It causes me great pain to say it but Man United have had a good season.
This upturn in fortunes is, in part down to those they’ve brought in – some decent signings and a manager who ‘gets it’. But equally important are those ‘moved out’. There has been a steady removal of disruptive influences. Players pulling in different directions have had to correct course or get the boot.
1. Some Terrible Teachers
That’s a helpful lens for understanding Paul’s warning to Timothy here in chaper 3. Timothy is leading the church in Ephesus, where there are no shortage of problem people, causing damage from within. Some opponents need to be gently corrected (2 Timothy 2:25), but others are far more dangerous. Of them, Paul says plainly, “Have nothing to do with such people.”
Paul describes the “terrible times” of the last days —the whole period between Christ’s first and second coming. In other words, these verses speak directly to us today.
The first challenge is personal. Before we point fingers at false teachers or unhealthy churches, we should ask whether any of Paul’s description applies to us. Are we lovers of money? Proud? Spiritually apathetic? Do we maintain a “form of godliness” on Sundays while living as though God is irrelevant the rest of the week?
Paul, however, is describing more than isolated sins. He is exposing a pattern present in Ephesus:
Wrong teaching leads to wrong loving, which leads to wrong living.
False doctrine does not stay theoretical. It shapes hearts and eventually behaviour. The false teachers in Ephesus looked convincing. Like the “magicians” Jannes and Jambres who emulated and opposed Moses in the court of the Pharoah, they resembled the real thing while opposing the truth itself. They had “a form of godliness,” but no genuine spiritual power.
That warning remains deeply relevant. Churches may still possess beautiful buildings, religious language, clerical gear, and impressive structures, yet drift far from biblical truth. A church can look religious while abandoning the gospel.
And when truth is abandoned, love is distorted. Paul repeatedly highlights disordered loves: love of self, money, and pleasure rather than love of God. Ultimately this produces destructive living and tragic outcomes. These teachers were loaded with guilt, lacking the truth, and although they appeared successful for a time, Paul says their folly would soon become obvious.
Most sobering of all, false teachers never lead only themselves astray. “Evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (3:13). Where leaders lead, people follow.
2. A Contrasting Character
Against that dark backdrop, Paul points Timothy to a completely different example - his own life and ministry.
“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance…” (3:10).
The contrast is striking. False teachers possess only the appearance of godliness; Paul demonstrates genuine godliness marked by faith, love, endurance, and willingness to suffer for Christ. The false teachers are driven by self-interest. Paul is driven by love for Jesus and his people.
That raises an important question for every church: what do we value in Christian leaders?
We can be tempted to prioritise charisma, organisational skill, communication ability, or visible success, but Scripture places enormous emphasis on godly character.
Godly Bible teaching and godly Bible living belong together. Right teaching produces right loving and right living. Paul’s life demonstrated exactly that, even through persecution and suffering.
3. A Call to Cling On
Paul’s final exhortation is simple but urgent: cling on.
Timothy is to hold firmly to reliable teachers and, above all, to the powerful Scriptures.
First, Timothy must continue in what he has learned from trustworthy examples. False teachers may appear impressive and successful, while faithful ministry often involves hardship and opposition. Yet Paul reminds Timothy that suffering has always accompanied genuine gospel ministry. Indeed, “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (3:12).
Second, Timothy must cling to Scripture itself.
From childhood he had known the Holy Scriptures, “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:15). Then comes one of the Bible’s great declarations:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (3:16).
The Bible is not merely inspiring literature. It is breathed out by God himself. That means it is trustworthy, authoritative, and powerful.
Paul highlights three great effects of Scripture. Through God’s Word people are:
• Saved — made wise for salvation through Christ (v15)
• Sanctified — taught, corrected, and trained in righteousness. (v16)
• Set up for service — equipped for every good work (v17)
That is why the ministry of the church must centre on the Bible. If we want people to come to faith, grow in holiness, and be equipped for life with Christ, we need God’s Word.
Strategies, programmes, and advertising may have their place, but ultimately “it’s the Word that does the work.” Scotland was once known as “the land of the Book,” yet today Bibles often sit unopened on dusty shelves. The church’s calling is to open them again and unleash the power of God’s living Word.
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