Word of Salvation – Vol. 27 No. 38 – June 1982
The Last Days And The Bible
Sermon by Rev. Manfred Schwarz on 2Timothy 3:16-17
Reformed Church of Hamilton, N.Z.
(quotations taken from the N.A.S.B.)
Scripture Readings: Deut.6:1-14; Col.3; 2Timothy 3:1-17
Suggested Hymns: 89; 29; 411:1.2.5; 247; 491
Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Many Christians remind us that we are living in the ‘Last Days’ of the history of this world. The Bible itself tells us this also. The Bible describes the entire period from the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to his second coming as ‘The Last Days’. As the apostle Paul is writing one of his last letters to his dear friend Timothy, he reminds him of this fact. We are living in the last days.
But further, Paul wants us to realize that during this long period of the last days there will be ‘difficult times’ (verse 1). These will be times which will be difficult to cope with, dangerous and violent for the church. WHY? Because there will be an upsurge of ungodly and lawless people. This will mean a confrontation between true godliness and ungodliness, even persecution for real Christians. ‘All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.’
What is the character of the Last Days? How can we know that we are living in the last days?
When Christians these days talk about ‘The Last Days’, they tend to think of a time of fierce persecution: a time when you cannot buy and sell without the mark of the beast on the forehead; a time when Antichrist will rule supremely and bringing the great tribulation for the church; a time of wars, earthquakes and all sorts of such terrible things.
This is not a wrong picture of the Last Days, but it is very one-sided. There is another description. For instance, in 1Thess.5.3 we are told that the Lord Jesus will come suddenly like a thief in the night, at a time when people generally will not expect Him at all, when they say: “Peace and Safety”.
This is the description also in 2Tim.3. The thing which makes it a ‘difficult time’ for the church is not open persecution, but the injection of slow poison into the body of the church; it is the infiltration of a demonic spirit of ungodliness and lawlessness. There is no open persecution! Not at all! But there is the introduction of ungodly attitudes, a lawless world-view, which worms itself into the households and into the church almost unnoticeably; it is brought into the church not by its enemies but by its own members!
At first sight, the description of people in vs.2-9 seems very horrible! But look at these 19 characteristics of ungodliness and you will be able to put your own name next to each one of them. Look at it carefully and you discover that these people are not living in some outrageous sins of immorality or murder. If they are members of our churches they may be admonished at times, but there are no such legal objections which you require for excommunication.
They are “lovers of self” – but who of us does not love himself?
They are ‘lovers of money’ – but who of us does not look forward to a promotion or welcome a pay-rise?
They are ‘boastful’ – but who of us is not boastful about some new achievement?
And so, we could go through the list of 19 marks of people who make up the ‘difficult times’ in these ‘last days’. You see, these are very ordinary ‘weaknesses’ of church people. We sometimes refer to them as people with “a difficult character”.
They are ‘disobedient to parents’, but who of us has children who are always obedient as they should be? Some of our members may even think that it would be abnormal for children to be always obedient and godly.
They are ‘ungrateful, unholy, unloving etc.’. While we agree that this is not how it should be, we are quick to say that no one is perfect either; that no one can be altogether thankful for everything; that no one can be truly holy in this life.
They are irreconcilable’. But is this unheard of in our churches? Unfortunately not. There may be husbands and wives also in our congregation who are many times not at all reconciled with each other. At times, there are whole families who call themselves ‘Christian’ but are altogether irreconcilable.
The same could be said about ‘gossip’. It is going on, but it is hard to track down in the church.
The apostle says that people of the Last Days will be ‘lovers of pleasure’, but what is wrong with enjoying yourself? Some of our members save their money for years for the pleasure of a Europe Trip, but no one would suggest that therefore they are any less good Christians.
This is the description of the ‘Last Days’. It is not ‘difficult times’ because of open persecutions. Rather, the church is being injected by the slow poison of ungodly attitudes, the hidden rebellion against the Lord which can be easily misjudged and excused as ‘weaknesses’, but which are not open and clear enough to proceed with church discipline.
Are there not members in our churches who have heard the Gospel of Grace and Salvation for years, but who don’t really show any positive results in their lives? A conversation about personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is almost impossible, but talking about the minister’s bad sermons, church matters or money matters is no problem at all.
This letter to Timothy applies first of all to our ministers and elders, to the teachers of God’s Word in our churches.
Do YOU see the difference between godliness and lawlessness?
Do you accept the necessity that there must be a clear separation? Can it be said of YOU that YOU have a different mind, (as it could be said of Timothy – vs.10), that you have followed the mind of Jesus Christ?
The Elder MUST be blameless, that means, he must be given totally to the pursuit of holiness in his personal character, in his family and at his place of work.
It may be unavoidable to have members in the church who only have the ‘form of godliness’ but not its reality in their hearts. It will be only a matter of time and it will become clear and obvious to all what lives in their hearts.
But, by the mercies of God, such sham Christians must be kept out of the Session! Those who are called to govern the church, to teach, to rule by Word and by example – must be genuine in their hearts and attitudes as well as in their outward behaviour and conduct.
What do we need in such ‘difficult times’ during these ‘last days’?
In these last days, we need discernment of spirits and attitudes;
We need discernment as to where people are spiritually.
We need steadfastness to continue in the faith.
We need the courage to stand up to the tides of our times
and insist on the difference between truth and error,
on the separation between godly and ungodly attitudes and conduct.
This is the kind of WISDOM which we need, especially as leaders in the church.
Where will we get this discernment of spirit, this personal steadfastness and courage, this knowledge of the truth and the recognition of error; this insight into genuine Christian conduct?
The answer is: FROM THE WORD OF GOD.
It is in this CONTEXT of the ‘Last Days’ and its particular difficulties that Paul reminds us of the importance of the Bible.
Read: vss.14 – 17.
The apostle Paul reminds us of TWO THINGS about the Bible: Its Origin and Its Value.
A) Its Origin.
Many of our young people attend high school. They go there as Christian young people. There will be times when you will need the courage to be different from everybody else in your beliefs or in what you do. Sometimes, you will have to let your friends know that here you can’t agree or there you can’t go along with what everybody else is doing or thinking.
How can you get the courage to stand alone?
You can, if you know for sure that what you believe is absolutely right and true! Of course, if there is only the slightest doubt in your mind that after all you might be mistaken, that you could make a fool of yourself, you won’t stick your neck out, but you will soon give in and compromise and avoid a collision course.
We ALL need to be absolutely sure that what we stand for as Christians is right and true; totally reliable in life and death; not only for some religious people but for all people at all times, everywhere.
It is IN THE BIBLE that we have such a sure foundation for our beliefs and conduct. WHY?
Because the Bible has its REAL ORIGIN not in sinful people who wrote it but in GOD HIMSELF. HE is the Final Author of the Bible.
“All Scripture is inspired by God”.
Timothy, of course, knew this from childhood on. He had no doubts about this fact, and we trust neither would anyone of us.
But, you know, when you are constantly being confronted by the poison of rebellion, the attitudes of ungodliness, the subtle expressions of lawlessness, anyone of us might be shaken at times and think: Now, am I really right or wrong? Can I really say that the majority of people are wrong and I am right? Then we need this reminder: No, you are not mistaken by quoting the Bible: It is God’s inspired Word.
When we hear of books and articles written by learned theologians who tell us that the Bible is really unreliable and untrustworthy, full of mistakes, and who therefore suggest a different approach to morality, to sexuality and to other religions – then we all need this reminder too, that THE ORIGIN of the Bible is not from sinful people who wrote it, but its real author is God who inspired people to write His words.
Therefore, we can quote the Bible with authority and with fearlessness: “Thus says the Lord…!”
If the Reformed Churches are to survive in our land, we must keep to the Bible as inspired by God! If we give up on the Bible, we will soon cease to be a true church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
B) Paul reminds us not only of the Origin of the Bible, but also of the VALUE OF THE BIBLE.
Its value is to determine our beliefs and our lives,
our creed and our conduct;
our faith and our works.
i) “It is profitable for teaching and for reproof”.
There is the positive and the negative. The Bible teaches the truth and it rejects the error. So, in our church, we must not only teach the truth but also point out the error; we must apply the Word of God for teaching and for reproof.
The Bible is a book of absolutes: something is either true or it is false! But we live in times of relativism, which teaches, that all religions are true in some sense and nothing is altogether false or sinful. Often a sermon is said to be a bad sermon because it points out some specific errors of another church or sect; ‘Stick to the positive teaching’, the minister is told.
Our faithfulness to the Scriptures is not as much seen in the positive teaching and in our confessions and creeds, but in the courage to stand up for REPROOF, to exercise church discipline in our congregations – THAT really shows whether we love God more than we fear people and what they could do to us; whether we only have the form of correct teaching but not also its power.
ii) But belief and life belong together; faith and works. The purpose of our ministry is to equip the saints in “every good work”. How can we do is? Again, by the Bible which God has given to us “for correction and for training in righteousness”.
If the saints of God are to grow up to full maturity in Christ, they need correction as far as their thinking and their attitudes are concerned, as well as their life style.
In the midst of a growing and aggressive ungodliness and lawlessness, we all need training in righteousness.
Every Bible Study Group should concern itself not only with teaching and reproof, but with putting it into practice; every sermon ought to bring correction and training in righteousness. The whole Bible ought to function in our lives in its four-fold purpose of teaching, of reproof, of correction and of training in righteousness.
The Bible will give us the anti-dote for the poison of the Devil. The Bible is the Means of Grace for Christians to become strong and courageous, to maintain the steadfastness of faith and love and hope in these last Days, for the ‘man of God is to be adequate and equipped for every good work”.
Therefore, this is first of all a message for all ministers and elders to continue in the sacred writings. We must give ourselves wholeheartedly to an earnest and daily study of the Word of God; not only for our own sake but for the sake of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible is our only standard for faith and for conduct.
If our churches should continue to be ‘Reformed’, it will depend on whether we are willing to constantly reform ourselves by the authority of the Bible.
But we must plead with every member of this church: to continue in the Word of God. It must surely concern us greatly when the evening services are poorly attended, quite often, more by the parents and grown- ups than by our young people. Where were YOU last Sunday evening? Did the T.V. and the cosiness of your home give you more pleasure than the worship of God?
There is a growing conviction among Christians that we are living in such ‘difficult times’ of the ‘Last Days’; perhaps one of the last of such difficult times.
If this is so, your and my only survival kit is the Bible!
But if we continue in and with the Bible, we have all we will ever need, because
“All Scripture is inspired by God.”
Praise God for His Word to us!
Amen.