In Second Timothy 3:5,7,13-17 we find the Apostle Paul writing to a young evangelist friend named Timothy who had confessed to his mentor that he had shed tears over some of the people he ministered to because they refused to believe and obey what he had told them from the Lord’s Word (1:4). Paul had experienced the same rejection of God’s Truth from some of those to whom he ministered (1:11,12). Keep in mind that those to whom Paul and Timothy ministered were church people. One will note in the writings of the New Testament writers that, over time, many evil men became part of the newly-founded church. Paul and the other apostles waged spiritual warfare against them continually as is evidenced by their writings. Note in verse seven that these men read the Scriptures but never embracing them and receiving from them what God had intended–spiritual power to live their lives according to His Gospel.

In 2:1,3,5 Paul counsels Timothy to stand strong in God’s grace when those to whom he ministers resist his teachings. Paul warns him not to entangle himself in the things of this life as did those who did not truly know God, who were walking with one foot in the church and the other foot in the world. Today we call such believers religious “fence-straddlers,” also known as “sinners saved by grace.” Paul tells the young evangelist that he must strive for the mastery of God’s Law and obey it in order to receive the crown of eternal life. You read that correctly–Timothy had to make Jesus his LORD and OBEY HIM in order to join Him upon His return to earth. Read The Three Resurrections. Key word–Three.

In 2:15 Paul reminds Timothy that in order to learn the Law and be approved by God he must study the Law and be able to “rightly divide the Word of Truth” (God eternal Law–Genesis to Revelation which He condensed into the Ten Commandments). The expression “rightly divide” in the Greek language means to “make a clean cut,” meaning to cut away (remove from one’s life) everything that is contrary to the Law of God. This is the same as “circumcising the heart (mind)” to rid it of all that does not lead to righteousness and holiness (Rom. 2:29). Note that Paul told Him to study and “rightly divide” one thing– THE WORD OF GOD” (HIS ETERNAL, HOLY LAW)–and to ignore everything else. Anyone who spends more time watching a screen than studying God’s Word has done the opposite. Screen zombies have circumcised God out of their hearts and are walking the way of the world. For this reason God commands that we “redeem (take captive) the time” that we have in this life. Only those who make God their Lord (their Master Who must be obeyed) in this life will join Him in the next life.

In 3:15 Paul “makes a clean cut” relative to salvation by telling God’s ordained servant that THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, IF STUDIED, ARE ABLE TO LEAD HIM TO SALVATION. Timothy had no guarantee. Like everyone else, he had to obey the Lord. Recall that Jesus said that He would die for his friends whom He defined as THOSE WHO DO WHATSOEVER HE COMMANDS THEM TO DO (Jn. 15:13,14). CHRIST’S DEATH HAS NO EFFECT ON LAW-BREAKERS. EACH OF US MUST DECIDE IF CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION WILL RESULT IN OUR INDIVIDUAL SALVATION. Read Matthew 7:21-23. Which brings us to the focus of this series–RECEIVING THE POWER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS THAT CAN (REPEAT–CAN) SAVE THE SOUL. Read Romans 5:21 and 6:22. Note that the END RESULT OF HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ETERNAL LIFE. If God’s evangelist had to obey God’s Word/Law/Gospel in order to receive eternal life, what does this say about the rest of us? God’s command is that we reject the “only believe” salvation hucksters and stay away from them. They are not God’s “sent ones” (apostles).

What does spiritual power have to do with salvation? EVERYTHING. How? By providing for the believer that which is necessary to overcome the temptations of Satan to sin, meaning to break God’s Law: “TO TRANSGRESS THE LAW IS SIN; FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW” (1 Jn. 3:4). I remind Law-breakers (“workers of iniquity”) that First John is in the NEW TESTAMENT.

Acts 1:1-8 tells of Jesus returning to earth following His death and resurrection. We pick up the story after He had been meeting with His disciples for 40 days during which He had taught them “the Gospel of the Kingdom of God” as He had done while on earth (Mk. 1:14). This was to be their message to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Sadly, Jesus warned in Matthew 7:13,14 that those would be few in number. Many, He warned, would choose to follow Satan into his counterfeit religious system composed of all of the other religions on earth, including those denominations, faiths, churches, etc. known as “Christianity.”

Not even Jesus of Nazareth could resist Satan’s temptations without the Holy Spirit which is awarded true believers upon true conversion. Read The Process of Salvation. Key word–Process. Jesus said that He could do nothing on His own power (Jn. 5:30). The Son of God needed the power of the Holy Spirit, operating from within Him, to overcome Satan. That being true for Him, it is also true for us. This is born out in Revelation 3:21 where Jesus says that in order to join Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God one must “… overcome (Satan) even as I overcame (him).” This is impossible without the Holy Spirit. This Truth is confirmed by the Lord when He tells those who receive the Holy Spirit: “Behold, I give you power over all the power of the enemy” (Satan and his evil spirits). What God gave to the apostles He gives to those who “walk as He (Jesus) walked” in this life (1 Jn. 2:6). In Luke 9:11-13 we are told that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask for it. Having received the power (Spirit) of God, one must obey the “voice” of the Holy Spirit. THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT TELL ONE TO SIN. Only those who “are led by the Spirit of God are the true sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). If obeyed, the Holy Spirit will empower and lead us to the point that we have “come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Sinning after conversion causes God to remove His Holy Spirit from the “sinner saved by grace” (Isa. 59:2/ Ps. 51:11). Such a one has “fallen from grace.”

Many, God warns, will be “ever learning but never embracing the Truth” of God found in His Holy Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:7). Why? Because they refuse to surrender to God and allow Him to be the LORD of their lives. In verse 5 Paul describes such people as those who, because of their religiosity and outward show of piety, “have a form of godliness, but deny the power (to overcome Satan) thereof. FROM SUCH PEOPLE, TURN AWAY.” This includes the vast majority within professing Christendom. For this reason God, through Paul, tells us to “Come out of her (the church) and be separate from her; do not touch that unclean thing.” Read Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1 and obey God’s command. Only then will He become one’s God and one will become His child. L.J.