12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:12-15
Verse 12 would certainly make a great sales pitch for becoming a Christian! I can see it now....#persecution. All kidding aside, far from making a sale pitch, Paul is giving a stark reminder of the worldly consequences of following Christ. I say reminder because many of his fellow Christians were experiencing the harsh reality of this truth. The same is true today for many of our brothers and sisters around the world. For us, our reality is likely nowhere near as harsh but, we know it's a growing reality for us too. We clearly see verse 13 playing out all around us. I'm sure the list is quickly forming in your mind. If you are having trouble, the opening verses of this chapter will prime your thoughts.
But, Paul's intent (and mine) is not be doom and gloom but to be clear about how we are to live in the midst of such reality.
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,... (v. 14)
Harsh realities and difficulties aside, "The standard is the standard," as the great Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin likes to say. We are to remain steadfast in who we are in Christ Jesus!
Some final thoughts to consider:
*Being grounded in The Holy Scriptures is key as is the fellowship and accountability of The Family of God.
*Being equipped for every good work means we should be doing good works even when those around us are not.
*We set an example for others to follow especially, our children, grandchildren and the younger generation as a whole. Paul speaks of his own example in the verses leading into this section.
*Finally, our focus needs to keep turning upward to Jesus Christ on The Throne and drawing strength, comfort, peace and power from The Holy Spirit. While not, expressly taught here in this passage, we know this is a necessary truth taught throughout all of Scripture.
May you be equipped for every good work as you worship with your church family today!
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