Post by Admin on Aug 15, 2019 6:20:23 GMT
The kernel of instruction in the 3rd chapter of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, from the perspective of the writer of the Bible discussion, is to be able to discern cultic heresy (false teaching that leads to involvement in a perverted version of Christianity). Our discussion focused a little differently. Bishop Klein once proposed that a person was most likely to accept an invitation to church – and become moved to participate – if there was a catalyst such as a tragedy or major life change. We agreed that in a flip side to that view, sometimes a tragedy or major challenge, such as health problems or death of a loved one, leads to question God, which in turn opens one to accepting false ideas. Unfortunately, in our experience some people have simply turned away from God when something happens that defies our understanding, like the death of Mark Schock. Later in the discussion, Alice did share her experiences with people who indeed joined cults as a result of incidents that made them vulnerable. Overall, however, we looked at the information Paul presented in this chapter as guidance to us today.
The first half of this chapter paints a dire picture of human nature, a distorted version of the spiritual gifts and characteristics of spiritual fruit which Paul describes in other letters. Our discussion on the long list of abuses in verses 1-4 considered several angles. We could look at the various sins as spirits which dog us; or we can see that each of us might have a particular weakness that corresponds to one of the vices; or we can admit that at some time in our lives, and however gently, we have committed every one of these selfish offenses. Verse 5 also received much of our attention. Whether we think of someone who is truly good, or someone who wears a façade of niceness while expressing all the evil attributes behind the curtain – in both cases, their denying God’s power as the root of goodness is a catastrophic failure. The second half the verse, “Have nothing to do with such people,” seems a contradiction of Paul’s advice in earlier chapters, including the one just before (2 Tim 2:25) when he counsels Timothy to work gently with “opponents” and thereby bring them to truth. Which is it, Paul – turn away, or try to persuade? It appears from the context that Paul was open to reaching out to individuals who disagreed or misunderstood and advised against that outreach when leaders where actively recruiting groups to follow them in corrupt versions of Christianity.
This fairly brief chapter offered several other juicy conversation points. Verse 6 warns that false ideas grow in an environment “loaded down with sin,” which for us can mean we are vulnerable to bad ideas and wrong actions when our guilt, anxiety, loneliness, anger, and other weaknesses have priority in our thoughts. We do have the power to banish those thoughts before they weaken us.
The second half of the chapter gives Timothy two tools to help him. One is the example of Paul himself – everything he has lived through, everything God has done through him. Paul is transparent, dedicated to God, a servant to all – his motive (serve God) is clear and he is credible and authentic. He wants Timothy to be credible and authentic (verse 14) and us to be as well. The second tool to help Timothy is scripture, which for him would be the books we know as the Old Testament. Fortunately, we also have the letters and accounts which make up the New Testament. Scripture is right there for us to depend on all the time, and the Holy Spirit will provide whatever understanding we need to absorb the word of God.
The first half of this chapter paints a dire picture of human nature, a distorted version of the spiritual gifts and characteristics of spiritual fruit which Paul describes in other letters. Our discussion on the long list of abuses in verses 1-4 considered several angles. We could look at the various sins as spirits which dog us; or we can see that each of us might have a particular weakness that corresponds to one of the vices; or we can admit that at some time in our lives, and however gently, we have committed every one of these selfish offenses. Verse 5 also received much of our attention. Whether we think of someone who is truly good, or someone who wears a façade of niceness while expressing all the evil attributes behind the curtain – in both cases, their denying God’s power as the root of goodness is a catastrophic failure. The second half the verse, “Have nothing to do with such people,” seems a contradiction of Paul’s advice in earlier chapters, including the one just before (2 Tim 2:25) when he counsels Timothy to work gently with “opponents” and thereby bring them to truth. Which is it, Paul – turn away, or try to persuade? It appears from the context that Paul was open to reaching out to individuals who disagreed or misunderstood and advised against that outreach when leaders where actively recruiting groups to follow them in corrupt versions of Christianity.
This fairly brief chapter offered several other juicy conversation points. Verse 6 warns that false ideas grow in an environment “loaded down with sin,” which for us can mean we are vulnerable to bad ideas and wrong actions when our guilt, anxiety, loneliness, anger, and other weaknesses have priority in our thoughts. We do have the power to banish those thoughts before they weaken us.
The second half of the chapter gives Timothy two tools to help him. One is the example of Paul himself – everything he has lived through, everything God has done through him. Paul is transparent, dedicated to God, a servant to all – his motive (serve God) is clear and he is credible and authentic. He wants Timothy to be credible and authentic (verse 14) and us to be as well. The second tool to help Timothy is scripture, which for him would be the books we know as the Old Testament. Fortunately, we also have the letters and accounts which make up the New Testament. Scripture is right there for us to depend on all the time, and the Holy Spirit will provide whatever understanding we need to absorb the word of God.