Jump Start # 1286

2 Timothy 3:6-7 “For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

In our verse today, Paul is warning Timothy about some dangerous and difficult times that were ahead. The ship of faith doesn’t always sail in smooth waters. Turbulence, rapids, and dangerous rocks must be steered with care and upmost caution. What Paul describes takes place in the “last days” (v. 1). The “last days,” used here, and in Acts 2 and Hebrews 1, wasn’t the final hours before Jesus returned. The last days was the final period of time. For Timothy, who first read these words, he understood, that he was in the “last days.”

Paul identifies a list of terrible characteristics of those who simply do not become disciples of Christ. They hold a form of godliness. They are always learning. However, they never become. They love pleasure rather than God. They are ungrateful and unholy. Paul’s words to Timothy are to avoid such people.

Our verses today follow this ugly description of those who simply do not get it. The difficult times are a result of these people. It’s not difficult weather. It’s not difficult economics. It’s not difficulty even with the Roman government. It’s troubled hearts who are troubling the people of God. That’s the trouble Paul warns Timothy about. These false people are influencing others and steering them away from the truth in Christ. The language is troublesome. Those who are influenced are:

• Weak women
• Weighed down by sins
• Led on by various impulses

Paul says they are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This verse reminds me that there are three kinds of people.

(1) Some never learn. They are not interested in learning. Learning means growth and leads to change. Learning takes effort and energy. Learning involves interest. The learning here is not in academics, but in God’s word. This is the learning that God is interested in. Learning about truth. Learning about the Bible. Doctrine. Foundations. Some never learn. They have an opinion, but it’s unfounded and without truth. They are simply not interested.

(2) Others, as in our verse, are always learning, but the learning doesn’t help them. They study. They take notes. They chase rabbits in their minds. They ask questions. They seem interested, but some how they simply never come to the knowledge of truth. They never advance. They don’t change. Year after year, the same issues come up with them. Year after year, it’s the same questions. A new preacher on the scene is asked the same things that the last preacher was asked. The same answers are given, yet nothing changes. How well this describes so many religious books, blogs and articles today. Great depth of knowledge about early language, the times, the histories are given. Great insight into passages are revealed. However, they don’t connect the dots. They remain loyal to thoughts and doctrines not taught in the Bible. Their words are inconsistent. If they listened to what they are saying, they would move on with Christ. But they don’t. Always learning, never changing. It may be that pride and position keeps that from happening. It may be fear keeps that from happening. But a head full of truth does little good if it does not trickle down into our hearts and change us. We must wonder if the same could be said of us? We hear the sermons. We sit in the Bible classes. We read the bulletin articles. All about us truth is taught and delivered. We underline words in our Bibles and take notes and know so much, but still we refuse to talk to someone who we don’t like or we still refuse to forgive someone who said something mean to us or we still refuse to be friendly to someone because of their skin color or nationality. Always learning, but never getting it. Those are haunting words. Jonah had his Nineveh that he refused to go to. We have ours. There were lepers and Samaritans that Jesus associated with that the Pharisees were troubled by. We have our lepers and Samaritans that we must decide whether or not we will associate with. Always learning and never changing, that’s the real problem.

(3) The final group are those who are always learning and always adjusting and becoming. Truth means something more than just a head religion, it defines their choices, their attitudes and their behavior. Truth does something to them. In the parables, these folks find themselves. The story of the prodigal makes them try to be more and more like the father and less and less like the older brother. The parable of the sower makes them develop that honest and good heart. These folks judge themselves more than others. They are constantly striving to please the Lord. Doctrine is more than a creed for these people, it’s a definition of life that they live by. The years of learning has paid off. They are richer in Christ, stronger in faith and able to point the way for others to see Heaven. What a beautiful thing these people are. They are the joy of every preacher and every class teacher. They love to learn and love to be more like Jesus. They have that real hungering and thirsting for righteousness as Jesus defined in His great sermon.

Three kinds of people. Those who don’t want to learn. Those who learn but never change. And, those who learn and become. We must wonder which one describes us? We must wonder, after all these years, am I still the same or have I gotten better?

The learning is essential. You can’t change if you don’t know how or why. However, the learning isn’t the end. It isn’t accumulating facts, it’s changing hearts that God is after. What has your learning done for you?

Now, that’s a question to ask!

Roger