 Alright, here we are. Second Timothy, chapter 3. We'll read verses 10 and 11. I'll give you an introduction, as I normally do, develop it, and then we'll move into our study here in Second Timothy as we continue our verse-by-verse approach to the book of Second Timothy. So here we are in Second Timothy 3. We'll read verses 10 and 11 and get into our study. Paul writes, and he's writing to a young pastor named Timothy, and he says to him, But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra. What persecutions I endured, and out of them all, the Lord delivered me. Now in verses 2 through 7 here in chapter 3, Paul had outlined the conditions that would characterize what we call, what Scripture speaks of as being the last days. And as we looked at that together, let me refresh your memory for a moment. Now that he had made it clear to Timothy that in the last days, perilous times would come. And that's a guarantee. The point he's making is this is a certain thing. In the last days, perilous times will come. And I was sharing with you how that the word perilous can also be translated hard to bear or dangerous. Dangerous and extremely difficult times will be the earmark he was saying of the last days. And I mentioned to you last time we were together that though the conditions spoken of have existed throughout church history, as the end approaches, they will be more intense and extensive before Jesus returns. So Paul made it clear that the last days would be hard and difficult days to live in. And it won't be just because of lack of jobs. It's not going to be because of the high cost of living or of wars or natural disasters. They're going to be perilous because of the evil that will be increasing and being normalized. You see in some ways the conditions will exist because the church has been infiltrated with deception. The fruit of false and compromised doctrine is going to begin to produce spiritual weakness in the body of Christ. We need to remember that belief produces behavior. You actually act out what you believe. It's one thing for me to say I believe something. It's another thing for me to do something. And I've mentioned more than once, I'll repeat myself because this is important to remember. That the Greeks, which as the Greek way of thinking has actually influenced us to this day, but the Greeks during the time of the writing of the New Testament believed that knowledge was the accumulation of information. And so if you had a tutor, you had a mentor, somebody who was pouring into you, they would say that you were gaining knowledge because you were gaining information by and large. But the Jews looked at it differently. The Jews looked at knowledge as being something that transformed your behavior. So there's an entire different way of thinking. One, the accumulation of knowledge. Two, the using of knowledge, which transforms you. So information for the Jew, information is to be assimilated. It's to be taken in. So assimilation is supposed to produce transformation. So information, assimilation equals transformation because my life is going to be changed by the things I believe. And I will do those things that I believe. That's why Jesus said, why do you call me a Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? That's why we are supposed to do what we're taught. And so Paul is making it very clear that in the last days there'll be an infiltration, that there will be people who are bringing in deceptive doctrines. And the church is going to be infected by that, and thus there'll be dangerous times because the church will lose its ability to discern. They're forgetting that belief produces behavior. And it's by the manner of life that one lives that true faith will always be evidenced over time because there are those who will take the word and immediately with joy receive it, but over time they go back to their old way of living. They never were converted. They simply were for a moment entertained by the truth that they were now beginning to absorb, listen to, but never really act upon. You know, the Bible teaches us very clearly that it's by our behavior that we demonstrate whether we know God or not. In Proverbs chapter 20 verse 11 it reads, even a child is known by his deeds whether what he does is pure and right. And so we have people who here in the United States who will go through school and will take certain tests and will get certain diplomas and we walk out saying we know something, but the Jewish person would say, well, during the time of Christ would say, well, you may have information, but I don't see that it's really made any difference in your life because information is supposed to produce transformation. So Jesus made it very clear that false doctrine will come in through false teachers and you have to be aware of the fact that infiltration will take place. It is especially true during the last days. In Matthew 7 Jesus said it like this in verses 15 through 20. He said beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore he said by their fruits you will know them. So Paul is warning Timothy concerning infiltration and he's speaking to him concerning the conditions of the last days and as he had said in chapter 3 verse 1 he had said in the last days perilous times will come. In the last days the church will continue being infiltrated. Instead of the fruit of the spirit the works of the flesh will be present. So with this in mind Paul begins to exhort Timothy and he's exhorting him to remain a faithful teacher. He's saying to Timothy you are to remain firm and faithful. You're steadfast in your doctrine. You see as a genuine teacher you need to remain firm. This is what Timothy has been doing. He has remained firm. He has been steadfast and that's why Paul can write but you have carefully followed my doctrine as we read here in verse 10. When he says but you that is as distinct from the false teachers. The false teachers have not carefully followed my doctrine but Timothy you have. You are sincere. You're a genuine believer in Jesus Christ. Timothy you have been a true son in the faith a genuine disciple. You see Paul is about to die as we get to the end of the book in chapter 4 he makes it very clear that he's awaiting his departure. So in a sense Paul could be saying to him you have seen the way I have lived and Timothy the way I have lived has prepared me to die. So continue using me as your example. I taught you how to live. Now let me teach you how to die. Use me as your model. We need models by the way today don't we? We need mentors. We need people who are up there doing the thing that God has called us to do. Amen for overwhelming applause. We do we need we need examples. It's one thing to try and explain to your child. This is before Velcro and everything else and zippers and all. It was one thing to teach your child verbally how to tie their shoes. It's another thing for them to learn how to do it. And the way they learn to do that is as you taught them holding their hands or whatever you did with those strings and you taught them how to tie. It's the things that we learn. Even the most basic things are very often modeled for us. They're taught to us. I can still remember as a young boy growing up that there were a lot of models for us. What it meant to be a man. A lot of models. And that went all the way back into, well forever it was traditionally that way. My dad for example when I was a little boy would take us to drive-ins because you could get the whole family in pretty cheaply right. So we went to the drive-in quite a bit. And oh boy here we go I just remembered a story. My brother Frank wanted to sneak into the drive-in. For some reason he thought it would be a good thing to do. And he said daddy let me sneak in. They don't know how many kids you have. You can tell them that you have just the three. Let me hide so my dad said alright. Go ahead Frankie. So my brother hides. We had a station wagon and he was hiding behind the back seat. The driver's seat. And we put a blanket over him. And so he was kind of looking towards the door actually the window. And he was down like this with a blanket over him. So I still remember rolling up. And the guy said how many sir? And my dad said two adults three children. Now this is my dad and one idiot. He pulled the blanket off of my brother. And my brother's looking up at the guy. I'll never forget that. It was hilarious. My dad used to do dumb things like that. You know why did I tell you that? Well anyway we went to the drive-in together often. And at that time be surprised or not there were still role models that were portraying certain things. Guys like the John Waynes. We say how corny right? John and Wayne are you kidding me? That guy. Well one of the things that we need to remember is that he was a symbol. He was a symbol of masculinity. He was a big man. He was six foot five. He played for USC as a football player. And he's a big, big man. And what he was for a lot of young people was a model that you could be big and strong but you didn't have to be a bully. You could be big and strong and you can still be heroic. You could still stand up for the underdog. That's something we don't have today. Somewhere along the line we changed the hero into the anti-hero. So the ones that people look at today very often are not the good people at all. They're the bad ones who get away with things. What do you think made the Godfather such a hit? It's just that the bad guys got away with doing bad things in a way that made them look like a family. It was just odd how our society was transformed where we used to have in weekly programs corny classics now but they were part of the cultural norm. You know the father knows best. Try and imagine today a show where the father actually leads. Try and imagine in a comedy because that was a comedy. Try and imagine something like that. You don't have that anymore. And see so we have undermined role models in many ways. So young people don't necessarily have the same attachment to a heroic figure who does good anymore. So we need to recapture that. I believe that the church needs to have men who are men who can be used as examples of what a man is supposed to be. That's what we Christians are to do. And that's a very real statement because a lot of the men that I know, the younger men especially, are still wondering who are they and how do they lead. Well, we had mentors. We had people who were examples. And Paul is actually pointing to himself in that way. He's about to say that you can use me as your role model. Because Paul is the one who said imitate me in so far as I imitate Christ. I am somebody that you can look at and you can use as an example. We need to remember that Christianity is not taught as a subject, though its teachings can be listed. But genuine Christianity is learned. It's modeled, but it's learned as it's lived out in John 14. Jesus said it like this in verses 21 through 24. He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father. And I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas, not a scary it, said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word. And my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words. And the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. Christianity is lived out and it's actually learned as you live. And there are those who model that before us to help us to see what that means. So Paul used himself as an example. And he was using himself as an example of what a believer is to do. And that's how first century rabbis actually taught their students. You see, during the time of Christ, a disciple, if an individual wanted to be a disciple, well, a disciple decided to follow a certain teacher. He would memorize his words. He learned his way of ministry, imitated his life and character, and then he became like his master. He ultimately trained up his own disciples. Paul had already said that in verse 2 of chapter 2. He said, the things that you have heard from me, among many witnesses commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. So that's how they did it in that day. He used himself as an example of what a believer is to do. And so Paul is telling Timothy that he is a genuine follower of Christ and begins to outline the things that demonstrate that he truly is and that he's a genuine son in the faith. And that's what he means in verse 10 when he says, but you have carefully followed my doctrine. You have followed my teachings. You have followed my life. You'll see this in a moment. When he says you have carefully followed, it reveals that Timothy followed his lead. And it's one of those ways of saying that you've followed completely in the same path. You have followed my teachings carefully. You've never moved off the trail. You have traveled with me and you've served with me and you've followed me step by step. You've heard my teachings. You've watched my life. You've taken note of my works. So he used Paul as his example and he was very careful not to move in a different direction and that's why he said, but you have carefully followed my doctrine. You have walked step by step. My footprints were here and there and you put your feet in each one of the footprints and you didn't veer off the path. You have carefully followed me. You've followed my doctrine. So you can use me as a model in contrast to false teachers. And as you have used me as a model, you are motivated to reject their teachings and to refute them because you've seen the real thing and you can wisely reject and you can separate yourself from the false teachers. So he begins to list what Timothy has faithfully followed. Notice with me as we look at this in verse 10 and into verse 11. He says, you have carefully followed my doctrine. The word doctrine speaks of his teachings. You have not veered from the path of my teachings concerning Jesus Christ and his message. You have consistently heard my teachings and you've done so from early youth and you can see that I have not changed my message. I never made my message any different. It's always been the same message. In 2 Corinthians, when Paul was writing to the church in Corinth in chapter 2 verse 17, this is what he said to them. He said, for we are not as so many peddling the word of God but as of sincerity but as from God we speak in the sight of God in Christ. We're not as so many peddling. It means to change for personal profit. We haven't taken God's word, changed it so that we somehow may benefit personally from it. We haven't peddled God's word. He said in Galatians chapter 1 verse 8, even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you then what we have preached to you let them be accursed. You have followed carefully my doctrine. My message concerning Jesus Christ and his gospel. The second thing he says, you have followed my manner of life. You have followed the example I've laid before you, the way that I've lived, the way that I have done what I have taught. You've seen how I live amongst people. You see my priorities. Timothy, you have seen my unselfish consecration. You have seen how that I have lived a consistently devoted life. You have witnessed this firsthand. In Acts 20 verse 18, when the Ephesian elders came to Paul and he was giving last instructions to them, it says that when they had come to him, he said to them, you know from the first day that I came to Asia in what manner I always lived amongst you. If you want to teach somebody and you want to have lessons that are going to be embraced, be consistent. Live out the things that you give out and do so consistently. A third thing you have seen is my purpose. You're aware of my driving force, the driving force that has kept me faithful to the message and my mission. You know my chief aim. You've heard me say it in various ways many times. In Philippians 1, Paul said it like this, at verse 21 he said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. He made it his aim to preach the gospel according to Romans 15-20, not where Christ was named because he said I don't want to build on another man's foundation. When he was speaking to the Philippians again in chapter 3 in verse 13 and 14, he said this, he said, brother and I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Timothy, you know my chief aim. You know my purpose, the driving force that I've remained faithful to Christ in bringing his gospel to the world. He says a fourth thing. He says you have carefully followed my faith. You have followed my faith towards God, which results in salvation and abundant life. This faith that I have towards God has assured me of salvation. It's propelled me to preach to others, and it's the message that you've embraced yourself. And you've seen that. In 1st Timothy 1.15, Paul had said, this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. A fifth thing you've seen is my long suffering. Long suffering speaks of patients, patients with people, especially those who persecuted him. Timothy saw the way he responded. A sixth thing you have seen is my love, my love for the Lord, and my love towards people in general. And that's what motivated him in his ministry. And that's what motivates you in your Christianity. It's the love for God and it's the love for others. Jesus was asked the question, what is the great commandment in the law? He said the first is love, the Lord thy God with everything in you. And the second is like unto the first, love your neighbor as yourself. You can have a theoretical love for God and that's okay, but John would say, how can you say I love God, whom you have not seen and hate your brother, whom you do see? Because Christianity is not something like, I just theoretically love that someone up there, but Christianity actually wears shoes and walks amongst people. That's why God, who is loved, took upon himself human flesh so we could see love incarnate and learn what love actually does. We do that by looking at the life of Jesus Christ. So this love motivated him. It motivated him concerning all that he did in his ministry. In 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 11 and 12, he was speaking a very open-hearted word to the Corinthians. The Corinthians had been infiltrated by false teachers who had called into question the Apostle Paul's ministry. And if you read 2 Corinthians, which is his most open-hearted letter, if you read 2 Corinthians carefully and begin to note certain things, you're going to find that Paul is actually answering accusations that have been lodged against him by the people who have infiltrated the Corinthian church. The calling into question, so many things, you can find actually 20 or 21 specific responses to accusations in 2 Corinthians. And so he was very open-hearted with his church, a church he loved very much. And in 2 Corinthians 6, 11 and 12, he said to them, O Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you. Our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Corinthians, I have opened my heart up, Paul was saying. I have opened my heart up to you in such a way. I have opened it so widely that I have made a room for you in it. And all I'm asking, in return, is that you make it possible for me to enter into your life. In 2 Corinthians 12, 15, he said, I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls. This is something I think is very touching, coming from the heart of Paul. I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I'm loved. Timothy, you have seen. You have seen my life. You've seen these things, and you've seen my love for the Lord. You've seen my love for others. Timothy, you've seen my perseverance, the seventh thing. Perseverance is endurance under trying circumstances. You've seen how I have held fast and haven't released my faith, abandoning it. But I've stuck it out. You've seen my perseverance. In 1 Corinthians 4, 11 through 13, he began to speak concerning what he had gone through. And he says to the present hour, we both hunger and thirst. We are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things until now. The word off-scouring speaks of the scrapings from a pan. When you've cooked something and the residue of whatever it is that you cooked is there on the lip of the pan or is burned into the pan and you scrape it off. That's called the off-scouring. He says that's what we are in this world where the off-scouring of all things until now. But you've seen my endurance. In verse 11 he gives an eighth thing. Timothy, the persecutions you're well aware of because throughout my ministry I have experienced persecution. Again, to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 11, 23 to 28 he spoke of the false apostles and he said, are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors, more abundant. In stripes, above measure. In prisons, more frequently. In deaths, often. From the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes, minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I've been in the deep. In journeys, often. In perils of waters. In perils of robbers. In perils of my own countrymen. In perils of the Gentiles. In perils in the city. In perils in the wilderness. In perils in the sea. In perils among false brethren. In weariness and toil. In sleeplessness often. In hunger and thirst. In fastings often. In cold and nakedness. Besides the other things what comes upon me daily. My deep concern for all the churches. You've seen me go through this as a model. A ninth thing you've seen in verse 11. The afflictions. The pain that I've endured for the sake of Jesus. Now when he says to him in persecutions and afflictions which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and Lystra what persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord delivered me. That would be a reference to his first missionary journey. That's where Timothy actually had been saved. He mentions these cities Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. That's where he endured persecutions. It's recorded for us in Acts chapters 13 and 14. He says you're aware of these things. But he goes on to say in verse 11 but God delivered me out of all these persecutions and afflictions. God has faithfully delivered me. He's preserved me. See Paul knew that he was invulnerable until God decided it was time to take him home. And that's how he ministered. So as he's speaking concerning all of these things he gives to us a promise that all of us can mark and put in those little promise boxes that we have and then take it out and say what is it that you have for me today Lord? And we can read verse 12. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Thank you for your promise Lord but I think I took the wrong one. I think this is my wife's promise for the day because who wants to claim such a promise? But that's the bottom line. Those who live in fellowship with the Lord will endure hardship. That's what God teaches us. Living in a time where people are actually surprised at that that's what's amazing to me today is that we're living in a time when Christians are actually surprised that this particular verse is becoming more real to us. The world that we live in has always had persecution. We know that. But many of us who are Christians really thought only of the persecuted churches being in another land perhaps in Eastern Europe or perhaps in Southeast Asia or in the Middle East. There's obviously plenty of opportunity for persecution in various places but Americans seem to be overly surprised at what has taken place here and in fact we're gaining right now incidents of persecution. As a matter of fact it would seem to be a safe statement to make that the church is under a lot of persecution even as I speak. There are laws that are being passed here in the state of California that are extremely anti-Christian in terms of the things that we believe and teach where your children are being mandated to learn certain subjects in school and that you have to go through certain things like sex ed and all that actually are saying that particular lifestyles that the church has taught against and the Bible strictly forbids that these lifestyles are wrong. It's not that God can't change and God can't forgive people he does but he makes it very clear that certain lifestyles like homosexuality, bisexuality, that those are sins. And we as parents, we as Christians have the responsibility of reading and understanding Scripture and we train our children up in the ways of the Lord. That's what we do. And so to get around your training what happens is there are mandates, laws that are passed that state that these particular subjects must be taught to your children and you can't opt out of them. And what we have done, and I'll say this in all honesty and I think we all know this, is the church has fallen asleep in the midst of a battle and we're awakening to the fact that we gave up so much territory that it's going to be difficult to somehow gain it back. And we have opportunities to exercise rights that we have. We can vote. We can say, I'd like this person to represent me. But many Christians stay away from the ballot box. They don't even vote. They don't go to city council meetings. They don't go to school board meetings. They don't do any of that. And then they get surprised when certain curricula are foisted on their children and then wonder how did this happen? It happened because the church was asleep at the wheel. That's how it happens. And we need to awaken to that because our kids are being stolen right now and those of you who are parents may not realize that, but it's true. And there are certain things that are being passed right now in California state legislature that are stating that certain books cannot be sold in bookstores. If we have a testimony, a book about somebody who was homosexual and came out of homosexuality and was saved and transformed and these are the things that you can do and I have a conference. It'll happen in the future because this is already moving in this direction right now that if we were to charge attendees then we actually could be fined and it's against the law because what has happened and what is happening is speech is being now clamped down on and you can't say things that you believe out of Scripture and that is happening right now. That is happening right now. And if you look at your representatives, those that are representing California and no, I'm not making a political speech. I'm trying to be practical, speaking about salt and light and what we're supposed to do. I'm not telling you who to vote for, though I would. I'm simply saying we don't even vote. Then we get mad about the life that we're living right now and how did this happen? It happened because millions of Christians don't vote, millions don't vote. So what we end up with is people who are representing others but not representing us and they're passing laws that restrict your rights because they don't hold fast to your rights because they're anti-Christ, they're anti-Christian. They hate Jesus and his message. They really do. And we're seeing that today, guys. We're seeing that in our day right now where it's going to become possible for a minister like myself to be arrested for just teaching the Bible. And see, what has happened is old people like me, they don't even go after. You've got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Why are we worried about you? You're nothing. You're old, you'll be gone. It's your grandchildren we want because if I can get your three-year-olds and your four-year-olds and your five-year-olds, I get them for life. This is true. You know this, don't you? If you don't know this, learn it. They get their minds. There are high school age and college age people right now who perhaps even in this room or who will hear what I'm saying who will actually get agitated and angry because they say that's not true when in fact you have been brainwashed and to believe that there's no such thing as real truth. There's only their opinion and if I really want to know truth I have to just go to Almighty Google and He'll teach me all I need to know because I have instant information now. I never studied. I never thought. I never prayed. I never prepared. I simply wrote the words. Somebody gave me their opinion. That becomes my opinion. I don't know how to defend these things. I just know how to spout them. And in spouting them, I can get others who spout them along with me and we will march around with little signs that say ban the guns and everybody sees, oh wow, don't get mad at them and be haters because these people really see there's violence but we'll never really talk about what makes violence violent. We'll never speak about the fact that guns don't fall off of shelves, load themselves and then follow people down the street and shoot them. We never talk about that because they don't. Do they? Do they? And now am I saying, oh let's go, no, I'm just saying if you ban guns, they kill with knives. That's what they're doing in England. If you ban guns, they just use knives. Guess what? If hatred and murder is in your heart, you will find a way to kill someone because it's a heart issue and these people, I have to be careful because I'm a pastor. I'm supposed to love. But it's just... Yeah, don't stir me up because it's just real. Listen, I have four kids. I have eight grandchildren. I was a kid. I'm a human being. I know nature. I know my nature and I know that sin is wrapped up in human nature. Rebellion is in the heart of a child. The rod of discipline drives it far from them. They have to be trained to do what is right, trained to do what is wrong because they learn... I'm sorry, trained to do what is right because they're already trained to do what is wrong. They're already trained. That's their nature. So we have to train them into righteousness. They need a new nature because the old nature is hellbound. Some men's sins are real evident. You know that there is sin. Just by the way they live, look at this guy. He's a drunk. The guy's doing drugs. He beats up his wife. She goes out on her husband. Those are evident sins but there are others that are hidden. They're dressed up in suits and ties and they pass laws and they say, we look righteous when in fact you're not. We're trying to get votes for the future. We'll give all kinds of promises to people and keep them... All right, this is going to be offensive. Forgive me in advance. We will keep them our slaves. They will depend on us for everything from housing to their welfare, to their food, to their education. We will make them dependent on us. If you don't see that, that's the fact. That's what's going on and our Christian voices are being stifled. Passers like me one day will be going to jail. Raul has stated he's ready to go and I will write him when he goes. You're my hero, Raul. Don't be surprised. Stop being surprised. Jesus promised it. If you live godly, you will suffer persecution. Listen, I've been living under that for years because I'm looked at as being stupid, ignorant, a hillbilly, racist. You name it. That's what I am to some people, but not to God. To God, I'm supposed to be a voice in the wilderness. Make way for the Lord. Make a straight path for him. That's what God has called us to do. So don't be surprised. Don't be surprised when you suffer persecution. It's not some strange thing in 1 Peter 4, 12 and 13, the Apostle said, Beloved, do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you. As though some strange thing happened to you, rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings. That when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. He says in verse 13, evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Evil men and imposters, notice, will grow worse and worse. It'll be a time full of peril to the Christian faith and endurance. It will be a time causing pain and trouble. Why? Because evil men and imposters, deceivers, will rise up. In the last days, evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse. They proceed from worse to worse. They will deceive, and they're even more deceived themselves. We're living in the last days. We're witnessing this. Deception enters into Christian thought, believers, and they don't even recognize it. Let me use an old example, something that occurred years ago now when Mitch Romney was running for president. He had given a speech at the George Bush Presidential Library, and this is something Mitch Romney said. He said, there is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? Then he gave his answer. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism, but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree. So the fundamental question, what do you believe about Jesus Christ? His answer, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Savior of mankind. Now, many Christians would say so, do I? A certain well-known teacher was asked, are Mormons Christians? And he said, they believe Jesus Christ is their Savior, therefore they must be. Is that true? He pastors one of the largest churches in the United States. I won't mention Joel Osteen by name. It's something you could have read yourself. I'm not gossiping about him. But in Mormonism, Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer. In Mormonism, God has a physical body. In Mormonism, people exist as spirits before being born so that they can be exalted as gods and have their own planets. In Mormonism, Jesus is a God amongst other gods. And in Mormonism, the Bible is not a complete revelation. Do you believe those things? No, why don't you? Because the Scriptures teach against those things. You see? And many who profess Christ get upset when they hear somebody like me point those things out. Oh, you're a judge. Yes, I am. Yes, I am. I'm not supposed to take my spiritual life and my brain and put it on a shelf and just kind of nod my head in agreement like one of those stupid bobblehead dolls when people say stuff. I'm supposed to have discernment. Jesus said, judge righteous judgment and you do that through the Word of God. And so if these things are not so, they ought to be stated. And these things are not so. But Paul, when he was speaking to the Ephesian elders, said this in Acts 20, verse 29. He said, I know this, that after my departing shall Grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. In Galatians 1, 6 through 9, Paul said, I'm shocked that you are turning away so soon from God who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. He went on to say you are already following a different way that pretends to be the good news. But it's not the good news at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ. Let God's curse fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other message than the one we told you about. Even if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed. I will say it again. If anyone preaches any other gospel than the one you welcome, let God's curse fall upon that person. That's Scripture. How did Mormonism start? The angel, Moroni. How did Islam start? They claimed Gabriel gave Muhammad revelation. He said even if an angel from heaven comes and gives a different gospel, let him be anathema. Let him be a curse. That's Scripture. That's not some angry old man in a pulpit. That's the Word of God. And that's what Paul is speaking about. The remedy to deception. Study God's Word regularly, systematically. Jesus said, going to the world, preach the gospel, command them to obey everything I have told you. In Acts 20, Paul said in verse 27, I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God. You see, when pastors fail to teach the whole counsel, people are not equipped to discern error because the Word of God gives us ability to discern and to resist deception. So he says in verse 14, you, but you must continue in the things which you've learned and been assured of knowing from whom you have learned them. Continue to believe, Timothy. Continue to obey. Continue to teach these things as a faithful minister. Abide faithfully in the teachings of God's Word. You have not only learned, but you have been assured of these things. So you confidently cling to the truth in a personal way. You have been set free by the truth. And in verse 14, know from whom you learned them. You had a mother named Lois. You had a grandmother named Eunice. And you've had me in your life. You have a chain of faith to lean on. They prepared the soil of your heart for the gospel to be planted. They prepared you for the struggles that you would encounter. And I've been an example of one who overcomes. And your training that you've received prepared you to trust the message. Here's something for us as parents and grandparents. It's found in Proverbs 226. It's a very famous scripture. All of us have heard it. Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old, he will not depart from it. Make that your goal. Listen, and I'll say this. This is something that people get mad at. So might as well get you a little more angry today before I send you home to hate me. I've been ministering in this particular church for almost 37 years. I've encountered many people you can imagine over the years. I've known people who have come and gone. I'm not somebody who puts a chain on someone and says, please stay. If someone is led by the Spirit to move on, God bless them as they go. I minister to those who are here. That's what I do. But at the same time, that doesn't mean I don't notice. Over the years, more than once, I've had conversations with people when I say, are you going to be in a church? I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks. Oh, I've been real busy. Are you going to be the midweek? Well, you know, I'm real busy. Really? What do you do? Well, my son plays soccer. Well, my daughter is playing softball. And so we have tourneys. We have to travel to Arizona, Nevada, whatever, and we have tournaments. And I say, oh, really? Yeah. And so they'll put their life into the children's recreation. And then when the child is 16, 17, 18 straight away, wants nothing to do with church, they get upset, they speak to me. I don't get it. What happened? Well, what happened is you said to them that sports was more important than salvation, that their future really was in their fun, and you never taught them that some things are learned with repetition, especially spiritual things, because the world is at war, because guess what? The world doesn't take a vacation. The world doesn't go out for recreation. The world is constantly opposed to the things of God. It's an onslaught. It's a wave that continues one after another. And instead of us preparing our children for life by being prepared ourselves, we send them out on a little rowboat of sports or whatever, and we say, I know you'll survive. And then when they go to college, should they go? And we say, we just want them to have a good education. The first thing they encounter will be professors who hate Christ and will pour into them their statistics and their opinions in their class. And within a year, that child comes back saying, I don't really believe anymore. Well, in fact, they probably never really did, because the parent never really did that much themselves. Be careful. You train up a child in the way you should go. That means you spend special effort. And you minister to them in the way of their personality, the direction that they're moving. And you find a way in the Lord how to direct their footsteps, because listen, the very end, the only thing you leave behind is your children, if you have them, your reputation, your legacy. My legacy is not this church. My legacy is my family. My legacy is my daughters, my sons, my eight grandchildren. That's my legacy. I'm hoping for more grandchildren. That's my legacy. What matters isn't that papa. They call me papa. Isn't that papa pastor to church? What matters is that papa loved Jesus. And that's what brings them to their trials. And papa loved the Lord in his word. I'm telling you, some aren't hearing me, but it's true. He says in verse 15, from infancy, from childhood, you have been taught the word. Your education was God-centered. You learned the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, according to Proverbs 1.7. Your mother knew that you were sinful from birth and needed to be directed, according to Psalm 51 verse 5. And because she loved you, she nurtured you in the ways of the Lord. The soil of your heart was prepared. The seed of the word produced salvation. And so how do we handle the persecution? He closes in verses 16 and 17, which really are a study in themselves that I'll just put together in a couple of minutes. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. Notice he says all scripture. All scripture as distinct from simply Old Testament writings. You see, during this period, the entire New Testament writings had not been collected. The recognition of the 27 New Testament books had yet to occur. The official gathering and recognizing of what is called New Testament canon did not occur until the Council of Hippo. The Council of Hippo was a council filled with real large men. It's in, I'm sorry, it was in modern Algeria and that took place in AD 393. And it was again recognized at the Council of Carthage or in Tunisia in 397. Now prior to these dates, the Old and New Testaments were recognized as inspired. First Timothy 5.18, the scripture says, do not muzzle the ox while it's treading out the grain and the worker deserves his wages. Well, when he says the scripture says in First Timothy 5.18, he's combining an Old Testament scripture, Deuteronomy 25.4 with the New Testament scripture, Luke 10.7. And so the Old and New Testaments were recognized as inspired. And the apostles themselves recognized their writings as authoritative as well as inspired. Authoritative Colossians 4.16, after this letter has been read to you, see that it is read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. Inspired, 2 Peter 3.16 says concerning Paul, Peter writes, he writes the same way in all his letters speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand which ignorant and unstable people distort as they do the other scriptures to their own destruction. So Paul speaks concerning that the scriptures are inspired. Inspiration literally means God breathed. Scripture owes its origin to the breath of God. It's an outpouring of God's life to man. In 2 Peter 1.20 and 21, the apostles said above all, you must understand that no prophecy as Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man. But men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. It's inspired and it's profitable. It teaches when it says that it's profitable for teaching. Teaching speaks of provoking us to learn. It informs us about God and Jesus. He said it's profitable for rebuking. That means to correct error in understanding of Scripture or behavior. He says it's profitable for correcting. Which speaks of actually restoring someone to a right relationship with God. And it's profitable for training because by yielding to it and practicing it, you develop understanding. And the result for 17, that the man of God would be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Doctrine and example keep us strong in times of opposition and persecution. It is not simply Christians getting mad and Christians simply marching. It's in Christians actually living what God called them to live and being used as salt and used as light in this decaying and darkened world. Being willing to speak when nobody else will. Being willing to stand when everybody else falls. Being willing to hold fast when everybody else walks away. Be willing to be counted when other people desert. Here I am, said Martin Luther. Unless I can be refuted by Scripture and logic, I cannot, I will not recant. Here I stand. And I really believe that the church needs to take those words to heart today. Here I stand. Having done all, I will stand. Victorious in Jesus Christ because he is Lord. He is Savior and he transforms lives. So here we stand.