2 Timothy 3 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 2 Tim 3:1-9

1 But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

A. Find Out:      

1. Of when does Paul now speak? v.1
2. How many descriptions describe these people? v.2-4
3. What contradiction is there in some? v.5
4. On whom do they prey? v.6
5. What do they do? v.7,8
6. What will be the consequence? v.9

B. Think:

1. How would you sum up these people in v.2-4?
2. How do some appear deceptive?
3. Yet what is the truth about them?

C. Comment:

     The “last days” obviously started after Jesus (see Acts 2:16,17) and we are still living in them. Paul describes many people who will be living in these days and warns against them.

     First, they will be self-centred, unrighteous and godless. Those three things always go together, and they sum up all the descriptions in v.2-4.

    Second, although they are self-centred and godless, they may have an appearance, some of them, of being good and spiritual, but if they deny the power of the Gospel, the power of the word of God, and if they deny the Spirit of God, of Jesus living today and still working today, then they are to be avoided.

     Third, they prey on those who are weaker, especially women, and that for their own desires. Fourth, they appear to be open to learn but they never come to the truth of the Gospel and the word of God. The truth never gets to them, and they remain unsaved and unchanged by the Spirit of God.

   Finally, the only good thing that can be said about this is that they will be clearly seen, and their stupidity and falseness will be recognised. May we ensure we in no way fit any of these descriptions and may we be alert to those who do?

D. Application:

1. Self-centredness always excludes godliness. Godliness is being open to God to change us by His word and Spirit.
2. Check out each of these descriptions!

Passage: 2 Tim 3:10-17

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A. Find Out:

1. Of what does Paul remind Timothy? v.10,11
2. What principle does he lay down? v.12
3. What will happen to the ungodly? v.13
4. What is Timothy to do and why? v.14,15
5. What is the use of Scripture? v.16
6. To what end? v.17

B. Think:

1. How would you sum up the content of Paul’s reminder of himself in verses 10 and 11?
2. What do we have to recognise about the Christian life?
3. What 4 things will Scripture do?

C. Comment:

     First, Paul uses himself as an example to Timothy. First an example of CHARACTER   but second an example of SUFFERING. He reminds Timothy of what he has been through, noting that the Lord had rescued him from all the difficult times. He tells Timothy to be aware that if he wants to be godly then he WILL attract persecution. Evil men will always oppose us if we are being like Jesus, for darkness hates light.

     Second, Paul challenges Timothy to go on in what he knows, hanging on to all he has learnt and not diverting from it, because he has learnt the value of the truth as it has come to him through Scripture. Here we come to the greatest description of the Scriptures that can be found. In origin they are breathed or inspired by God, HE is their originator! They are useful for imparting knowledge and understanding, for telling off, for showing the right way and for leading us into the life of righteousness. When we let the Scriptures do ALL that, we will indeed be equipped to be led of God for any good work that He has for us to do.

D. Application:

1. Am I reconciled to the fact that opposition will come?
2. Do I let Scripture rebuke and correct me?
3. Do I let it teach and train me to serve in righteousness?