Roots And Fruits (Part 1) 2 Timothy 3:1-6

3:1 And know this: in the last days, times will be hard. 2 You see, the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, 3 uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. 

 4 Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. 5 Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They have the outward form and look of godliness, but by their lives they deny God’ power. I tell you: Stay away from the likes of these. Keep them away from your people. 

Our trees here on the stage have the roots labeled to remind us of the difference Paul made between two kinds of people and their fruit: 

• those who love self,[1] money[2], pleasure and lies

•  those who love God, truth, and the path of life that follows repentance and surrender to the lordship of Christ. 

One side can have the form of godliness – it can go through the motions and to at least some degree look good on the outside – but the other side has experienced transformative power. The Spirit of God and the Path of God give us transformative power to mature in Christ and represent God well as ambassadors.

This week we start talking about fruit that comes from those roots. The fruits from beginning to end act like a mirror, with ‘coldhearted covenant breakers’ in the middle. This week we are going to look at the outer ring of bad fruit and by implication contrast them with their corresponding good fruit. 

I want to encourage us not to create a list in our mind of people who need to hear this. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and now my heart. Try me, and know my mind. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me into life everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

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proud/boastful   

“Boasting to anyone who is foolish enough to take him seriously! This kind of person claims many things he can't really do, so he must always keep moving on to new, naive listeners.”  HELPS Word Studies

This isn’t someone constantly bragging about what they have done, which is bad enough. This is someone bragging about what they haven’t done. And then when someone calls them out, rather than using the embarrassment as motivation to become a more humble truth teller, they just move on and double down. It starts with small exaggerations and builds its own momentum. 

So what would someone in the church boast about that didn’t really happen? 

I once heard a preacher say that God told him God needed him ready for ministry now, so God was going to give him 10 years of instant maturity. In case you’re wondering, he moved on to new, naïve listeners before being caught having an affair.

I know of another with excellent credentials and incredible connections. He visited with heads of state around the world. But then we found out he constantly embellished his credentials, which makes me think there were some made up stories in terms of people he rubbed shoulders with, and that was all before the world found out he had been leading a double life for years. 

·      It’s claiming a devotional and prayer life we don’t have.

·      It’s exaggerating our generosity

·      It’s saying, “I’ve been praying for you!” when we haven’t.

·      It’s saying, “I believe in the biblical view of sex, marriage and family!” while failing to honor covenant: watching porn, letting our relationship with our spouse or kids wither, failing to steward ; giving up rather than pressing in.   

Pride and boastfulness is rotten fruit. It comes from a rotten root. It might end up with huge lies, but it starts with small compromises of truth that come from a failure to think and speak truthfully about life. 

arrogant/haughty[3]

“Literally, ‘hyper shiny’. These are they who contemptuously look down on others beneath them, either in social position or wealth (the boasters), or perhaps in natural gifts (the proud).”[4]– Ellicott’s Commentary.

Generally, it’s just a viewpoint that we are better than everyone around us based on standards that have zero merit in gauging our value and dignity: Clothes. Houses. Jobs. Twitter followers. Beauty. I would assume if it’s in the church it would include looking down on different spiritual giftings, or positions in the church, or the inability to give a lot of money to a cause, or not having the kind of gifts or personality that put someone in the spotlight.

Hyper shiny people want all the glory to shine from themselves, and to convince themselves that this happens they constantly demean others. It begins with an inner attitude - which means they can keep the ‘form’ on the outside. They constantly find ways to see those around them as less than them. Then can at least assume that they must look really good in comparison. This doesn’t mean they are right, of course. It’s just how they make themselves feel shiny. “I would have said that better. I would have done that differently. I think they must be ignorant, or inept. I am clearly smarter and better.”

I think it inevitably leaks out. It’s not attacking others as much as it is little sideways comments that chip away at someone else’s standing as a way of establishing ourselves as smarter, or more competent, or more qualified. There are legitimate times to offer critique; this is about the attitude behind it. I can critique for my good and MY glory, or for your good and GOD’S glory. 

abusive 

“Revilers/railers/blasphemers (reverses spiritual and moral realities).”  HELPS Word Studies. 

It appears these are the ones who call good ‘evil’ and call evil ‘good.’ They twist everything around. Remember – they do not love truth. They don’t pursue it, they don’t recognize it, they certainly don’t pass it on. Let’s not limit this to biblical teaching. I suspect they also ‘reverse reality’ about everything around them: other people’s character, talents, competency, likability, habits, etc. They live to lie – they want everyone around them to question reality so that they (apparently) are the only stable thing left standing.  And those lies leave a terrible mark. 

The commentary in the Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges was really exceptional for 2 Timothy 3. Here is their summary for these three things.

“Boastful (proud), haughty (arrogant), railers (abusive). ‘Boastfulness’ is ‘an endeavor to pass for a man of greater consequence than one really is…’ ‘Haughtiness’ is ‘a contempt for every one but a man’s self.’ The climax is (1) a spirit of vain glory in themselves, (2) an arrogant treatment of others, (3) actual abuse and reviling of others. The first word describes a man who sins against truth, the second a man who sins against love, the third a man who sins against both.”

Pride and arrogance lead to abusive, railing blasphemy. Why blasphemy? Because these people are damaging the imago dei, vandalizing the temple of God, and insulting the sons and daughters of God. And when you mess with the image, temple and children of the King, you mess with the King.  

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treacherous

Traitors.—Or, betrayers… of their Christian brethren.[5] It does not mean traitors to their king or country, but generally betrayers of the persons who trust in them, and of the cause of the trust committed to them; perhaps specially… of their brethren in times of persecution. – Pulpit Commentary

I wonder if Paul was still thinking of Phygelus and Hermogenes, who had deserted him. They were simply not loyal. And why would they be? They think they are better than everyone else, so their agenda and their comfort is going to matter more than anyone else. They are abusive to others who get in their way. Why would they defend the losers around them especially if it interferes with their love of self and pleasure? And so they don’t. And if they so much better than everyone around them, why stick around? Why not find a group of people who are good enough to be their friends? 

reckless

Better rendered “headstrong” in words, or thoughts, or actions. Rash. "Headstrong" rather denotes obstinacy which will not be influenced by wise advice… the person who acts from impulse, without considering consequences, or weighing principles. – Pulpit Commentary

This makes sense. Treacherous people aren’t really known for good common sense. Why would you take advice if you are better than everyone else? Why would you control impulses when your impulses are the best? Why would you any principle of substance matter if your motto is “take care of yourself, and get money and pleasure at all cost”? You’ve ‘reversed reality’ so many times you’ve lost touch with reality. You’ve lost touch with consequences and principles. Of course you’re rash.

self-important

Highminded.— blinded by or inflated by pride. (See 1Timothy 3:6.)

 This is in some ways a summary. One image of this is ‘smoke blind. ‘ If you’ve ever sat around a campfire you know what this is. You can’t see truth or reality anymore about yourself, others, the world or God. You have embraced the lie, and now you can’t see your way out of it. From the Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges again:

“Traitors, heady, highminded.  The last triad again descending, false… and full of conceit, the spirit of one who ‘with a light heart’ (1) betrays old friends, and (2) rushes headlong on new faiths, and (3) remains to the end impenetrably wrapped in clouds of self-esteem.” 

 This is bad fruit from a bad root. If this is you, you have a roots problem. There is sin deeply ingrained in you that has not yet been surrendered to Jesus. 

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But if that’s bad fruit, we can tell what good fruit looks like. It will be the opposite, and it will come from good roots. 

Humility[6] vs. Pride

“"God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”  James 3:13

“Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” (Proverbs 16:19) 

Humility shows wisdom and understanding. In humility we find God’s favor. In contrast to exaggeration, it’s honesty:  “This is who I am.” 

Honor vs. Arrogance

“Honor everyone” (1 Peter 2:17) “above yourselves” (Romans 12:10)

“God has put the body [the church] together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:24-25

“Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 

Arrogance looks down at others; in fact, arrogance pushes others down so we can look down.  Honor looks up at others; in fact, honors lifts others up so we can view them with honor. 

Gentleness and Truth vs. Abusive Lies 

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2

 “Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith. (Colossians 4:6) 

Rather than “reversing moral and spiritual realities,” it confirms them with humility (for self) and with honor (for the other). 

Loyalty vs. treachery

“Never let loyalty (steadfast love) and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3)

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

“Be devoted to one another in love.” (Romans 12:10)

In the family of God, faithfulness ought to be assumed. It brings a steadiness. It makes the church a safe place to invest because that investment will have time to bear fruit. There is no doubt the Bible looks at reasons why fellowship ought to be broken at times, but the default setting is that the people of God stick together. 

Prudence vs. recklessness

“Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32

“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” Proverbs 25:28

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” Proverbs 14:8

Over and over again, the Bible talks about the importance self-management, of thoughtful progress, carefully constrained decision making. I once drove with someone who was genuinely reckless. I never drove with him again. I’d like to get to my destination without chaos. This is the idea. 

Self-Awareness vs. self-importance

"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." (Lamentations 3:40)

"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." (James 1:22-24)

 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Romans 12:3)

There is something beautiful about someone who can take an honest assessment of themselves and use that as motivation to return to the Lord. 

Good fruit comes from good roots. 

·      We are humble, seeking to serve rather than be served, and the power of the Spirit and the Path give us the hearts and hands of Christ-like servants.

·      We honor those around us, valuing them above ourselves, and the power of the Spirit and the Path enable us to see the dignity and worth in all people and respond appropriately.

·      We are gentle, not abusive, and the power of the Spirit and the Path fills us with grace, so that we do not break the bruised reeds all around us, or scare away the sheep without a shepherd. 

·      We affirm reality, not distort it, and the power of the Spirit and the Path sets our love of truth on a hill to shine into the darkness.

·      We are loyal, not pushing others away or leaving them to follow our bad roots/false loves, and the power of the Spirit and the Path builds radically different and remarkably broken people into the ‘new humanity’ that shows the world how the love of Christ living in us covers a multitude of sins and flourishes in even the most challenging of places.

·      We are patient, prudent, characterized by deliberate decision-making, and the power of the Spirit and the Path creates in and around us an oasis of stability and hope in a troubled and hopeless world. 

·      We see ourselves honestly and use that mirror to motivate us to change, and the power of the Spirit and the Path makes that mirror crystal clear so we can’t escape the truth, then works heart-changing, soul-cleansing miracles as we are transformed away from that image and into the image of Christ. 

THREE QUESTIONS

1. I am making the claim that power comes from both the Holy Spirit and the Path (of righteousness), that God intends for each of them to transform us. Talk about habits as a spiritual gift - a spiritual discipline even - and how God uses them along with His Spirit to change us.

2. Why is honest self-assessment so hard? Why is it so important? How does the “mirror” of the Bible reveal us to ourselves, and how God use the power of seeing that honest image to move us toward hope and not shame?

3. The sermon ends with an image of the kind of community God intends for His church. Have you experienced this in church life? Why or why not? What does it look like for you to contribute to building a church characterized by these things?
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[1] narcissistic lovers of themselves. (philos autos)“The selfishness which is condemned, is that regard to our own interests which interferes with the rights and comforts of others; which makes self the central and leading object of living; and which tramples on all that would interfere with that.” – Barne’s Notes On The Bible

[2] money-grubbing lovers of silver (philos arguros) This is not the first time Paul warned Timothy about this. “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains…Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God,[who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share…” (1 Timothy 1:9-10; 17-18)

[3] Proverbs 21:4 “Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.”

[4] The Latin, ostentatio, represents the vice which affects the first of these classes—‘the boasters;’ and superbia, that which affects the second class—‘the proud.’” – Ellicott’s Commentary

[5] “Other than here, used only in Luke 6:16 about Judas and in Acts 7:52, where Stephen says “of whom—the Just One—ye have been now the betrayers.” Traitors (προδόται); Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52.”

[6] “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”  (1 Peter 4:8-10)

False Teachers Will Rise (2 Peter 1: 20 - 2:16)

“But notice first that no prophecy found in Scripture is a matter of the prophet’s own interpretation. Prophecy has never been a product of human initiative, but it comes when men and women are moved to speak on behalf of God by the Holy Spirit. But notice first that no prophecy found in Scripture is a matter of the prophet’s own interpretation (unpacking; untying interpretation knots”) . Prophecy has never been brought forth by or been a product of human initiative, but when men and women are brought forth to speak on behalf of God by the Holy Spirit.

2:1 Just as false prophets rose up in the past among God’s people, false teachers will rise up in the future among you. They will slip in with their destructive opinions (damnable heresies), denying the very Master who bought their freedom and dooming themselves to destruction swiftly, but not before they attract others by their unbridled and immoral behavior. Because of them and their ways, others will criticize and condemn the path of truth we walk as seedy and disreputable. These false teachers will follow their greed and exploit you with their fabrications, but be assured that their judgment was pronounced long ago and their destruction does not sleep.

For God did not spare the heavenly beings who sinned, but He cast them into the outer darkness and chaos of Tartarus to be kept until the time of judgment; and He did not spare the ancient world, but He sent a flood swirling over the ungodly (although He did save Noah, God’s herald for what is right, with seven other members of his family); and God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ash as a lesson of what He will do with the ungodly in the days to come (although again He did rescue Lot, a person who did what was right in God’s eyes and who was distressed by the immorality and the lawlessness of the society around him. Day after day, the sights and sounds of their lawlessness were like daggers into that good man’s soul).

If all this happened in the past, it shows clearly the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials and how to hold the wicked in punishment until the day of judgment. And above all, it shows He will punish those who let the desires of their bodies rule them and who have no respect for authority. People like this are so bold and willful that they aren’t even afraid of offending heavenly beings, although the heavenly messengers—in spite of the fact that they have greater strength and power—make no such accusations against these people before the Lord.

These people who speak ill of what they do not understand are no different from animals—without sense, operating only on their instincts, born to be captured and killed—and they will be destroyed just like those animals, receiving the penalty for their evil acts. They waste their days in parties and carousing. As they feast with you, these stains and blemishes on your community are feasting on their deceptions. Their eyes are always looking for their next adulterous conquests; their appetites for sin cannot be satisfied. They seduce the unwary soul, and greed is the only lesson they have learned by heart. God’s curse lies upon them.

They have veered off the right road and gotten lost, following in the steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, the false prophet. Balaam loved the reward he could get by doing evil, but he was rebuked for crossing the line into sin; his own speechless donkey scolded him in a human voice, an amazing miracle that reined in the prophet’s insanity.

We could get lost in the weeds explaining why those Old Testament references were important and relatable to Peter’s audience, but that’s not the point of this sermon. Just know he is pulling from a shared history to reference stories about how God does not abide the devastating effect of sin.

Peter is pretty concerned about false teachers. He gives quite a list of identifying features in the early church. People being what they are, the issues remain timeless even if the particular ways that false teachers and teaching show up then and now is different. I’m going to split this into two categories: What they taught and what they did.

WHAT THEY TAUGHT

1. False view of God. The temptation to make God in our image is as old as human history. Another way of saying this is that we tend to mold God into some kind of shape that feels good or is useful to us, which is very different from being true.

1. Do you think God must love what you love, or do you make sure you love what God loves? If you think God is pleased with you, is it because you are pleased with you, or because the Bible reveals that you have aligned yourself with the things that please God? If a teacher does not present God in such a way that your ways and thoughts are not challenged by God’s ways and thoughts, something is off.

2. Is God a God of justice, anger and consequences, or is God a God of mercy, love and grace? Are you never good enough for a demanding, perfectionist God, or is God madly in love with you just like you are? You might be surprised how much your answer has to do with family and church of origin rather than the Bible. If a teacher overemphasis/ignores God’s nature or acts, distortions are going to creep in.

3. Is prayer an opportunity to get what I want, or an opportunity to align myself with God’s heart and pray for God’s will? If a teacher tells you that powerful prayer is the kind that manipulates God – if there is never, “not my will, but yours be done” – it’s a problem.

2. False use of Bible. We’ve talked about this principle before: never read a Bible verse. It’s the idea that context matters: verse, paragraph, section, chapter, book, entire Bible. There is a Big Picture that cannot be ignored if we want to read the Bible well, and that picture will either distort our view of God or what it means to live like image bearers – and sometimes both. Let’s take the issue of judging as just one example.

I hear the verse all the time: Matthew 7:1 – “Do not judge, or you will be judged.” That’s absolutely in the Bible, but look what else is there – in the same chapter.

• Matthew 7:5 – “You hypocrite!” #judgy

• Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets.” #judgy

• Matthew 7:20 – “By their fruit you will recognize them.” #judgy

• Matthew 7:24-29 – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders #judgy

Very judgy chapter, actually. The overall message of the entirety of the biblical texts – which includes a book literally called Judges - is clear: Don’t judge hypocritically; judge impartially; judge fruit, not hearts; keep in mind that you get what you give.

WHAT THEY DID

False sense of self. They are arrogant fools in the most book-of-Proverbs sense of the word.

• They think they are the smartest person in the room.

• They respect no one but themselves.

• No one who disagrees with them can possibly be right.

• The focus of conversation always turns to them/their ministry.

• They make sure their face is always front and center.

• They build modern Babels where their name is made great not incidentally but purposefully.

Honestly, I am increasingly concerned about huge ministries where leaders pursue and/or embrace celebrity. Money, fame and power are a toxic mix. Those who navigate these things successfully - and some do, don’t get me wrong - have several things in common from what I see.

1. They didn’t pursue it.

2. They don’t really like it.

3. They reject the trappings of success.

4. They limit their pubic appearances.

5. They divest their power.

6. They humble themselves under authority.

False idea of freedom. Biblical freedom is freedom from the bondage of sin and the penalty of death, and freedom to follow the path of righteousness. That was clearly not happening. We occasionally see a scandal break where this is still a problem, but I think there is a more subtle kind of false freedom that tempts us.

One of our biggest challenges in the United States is confusing American freedom with biblical freedom. The Constitution is not the Bible. It’s possible it’s not perfect (!?)! it’s also certain that this country grants freedoms to me that the Bible does not.

• I am free in this country to cheat on my wife, but I’m not free to do that in the Kingdom of God.

• I am free in this country to hoard my money, but I’m not free to do that in the Kingdom of God.

• I am free in this country to say virtually anything I want to say; I’m not free to do that in the Kingdom of God.

• I am free in this country to watch pornography; I am not free to do that in the kingdom of God. I’m not free to objectify and commodify people.

• I am free in this country to love or hate whoever I want; I am not free to do that in the Kingdom of God. “You have been taught to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you this: love your enemies. Pray for those who torment you and persecute you— in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven. He, after all, loves each of us—good and evil, kind and cruel. He causes the sun to rise and shine on evil and good alike. He causes the rain to water the fields of the righteous and the fields of the sinner. It is easy to love those who love you—even a tax collector can love those who love him. And it is easy to greet your friends—even outsiders do that! 48 But you are called to something higher: “Be perfect (complete), as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 43-48)

False path of life. Three things stand out in this passage: greed, exploitation, and following desires like dumb animals.

• When you start to hear a giant vacuuming sound as teachers personally accumulate money and things because of the gifts from God’s people, beware.

• When people around teachers continually quit because they are used or abused spiritually, emotionally, physically or financially, beware.

• If you find out that a ministry has a buffer of people between a leader and everyone else, beware.

False view of community. These false teachers saw the church as a place for them to control and exploit rather than care for. They are presented here as predatory. The community of the church is where they gorge themselves on the people, the money, the food (probably “love feasts” associated with Communion). There is no mutual honor and respect; there is no accountability and transparency; there is no humility, no sense of an ebb and flow of repentance and forgiveness; no sense of serving rather than being served.

False representation of the church. False teachers ruin the reputation of Christ and His church. Not only are they not above reproach, they are more reproachable than most. It’s one of my biggest fears as a pastor, frankly. May God give me the strength to make His name great, not drag it through the mud.

* * * * *

First, I invite your inspection. God forbid I teach or live falsely. If you believe I am, you have the right if not the duty to confront me.

Second, apply this message to yourselves. You may not be formal teachers in a ministry or organization, but if you are a follower of Jesus, you have opportunity to teach – talk about and represent Jesus. This is for leaders for sure, but all of us are at times in a position where we lead someone else either towards Christ or away from Christ.

May we all, by God’s grace, be true in word and deed.