Have you ever watched a TV or movie episode, or read a book that was a sequel to another one you liked, but decided that the series probably should have ended gracefully a while back, rather than continuing to go downhill? Like a house or vehicle that is not maintained, most things require regular investment and support to keep them from getting worse. Entropy is a fact of life. (At least, it is in my daily life. I’ll let physicists decide if they can create exceptions, but those probably won’t be at a scale that cleans up my room!)
Let’s take a look at part of a message from the apostle Paul to another follower of Jesus named Timothy:
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:12-13 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ti.3.12-13.NIV
Despite what some might suggest, following the truth is going to produce resistance – pushback – in a fallen world. Since this world is going in the wrong direction, it’s going to take some work to swim upstream, and those who strive to do so are going to collide with those who are passively “going with the flow”. There are major forces at work trying to drag humankind down into the gutter, and there is a real battle going on for our souls, as well as for those around us.
As a result, if we are weak, passive, or pushovers – so-called “casual Christians” – we might not experience much resistance. However, if we truly work to learn the legacy of Jesus Christ from Him and from the generations before us, and if we teach and inspire faithful followers of His in the next generation, that is going to make some forces of evil pretty unhappy, and they will try to stop us.
So, the next time you encounter resistance for doing the right thing (from those not following Jesus), I encourage you (after a quick check to ensure that you’re on the right track) to think of this as a confirmation, rather than a contradiction. This isn’t about being better than the next person, but rather letting God guide you down a path that leads to a better result. That journey will be bumpier in the short term; however, not only will the destination all be worth it, but there will be blessings in having God with you all along the way.
Did you notice what is mentioned about “evildoers and imposters” in verse 13? They will get worse, but they are also “deceiving and being deceived”. Yet again (if you’ve been following along with recent articles), we learn how important the truth is. These evildoers are deceiving others, and they are themselves being deceived. Perhaps if they were to find the truth – to have someone faithfully share the gospel of Jesus with them – then they wouldn’t deceive others, either.
And, once the truth dispels the deception of evil forces (remember, the devil is the father of lies, per John 8:42-47; but Jesus is the truth, per John 14:6-7), the legacy that is left by the truth is completely different from a legacy of lies and deception.
So, since the truth is a fundamental guidepost to success, sorting it out from the noise sounds pretty important. There is a good way to discern the truth, though. Let’s continue with 2 Timothy 3:14-15 in the next article…
From Sunday School lesson prepared for April 6, 2025
References:
- 1717 Bible Studies, 2 Timothy, © 2025 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1, 2 Timothy & Titus, by C. Michael Moss. © 1994 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 