a fundraising event we are working on for the Alternatives Women's Center here in Escondido. They are having their annual Walk for Life on March 9th, and we have been a part of this ministry and this specific fundraiser for many years.

I know the Bible speaks against pride, but we take pride in the fact that we have beaten every other church every year in fundraising. At the moment, we are in second place to North Coast Church, which is unacceptable. If you go to our website, lifeinconnection.com, and I believe it’s /awc for Alternatives Women's Center, you can sign up to walk. We would love for you to come walk with us at the Walk for Life. If you cannot make it on March 9th, it wouldn't take very long; we are there in the morning on Saturday. If you can't make it, maybe support somebody so that we can beat North Coast Church. I get together with the pastors of North Coast Church pretty frequently, and I want to let them know that a much smaller church has totally toasted them every year.

Now, back to Second Timothy. You guys can cut that out of the audio recording. Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 1 reads: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than..."

Lovers of God have a form of godliness but deny its power. From such people, turn away. For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts. They are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now Janus and Jambres resisted Moses, and so do these also resist the truth—men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith. But they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

God, as we look at this challenging passage of Scripture, we pray that You would give us open hearts to receive Your word. This very chapter, 2 Timothy 3, says that all Scripture is given by inspiration from You and is useful. So we come before these nine verses believing that this is from You, inspired for us—not just for Timothy 2,000 years ago, not just for the church that he pastored in Ephesus, but for Cross-Connection Church in 2019.

So, God, would You speak to us? As You give us Your word and as we have open hearts, we pray that Your Spirit would help us to not only know these things but to apply them to our lives. We believe and trust that Your word is living and powerful and able to transform us. So, God, do that work, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You may be seated.

I have had the privilege for a long time—longer than I have been the pastor of this church—of being a teacher at a local Bible college. I started back in 2004-2005, teaching at an extension of the Bible college up the road here in Marietta, at their extension campus in Zagan, Germany. That opened the door for me to teach here, and I've taught there ever since. In Marietta, I had the privilege of teaching through the Gospel of John, through Romans, and the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah many times. Most recently, I have been teaching classes on church planting and also on pastoral preaching.

One of the things that happens frequently as I teach through these classes is that I come to certain points in the lecture, and I will say, as I'm going...

Through this, remember this: it's going to be on the final. If you remember that from back in school days, remember this: it's going to be on the final. As we come to Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 1, I think that that's what Paul is saying when he opens and says, "Know this." In this section, these nine verses contain only two commands, or imperatives. One of them is the command to know this. It’s as if Paul is saying to Timothy, "This is going to be on the final."

There are certain things that God commands us to know. Imperatively, He wants us to know these things. We could read this as, "You must know this important truth." What must we know? In the last days, perilous times will come.

Point number one on your outline: we are expected to know of certain future conditions. When I say "certain future conditions," there are specific things we need to know for certain. Paul is making a bold claim here about things that will exist in what he calls the last days.

In reading Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 1, there are three important things we need to recognize and know that are clear in this verse. The first clear thing is that there will be last days. He says, "In the last days." The church, going back 2,000 years to the very beginning, has believed and taught a concept of the last days. From the earliest days of the church, at the very beginning, Jesus spoke very clearly about the last days, or the end of the age, or the end of the ages. These concepts come up in the Old Testament but are also very clearly presented in the New Testament.

For 2,000 years, the church has believed and taught the concept of the last days. However, there are some significant difficulties that surround this concept and this teaching of the last days. The major difficulty about the concept of the last days is that not only has the church believed...

The church has recognized what we often refer to as the already-but-not-yet nature of the last days. What I mean by that is that as you study through the New Testament, specifically, you begin to realize that there was an already sense around the last days, but there was also a not-yet sense. The early church believed that they were already living in the last days 2,000 years ago, but they also spoke of the last days as being something that was yet to come in the future.

Let me illustrate this from Scripture. In the book of Hebrews, the author opens with these words: "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world." The author of the book of Hebrews recognized that he and those to whom he was writing were already living in this period that the church characterized as the last days.

For many centuries, the church has considered this period of time—from the time that Jesus ascended into heaven until His return at the end—as the last days. The author of Hebrews states that in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son. Therefore, there is a sense that we are already in the last days, but there is also a future sense in which the last days are not yet. We are awaiting the coming of the last days.

Paul speaks about this in 2 Timothy 3:1, where he says, "But know this: in the last days." He seems to be looking forward to the last days, or perhaps he is just speaking about this general period in which we are living. Peter also addresses this not-yet component of the last days in 2 Peter 3. He writes in verse 1, "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken."

Before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of our Lord and Savior, we know this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts. There is an already component where we are in the midst of the last days, from the time that Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts chapter 1 until the time that Jesus returns for the second coming. We are in the last days, but there is also a not yet component. Paul and Peter are reminding the church that they need to recognize that there will come this time of the last days.

The first thing we see in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1, is that there is this concept of the last days. The second thing we see is that the last days will be characterized by specific things. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul says that in the last days, perilous times will come. The last days, Paul says, will be characterized by peril; another way of translating it would be difficulty. One way to read "perilous times" is literally as "times of stress."

When I say "times of stress," I mean that many people seem to be very anxious and stressed. Paul indicates that there will be last days, and they will be characterized by difficulty and stress. Whether he is speaking of the entire period from the ascension of Jesus until His return or specifically about the time right before the return of Christ is not necessarily an issue. We recognize that we are living in times that are difficult and can be perilous.

The third thing that becomes clear in this passage is that not only will there be last days, and not only will those days be characterized by peril or stress, but those days are certain. I think that's important because if someone were to give you a prediction of something troubling that is going to occur in the not-too-distant future, our inclination would be to try to figure out how to avert it, how to circumnavigate it, or how to get away from experiencing whatever trouble that would be. The New Testament repeatedly informs us that there will be this time of trouble in the future. The last days will be a time of stress.

Difficulty, and maybe even what some refer to as tribulation, will occur in the future. The inclination might be to find a way to avoid these experiences altogether. However, Paul makes it very clear that these things will certainly happen. Notice what he says: "But know this, in the last days perilous times will come." It is a future-indicated reality that these perilous times will come. It is not a might; it is not a maybe; it is a certainty.

Knowing these things, we should not be surprised by what occurs. We ought to be aware of these events. If we know that something is going to happen, it is not really very shocking. I was listening to some individuals discuss business matters on a podcast last week. The individual being interviewed was one of the early investors who helped move forward the vision of Facebook when Mark Zuckerberg was just 22 years old. This person was instrumental in mapping out their direction.

He talked about one of the missteps they made years ago. Facebook's engineers had orchestrated a system that would keep track of where users went and what they purchased, allowing friends to see these purchases in case they might want to buy similar items. This became a real problem when one guy bought an engagement ring for his girlfriend on Overstock.com, and it posted his purchase on his Facebook account.

As a result, she realized he was going to propose, which he wanted to keep a surprise. Additionally, she discovered that he got a really good deal on the ring, which caused some real issues for him. The Facebook engineers quickly realized that maybe people did not want this feature.

If you know that something is going to happen, it is not a shock. In Paul's teaching, God wants us to understand that these events will occur. Something is not shocking if it is expected. Therefore, we should anticipate that things will happen during this period of time between Jesus's ascension to heaven and His second coming.

Near the second coming of Christ, however you want to interpret the last days, we should recognize that these days will be characterized by difficult, stressful, perilous times. What is fascinating is why Paul describes these times as perilous. He tells us they will be perilous, but he also tells us why they will be perilous.

Look at verse 2 of 2nd Timothy, chapter 3. Know this: that in the last days perilous times will come. Would you circle the word "for" there? When you're studying the Scriptures, you look for important key words like this. It's what's called a causal conjunction. It would be perfectly right to read 2nd Timothy, chapter 3, verse 2 as "because." You could replace the word "for" with the word "because." The times in these last days will be perilous because, what? Because men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Paul says, "Be aware, church. Things in this period of time, the church age, or right before Jesus returns, will be difficult." The reason they will be difficult is that people will be like this. He gives these 19 characteristics of the way that people will be during this period of time, which describe individuals that are not walking in righteousness, not walking in Christ's likeness. He says the times will be stressful because the people will be like this.

Now, when you go through these 19 characteristics of un-Christlike, ungodly behavior, most of them are very clear and self-explanatory. So, I'm not going to spend a lot of time going through every single one of these 19 things that are listed. However, there are some aspects that I think are worth considering in this passage, and it will become clear as we continue why we should consider what is being said here. It says that during this period of time...

People will be lovers of themselves. I think that's pretty self-explanatory. People will be selfish and self-centered. Not only will they be lovers of themselves, but they will also be lovers of money. They will have an extreme greed that characterizes the way they live in this world. He speaks of being boasters and proud. He speaks of being blasphemous; people who speak evil of the way of God and the things of God. He talks about them being unthankful and ungrateful. He describes them as unholy and unloving. The word "unloving" there literally means heartless or cruel. People will be heartless or cruel. He talks about slanders and people not having self-control.

I find it interesting that he mentions people being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. The phrase "lovers of pleasure" here literally means that they have a strong affection for hedonism, as indicated by the Greek word "donai." They are hedonistic in the way they live, always seeking the next pleasurable thing.

Now, there are two things that I think are worthy of note when considering these 19 characteristics that Paul addresses in 2 Timothy 3. The first thing to consider is that these 19 characteristics are the antithesis of the characteristics of love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

So, just to point that out, if you are in 2 Timothy, keep a finger there and turn to the left into some of Paul's other letters. You'll pass books like Colossians, Ephesians, and Galatians, and then you'll come to the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 may be a familiar passage to you, even if you haven't spent a lot of time in the Bible, because many weddings quote these words.

1 Corinthians chapter 13 is what we refer to as the love chapter because, in this passage, Paul describes Christian love, Christ-like love. In the original language, this was written in Greek, which had at least four different words for love in classical Greek. The one that's used here is the most frequently used word for love in the New Testament: the Greek word "agape." Paul describes for us what it means, and it's worth noting that in the King James Version of the Bible, the word is translated as "charity." There is a self-sacrificing, charitable nature to this love, but Paul describes it like...

In 1st Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 4, we find the word "agape," which describes love as suffering long and being kind. Love does not envy; it does not parade itself; it is not puffed up. It does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, and thinks no evil. Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails.

When we read these characteristics of love in 1st Corinthians 13, we can see that they stand in stark contrast to the characteristics that make the last days perilous, as described in 2nd Timothy, chapter 3. In the last days, people will be boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, and unforgiving. This is in direct opposition to the qualities of love, which suffers long and is kind, does not envy, is not boastful, and is not proud.

Paul distinctly argues in his letters that we, as Christians and followers of Jesus, should have our lives characterized by love rather than by the negative traits outlined in 2nd Timothy 3. In fact, in another one of Paul's letters, he states that the evidence of God's Spirit within us is primarily love, or agape. He expresses this in Galatians 5:22, where he says that the fruit of the Spirit—evidence that God is in you by His Spirit—is love. From that love flows other qualities such as joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. The Christian life should begin to manifest and reflect the characteristics described in 1st Corinthians chapter 13.

This brings us to the first important point when examining the 19 characteristics that Paul says will bring stress and trouble during the last days: these traits are the antithesis of those found in 1st Corinthians 13.

The second noteworthy observation regarding the 19 characteristics in 2nd Timothy 3 is that many of the traits Paul mentions are identical to his description of unrighteousness or unrighteous individuals in Romans chapter 1, verses 18 through the end. Unfortunately, we do not have time today to delve deeper into that comparison.

Read Romans 1:18 and on, but I strongly encourage you later to read it yourself. In Romans chapter 1, Paul says in verse 16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; for the just shall live by faith."

However, the wrath of God, as stated in Romans 1:18, is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Paul goes on to describe the life and characteristics of a person who invites the wrath of God and the judgment of God upon themselves. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness.

As you read through Romans chapter 1, verses 18 and onward, you will notice that the words Paul uses to describe unrighteousness are very similar to the characteristics that bring about trouble in the last days. So, what exactly does that mean, and why is it important?

It is important to recognize the similarity of Romans 1 to 2 Timothy chapter 3. When Paul brings these things up in 2 Timothy chapter 3, he is not saying that these characteristics exist in the world in the last days. Yes, they are the general characteristics of the unbelieving, hedonistic pagans of the world, but he is not saying that the reason the last days are perilous is because that is happening in the world. That has been the way of the world for centuries; it has always been this way.

Some people say, "Well, it's a lot worse in 2019 than it was back in the first century." However, you have not read history. People are no more immoral or wicked now than they were 2,000 years ago or 500 years ago. People are wicked because people are fallen. All of us. I don't stand here as a holier-than-thou, self-righteous individual saying, "Look at all those wicked people out in the world." No, we are a whole wicked people. One of the worst or most devastating observations that can be made in our day is...

There are people who want to stick their heads in the sand and deny the existence of evil. However, you cannot deny that evil exists; it exists because humanity has fallen due to sin. The Bible provides an answer for why evil exists. Yes, the world has been and will continue to be characterized by unrighteousness as a result of the fall described in Genesis chapter 3.

What makes the last days perilous is not merely that these things exist in the world, but that these normative issues have infiltrated the church. This is what Paul is describing in this passage, which is very clear from the context of 2 Timothy chapters 2 and 3 that we have been studying over the last several weeks.

Let’s back up a bit. If you are not already there, turn to 2 Timothy chapter 2 and look at verse 20. This is where we were last week. If you weren’t here, this will serve as a reminder; if you were, this is a recap of what we discussed.

In 2 Timothy 2:20, it states, "But in a great house," which is a metaphor for the church, "there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor." In this great house, the Church of God, there are some people who are seeking to walk in righteousness and allow God's Word and Spirit to work in their lives so that they would be vessels of honor to the Master.

However, there are also some who do not have honorable intentions or lifestyles. The Master of the great house, God, is open and gracious, calling people to come into His great house. Thus, in the Church of God, there are vessels of honor, but there are also vessels of dishonor.

There are individuals like Paul, Timothy, and Silas, who were seeking God, following Him faithfully, and serving Him. Yet, there were also others, and Paul actually names some of them, such as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who were a devastating problem within the church.

Paul warns that in the last days, perilous times will come because we are seeing the characteristics indicative of unrighteousness in the world manifesting within the church. One commentator on this passage notes that the remarkable thing is that the very conditions that exist among the heathen...

In their savagery and uncivilized state, some will characterize professing believers in the last days. Point number three on your outline is that we should not be surprised by increasing carnality within the church. Now, please don't misunderstand me. In making this point, which is true, I am not saying that we should be satisfied with increasing carnality in the church. I'm not saying that we should tolerate or endure increasing carnality in the church, but it is a fact that as the church moves forward in its mission, Jesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

As the church moves out in its mission to fulfill its commission from Jesus, it goes into all the world and opens its doors to any and all who would come. Among those who come into the great house of God, there are some who have the right intentions and desire the work of God in their lives to bring about righteousness. They are seeking the growth of love that is patient, kind, and gentle, among other virtues.

However, there are also others within that same group of people who identify as churchgoers. They identify as Christians, but their lives are not in line with righteousness. Therefore, we should not be surprised that the church is a place filled with hypocrites. It is a big shock to people in the world that the church is full of hypocrites, but it is not a shock to us. Of course, it is because we are all hypocrites in some way. The church is just full of people. What do you expect?

You don't become righteous just by merely stepping onto the campus at 1675 Seven Oaks Road. That would be awesome if it were true, but it's not. I have been here every day for about 30 years. We started attending here when I was about 11 years old. Just coming here has not made me righteous. I would say ask my wife, but I don't want to.

We should not be surprised by the increasing carnality within the church. However, here's the thing that comes as a shock to Christians: it's what Paul says after he gives these 19 characteristics at the end of verse 5: "From such people turn away!" This is where we get a little squirrely. We ought not keep company with people in the church who do not manifest a growing Christlikeness.

Jesus gave this great parable, which is considered by many to be the most important parable of His ministry. It's called the Parable of the Sower. He says a sower went forth to sow seed. Some of the seed fell by the wayside on hard ground, and the birds of the air came and plucked up the seed and took it away. Some of the seed fell among shallow, stony ground, and it sprang up very quickly, but the sun came and burned it out, and it died. Some of the seed fell among weeds, and the weeds grew up and choked it out; it never became fruitful.

But then, some of the seed fell on good ground that was prepared, and it grew and produced fruit—some thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and some one hundredfold, varying amounts of fruit. We have these four soils, and only one of these four soils was receptive and produced fruit.

Later, Jesus's disciples came to Him and asked what that meant, because they felt He wasn't really just talking about farming. They were right. He explained that the seed is the Word of God, and the sower is the one who gives forth the Word of God. The seed that fell on the stony ground, where the birds came, represents those who never were able to grow. The seed that fell on shallow ground and sprang up quickly represents those who received the Word but have no depth of root. When trials come, they give up.

The seed that fell among the thorns, which grew up and choked it out, represents the cares of this world that take away fruitfulness. But the seed that fell on good ground was the heart that was well prepared.

Prepared, it produced fruit of varying degrees. We had a picture of the church: the seed, the Word of God, goes forth every single day that we preach it here. However, it does not always yield fruit because there are varying degrees of receptivity to the Word of God in people's hearts. Some people are absorbed with the cares of this world, while others are very shallow. They jump on board for a little while, but then they get burnt out because life can be difficult and challenging. Some people's hearts are so hard that the enemy just takes it away constantly.

Ultimately, we should desire to have growth in our lives, that our lives would begin to produce fruit. What is that fruit? Paul describes it in Galatians 5:22-23 as the fruit of the Spirit, the evidence that God's Word is having its work through the working of the Spirit. It produces love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. These things begin to be manifested; they are not things that you produce on your own. Instead, God's work in your life begins to produce these qualities.

Paul says we should avoid Christians who are not producing the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. There is a heart issue that is a problem, and we should seek to possess in our lives the manifestation of a love that is patient, kind, content, humble, polite, and slow to anger. This is the work of God's grace in our lives by His Spirit and by His Word.

Point number four: do not keep company with unfruitful or carnal Christians. I know that seems harsh; it seems like it doesn't fit with the loving, accepting nature of Christ. We have a problem with this, but let me read a couple of passages of Scripture that I think are important. The Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy about 2,000 years ago, who is pastoring a church called the Church at Ephesus. Ephesus was a city in Asia Minor, one of the greatest cities in that region. Within five years of Paul writing this letter to Timothy, he had already written a letter to this church called the Book of Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 5, he writes these very important words.

Important words to this church were shared less than five years before Timothy arrived to deal with the problems there. Paul says in Ephesians chapter 5, verse 3, "But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for Christians, for the saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator or unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God and Christ. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them. For you, Christian, were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."

Here’s the point in verse 11: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."

So, grasp this: less than five years before Timothy had to be brought in as the pastor of the church at Ephesus to get them back on track, Paul had written this letter to them. The message was still fresh, but it had not been applied. This is a challenging reminder of a devastating reality: how often we can have the fresh Word of God in our minds, yet it hasn't actually been applied in our lives.

Paul says to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. He had to write to Timothy and say to avoid those who are within the church, in this great house of God, who are vessels of dishonor. Their lives are manifesting or revealing characteristics of being unloving, unholy, unforgiving, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Avoid and shun those kinds of people.

We might think, "That just seems so heavy and so harsh." Well, let me read another passage to you. It's in Paul's letter to the Corinthians.

In 1st Corinthians, chapter 5, Paul addresses the church at Corinth and provides important context for his message. The church boasted about how gracious and loving they were, proud of their tolerance. They were so happy with their own grace that they accepted a man into their congregation who was living in open, flagrant sin. This man was involved in a sexually immoral relationship with his stepmother.

Paul writes to them, stating, "Your boasting is not good." He emphasizes that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, meaning that even a small amount of sin can corrupt the entire church. In this context, leaven represents sin, and the lump represents the church. Therefore, he urges them to purge out the old leaven so that they may be a new lump, since they are truly unleavened. He reminds them that Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Consequently, they should keep the feast not with the old leaven or the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Paul continues by clarifying a previous instruction he had given. He wrote to them in his last letter not to keep company with sexually immoral people. However, he clarifies that he did not mean the sexually immoral people of the world, nor the covetous, extortioners, or idolaters, because if that were the case, they would have to go out of the world entirely.

Now, he needs to clarify further because the Corinthians misunderstood his message. They separated themselves from all the people they were supposed to reach with the gospel, while allowing a man who claimed to be a Christian to remain in their midst, despite his immoral lifestyle. Paul states in 1st Corinthians 5:11 that he has written to them not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral.

Immoral, covetous, idolaters, revilers, and drunkards are individuals we should not even eat with. That's heavy. We have to be careful because the proclivity to label others is exactly what happened to the Corinthians. This is why Paul had to write Second Corinthians. They became militant about dealing with sin, wanting to kick all those people out and get rid of them. Our tendency is to start going around labeling others as sinners and wanting to remove them from our midst.

However, lest we do that, we need to remember the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: "Judge not, that you be not judged. First remove the beam from your own eye before you go and remove the speck from your brother's eye." We must consider ourselves and judge ourselves by the Word of God. What is being manifested in my life? Is it love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, or are the works of the flesh evident?

Now, Paul's stance seems to be very harsh on this point. Why would he be so strong in saying to turn away from such people? Let's look back to Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 6. The first word is "for," which could be translated as "because." Because of this sort—those who are characterized by these nineteen unrighteous characteristics—are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins and led away by various lusts. They are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Now, Janice and Jambres resisted Moses, and so do these individuals who lead people astray. They also resist the truth, being men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith. However, they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs was also.

Point number five: beware of caustic and corrupting churchgoers. They do exist, and they are present in the church.

In the house of God, there are some whose lives are caustic and corrupting. Paul says you would do well to avoid these individuals. How do we know that? You will know them by their fruit. That's what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 7, verse 16: "You will know them by their fruit." You can identify that they are unfaithful, unloving, and unholy. They are without natural affection and exhibit all these traits that accord with the works of the flesh. However, there is no fruit of the Spirit being manifested, such as love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. They lack self-control entirely.

Caustic and corrupting individuals exist within the church. This was the case with Hymenaeus and Philetus, who are mentioned in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 17. Unfortunately, the message of their lives spreads like cancer. Paul advises us to shun such individuals because if we do not, they will lead to more ungodliness, as stated in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 16. They are the sort who can get in slyly; they creep in and bring into bondage those who are already struggling with sin and wrestling with the truth being applied in their lives.

Paul's admonition to shun these people may sound heavy, but the church at Ephesus was going through perilous, stressful, and troubling times. The church was being devastated and broken up because individuals who were leading people astray were allowed to remain within it. These caustic and corrupting individuals were causing significant harm. Therefore, Paul says to avoid them. It may be a heavy word for Sunday, but it serves as an important reminder. We are called to be salt and light in a dark, unsavory world. The church becomes the most ineffective and experiences the greatest peril when it is hard to see.

There is a difference between the church and the world. Let's be very candid: the church in the Western world over the last 75 years has looked a lot more worldly than it ought to look. The church is tempted to try and reach the world by dropping its standards of righteousness, saying, "We're so loving and so accepting that it's okay; you can continue to live like this and call yourself a Christian." Paul would not have agreed with that. He would say, "Come out from among them and be separate," for God has said, "Be holy, as I am holy."

In saying that, I must add a qualifying statement: we are made holy by the presence of God in our lives and not by our religious effort. As we draw near to God and He draws near to us, the enemy flees, and God produces the fruit of righteousness in our lives. However, sometimes the fruit of righteousness challenges us to recognize that the way in which we are living as Christians is not acceptable before God. Therefore, I call you to repent and turn to the Lord so that times of refreshing may come by the Spirit of God into your life. Amen.

God wants His church to be like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden, a light to those who are in darkness, and salt to an unsavory world. Would you stand with me as we close in prayer?

God, Your word is challenging; it's heavy. Lord, I pray that Your word, which is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, would cut deep and divide between joint and marrow, soul and spirit. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our hearts. As Your word lays our hearts open, naked and bare before Your light today, I pray that You would shine into our lives and reveal if there is any area of carnality, any area of leaven, or any weeds and tares among the wheat. Please identify them, God, so that we may repent and confess it.

Your Word says if we confess our sin, You are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. God, we want to be a people who are cleansed by Your grace and shine brightly as vessels honorable and useful to You, the Master.

God, do a work in us. It may be that as we're standing here right now, you realize there's something you need to confess to the Lord. He has identified it by His Word and by His Spirit—this thought, this action, this thing that is hidden from other people. It's wrong before God. God wants you to be right and walk in righteousness before Him. He wants to be able to draw near to you.

He has identified today that there is something that needs to be removed from your life. You can't remove it on your own, but God, by His grace, removes it. I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand; I'm just simply going to say right now that God may want you to bring that before Him, confess it, and repent of it. Ask Him to cleanse you.

So, I just want to lead you in a very simple prayer of confession. You can pray it in your heart right where you are: "Lord, come and remove this from my life. Forgive me of my sin. Wash me and make me clean. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation and help me to walk in a way that brings honor and glory."