Today’s Thoughts – 21 January 2021

In our last post, we discussed 2 Timothy 3:2 and the characteristics that were held within that verse. As we continue to look at this passage, we will look at 2 Timothy 3:3 today. Remember that we are looking at these characteristics in terms of how they affect our families, churches, and society.

If you would like to read the previous post, you can by clicking here.

Without natural affection: As if we didn’t need any more proof that the family is under attack, we see the trait of unnatural love. In our nation, the nuclear family has been under attack for 60 years. The sexual revolution brought upon our nation unnatural love that has since been celebrated and condoned by our government. Now we have families of two men or two women, and children that are brought up in a family not designed by God.

In our family, keep the nucleus together! This first entails the father, mother, and children. But I would also argue that the nuclear family should include grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins. This provides stability to our children and gives them opportunities to feel the love of family members which is a symbol of the love God has for us.

Trucebreakers: These are people who will not agree. They demand their own way. And to get it, they will break an agreement that they already made. Divorce these days has become a common occurrence. This is a break of an agreement between two people to stay together through all things. And in breaking this agreement, fractures the family and puts the children in disarray. Let us keep our agreements in the business world, but especially at home.

False accusers: This goes along with the previous trait because as a person is breaking their agreement, many times, they begin to slander the other person to defend their reasoning for breaking their agreement. This is common in divorce court when one spouse attacks the other spouse with accusations so that they can take all they can from them.

This is also commonplace in the church when leaders tear down the reputation of other church leaders. We should speak kindly towards others and not let the flesh control our speech (James 3:5).

Incontinent: This simply means without self-control. My dad taught me this phrase: “Without self-control, there is no freedom.” This is true because if we don’t control ourselves, we will do anything and everything we want and become slaves to our selfish desires.

Because parents don’t have self-control and try everything they want when they have kids they don’t want to take care of them or have the responsibility that comes with children. Thus, we have an abortion epidemic on our hands because of a lack of self-control. There are many handicapped children also due to drugs and alcohol and a lack of self-control.

Instead, we should be filled with the Spirit and let Him control us and our lives (Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 6:7-8). This will produce good results as God will be in control of our lives instead of our flesh and self-willed way of living.

Fierce: As we continue on, this trait describes those who are brutal and untamed. They are the opposite of civilized. This is a result of all of the previous traits (disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without self-control). This will tear apart a family, even a society.

We see this going on even now with riots, looting, and violence in our streets and cities. This is a result of those who don’t allow God to work in their lives but instead live for the now (“follow the heart”) as they’ve been taught to do. We should “follow after righteousness [and] godliness” instead (1 Timothy 6:11).

Despisers of those that are good: Again we see backward people who despise people with good traits. They don’t just dislike them – they despise them. This brings the idea that these people would wish that those who are good do not exist and their evil ways prevail.

How in our society is it that abortion is celebrated and revered? It’s because people despise good. They believe that their evil is good and that our good is evil (Isaiah 5:20).

We must teach our family what is good and what is evil according to the Word of God, not according to the current sway of society or government for those will change like the seasons. God and His Word will never change, and He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

We look at 2 Timothy 3:4 in our next post which you can view by clicking here.