2 Timothy: Avoid Such People

PatriotandLiberty ^ | 7/23 | Nuakh

[spirited irish]

The assumption is that these people need to be preached the gospel, because they’re sinners. That’s a reasonable inference. What I think we miss is that, most likely, these people—these lovers of self and of money, proud, arrogant, disobedient to parents, abusive… he goes on at length—are within the church.

[spirited irish]

ping

[Nervous Tick]

Are Christians therefore here to tell other people about Jesus? No. No, we’re not. Not primarily. We’re here to worship Jesus, that’s what the church is for, and to build the kingdom around us, which will include some evangelism but also includes a whole bunch of other stuff under the heading of ‘make disciples.’

It’s always worth noticing that the command to make disciples is not just make lots of new Christians, but also therefore to grow all those Christians up into maturity.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THAT ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Nervous Tick]

>> What I think we miss is that, most likely, these people—these lovers of self and of money, proud, arrogant, disobedient to parents, abusive… he goes on at length—are within the church.

United Methodist Church episcopacy — Paul was talkin’ to YOU.
(UMC bishops have devolved into corruption & rank heresy, hence the “disaffiliations” of many congregations from the UMC.)

[sauropod]

I read the Great Commission as it is our primary task.

[metmom]

2 timothy 3:1-9 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

[metmom]

One of Jesus’ last commands was to go and make disciples, which of necessity requires evangelism and preaching the gospel.

And that does honor Jesus as it obeying Him.

However, avoiding people who claim to be Christians who show no fruit of the Spirit seems to be what is being commanded here.

[sauropod]

Yeah, I get that.

Then, we are left to discernment as to which is which. And that is not always readily apparent.

Recall the verse about casting your pearls before swine?

This does set up a tension in some believers, myself included.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

There’s always that “Christian” woman who cooks for the Bible Study classes, offers help, offers hugs, and yet when the subject of homosexuality comes up - she declares “Love is love” and we should let them be and it’s not our place to judge.

Her last statement will be that God is a god of love.

IMHO, those types are the types to avoid and they are all over the church.

[Nervous Tick]

Including the part that says “...making disciples”.

[AppyPappy]

My friend: “Remember when you said God is love? Where is God’s love when my brother is dying of AIDS?”
Me: “Remember when God told him not to do that stuff that gave him AIDS?”

[metmom]

God is indeed love, but love isn’t a license to sin nor does it mean God will allow people to go on their own self-destructive way without correction or chastisement.

And people also ignore that God is just.

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

“Love is love.”

The English language enables this foolishness, which would be revealed as such if we were speaking the Greek of Christ’s day. “Agape” is brotherly or Christian love. Eros, the root of “erotic,” refers as to sexual “love.”

This is not to say that there could never be agape between homosexuals, just that there is a clear difference. The imprecision of English allows fools and evil ones to use “love is love” to confuse themselves and others.

[who knows what evil?]

I prefer King James: 'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

IMO, 'silly' is a better description of modern women than 'weak'...tattoos, piercings, strange hair coloring.

[ViLaLuz]

It seems some people are unable to receive the Gospel due to psychopathy. They operate based soley on external image. No personal insight as their being is repressed or destroyed.

[metmom]

True. I look at those with strange hair colors and it screams *Look at me!*

I especially find it ridiculous on older women.

[who knows what evil?]

'Look at me!'

Indeed...it reminds me that the circus is in town, and that I should pick up my tix before they sell out.

[lgjhn23]

“..Indeed...it reminds me that the circus is in town, and that I should pick up my tix before they sell out....”

You can certainly have my “tickets” as I have NO intention of ever “attending”....LOL

[right way right]

The one chapter in the book of Jude is also a warning about these people.