Corrupted in Mind

2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV

“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.”

Now this is not just a list of possible character traits of people living in these last days before the return of Christ who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ. For these are people who are giving off an appearance of godliness and righteousness, but they are denying its power in their lives by how they live their lives. So these are religious people who probably faithfully attend weekly “worship services” in a building somewhere called “church.” And some of them may even be pastors of such “churches.”

But they are ungodly people, people who are deliberately and habitually and often premeditatedly sinning against the Lord Jesus and against other humans, even against those they are supposed to love. And they do what they do without compassion, without conscience, and without true remorse. And even if they sometimes confess their sins, they go right back to the same sins over again, habitually. For faithfulness means nothing to them at all, and their addiction to sin overrides everything else.

2 Timothy 3:6-9 ESV

“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.”

These are also people who are extremely deceptive and manipulative, usually charmers and winsome people who other people are naturally drawn to. They may come across very sincere and even as though they are loving and caring people. Oftentimes they will be very friendly, happy-go-lucky types who are fun, interesting, smart, and entertaining. Children and weak-willed women are drawn to men who are like this, but they aren’t the only ones. “Churches” are filled with people who love these types of people.

They are very conniving people, too, who can tell a lie with a straight face and make it sound just like the truth. And some of them or many of them are also those who are living in sexual immorality, idolatry, and adultery. So they sin habitually against their spouses and against other people and their spouses, for they are known to “play around” while promising faithfulness. So they will fake repentance and make false promises, for they are people corrupted in mind who are disqualified regarding the faith.

2 Timothy 3:10-13 ESV

“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

In America we seem to have very few people as dedicated to the Lord and to his service as was Paul. Paul was so sold out to Christ with his life that he even encouraged other Christians to follow his example. And here Paul commended Timothy for following Paul’s example in his teaching, in his conduct, in his life aim, and in his faith, etc. And this was not out of pride that Paul said this, but as an encouragement to Timothy. For Paul was truly following Jesus Christ with his life, and so was Timothy.

And this is the type of Christian example we should be following, too, to live like Paul did, in truth and in righteousness, in faithfulness to the Lord, willing to be persecuted and even put to death for the sake of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But Jesus Christ is to be our prime example in godly and holy living, and we should be following the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles. And yes, it will mean being persecuted for our walks of faith, but that’s better than being impostors who go from bad to worse, deceiving.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

So, what is the encouragement for us here? We are to walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. Sin is no longer to be our practice, but righteousness, holiness, godliness and obedience to our Lord are to be what we practice. And if this is how we have been living, then we are to continue in it and not allow ourselves to get caught up in the sinful trappings of the flesh and of the world. And we are to guard our minds and hearts against being deceived by wicked deceivers.

And we are to be students of the Scriptures who put the word of God into practice in our daily lives, and who are living holy and godly lives to the glory and praise of God. And we should be those who diligently are testing the things that we read and hear and see from other people who profess faith in Jesus Christ so that we are not led astray from the truth to follow after lies. And we should be people who are exposing the lies and who are proclaiming the truth of the gospel for the salvation of human lives.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

My Heart’s Desire  

Loved Ones, Oh, my heart’s desire

Is that you might come to Jesus.

Many appear zealous for God,

But they do not trust in Him.

They have not submitted to the One

Who saved them from their sins;

Not forsaken their sins,

Nor have they obeyed their King.

The word of the Lord is near you:

The word of faith we’re proclaiming:

That you must confess your faith

In Jesus as your Lord and King:

Believe in Him as your Lord, 

And follow Him where’er He leads.

Share the gospel; be a witness,

And meet others’ needs.

Beautiful are the feet of those

Who bring the good news of Jesus:

Anyone who would come to Him

Must deny himself today;

Die to sin and self, and

Let the Spirit transform you in heart;

Put on your new self in Jesus,

Yielding to the cross. 

An Original Work / June 29, 2013

Based off Rm. 10; Lu. 9:23-26; Ep. 4:20-24

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