Creeping In
2 Timothy 3:5-7, 10-13
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
See the marks of the unbeliever. This verse makes it clear that at the end of the list of sins, these have "a form of godliness." However, in so doing, they deny the power of Christ. What is worse than crucifying Christ afresh every week and putting "him to an open shame" in Hebrews 6:6, is declaring that he has no power at all. Jesus died once for sin and after this comes the judgement according to Hebrews 9:28. That sacrifice was sufficient to remove the old covenant, make a new one, raise the dead, heal the sick, and take away enough sin to make them the sons of God from now until eternity. They have "a form of godliness." They look just enough like him to fool the believers. The phrase, wolves in sheep's clothing, was used to describe the pharisees who taught the people in Matthew 7:15. They have a form. They may look like him but they do not act like him. Even the devil himself may look like an angel of light according to 2 Corinthians 11:14. In the garden, first Eve then Adam was deceived by him as in 1 Timothy 2:14.
They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
Is it any wonder they act like their father the devil? Their method of operation is making their way into houses and gaining control of gullible women. This business of targeting the family, society, and the whole world starts with the women. See, the woman has the ear of the husband and a hand in shaping of the children. God appeared to woman when he went to send his son in Luke 1:30. Satan approached a woman to destroy the world in the garden. Their works will be apparent to all. What they did in secret will be told in the streets; what is done in the streets will be whispered in the houses. The lack of the men who lead is startling; the burden is left to the women who always are learning but not coming to the full "knowledge of the truth," as in 2 Timothy 3:7, or are moved by their own needs. Then the men who are false leaders creep up. When there is a lack of leadership or when God is first beginning a work you have to be careful of men who sneak in. Just because a leader appears, there must be a way to tell if it is God's leader. The markers of the people who deny the power of God are as follows: they love things other than God. Their spiritual focus is off. When someone or something else is in the seat of God, bad things creep in. It starts off with pride and boasting which brought the devil down out of his position according to James 4:16.
always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
We see all the bad things that follow. When you clean a house, you must replace what has been cleaned with the Spirit of God; otherwise, it sits empty until the spirits return and bring those worse than them to live there in Luke 11:25-26. The Spirit of God makes such things apparent, gives discernment to his children, and is the leader and provider when there is none earthly. This business of thinking these women and houses are alone is the ultimate slap in the face of God. Just as Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and learned from him in Luke 10:42, so Jesus sits with each of his. He will lead them and teach them in this life and in the one to come as in Revelation 21:23. This journey starts by putting him on the throne where he belongs. For we love him "because he first loved us" in 1 John 4:19. As the lion of the tribe of Judah and the lamb who had been slain, he will not hesitate to deliver his people as Revelation 5:5 states. If we suffer, make sure it is for the sake of Jesus not for our own sake according to 1 Peter 4:15. For the rest he is able to deliver.
You, however, know all about my teaching,my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
Paul went through such attacks in his person, his life, and his ministry that God worked the situation out for his ultimate deliverance. We are not above our teacher Jesus in Luke 6:40; therefore, we should not be surprised for the suffering that may come before we reign with him. Note the surety in 2 Timothy 2:12; "if we suffer, we shall also reign with him."
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.
Sometimes living for the Lord can make you a target for those that creep in. So then, is it the women who are silly and always learning but not coming to the truth or is this describing the false teachers? According to the text, the "evildoers and imposters" will be made known by their actions and the state of their life. God makes it clear that he is the wisdom to be learned as well as the leader of his people.