Don't Be Ashamed of the Gospel - 2nd Timothy 1:8-10

Well, welcome to Faith Bible Church and there's some visitors here today and we welcome you and glad you're here and Those that are watching. Hello from your church family. Hope you're doing well and staying in the word and staying close to the Lord as well being separated from the body is a difficult time in place so we just.

Our prayers are with you, and I'm sure your prayers are with us as well as we continue on. And so thank you and glad that we could join in worship and fellowship together today. I wanted to repeat last week and in case you were away or didn't hear the video see the video.

Pastor Iljin Cho and Lauren have accepted The position to be our next pastor full-time pastor here at Faith Bible Church and we're excited about that that will be probably and They'll be moving the beginning of July when they're begin actually begin ministry standing right here.

We haven't talked about that first things first, right? So And I just thank everybody for their prayers. It's been a road to get to this point but through Pastor John and a number of different people that have been strategic and bringing that together.

We're thankful for the Lord's work that way and as we kept saying we're waiting on the Lord. We're waiting on the Lord. Well, you know, we continue to wait on the Lord because we're supposed to do that.

And that's like that's a lifelong endeavor one to read Psalm 62 5 6 62 verses 5 through 8 my soul waits silently for God alone. For my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense.

I shall not be moved in. God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us and indeed he is and and has been and We wait on that and we put our faith and trust in that because we're called to do that.

We're commanded to have faith without faith. We are really nothing. So Why don't you join with me in prayer? Lord God, we thank you for gathering us together this morning father to to worship you to learn more about you and your character and and your attributes father through your word father because you have given that to us as a Gift that we might not Be a go astray that we might Understand more fully of the depth of our responsibility before you.

But Lord the gift and the treasure that you have given us in your son Jesus Christ. So father today, may we honor you may we bring you glory and everything that we do that we exalt your name above all things and that our hearts would be glad that we could put aside those things that distract us Lord and and focus on your Glorious wonder father, so we thank you for this morning.

We commit our time to your care in Christ's name we pray. Amen. So if you would join with me, we're gonna sing to the Lord. Oh come thou fount of every blessing. So, please join with me in standing Mortal Invisible and you need to help us out on those high notes because Harold's a down here guy and every some of these notes are Up here.

So Sing it out. Okay.

Job please be seated. Morning Scripture reading this morning is taken from a second temp. Second Timothy chapter 1 Verses 8 through 18. Second Timothy chapter 1 verses 8 through 18. Therefore. Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Nor of me his prisoner.

But share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling? Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace Which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ Who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel? To which I was appointed a preacher an Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for this reason.

I Also suffer these things nevertheless. I am NOT ashamed. For I know whom I have believed and it persuaded that he is able to keep What I have committed to him until that day. Hold fast the pattern of sound Words, which you have heard for me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

That good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me among whom are fighting fight jealous and homogenies.

The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me the Lord. Grant to him that he might that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day.

And You know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus. May the Lord add his blessing to the reading and hearing of his Holy Word.

Okay, if you would stand with me again, we're gonna sing two more hymns. The first one is stand up and bless the Lord.

Please be seated pastor John.

Standing Firm in Difficult Days

Good morning, so I don't know if you've ever flown on an airplane. Got on Southwest or some well-known airline and the captain comes over the intercom. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, we want to at this time.

Thank you for flying Southwest Airlines and I just need to give you a quick safety announcement before we go any further. The door is still open. So if you need to depart it's okay, but this is the first time ever flown an airplane, how would you feel?

Well As you know, my wife and kids are gone. And I was just telling Victor for the past couple of days. Like if this is my normal sort of path in life, I feel I'm about three and a half inches to the left.

I broke a coffee cup. Okay, if my daughter's watching this They'll be back late tonight. I broke her favorite coffee cup. I've been drilling holes on a project. Three out of every six holes that I drill I drill in the wrong place and this morning I Was trying to print out the notes for the sermon.

And there's some format in Microsoft Word. I Tried everything I went. I mean I know how to use a computer and I could not figure out so I couldn't print because the sermon that was to be one Sunday turned into a two-part sermon.

I'm not done. You better open your Bibles to 2nd Timothy because This morning as I left the house for our church Service I Threw away my sermon. It's in the recycle can right outside the kitchen door.

So when I was joking with you about doing it from memory. Little did I know that last week's sermon is in my binder so fortunately because some pastor friends of mine over the years have Shared with me how their house was broken into.

You know because somebody's watching because they leave every Sunday and they're back by a certain time. I bring my computer whenever I leave on Sunday. I always have my computer. So the reason I told you about flying a plane for the first time.

This is the first time that I'm going to be preaching from an electronic copy of my message so whether This works or not It's not my comfort zone. Amen. So 2nd Timothy chapter 1 if you have been here the past few Sundays, you know that we started a series of messages on Digging into God's Word and we're going to be specifically Camped in 2nd Timothy for quite some time.

How do you stand firm when you live in perilous and difficult days? Standing firm. We know that our country Our nation our world. We're living in difficult days. You don't have to turn on Virtually any news network or go on Twitter or do whatever you do for your news to know.

These are very difficult and challenging times and We find this simple truth here in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 5 when the Apostle Paul says to his beloved son in the faith verse 5 When I called a remembrance The genuine faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded in you.

Also see Timothy and Paul were living in difficult days and one of the effects on Timothy Was that he had become scared? Even embarrassed or Frightened of being a Christian. Which is why Paul says in verse 8.

Therefore Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Nor of me as prisoner. But instead share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. So what started out as a one Sunday message is now two parts of the message title is don't be ashamed of the gospel.

See friends if you look carefully at verse 8, this is a reminder to us That Kings and presidents and Legislatures and governors Please listen are not the cure for what is ailing our country. The cure for what is ailing our country is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is men and women being born again changed. That's why Paul says in verse 7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. See Brethren believers are Not of this world.

We are citizens of heaven if we've been truly born again. We are in this world, but we are what not of this world. See when people are born again, and they're saved everything about them changes because they're what born again their values change their priorities change and They begin to Live out and think like Paul tells the Colossians in chapter 3 verse 1 if then you have been raised with Christ.

Meaning you have been truly born again. Seek those things which are above. Where Christ is? Sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above. Not on things on the earth. See one of the effects on Timothy in Terms of the perilous days in which he was living was that he had become afraid.

Which is why Paul says in verse 7 God has not given us a spirit of fear. I'm telling you I talked to people all the time that are afraid. They're afraid of all kinds of things in the days in which we live.

They're afraid of losing their house. They're afraid of losing their job. There's a hospital in Texas that has said if you don't do certain things you will be fired and a Guy in our church this morning told me that the county is considering this a very same thing.

If you don't get a vaccine you will be fired. But see God has not given us. What a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. So here in verses 8 through 11, which is where we will be this morning and God willing next week we get help.

When it comes to not being ashamed of the gospel I'm going to tell you the number one thing that the state of California and the United States of America and I mean this as serious as I can be is Not a new governor and a new president.

It needs the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please listen to me. The church needs to be preaching the gospel. Believers need to be in the world sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. That is what will change our country.

Am I being a little firm? Yes, we need to do the things that we need to do. We need to vote and so on. The number one thing we need to do is walk with the Lord and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

You might ask yourself this morning as a backdrop of this message. When is the last time that you shared the gospel with somebody sat down and have given somebody the gospel the good news of Jesus Christ.

If we are not doing it Friends if we are not doing it We can look at ourselves. Amen. Because it's a command. I know we don't lie. We don't cheat. We don't steal right because we love God and we obey God.

Well part of being a Christian is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. So we see in verses 8 through 11. This this help in dealing with this issue of being ashamed or embarrassed or afraid of the testimony of our Lord.

And we see it in three ways by understanding Paul's admonition to Timothy that we will see in verse 8 and verse 9 his affirmation of the gospel. Which is part of verse 8 and part of verse 9 and also understanding the Apostle Paul's appointment as an apostle so affirmation.

Affirmation and appointment and before we go any further, let's pray father. God. We are so thankful for this day. For the rich truths of your word we understand that we do not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

That faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God that you have not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of a sound sober mind. Lord, we've prayed for this service. We've prayed that hearts would be prepared.

We ask that the Holy Spirit might be our teacher that I would be even with No sermon manuscript that you would give me the grace to be clear Father that Your word would indeed be implanted in our hearts that it might bear fruit For the kingdom of God and the glory of God.

We pray in Jesus name. Amen now one of the things that you want to do and I don't know if you Accepted my challenge last week to read through this letter. If not do it this week. But one of the things you want to do is you are studying 2nd Timothy is to always throughout the letter keep in mind the historical Context of And the setting for this letter.

It is written from the Apostle Paul to his beloved son and son in the faith. Timothy is a pastor. He's serving in the city of Ephesus. He's young and This is essentially the Apostle Paul's last will and testament as far as we know.

These are the very last words of the Apostle Paul that we have in writing. He is in a cold and damp Roman prison. It is not the kind of prison that you see on TV today very uncomfortable very cold and basically, he's waiting for the executioner to come for the guards to come and say it's time and He's going to die a short time after he wrote this letter.

According to history. He's going to be died. He's going to die a martyr's death for the sake of the gospel rather than deny Christ and The purpose of this letter is to instruct and to warn Timothy and the church.

Within the context of living in difficult times. Which is how Jesus and the rest of the New Testament describes the last days. Remember the last days is The period in time from the resurrection of Jesus Christ until what he comes again.

And the scripture is very clear. Very very clear that the overall trend of culture society and the world will be from Bad to worse we understand. I drew the chart. It'll get up a little bit. There might be some revival.

But then it'll turn around we've had revival in this country an amazing thing under the preaching of a of a the former Princeton President named Jonathan Edwards if you've never read anything about him, it's just an amazing thing.

He was a former president. He preached a famous sermon called sinners in the hands of an angry God. And God just began to work under the preaching of George Whitefield and others. Our country began to really love Jesus and share the gospel.

So this is true all over the world in countries, okay? There's this overall trend towards more and more wickedness. Timothy is afraid. People in the church were looking down on his youthfulness. He was apparently sick often.

Paul says, you know, take a little wine. We'll get into that if if we have time before her July when Nielsen comes. He was no doubt discouraged and I believe that we can identify with that, right? Getting discouraged in the days in which we live so right here in verses 8 through 11 we find what might be best described as a Comprehensive theology of the gospel in three verses.

So in three verses this reflection of the good news of Jesus Christ in miniature, it's like Paul has taken the first ten chapters of Romans and Chapter two three and four of Galatians and and and squeeze them down and put them through some kind of distillation process and.

And given in to us as a sandwich size MRE pack right one of those meals ready to eat that you might have in the garage for that day when the bomb drops. It's vacuum sealed. But when we open it up and pour it a little water that thing all of a sudden we have a meal, right?

So Paul tells his beloved son of the faith to stop being ashamed in verse 8. Stop being embarrassed to the gospel and he's telling them to put off this fearful embarrassment of his faith and. Of this fear about Paul being in prison and friends we have the same charge.

What is the number one reason why people do not share the gospel of Jesus Christ. The number one reason if I took a if I took a silent survey right now, right. Or Anonymous. Had you fill it out on a piece of paper and and nobody gets to see your name.

The number one reason why people do not share the gospel fear. They might not like me. They might get mad at me. They might hit me over a head with a baseball bat. Friends we must not be ashamed of the gospel.

That's the verse and the way out for Timothy the path and route that Paul gives him to put off this fear and to put on courage is His faith in Christ and the power of the gospel and those same truths those same tools are.

Are what believers today and in any age of? Human history since the resurrection of Jesus Christ in order to stand firm. So what can we learn in these verses about how the gospel applies to standing firm in difficult days and Not being ashamed of the gospel.

Not being afraid to tell a co-worker or a neighbor about the good news of Jesus Christ if Timothy. Listen if Timothy a disciple of Paul, right a young man that was Mentored and tutored and and taught by the Apostle Paul himself.

Possibly as long as three years if he can become Embarrassed or ashamed of the gospel. Is it possible? We might have the same issue, please. Yeah, and we could meet once a week not every day. So, how can we learn to put off being ashamed of the gospel and our testimony of Christ and put on this boldness and courage for the gospel number one.

By understanding Paul's admonition to Timothy. So, how can we learn to put off being ashamed of the gospel and put on boldness and courage for the gospel? First of all by understanding and applying to ourselves Paul's Admonition to Timothy and this is what we find in verse 8 Paul says.

Now you have to look back at verse 7, right? You have to look back at verse 6 therefore see the word therefore right big important word in any language. God hasn't given us a spirit of fear and It's assumed, you know from reading the text that Timothy is afraid he's embarrassed.

He's ashamed. But God hasn't given us a spirit of fear But of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.

Paul saying never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord and don't be Embarrassed or ashamed about me in prison. So Paul first says do not be ashamed. The idea with this word is to be embarrassed or afraid and The actual Greek word was used in the first century when referring to experiencing a painful feeling or Sense of loss because of some kind of event, you know when something horrible when you hear I mean Just think through your own life and maybe some really really bad news.

I think most of you know my sister some of you my sister recently Moved to North Carolina. She sold her house in Orangevale. But I had to go over and pick up one last piece of furniture from her and I walked through the house and I I took a picture of the empty house and sent it to my mother and my mother said She said son.

I have just the most empty horrible feeling. I may never see my daughter again. I May never see my sister again. That's the idea here. It's the the word embarrassed here is tied to how events around us have impacted or affected us where we almost feel numb and.

And Paul says don't be that way and Then he says it again in verse 12. For this reason I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed I Don't have those feelings and then he says it again in verse 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of an is for us.

For he often refreshed me and what? Was not Ashamed of my chain of my imprisonment and. So the repetition of this word helps us to see and understand that the major message of this section of the letter has to do with this condition of being ashamed or fearfully embarrassed which was a feeling that Timothy was experiencing.

But Paul and Anis for us by the way anis for us you can read about if you wonder who in the world is an is for us. Please don't ever name your child an is for us. Can you imagine in this day and age? Yeah, this is my son an is for us.

What? Anis for us you read about in the book of Philemon. He was a runaway slave that Paul had led to Christ in Rome who under Roman law could be arrested and Executed for running away and he takes that letter to Philemon, right?

He's got that parchment from Paul. Another one of Paul's very end-of-his-life kind of letters and he goes all the way back to the church in Colossae to Philemon and Gives him this letter. It was just a read it sometime.

It's amazing. It's short by the way. So in context. Inside the church there were problems in the church at Ephesus. People were looking down on Timothy's youthfulness and don't do that to Iljin when he comes he's 27, but he's listen I'm telling you the truth.

I've spent a lot of time with that young man. He's probably ten times smarter than me. He's tutoring people in the Greek and the Hebrew and he gets excited when he's translating Daniel from the Aramaic.

I get excited when I can read my sermon from a computer. I Mean, he's just really he's such a sweet young man really very very special. So in context, right? There's problems in the church at Ephesus.

Paul had warned about it in the book of Acts that it was going to happen. Right. People are looking down. They're getting mad at him and he Basically was doing what most of us would do when things are really we withdraw.

He wasn't answering his text messages. People are texting him. They're calling him. He's not answering his phone that ever happened to anybody here. I Mean, you know the feeling right? That's that's what's going on outside the church.

What was going on the Roman Empire? Nero Paul on death row about to be executed. So Paul is exhorting Timothy. Listen, despite all this don't be afraid. Don't be ashamed to share the gospel. Be like what on this verse?

Now, why might Timothy be ashamed? Well, it might have cost him his life. You understand he might be arrested like Paul so instead of being afraid or Fearful Timothy is to be the opposite of that which is brave and courageous and how?

Well, he can put off his fear. He can put on his courage what look at verse 7 According to the power of God because that's what God has given believers, right? Because in Christ by faith through the gospel God has given us a spirit of power.

God has not given his children a spirit of fear of cowardice of timidity but of power and see. This power is is is rekindled. It's recharged as we are reminded again of The gospel of Jesus Christ, right?

So it's activated by the gospel. So when God saves someone he comes in and he takes residence up in that person and he gives them a spirit or a component That their personality can actually Manifest the power of God in them.

They're not little gods, but they have God's strength. That's why Paul says in Philippians. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, right? So standing firm in perilous days Paul's admonition to Timothy and all believers is to not be ashamed of the gospel or the testimony of Christ and secondly Paul's admonition is to join Paul in suffering.

It's not just that Timothy must not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, but Paul is also admonishing to join with Paul and what if Needed to take his share of suffering for the gospel. See weak as Timothy was in himself discouraged afraid ashamed.

He could be fortified by the power of God to endure it. Paul says share or join with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God so when it comes to guarding against the danger of being ashamed or Afraid of the gospel.

We need to be comforted encouraged that if we find ourselves feeling this way man even this week you think of that person that you've been going to that bank teller that Grocery cashier that neighbor that you say hi to and you're afraid man.

He's gonna think I'm some kind of kook. God has opened the door to out of five Unsaved neighbors that we have for us to start gospel conversations and listen. You know the moment that God is not opening the door because what do they do?

Oh That's nice. You know the wall comes up. Hey, the Lord has not opened the door to give them the full gospel. But you look you can ask a simple. Do you ever think about spiritual things? Do you ever think about going to church?

You can think say something like that. This just happened to me this past week. Can't remember where it was. I just brought up the gospel to this person and next thing I know I mean literally within 45 seconds the conversation was over.

Guess what? I'm not gonna give him the gospel and tell him they're on their way to hell. I'm gonna pray for him Amen, they shut the conversation down so how can we learn to put off being ashamed or embarrassed or afraid of the Testament of the Lord and Learn to put this off and put on the boldness and courage of the gospel first of all by understanding and applying Paul's admonition to Timothy and secondly by understanding Paul's affirmation of the gospel.

In verse 8 Paul Admonishes Timothy to not be ashamed or afraid of the testimony of the gospel. Then he turns again to affirming the gospel by coming back again to affirming salvation by grace through faith in Christ.

He says therefore do not be ashamed of The testimony of our Lord nor of me as prisoner But share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Now look at verse 9 Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works But according to his own purpose and grace.

Which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ Who is a polished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel?

So Paul comes back again to the power of the gospel. What he says in verses 9 through 10 isn't It isn't a complete statement of the gospel. It is the gospel in Miniature notice how he puts it. He says gospel in verse 8, right.

He says saved in verse 9 and Then in verse 10, he comes back again to the gospel. You see those see those bookends. So Paul's aim and purpose in this letter is to encourage Timothy and any believer living in difficult times.

He's encouraging believers to remember and understand that the gospel does not stop at salvation. See the power of the gospel saves but it's also the gospel that can help and empower believers to not be ashamed of Christ and To live in difficult times without fear.

Which is why what we have to do is we have to take what Paul says here about the gospel Into the exegetical laboratory of God's Word and Seek to lift out of these verses the key gospel truths that Paul as he was guided by the Holy Spirit has Embedded in these verses and would have resonated with Timothy and need to resonate with us.

Okay, because they would have strengthened and they would have encouraged Timothy now. What does Paul affirm about the gospel in these verses? Well, if you look carefully through them there's at least five pillars of truth about the gospel when it comes to standing firm in perilous and difficult days.

Now there's every indication Just to give you an idea of the power of the gospel. There's every indication that Timothy did indeed heed the words of this gospel. I mean of this letter because we find out in the book of Hebrews Chapter 13 That Timothy was actually imprisoned for his faith and We get that little hint that little clue because in Hebrews 13 23, it reads take notice.

This is why some people think that Hebrews was written by Paul which we could debate the rest of the morning and not come to An answer right? So don't worry about it. Don't lose any sleep over not knowing who wrote Hebrews.

But it says in Hebrews 23 take notice that our brother Timothy has been released. So it's very possible He heeded the instructions of this letter. Right began to be bold again for the gospel and was arrested for his faith and then eventually not martyred but released.

So what does Paul say and not say about the gospel that Timothy would have been thinking about as he read the opening verses of this letter that would have Enabled him by God's grace to put off this fear and put on courage now.

What we have to do before we dig into those is we cannot put the cart before the horse. Which means that we must first have a grasp. This is kind of review. We first have to have a grasp of Timothy's condition and anyone's condition.

Apart from saving faith. Okay, and that's why if you go back to verse 5 Paul talks about the genuine faith that is in him that first dwelled in his grandmother Lois. Also his mother Eunice and Paul is persuaded is in him.

That is Timothy also. So in order to understand what Paul talks about the gospel in verse 8 9 and 10. Wait, we have to go back. What does he mean by saved? What does he mean by called to get the significance of that?

We have to have the antecedent to what he's saying. This means we have to know and understand what comes before these things before salvation before the call, right? What was Timothy's what is anyone's condition before they come to faith and are saved and in call are and are called so in verse 5 Timothy is saved.

Paul is convinced. He's persuaded that he is but friends. What was his condition before that? Go to Romans 3. Romans 3. Because there's a number of things and we covered most of this. Early in the year when we dealt with this whole series of messages on the biblical gospel, right?

Friends what comes before the gospel? What is anyone's condition before saving faith the Bible? First of all says that all men are sinners. They're all blind and they're literally dead in their trespasses and sin.

Romans 3 10. There is none righteous. No, not one. You mean that nice person that gives all their money away to the poor? No. If they're doing it for the wrong reason, right not because of Christ. They're not righteous.

No, not one. There is none who understands there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have all together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good. No, not one. You mean giving to the poor and serving at them at the soup kitchen.

You mean Helping the little lady with her groceries into the back of her car. That person that does that. No. No it without Christ apart from Christ apart from saving faith that all that good works. It means what nothing?

Okay. Yes, there are good people in the world. Amen. You understand that doesn't mean they're a born-again Christian. My mother is a very very sweet lady. She's very generous. She's very loving to everybody around her.

Their throat is an open tomb with their tongues. They have practiced deceit and then he summarizes. I won't read it all. Verse 23 for all. Have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's the summary.

What is anyone's condition before said what was Timothy's condition? What was a Nis for us's condition? What was Paul's condition? What was my condition? I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. You go to John 12.

Back just a couple of books through the book of Acts. They are in sin everyone and also John 12 40. They're blind. John 12 40 he has blinded their eyes and Hardened their hearts. Lest they should see with their eyes.

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should Heal them. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 a lot of people the last year. Why? How can anybody listen to that news conference? How can anybody read that news story and believe?

What is what they're being told? Here's why 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4 whose minds the God little G notice that of this age. Has blinded. Who do not believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God Should shine on them.

Dear friends who would have thought ten years ago. Who would have thought even two years ago that Americans would accept would accept. So much of their freedom being completely taken away. One of the reasons I believe in a personal Antichrist that will come in and deceive the world is Because of what's happened in the past year and a half.

How can somebody come on the world scene and deceive the entire world? We're experiencing it and will set himself up in Jerusalem and say I am Jesus Christ and will die and rise again just as Jesus did and Jesus warned many will say there.

He is there. He is. He said do not listen to them. And you know what? Jesus warns because in Nick would please listen to me. This is not me. He says in the gospel of Matthew because iniquity abounds because sin is so rampant.

It will be possible even for the elect to be deceived even Christians everyone born. Since the fall. Since what happened to Adam and Eve are born in a sin. They're sinners they're blind to spiritual truths.

And third in terms of Timothy's condition before he was saved and called and Paul's condition and anyone else. Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2 just a book or two over Ephesians 2. They're dead. Ephesians 2 he made you alive.

Who were dead. Interest. Remember me saying what's dead mean dead? Can't hear can't breathe can't see right? No pulse dead. That's how we're described. We're dead what in trespasses and sin. We're living and breathing.