Persecution of the Godly

​2 Timothy 3:12-13 ~ “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
 
The Apostle Paul continues his final discourse with this warning from 2 Timothy 3:1: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” He unfolds for Timothy, and for the church, what those terrible, difficult times will look like. 2 Timothy 3:2-5 give a stark description of a people who have completely defected away from God and away from even the civil ethics of humanity. Ultimately, these will be people who are completely driven by the desire for self-fulfillment. And that will be the mark of the concluding days of mankind.  But what about Christians? What about those who love and serve the LORD Jesus during the time that Paul describes. This brings us to our text for today.
 
Before we look at the text, let me ask you, are you prepared to stand in the times of difficulty that Paul describes? Jesus told us that there will be an increase of wickedness in Matthew 24:12-13, “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” When this lawlessness increases, those who only have a passing interest in Christ Jesus, who remain on the fence between the world and the LORD will quickly fall off that fence and their love will vanish like the dew in the heat of the day. We must be watching the times that we are in, for the LORD has warned us in His word on many occasions that these times will come. Will you continue to live a godly life even when the world is set against you?
 
Coming now to our text, we hear that those who desire to live godly in Christ will be persecuted. So, it begs the question: what is it to live a “godly life in Christ Jesus?” Well, the basic meaning of the word “godly” is to be pious, or sincerely devoted. And that devotion is qualified by the One who deserves that piety—the LORD Jesus Christ. So, to have a godly life in Christ Jesus is to be sincerely devoted Him—giving up all other objects of worship and looking to Jesus alone as Savior and LORD. But the trouble for the believer does not come when they are walking in perfect devotion, but merely when they even desire to be so. For persecution is targeted at the ones who only “desire” to live godly in Christ Jesus, not merely to those who are fulfilling such a life. For to desire such a life is to have the intended willingness to live for Christ. Do you? Is there in you the intended willingness to live your life devoted to the King of kings? Then you must be open to the fact that there will come times of persecution upon you as well.
 
But what is it to be persecuted? Many have considered persecution to be the travails of normal circumstances that go against them. They decry that they are persecuted when things don’t go their way. Then, on the other side of the spectrum are those who only see persecution as the murderous intent of the wicked toward the righteous. Truly the final end of persecution is often a lethal attack, and the history of the church is filled with pages and pages of those who have given their lives in faithfulness to the LORD. But the basic truth is, to be persecuted is to be pursued with the intent of causing distress or hurt. The term “persecute” conveys the image of a dog nipping at the heels, constantly harassing and trying to cause harm. Jesus, in His opening sermon of the gospel of Matthew said this, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
 
These last days are filled with all manner of wickedness and distress from an increase of lawlessness. A moment of paying attention will show you how those who are wicked are increasing, going from bad to worse. Deceptions abound and those who are despised by a culture of sinfulness will be the ones who desire to live godly in Christ. As Paul intended in his letter, so we must heed this as a warning—but we must not fear it or be discouraged. We must continue in what we learned as we desire to follow Christ (see 2 Timothy 3:14). Do not let the world surprise you, but be aware that these things predicted in the Scriptures are that which must come to pass. And, as we are living in such days, let us press on in faithfulness to our LORD until the day He returns.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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