Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
5 sermons cite this verse
I'm going to read from 2 Timothy 3 and verse 12. Paul's writing to Timothy and he's describing the circumstances of what it means for him to follow Jesus. and he says, not only will I face these things, but indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." The longer I live, the more convinced I am that, although I didn't always understand this, that to be brought up within the framework of a Christian home under the tutelage of those who know Jesus, love Jesus, and love the Bible is an immense privilege. And so when I read 2 Timothy and I read of the influence of his grandmother and his mother and so on, and then of course of the influence of those who mentored him in the Christian life, this is something that many of us will be able to identify with. …
… and at Lystra, which persecutions I endured, yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. And this is the word of the Lord. Just checking for Episcopalians in the group. That's all right. All right. A brief prayer. Father, what we know not, teach us. What we have not, give us. What we are not, make us. And we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. …
… Verse 12. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Let me read it again. This is one of the tart verses that helps the rest to be enhanced. Cleanse your palate. You ready? All right, here we go. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Evil men, impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 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. Wise for salvation. Interesting phrase. Wise for salvation. You say, well, Bill, I'm already saved. Yeah, I believe that. I believe the moment you received Christ, you were saved, you were born again. But Paul talks about working out your salvation daily. So there's this threefold dimension of salvation. I was saved at such and such a time, but I am presently being saved. …
… It's not fun to get tweeted angrily at. 2 Timothy 3.12. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Haters are going to hate. And why did Cain hate Abel? Because Abel's life was righteous. And Cain thought, if I extinguish the bright light, it'll make me look better. Because right now, he exposes the darkness inside of me. That's one of the reasons people come against you and tell lies about you and try and hold you back from the promotion, try and smear you. Because they feel bad about themselves. and they think by taking you out, it's gonna make them look better. So we have to look at it correctly with an even mentality to understand what's happening. And also to remember this, I just love this. We are indestructible in the will of God. I want you to really internalize that. You are indestructible in the will of God. Not height, not depth, not any created thing. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. …
… Anybody who really lives a consistent Christian life, Paul says in 2 Timothy 3.12, all who live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. That doesn't mean just that some bad things will happen to Christians. it means that bad things will happen because you're a Christian. It will happen. Paul says it's inevitable. If you have never wrestled with this, it's actually because you've been wimping out somewhere as a Christian. you know one of the an easy illustration is and one that continually comes to my mind is just a guy who after he became a christian in my former church came and told me he said i got a problem i'm a waiter and i got real convicted after studying the ten commandments everybody where i work vastly under reports their tips they they only record they only report a very small percentage of the tips that's why we don't have to pay taxes i don't think that's right so i started to to report all my tips and I'm getting tremendous pressure from everybody. Everybody, even the, even the supervisor says you're going to create a lot of problem. If you start to report this many tips and nobody else does, you're in a lot of trouble. So don't do it. He says, I'm in a lot of trouble now. What should I do? And I said, first of all, psychologically, you've got to follow your conscience. Secondly, theologically, your conscience is absolutely right. And thirdly, just don't act in a condescending superior way. Don't say, well, you aren't as, you know, don't, …