2016-10-02 
Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Memory Verse:
2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

It’s a simple choice really. Flee and pursue or allow sin to stop you dead in your tracks. Today, our focus is on a world that is desperate for righteousness, holiness, truth. But it is also a world that takes the easy way out, seeking personal pleasure over spiritual strength.

2 Timothy 3:1-9
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

1. Sin will keep you from the presence and the power of God (vs 2-4)

v2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

– A description of the self centered life

– when given the opportunity to either do the right thing or to please themselves, they will always choose themselves

2. Self-deception doesn’t make things better (vs 5a)

v5a “having a form of godliness but denying its power”

– this is nothing more than making the declaration – “I don’t need God!”

– BEING RELIGIOUS IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING RIGHTEOUS!

– In the current church….people who value authenticity more than valuing what’s right

– Accepting the sin of others and themselves by wrapping it in conversations of being true to themselves

What was Paul’s response to this situation?

3. Turn Away! vs 5b

v5b And from such people turn away!

The three steps of TURNING AWAY!

– Finishing the unfinished work of God requires repentance

– In essence, a “turning away” from sin

– Finishing the unfinished work of God requires diligence

v7 lways learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

– knowledge is not a replacement for truth

– don’t just learn, “study to show yourself approved”

– the Bible is the source of truth

– the Holy Spirit will do His work in you

– Prayer

– Finishing the unfinished work of God requires dependence

v9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

– Dependence on God develops character

– Who we are is all about our character

– Character can never be developed when we are nothing more than “Lovers of Self”

– Get to know God’s definition of love, seek His love and acceptance, Live according to His truth, and the unfinished work He has set out for us will be accomplished.