“. . .from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5
As we’ve seen, sins must be purged that we may become gold and silver vessels for use by the Master. Here in the third chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy about some very unsavory people. He lists them as “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.
These now are things other that sin that affect our lives. And now we hear Paul tells Timothy, and us, to turn away.
Previously, Paul had written about people within the church that, through teaching with patience and instruction with meekness, “might recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy (2:24-26) I believe the people of chapter three that Paul wrote about, the people from whom we are to turn away, are not people within our Lord’s Church. They may enter a congregation, a church, but their names are not written in the Book of Life; they are not true-born believers in Messiah, Lord, Y’shuaJesus. They are of reprobate mind. They will not receive teaching or instruction in the Truth. Their future is only doom and gloom. We are to turn from them; for their aim, whether or not they intend it to be so, is to bring us closer to doom and gloom ourselves, should it be possible.
So isn’t turning from people because we think they are doing wrong things unkind of us? Isn’t it unloving? Aren’t we guilty of that which we accuse others, of self-love, perhaps, for wanting to not be around them because we are too good, too holy? Have you ever been told that something you do isn’t what the Bible teaches? And told by someone who hasn’t read, let alone accepted, the Bible and its Author. The perilous times aren’t perilous for those committing acts of evil, but for us, the People of G-d. We will be accused. We will be the ones doing wrong. And Paul tells this to Timothy. He tells this to us, also.
Lord help us know Yours. Help us know for whom we are to instruct and pray, and from whom we are to turn away. Give us the strength so to do. Amen.
Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .
JonahzSong 