ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Key Verses 16, 17

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteous, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

1. Read verses 1-5. How does Paul characterize the last days? What do you think the “last days” refers to? (Acts 2:17, Luke 17:27) What will people be like during the last days? (2-4) In what respect do they have nothing to do with godliness? (5)

2. Read verses 6-9. What do they do with gullible women? (6a) Why do they not able to come to a knowledge of the truth? (6b-7) How do they oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses’ work? (8, Exodus 7:10-11) What is their fate? (9)

3. Read verses 10-14. What does Paul remind Timothy of? (10-13, Acts 13:14-14:22) What does Paul tell Timothy to continue to do? (14) How do you think that the messages in these verses may apply to you in the new year?

4. Read verses 15-17. What are the Holy Scriptures able to do for us? (15, John 5:39) What do you think about the phrase: “all Scripture is God-breathed?” (16a) What is Scripture useful for? (16b) How do you think we may be equipped thoroughly for every good work? (16, 17)

ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Key Verses 16, 17

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteous, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Introduction

This book was written from Paul who was in the prison in Rome, not long before his martyrdom. Paul wrote this letter to encourage Timothy who was in charge of serving Ephesian church. False teachers penetrated into the church and some people departed from the truth already(2:18a). Paul says in 2:16, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” Also he says in 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” In today’s passage, Paul continues to teach the nature of the Holy Scripture and its usefulness. Paul also teaches us what to love the most in the last days. May God help us to understand the great value of God’s word and strive to go back to the Bible in the new year so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1. Read verses 1-5. How does Paul characterize the last days? What do you think the “last days” refers to? (Acts 2:17, Luke 17:27) What will people be like during the last days? (2-4) In what respect do they have nothing to do with godliness? (5)

1-1, Read verses 1-5.

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.

1-2, How does Paul characterize the last days?

“But mark this.” As a spiritual leader, Timothy should look for spiritual status of the church members. As he observes what is coming into the church, he can pray and teach them with proper prayer topics instead of being ignorant as a naive leader.

‘terrible times’ Terrible means perilous, dangerous, or hazardous. The ‘terrible times’ was translated in other versions as perilous times(KJV), times of stress(RSV) or very difficult times(NLT).

1-3, What do you think the “last days” refers to? (Acts 2:17, Luke 17:27)

The last days refers to the time from Jesus’ ascension to the time of his second coming.

Jesus mentioned about ‘the days’ in Luke’s gospel.

26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. - Luke 17: 26-35

The times of Noah was terrible because the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.(Ge 6:11) People married any of them they chose based on instinct and outward attraction. They became flesh. Then, God sent flood destroying all the ungodly people except Noah and his family members in the ark.

The times of Sodom and Gomorrah was also terrible because their sins was out of control, especially homo-sexuality was rampant. People regarded God’s word as a mere joke. God sent burning sulfur from heaven and wiped out these cities and its people. Those times are characterized by no spiritual life. Genesis 6:3 says, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal.” God’s Spirit left sinful people and only freshly desires remained in men’s heart. These terrible times brought God’s imminent judgment.

These examples are the foreshadows of terrible times of the last days.

Despite terrible times of the last days, still we have hope from God’s point of view. The prophets Joel saw vision. The apostle Peter quoted what he had prophesied.

Acts 2: 17 reads, “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

1-4, What will people be like during the last days? (2-4)

The first nature of terrible times is lovers of themselves. Here, “the lovers of themselves” means they love themselves more than they love God and others. NLT says “for people will love only themselves.” ‘I, my, me’ generation. In others words, people become self-centered.

The second one is lovers of money. A godless man put money in God’s place for he thinks that money talks, bringing him happiness and security. Apostle Paul(1 Timothy 6:10) said, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

The people in the last days become boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.

“Without love” This results in unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, and conceited.

Jesus also says in Matthew 24:12 regarding end times, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” People will be easily emotional and angered without self-control(4).

“Lovers of pleasure” People seek pleasures, stimulating their sensual desires through indulging in drinking alcohol, immoral relationship, abusing drugs, game addiction, watching violent movies and etc.

Their life philosophy is ‘let us eat and drink for we die tomorrow.’ (1Co 15:32)

Paul named 19 natures of the last times. It tells the conditions of man’s heart without God. Times are terrible when people love the wrong objects.

***Then what is the right thing that men must love? The last phrase of the list says “lovers of God.”

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.” - Matthew 22:36-38

Two Commandments are ‘love’ commands. The object of love is God first and others second. So loving God is the most important command in the Bible.

When we love God, we love his word. When we love God we love what God loves and we hate what God hates. When we love God, God’s images are formed in our heart. Then God’s Spirit will dwell in us and bless our lives abundantly through the fruits of the Holy Spirit. May God help us to be the lovers of God in the last days.

1-5, In what respect do they have nothing to do with godliness? (5)

having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

These people are not only in the world but also inside of the church. Many believers so called Christians in church practice religious life in the last days.

But they do not believe God’s power. They do not depend on God. They do not have God’s word in their hearts. They do not pray. They are godless people(atheists).

1. Read verses 6-9. What do they do with gullible women? (6a) Why do they not able to come to a knowledge of the truth? (6b-7) How do they oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses’ work? (8, Exodus 7:10-11) What is their fate? (9)

2-1, Read verses 6-9.

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.

2-2, What do they do with gullible women? (6a)

In Paul’s time, Gnosticism invaded Ephesian church with false teachings. Women at that time used to invite teachers of new philosophy, arts, and new learning at home.

The people of Gnosticism tempted the women through using this custom, poisoning their hearts.

2-3, Why do they not able to come to a knowledge of the truth? (6b-7)

They including the women, were loaded down with sins and evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

2-4, How do they oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses’ work? (8, Exodus 7:10-11)

Jannes and Jambres, or sometimes Johanai and Mamre, or Iannes and Mambres, or Janis and Jamberes, are names traditionally given to the magicians who contended with Moses and Aaron - wikipedia

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

Paul compares the false teachers of Timothy’s time as Jannes and Jambres —Egyptian court magicians who counterfeited the truth against Moses.

2-5, What is their fate? (9)

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.

But their folly would be clear to everyone by God’s power. We must turn away from such people, instead we must hold on the true gospel.

1. Read verses 10-14. What does Paul remind Timothy of? (10-13, Acts 13:14-14:22) What does Paul tell Timothy to continue to do? (14) How do you think that the messages in these verses may apply to you in the new year?

3-1, Read verses 10-14.

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,

3-2, What does Paul remind Timothy of? (10-13, Acts 13:14-14:22)

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow me as I follow the example of Christ.” Thus when he says here, “my” way or “my” teaching mean Jesus’ way and Jesus’ teaching.

My purpose, faith, love, endurance are also very important elements in spiritual battle.

We are very thankful to the Lord our God for Jesus’ and many servants’ examples. Like verse 13, “while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Paul taught Timothy God’s words correctly, and he lived by it. He was now ready to die for it. Paul reminded Timothy of his personal life of faith through his examples.

Paul, in his first mission journey in Lystra, was stoned and thrown away almost dead. But God saved him. Timothy witnessed all these.

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Sufferings and persecutions are the marks of godly Christians.

“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God...” - Acts 14:21-22

3-3, What does Paul tell Timothy to continue to do? (14)

‘But as for you.’ Regardless of how false teachers and godless people live, Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in what he has learned.

Here ‘continue in’ means ‘remain faithful’. Since Timothy learned it from infancy, probably, his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice taught him. Timothy learned the gospel faith from faithful servants of God like Paul.

3-4, How do you think that the messages in these verses may apply to you in the new year?

We must also stick to the gospel truth that we have learned and become convinced of and live a life of mission.

1. Read verses 15-17. What are the Holy Scriptures able to do for us? (15, John 5:39) What do you think about the phrase: “all Scripture is God-breathed?” (16a) What is Scripture useful for? (16b) How do you think we may be equipped thoroughly for every good work? (16, 17)

4-1, Read verses 15-17.

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.

4-2, What are the Holy Scriptures able to do for us? (15, John 5:39)

The Holy Scripture has wisdom for salvation.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. - James 3:13-18

The Bible is holy because it is the Words of God.

The Bible gives us answers to our fundamental questions- where we came from, who we are, how we should live and where we are going. It tells us God’s plan of salvation.

Through Bible study, we can know that we are sinners, and that God loves us, and that Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life.

Roman 1:16 says “the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” When we come to the word of God, it enlightens us to have wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus.

4-3, What do you think about the phrase: “all Scripture is God-breathed?” (16a)

According to NLT version, it is translated as “All Scripture is inspired by God.”

When God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). Likewise, the God-breathed word is full of His Spirit and life in it.

Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is alive and active, Sharper than any double-edged sword.” The Bible was written by different authors. Yet it has a consistent topic - the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit breathed on each writer with each Word. Since the author of the Bible is God himself, the word of God is the ultimately authoritative word of God.

Although God is invisible. But God himself speaks to us through the Bible. Through words, we communicate each other and develop relationships.

**Through words, we understand others and express our opinions. Without words, building up healthy relationship would be impossible even among family members.

Likewise, God has communicated and has developed relationships with humans through his words.

When we come to the God-breathed word, we personally come to know God deeper, our spirits are revived and we grow in an intimate relationship with God. Praise Him!

4-4, What is Scripture useful for? (16b)

All Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible not only leads people to salvation, but also transforms their lives. School education cannot change human beings. Only the work of the Holy Spirit through the word of God can transform man’s inner person.

The Bible is useful for teaching. The word of God convicts people of their sins through the work of the Holy Spirit and let them repent of their sins and correct their wrong ways.

Also when the word of God grows in power within us, we are ready to train others in righteousness.

4-5, How do you think we may be equipped thoroughly for every good work? (16, 17)

We have countless examples like Ezra, Paul, or late Dr. Samuel Lee. May God bless us to be equipped thoroughly for every good work. Amen.

In Conclusion

We live in terrible times in the last days. It is very very difficult for Christian to keep their faith. In such time, we need to be the lovers of God. All Scripture is God-breathed. We need to go back to the Bible. We need to study the Bible as a matter of life and death. May God help us to love God and God’s word passionately this year and bless us to be useful servants of God.

One word: God-breathed!

YOU, HOWEVER

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Key Verse 3:10a, 14

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose.”

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.”

We want to serve the Lord in 2015 powerfully and fruitfully. We all know the world and people we associate may not become godly but probably all the more ungodly. There are even many Christians who may not follow the word of God in its truth but become lukewarm Christians, distorting the word of God according to their benefit and comfort. In our ungodly and non-mission-centered environment what should we do? Most of all, what do you think is the most important matter? Can you think of it? In this environment when majority of people including Christians are becoming ungodly, what is the most important matter? It is “YOU”. “Your personal decision’. “You” are the most important.

Your decision, if you decide to practice the word of God in its truth, is the most important even if all others falsely pretend to obey it. Indeed our history shows all of great work of God starts from one man when he makes a decision to give his life fully to practice the word of God in its truth.

Therefore, in the sight of God, “you” are the most important. ‘What you think’ and ‘what you decide to do’ is the most important in the eyes of the Lord regardless of your age, gender, spiritual maturity, nationality, and all others. Even if all peoples on earth will go astray it does not matter when you, one individual, makes a firm decision to live by the truth of the word of God. Regardless of what others think or do, what you think and what you do is so important in the sight of God.

In today’s passage Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy, as one individual, and as ‘YOU’, to live mission-centered life. And Timothy, as one individual and as ‘YOU’, should continue in what he has learned.

To Apostle Paul, one person Timothy’s decision and commitment was so important regardless of all others who were following their own desires, distorting the word of God. So he said, “You, however.” “But as for you.” It is the same with YOU. “YOU’ are the most important person and what YOU decide to do is most important in the sight of God.

Today’s passage can be divided into two parts.

Part I. There will be terrible times (v.1-9)

Part II. But as for you (v.10-17)

Part I. There will be terrible times (v.1-9)

Apostle Paul prepares Timothy for the coming years of his spiritual life by revealing the spiritual condition of people in the last days. “The last days” refers to the days between Jesus’ first coming and his second coming. In this way Timothy will be ready to serve them and fight a good fight rather than despairing.

Look at verses 1-5.

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.

I was wondering why Apostle Paul described the condition of the terrible times in the last days in so many ways instead of just saying ‘wicked people’ or ‘the ungrateful and wicked’. He used 19 description. I do not know the reason clearly. One possible answer is he did it to reveal how deeply men of the last days could corrupt. When we read the description of the corruption of men in the last days we can say there is nothing sound in men. In all of men’s area of life they were corrupt. Now in order to understand the many descriptions I tried to understand them by looking at the word ‘love’ or ‘lovers’. The word ‘love’ or ‘lovers’ are repeated 6 times in these verses. Let us see what they love and what they do not love.

First of all, what they loved is themselves, money, and pleasure. The three objects of love for the people in the last days are themselves, money, and pleasure. These three things are closely related. In the world people talk about ‘money’ and ‘sex’, but they do not know that behind the love of money and sex there is self love. Money and pleasure are ways to please oneself. They are tools in the course of loving oneself. To love oneself and money and pleasure is what we do in our fallen nature.

Secondly what didn’t they love? What they do not love is ‘the good’ and ‘God’. They do not love ‘the good’ and ‘God’. So ‘oneself’ and ‘money’ and ‘pleasure’ replaces the place of ‘the good’ and ‘God’. According to a dictionary ‘good’ refers to ‘of high quality’. Ultimately ‘good’ refers to God’s character because only God is good.

Jesus said in Luke 18:18-19 “¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹  “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” The word ‘good’ first appears in Genesis 1:4. After God created the light God saw that the light is ‘good.’ So true ‘goodness’ comes from God. But the good and God is the ones the people in the last days do not love.

Now when they do not love ‘the good’ and ‘God’ but ‘themselves’, ‘money’, and ‘pleasure’ what is the result?

They lack 3 things. They do not have ‘love’, ‘self-control’, and ‘godly’ power’. They do not have love. They love themselves, money and pleasure and they do not have ‘love’. Why does the Bible say they do not have ‘love’ when they love ‘themselves’, ‘money’ and ‘pleasure’? It is because their love is not true love. Their love is their selfish love and therefore they do not have ‘true and genuine love’, which is God’s love. What it means that they do not love themselves truly. If one loves himself rather than God he does not love himself truly because his self-love will lead him to destruction.

Also they do not have ‘self-control’ when they love themselves, money, and pleasure rather than the good and God. Self-control is the very sign that shows that God created man in his image who is the sovereign Lord. Man controls himself instead of living as the result of others’ influences or circumstances. When man does not have a self control he is like a city with broken walls. It means he cannot be protected. When he does not control himself who can control him for his safety? Proverbs 25:28 ^“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.”

They also do not have ‘godly power’. Verse 5a reads, “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” ‘Not to have godly power’ means ‘they do not believe real divine power’. They may have religion but they do not believe its power. So they are not changed. Religion is just a theory. But the religion without power is useless. Apostle Paul said 1 Corinthians 4:20
^“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” Religion without the power is useless because it does not change men.

So in summary, the people in the last days love themselves, money, and pleasure whereas they do not love ‘the good’ and ‘God’. Then they lack three things. They do not have ‘love’, ‘self-control’, and ‘godly power’.

Paul continued what these people in the last days do in verses 6-9.

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.

In those days they say women did not receive proper education compared to men. So certain women were gullible and loaded down with sins and are swayed by evil desires. These women kept learning but they could not come to a knowledge of the truth. The people in the last days preys those women.

Not only they took advantage of gullible women but also they opposed the truth. Verse 8a reads, “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth.” Jannes and Jambres were two magicians who opposed Moses. By their magic they pretended they had divine power. But they did not have it. They were deceptive like false teachers who seemed to have the form of godliness but denied its power because they did not have it.

In the same way ‘these teachers’ opposed the truth. Here the word ‘these teachers’ shows that they were false teachers. The evidence of their false teaching was their ‘lack of faith’. As far as the faith was concerned they were rejected. God did not approve their faith. They did not have faith. What they know was just a theory.

“Lack of faith’ was their real problem.

They did not know the truth and they did not have the faith. Spiritual truth is revealed through faith and these false teachers did not have faith and therefore they did not know the truth.

Verse 9 reads, “But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” Although their false teaching is serious but ultimately they cannot get very far because eventually their false teaching will be exposed to be false and lose its power. God who is sovereign Lord will uphold the truth, and the bad influence of false teachers will become nothing.

Part II. But as for you (v.10-17)

Let’s read verses 10-17 responsively.

“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.”

Here, Paul says there are two reasons why Timothy should continue in what he has learned based on personal conviction. They are Timothy’s personal knowledge of Timothy’s teachers and the Holy Scriptures.

First, Timothy’s personal knowledge of his teachers should encourage Timothy to continue in what he has learned with personal conviction.

Second, Timothy’s personal knowledge of the Holy Scriptures should encourage Timothy to continue in what he has learned with personal conviction.

Look at verses10-13.

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. 

Timothy was different from all false teachers and people in the last days because Timothy knew all about Apostle Paul’s teaching, his way of life, his purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to him in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions he endured. 

Timothy lived in Lystra and he ended up knowing all of Paul’s teaching after he became a disciple of Paul and followed him through all of his spiritual journey. He knew Paul’s purpose of life, his troubles and his faith and love and patience and endurance. He also ended up knowing all of Paul’s persecutions and sufferings which he experienced in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. If we read the book of Acts we can see how much Paul was persecuted and went through so much troubles. In Lystra he was stoned and people thought he was dead.

He was stoned by the crowds because the crowd were stirred by some Jews who came from Antioch and Iconium. Acts 14:19-20 “¹⁹ Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.”

The life of an evangelist, obeying Jesus’ command to go and preach the gospel to all nations was very hard and challenging to Paul. Yet the Lord rescued Paul from all the persecutions and troubles. And most of all Timothy knew all of Paul’s teachings, and all about his life, and his life purpose and his personal faith and love and endurance.

I have been msn Isaac’s bible student and a disciple for the last 30 years. I have personally known all of his teaching, his way of life, his purpose, and his faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions and sufferings. What kind of things happened to him in the course of coming to America and making disciples of Jesus here in the land of America.

About 30 years ago, one day he was helping one person. The person’s old car ran out of gas. We did not have much money or did not know how to do it. What msn Isaac did was socked me. He somehow brought a hose and gasoline can and with his mouth he was sucking the gasoline in order to help the gasoline flow into the gas tank of the car. I know people can die when they drink gasoline. And I was amazed to see how much he was ready to sacrifice in order to serve one person.

I know his life purpose, which is to serve the Lord’s world mission command. He came to America holding on Romans 1:5 “Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”

For the last 30 years he was never swayed from the purpose of his life which is to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. I saw how much he struggled to love James Hopeman, Robert Fishman and Terry Lopez with all his heart. He did his best to help them with all his heart.

I have seen his suffering and pain in the course of helping Neal Renzi. I have known his life and the purpose of his life and what he wanted to do in his life. I really respect him. His personal life of faith is one of my main reasons why I commit myself to our ministry. His life example is the very living proof that our ministry is not cult no matter what others say. People can say many things. But I will say, “shows me your actual life of faith, your actual sacrifice for others and show me your purpose of life, and show me how much you suffer in order to serve others and then I will know who you are”. Missionary Isaac never swayed from his purpose of life, which is to go and make disciples of all nations especially here in America.

Then when God’s time came he entrusted everything into God’s hand and he went to Redding, far away from LA. But he believes that God will help us to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. Indeed the Lord is blessing us not because we are doing well but because the Lord honors his prayer and his sacrifice, and devotion and commitment. Praise God who gave us such a spiritual father, a man of God.

If you want to follow someone spiritually, go and see what kind of practical life he lives.

Msn Mari’s new year’s key verse for 2015 is to feed Jesus’ sheep based on John 21:15. Some people complain that our ministry emphasizes feeding sheep too much. Indeed John 21:15 is burdensome verse to obey to other people. But she chose the verse and she committed her life to feeding Jesus’ sheep as the expression of her love for Jesus. Where did she learn it? Where did she get it? None other than the life of faith of msn Monica and msn Matthew and the Holy Scriptures. One sheep just left her when Msn Mari challenged her to live a godly life although msn Mari gave her whole heart to serve her for the last 4 years. In such a trouble and pain and difficulties she still commits herself again to feed Jesus’ sheep. Is she crazy? No. She is not crazy. She is a beautiful woman of God. Jesus loves her as his own daughter. Praise God who raised up such a woman of faith.

No matter what others say, to go out fishing on campus and invite strangers and teach the word of God until God works in him and helping him to grow as disciples of Jesus is challenging job. But as apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to continue in what he has learned with personal conviction because Timothy knew those from whom he learned and how from infancy he has known the Holy Scriptures so the Lord encourages us to continue in what we have learned.

Dr. Timothy Park, dean of Fuller Seminary school likes our ministry although he knows all kinds of ministries. I asked him the reason why. He said, “When other churches send out missionaries, they go out and establish schools, hospitals or seminary schools. But UBF people go directly to soul wining. They involve themselves to saving souls directly by teaching the word of God. To live as an evangelist, to preach the word is challenging, but it is worthwhile because one soul is more precious than the whole universe according to Jesus’ teaching. But don’t get me wrong. I am not saying all other people who work together are not important. We work together as one body with many units and functions. So people who are working together are also as precious as those who actually reach out people.

Look at verses 15-17.

“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.”

These verses teaches about 3 things about the Holy Scriptures.

First, it is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The Scripture may not make us wise for making money. But certainly it is able to make us wise for salvation. And the wisdom about salvation comes through faith in Christ Jesus. So if one does not have faith in Christ Jesus, the wisdom about salvation may not be revealed to him.

Second, all Scripture is God-breathed. It means all Scripture has God’s breath in it, and God’s breath is the Holy Spirit. Since it is God-breathed it has almighty power of God because it has the breath of God who is almighty. Genesis 1:1 reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” When God said ‘let there be light’ and there was light. This shows simply the almighty power of God’s words. So what we see visibly came from invisible command of God’s word. The word of God brings out visible reality. So the Scripture is more fundamental reality. That is why we should live by faith in the word of God far more than visible reality.

Thirdly, God gave us Scriptures to equip servant of God to do every good work. The Scripture is spiritual equipment. Many times we may not know what to do in serving God. But the Lord God equips us with the Scriptures so that we can do every good work.

In conclusion, today we learned that why Timothy should continue in what he has learned although persecution and suffering were waiting for him. He should do it with personal conviction because of his personal knowledge of his teachers and the Holy Scriptures. May the Lord bless us to continue in what we have learned with personal conviction in the coming year.

One word: YOU, HOWEVER