Faithful Exhortation (II Timothy 3:13-17)

(Class Notes)

• Paul warns of evil men waxing worse in deceiving others and being deceived themselves (II Timothy 3:13)
  • It is the "seducing spirits" which deceive men into departing from the faith (I Timothy 4:1)
  • These false teachers in turn masquerade as "apostles of Christ" as does their master who poses as an "angel of light" as he first did to Eve (II Corinthians 11:13-15 cf. II Corinthians 11:2-3)

• Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in the teaching he has learned and to be mindful of whom he learned it (II Timothy 3:14)
  • Timothy learned the things pertaining to the "grace fo God", which he was exhorted to pass on from Paul (his instructor) to other "faithful men" who in turn could teach others (II Timothy 2:1-2)
  • Thus, Paul exhorts Timothy to "continue in the doctrine" for his own sake as well as for that of his hearers (I Timothy 4:16)
  • Paul exhorts ALL the faithful to "mark and avoid" those who through "good words" and "fair speeches" would cause "divisions and offences (stumblings)" contrary to the doctrine they have learned (Romans 16:17-18)

• Paul exhorts Timothy to stay true to the Scriptures, which he had learned as a child and which are able to make him "wise unto salvation" (II Timothy 3:15)
  • Paul said that the gospel by which we are saved is "in accordance with the Scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:1-4 cf. Romans 1:1-4):
    • The death of Christ for sin (Isaiah 53:8)
    • The burial of Christ in the rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9)
    • The resurrection of Christ (Isaiah 53:10) in triumphing over the grave (Acts 2:29-32 cf. Psalms 16:8-11) after three days (Matthew 26:31-32 cf. Hosea 6:1-2) as typified by the prophet Jonah being dead for three days "in the belly of the fish" (Matthew 12:38-40 cf. Jonah 1:17 - 2:6)

• Paul declares that ALL Scripture is "God-breathed" (II Timothy 3:16)
  • The testimony of the Lord Jesus concerning the Law (Matthew 22:29-32 cf. Exodus 3:6)
  • The testimony of the Apostle Paul concerning the Law (I Timothy 5:18 cf. Deuteronomy 25:4) and the Gospels (I Timothy 5:18 cf. Luke 10:7)
  • The testimony of the Apostle Peter concerning the Prophets (II Peter 1:20-21) and the Pauline Epistles (II Peter 3:15-16)

• Paul declares that ALL Scripture is profitable for DOCTRINE, REPROOF, CORRECTION, and INSTRUCTION (II Timothy 3:16)
  • Paul declares three things necessary to establish the saints (Romans 16:25-26) in "obedience to the faith" (Romans 1:5):
    • "My Gospel" concerning God's righteousness in His Son (Romans 3:24-26)
      • Romans (DOCTRINE)
      • I & II Corinthians (REPROOF)
      • Galatians (CORRECTION)
    • "The Mystery" concerning Gentiles and Jews as "fellow (EQUAL) heirs" and "of the SAME body" (Ephesians 3:3-6)
      • Ephesians (DOCTRINE)
      • Philippians (REPROOF)
      • Colossians (CORRECTION)
    • "The Prophets" concerning their prophesied "Day of the Lord", which is to be preceded by "our gathering together unto Him" (II Thessalonians 2:1-4) - NOTE the CHANGE FROM "we" (I Thessalonians 4:15-17) TO "they" (I Thessalonians 5:2-3) and BACK AGAIN TO "ye"
      (I Thessalonians 5:4-5)
      • I & II Thessalonians (INSTRUCTION)

• Paul declares that the Scriptures are ONLY profitable (II Timothy 3:16) IF "rightly divided" (II Timothy 2:15) between the messages and ministries of Paul and Peter (Galatians 2:7-8 cf. Galatians 2:6,9)

• Paul declares that the Scriptures ALONE are ALL that's necessary for the "man of God" " to be completely outfitted "unto ALL good works" (II Timothy 3:17)
  • Paul's preaching has NOW been made "fully known" (II Timothy 4:17 cf. I Corinthians 13:9-10,12) and "IT" ("The Mystery") has "fulfilled (filled full) the Word of God" (Colossians 1:24-27)

Study Outline

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