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Steps toward Apostasy. 2 Timothy 4:1-5. 2 Timothy 4:1-5. 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
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Steps toward Apostasy 2 Timothy 4:1-5
2 Timothy 4:1-5 • 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; • 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. • 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; • 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. • 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Satan Never Leaves Christians Alone! • At war with the church - Rev. 12:17 • Spiritual warfare - 2 Cor. 10:3-5 • Do not surrender - Eph. 6:10-13 • More than conquerors - Rom. 8:37-39
APOSTASY • aphistemi: lit., a standing away from (apo, from + histemi, to stand) • apostasia, “a falling away, defection” (Thayer, 67) -2 Thess. 2:3 • aphistemi, “To depart, go away from… apostatise” (Moulton, 62) -1 Tim. 4:1
Apostasy is Defection from… • The word of God –Luke 8:13 • The faith –1 Timothy 4:1 • God –Hebrews 3:12-13
History of Man…History of Apostasy • Adam and Eve – Gen. 2:17; 3:9-10 • Sons of God – Gen. 6:1-5; 4:26 • Israel – Exo. 32:8; Jer. 3:8) • Jesus warned His disciples – Matt. 10:22; 1 Cor. 10:12; Rev. 2:4-5
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 1: Wrong attitude toward truth – 4:3 (Prov. 4:23; 23:7) • “Will not endure sound doctrine” - Psa. 119:140 • Other messages - 4:1-2 • Complacency, compromise, convenience & shame PreventionSeek, welcome & walk in truth,1 Thess. 2:13 Col. 2:6-7
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 2: Comfortable with error – 4:3 • “According to their own desires” (1 Jno. 2:15-17) • Choke God’s word - Mk. 4:18-19; Jas. 4:1-4 • Judah - Jer. 5:30-31 • Itching ears: Hear only what pleases
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 2: Comfortable with error - 4:3 • Bears with false teachers - 2 Cor. 11:4 • Will cause us to be lost - Eph. 5:8-13 (2 Jno. 9-11) PreventionHumbly contend for the faith(Jude 3; Jas. 4:7-10)
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 3: Abandon truth & replace it with error – 4:4 • “Turn their ears away from the truth” • How do we react to God’s word: • Ignore it?Psa. 32:3 • Argue with it?Acts 5:39; 26:14 • Falsely accuse teacher of truth?Gal. 4:16 • Too hard?1 Cor. 10:12-13
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 3: Abandon truth & replace it with error – 4:4 • “Be turned aside to fables” • Dislocated from proper place - Col. 2:18-19 • Fables: Narratives, fiction • Profane, idle babblings – Contradict truth, 1 Tim. 6:20-21
How Apostasy Develops (2 Tim. 4:1-5) • Step 3: Abandon truth & replace it with error – 4:4 • Gospel is not sophistry or fables - 2 Pet. 1:16 • Repeatedly warned, 1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14 PreventionBewatchful, endure & work 2 Tim. 4:5; Jno. 8:31-32
Any Step Toward Apostasy is Going too Far!(1 Jno. 2:1) • Remedy: Repent & do the first works – Rev. 2:4-5; Matt. 6:33 • Lest hardening occur & repentance is impossible - 1 Tim. 4:2; Heb. 3:13; 6:4-6 • Do not procrastinate or be complacent… spiritual death! (Acts 8:20-24)