Virtual Reality | Day 18
The Caution for a Christian Leader
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
Although “being” is internal, it is on display externally in how Christian leaders live every day. Being in a godly spiritual condition most naturally leads to living a lifestyle that displays Christ’s glory and brings honor to His name. More than just directing people, it is changing them. You can get people to do what you want, but if you haven’t changed their hearts, you have not led them to God and shown them His will for their lives. “Living” in that sense is a verb; it demands actions. In this chapter, Timothy is being encouraged to live true to His confession. This exhortation is made through the power of negative example through pointing to the dishonorable lifestyle of the false teachers.
Immediately below we have the dictionary definition of live. Note how fully chapter 3 expresses Virtue #3--LIVE:
verb /liv/
lived, past participle; lived, past tense; lives, 3rd person singular present; living, present participle
1. Remain alive
False teachers live to please themselves (3:2).
Timothy must live to please God (3:14).
2. Be alive at a specified time
Christian leaders live through opposition for as long as the Lord deems fit (3:9).
3. Spend one's life in a particular way or under particular circumstances
Christian leaders are living out their lives in difficult times (3:1â€8, 12).
4. Lead (one's life) in a particular way
Paul was living a life faithfully devoted to Christ despite difficulty (3:10â€12).
5. Supply oneself with the means of subsistence
Christians live by the power of the Word (3:16â€17).
6. Survive in someone's mind; be remembered
Only the faithful live on (3:15).
7. Have an exciting or fulfilling life
Faithfulness in ministry leads us to live out our faith in unexpected ways and places
(3:11â€12).
8. Make one's home in a particular place or with a particular person
Paul lived for a season in Lystra, Antioch and Iconium (3:11).
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