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2 Timothy 4:3
by Don Costello 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts will they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; a. Although there are a number of sinful offences listed in the verses below, the focus will be on homosexuality, because as 2 Timothy 4:3 declares along with the complimentary verses, the last days will be marked with a definite similarity with Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain. The rise of the homosexual movement worldwide is a prophetic moment. It is one of the signs of the endtimes. 1."For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine" a. endure [anecho * 430] [Zodhiates: to hold up or back from falling; in 2 Timothy 4:3 by implication, to admit, receive, i.e., to listen to.] b. These individuals will not listen to, hold up, admit to, or receive sound doctrine. c. sound [5198 * hugiaino] [Zodhiates: to be healthy, sound, physically well. Metaphorically of persons, to be sound in the faith, meaning firm, pure in respect to Christian doctrine. Of doctrine, meaning sound doctrine, i.e., true, pure, uncorrupted. ][Where we get the English word "hygiene".] d. doctrine [1319 * didaskalia] [Zodhiates: the act or manner of teaching, with the meaning of warning.] e. Looking at its uses in the New Testament gives us a good idea of what sound doctrine is. 1). 2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 2). Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. f. In the second chapter of Titus, the Apostle Paul gives a short list of things that are sound doctrine. 3). Titus 2:1-8 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. a). Notice the effect of "sound speech", that there could be no evil thing said in response to you. g. In the first chapter of 1 Timothy the Apostle Paul also gives a list of things that are contrary to sound doctrine. Along with some general offences of being lawless, disobedient ungodly and so on, Paul lists eight specific crimes that are "contrary to sound doctrine". 1 Timothy 1:8-11 "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." 2). Laws that forbid the many sinful behaviors listed in 1 Timothy 1:8-11 are not only "sound doctrine" i.e., healthy teaching, but they are also "according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God," the glorious good news. 3). whoremonger [4205 * pornos] [Strongs: to sell; a male prostitute, a debauchee, fornicator, whoremonger.] [Zodhiates: to sell, which is from perao (n.f.), to pass through, carry over (particularly as merchants) and thence to sell, which in the N.T. appears piprasko (4097). A whoremonger or male prostitute.] [Thayer: a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire, a male prostitute.] [Vines: denotes a man who indulges in fornication.] [Bullinger: a sodomite, a catamite.] [D.C. Note: Four of the five Greek Dictionaries define the word as a homosexual prostitute.] a). On a side note, this Greek word is where we get the prefix to the compound English word, pornography. The word "graph" is also of Greek origin. 4). them that defile themselves with mankind [733 * arsenokoites; arsen-a male; koite-a bed][Zodhaites: a man who lies in bed with another male, a homosexual.] [James B. De Young, Professor of NT, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary: "Paul coined the term arsenkoitai, deriving it from the LXX translation of Leviticus 20:13 (cf. 18:22) and using it for homosexualbehavior, the latter of which should be an occasion for church discipline (1 Corinthians 5-6), and legislation in society (1 Timothy 1:8-11)." a). Also listed is three types of murder, kidnapping, lying, and perjury. 5). In the beginning of our republic, the framers of the Constitution never intended for that document to protect the right to engage in homosexual acts. We know this by using simple common sense: If committing an act is against the law, it is not possible to give someone a right to commit that act. In Bowers v. Hardwick, the 1986 Supreme Court decision that upheld state laws that prohibited homosexual sodomy, Bryon White, writing for the majority said, "Sodomy was a criminal offense at common law and was forbidden by the laws of the original 13 states when they ratified the Bill of RightsIn fact, until 1961, all 50 states outlawed sodomy" This is such a prophetic development. When our nation started, homosexual behavior was forbidden in every state and up until 1961 in all 50 states homosexual behavior was against the law. In 1 Timothy 1:8-11, the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, wrote that such laws were "according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God". They were "sound doctrine." Then here we are in 2004, 43 years after1961, and not only is homosexual behavior a protected right, but we are fighting to preserve the God given institution of marriage between a man and a woman. Jesus is coming soon. In 1961 Illinois became the first state to drop its sodomy laws. Between then and 2003 there was a relentless effort by individuals and groups to repeal all sodomy laws until by the time Lawrence v. Texas came about in 2003 there was only a small number of states that still had laws on the books to prosecute homosexual behavior. It took 42 years for America to go from all 50 states with anti-homosexual laws to 2003 and all anti-homosexual laws repealed. That, brothers and sisters is a prophetic development, but it is only going to get worse. I personally believe that persecution over the issue of homosexuality will be far greater on the true church, than from any other issue. 6). Montana dropped their state ban on homosexual conduct in 1997. The Associated Press reporting on the lifting of the ban said, "Although no one has been prosecuted under the law, a 1993 lawsuit by six homosexuals claimed that gays and lesbians live in fear of being charged with a crime and that takes an emotional and psychological toll." a). Romans 13:3 & 4 says, "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." b). These six people were afraid of the civil authorities because their works were evil. This is one of the God ordained purposes for law and civil government. This is what it's supposed to do. What the state government of Montana did is basically tell God, "Though we are your ministers, we don't believe homosexuality is evil and we will not execute wrath upon them." f. Jesus said that the last days would be similar to the last days of Sodom and Gomorrah. 1). Luke 17:28-30 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 2). In order to get a better understanding of what Jesus was referring to, I challenge everyone reading this to study out every reference to Sodom in the whole Bible. Doing so will reveal not only other ungodly characteristics Sodom was guilty of, but also show how the modern homosexual movement also exhibits these same ungodly characteristics toward the things and people of God. 2. "but after their own lusts" a. Another interesting fact about this is their denial to receive or hold up sound doctrine will be tied to their lusts. b. lusts [1939 * epithumia] [Zodhiates: Strong desire, longing, lust.] [Vine: denotes strong desire of any kindspecified by some adjective, refers to those evil desires which are ready to express themselves in bodily activity.] 1). The word occurs 37 times in the N.T. and 34 times it is used in an evil sense. 2). Examples: "lusts of the flesh", Galatians 5:16; "lust of uncleaness", 2 Peter 2:10; "worldly lusts", Titus 2:12; "lusts and pleasures", Titus 3:3; "ungodly lusts", Jude 18. 3. "shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." a. heap [2002 * episoreuo] [Vine: to heap upon or together.] [Bullinger: to accumulate.] b. (Amplified Bible) "they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold." c. These want to hear teachers who bolster their belief that they can engage in these lusts and still be in relationship with God. d. Since the late sixties there has been an incredible steady increase in the number of false teachers that have been teaching male and female homosexuality are just two of the many sexual orientations that comprise human sexuality. I became aware of this false teaching in 1976 but it wasn't until the early 80's that I began a serious look into this heresy. The effects of this false teaching has literally split the Episcopal church in the United States into two separate churches and has caused major rifts in all the main line denominations, specifically those denominations that do not accept the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God and the final authority on all matters of faith and living. The myth of homosexual orientation from the Scriptures point of view will be looked at in the next verse [2 Timothy 4:4]. My name is Don Costello. Ever since I received Christ in November of 1976 I have had a passion to study and know God's word.My wife Melissa and I have 5 children. My e-mail address is [email protected] I have a blog located at: www.theophilus-loverofgodsword.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |