The opening words of 2 Timothy chapter 3 present a very solemn and a very strong warning regarding the spiritual apostasy that will prevail in the last days. The word apostasy simply means falling away. And in the last days, and it's good to remind ourselves that that period of time, the period known as the last days, commenced at Christ's first coming and will conclude with his second coming. During that period of the last days, there will be a great falling away or a great apostasy from the things of God. C. H. Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher, spoke of this passage with the phrase, a darkening down of things. And there may be progress economically, there may be advances socially, there may be movements politically, and men during the process and passage of time will increase in knowledge. and will become extremely skillful in their work. But that will not change the stark truth that spiritually the end of this age will be marked with a departure from God. And with that departure from God comes a very distinct danger for the Christian. If you read 2 Timothy chapter 3 very carefully at home, you'll discover that the end of this age will see a new death of sinfulness. and wickedness and lawlessness appearing among men. That's not the case that such sins have never appeared in the world before. They have. You just need to read back into the first book of the Bible, into Genesis chapter 6 and verse 5, and you read there of those days, in the days of Noah, that every man's imaginations were only evil continually. Noah, of course, accepted. We read also that the wickedness of man was great in the earth. There have been Many terrible times in the history of mankind. Times of awful corruption, awful rebellion, awful sin against the Lord, awful departure. But for all of that, the fact remains that as the end of this age approaches, that departure from the faith and that rebellion against God will gather speed. And evil men will wax worse and worse, and as verse 13 of this chapter records, they will deceive and they will be deceived themselves. It doesn't take a genius, I think, to understand that there is very clear evidence of this kind of thing in this present day in which we live. Society is sinking into an awful mess of sin. You think for a moment just of man's readiness to take God's name in vain. You think of man's readiness to break the Sabbath day. You think of how men are very quick and very keen to promote homosexuality, to encourage immorality, to distribute pornography and to engage in behavior that's contrary to the clear laws of God. And young person, that's right throughout society. Right from the very highest levels of government, right down to the streets of the towns and cities of this country, sin is promoted. And terrible sin abounds right around us. Now, all of that poses a great challenge to the Christian, and especially to the young Christian. I think it's true to say that Satan has a particular interest in young people, and much of the sin that's common in these times is targeted especially at young people. And therefore, days of apostasy present a particular challenge to young Christians. And it's simply this. How should we live in the midst of such wickedness? Now, remember that the Christian is not off this world, but he is in this world. God has seen fit in His all-wise providence that when He saves us, He doesn't automatically, doesn't always take us home to glory immediately. We're saved and then we're left on this world as a witness for Him. In His all-wise providence, He doesn't take us away home to glory at once. We're left here in this evil generation. And therefore, the question is, how do we live? How do we conduct ourselves in the midst of these perilous times? in the midst of this departure from God. If I was to answer that question generally and just with one sentence, I would take the words of Paul in Philippians 1, verse 27, when Paul said, only let your conversation, and by that term he means your conduct, let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Jesus Christ. In other words, to summarize how a Christian ought to live, We are to conduct ourselves in a manner that becomes the gospel and that glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. In a word, we are to live for him, even though many are against him. Paul develops that truth in 2 Timothy chapter 3. It's good for us to remind ourselves tonight that Paul writes these words as an old man. He writes them as a man who has come to the end of his ministry. He's come to the end of his life. He speaks in the next chapter, chapter 4, in verse 6 of him being ready to be offered and the time of his departure is at hand. And Paul writes this as a man about to step off the stage of this time. He has fought a good fight. He has finished the course. He has kept the faith. He writes as an old believer. But remember, he's writing to Timothy, and Timothy is a young believer. In 1 Timothy 4, in verse 12, Paul says to him, let no man despise thy youth. And I want you to understand this. Here's an old Christian about to leave this world, and he's writing to a young Christian, and he's encouraging him, and he's exhorting him, and counseling him how he ought to live in the perilous times of the last days. And what Paul does here, is it only warns Timothy of the perilous times. He has a word for him regarding his responsibility in those perilous times. What Paul said to Timothy is extremely relevant for us tonight. A young person never think for a moment that God has nothing to say to his people in this age. Never imagine that while sin continues at an alarming rate and men seem to be breaking out in sin in all kinds of directions, never imagine that God has just left his church and left his people without a word from himself. There is a word from God. There is counsel for young people. The Lord has something to say to us. I know that temptations are strong. And I know this world is extremely wicked. As I've mentioned already, most of it is targeted against a younger audience, a younger generation. But in the midst of that, God has a word for us. And it's that that I want to draw your attention to tonight as we come towards the end of this service. Notice with me, first of all, that the young Christian must maintain his separation from the world. 2 Timothy chapter 3 really catalogues the awful sins are going to appear more and more in the last days. It's a chapter that makes for horrendous reading. A chapter that depicts for us the ungodly walking in an ungodly way. And really, when you look at the first five verses of the chapter, there's nothing encouraging here. There's nothing heartening, nothing bright about that opening section of the chapter. It's one long list of rebellion and revolt against God. But of course, the Christian ought to be distinctly different from the world. And that's what Paul emphasizes in verse 5. Having listed the sins that are going to break forth, he then says to Timothy, those who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, they have a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. And then he says this to Timothy, from such turn away. In other words, the Christian is to have no part in the sins of this age. He is to remove himself from the wickedness of men. He is to turn away from those things and from those people who offend a holy God. The child of God is to hate those things that his heavenly Father hates. The word turn that's used there in verse 5 has the idea of shunning. To shun something. It also has the idea of separating from those things that are sinful. It's quite interesting to mark the previous chapter because Paul uses similar language there. Look at what he says in verse 16. He says, shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness. He's using the same kind of terminology. The young Christian is to shun profane or wicked and vain babblings. Look at verse 22. Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Verse 23. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife. And here in chapter 3, he takes up the same kind of exhortation. He tells Timothy, from such turn away. Shun that kind of person. Shun that kind of practice. It's not the only place in Scripture we read this kind of exhortation. We're familiar, I'm sure, with the words of 2 Corinthians 6. And verse 14 where Paul, there right into the church at Corinth, he says, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And I don't think those words just have to do with marriage, although they have application there. It's more than just that. The child of God is to be very careful regarding his partnerships and his companionships. Together, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? What concord, what agreement hath Christ with Belial, or with the devil? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. And right throughout that section, Paul underscores the necessity of separation. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 22, he says, Abstain from the appearance of evil. And you can bring all of those texts together, and there are numerous others in the Word of God, and they stress the importance for the Christian to live a life that's separated unto God, live a life that's separate from the world. This demand for separation comes from the Lord. It's not a man-made legislation. It's not a precept from the church. It's not the mere tradition of history. The principle or the precept of biblical separation comes from God Himself. I know that Paul is writing to Timothy here, but these words of Paul, as he says in verse 16, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. So far beyond Paul's words to Timothy, you have the words of the Holy Spirit to Timothy. And it's the Holy Spirit who is saying to this man, and therefore to us as well tonight, from such turn away. Far beyond the command of Paul lies the command of God. This is a directive from heaven for us in an age of apostasy. I'm greatly struck with the words of Isaiah 8 and verse 11. Maybe we should turn over to that chapter. Isaiah 8 and verse 11. And there the Lord is speaking to Isaiah the prophet. You'll know, I'm sure, that Isaiah ministers on a day of great departure from the Lord. The Lord's laws were being cast aside. There were men who were following false gods and worshipping images. Sin abounded and there was great trouble in the nation. And God has a word for Isaiah at that time. And notice what he says in Isaiah 8. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people." Now, notice what Isaiah is saying there. There's a three-fold emphasis on the fact that this is a word from God. He says, the Lord spake unto me. There's authority. It was the Lord who spoke. And then he says that the Lord spoke with a strong hand. And there's solemnity. This is something the Lord really wanted Isaiah to understand. And then he goes on to say that the Lord instructed me that I should not walk in the way of the people. And the instruction speaks of clarity. And this threefold emphasis is given to Isaiah, so much so that this man is left in no doubt regarding God's will for his life. He was instructed. He was chastened. That was the word means. Or he was bound. He was bound by the word of God. not to walk in the way of the people who were sinning against the Lord. In other words, Isaiah was being exhorted, instructed by the Lord in a day of evil sin to live a separated life. Jeremiah chapter 10 underscores the same. The Lord says that they were not to learn the way of the heathen. It is God who orders a separated life for the Christians. God is holy, therefore we are to be holy. This, of course, is part of our regeneration. It's part of our redemption. It's part of our adoption, our justification, our sanctification. If we would live less and less unto sin and more and more unto righteousness, that's the decree of God. But not only that, you'll notice here that the Christian has a solemn responsibility in regard to his separation. Mark verse 5 of 2 Timothy chapter 3 carefully. Paul says, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away. And that verb and the words there, turn away, are in a form that suggests something that's done by the person himself. It is not speaking of something that is done to a person or something that is done on a person. Rather, it is something that is done by a person. In fact, you could translate that little phrase in verse 5 with these words, from such turn thyself away. From such turn thyself away. And that's important. For it stresses that the believer is responsible for his personal separation. Now, I know tonight that sanctification is a work of God's free grace. Justification is an act of God's free grace. It's the act of a moment where he declares us righteous for the righteousness of Christ. Sanctification is a work of God's free grace. It's an ongoing work in the life of a Christian. It's a work of God's grace, but that in no way suggests that we have no responsibility. We can do nothing in regard to our justification, for salvation is off the Lord. But we cooperate with God in our sanctification. That's what Paul is stressing to Timothy. From such, turn thyself away. Timothy, you have a responsibility here. You have a duty here. While God will give you the grace in regard to sanctification, there is a responsibility that rests with you. And you've got to turn yourself away from that which is sinful in these times. The Christian is to exercise discernment. He is to know right from wrong. The Christian is to know and to be sensitive regarding those things that dishonor Christ or honor Christ. He is to know the mind of God. He is to know the law of God. And, of course, he is to obey that. I think if that pictured for us in a very classic fashion in the story of Joseph. Whenever Potiphar's wife had set her eyes upon him and was asking him repeatedly to lie with her. And Joseph was very careful. He was very careful as much as possible not to be in the same house with her at the same time. Because he knew what her desires were. But on one occasion she was there and Joseph came in and she pleaded with him again and he refused and she caught a hold of him. And the Bible says that Joseph fled. He left his cloak, but he fled from her presence. He got away. He acted responsibly. He turned away from sin. And you can write over that whole episode in Joseph's life. He turned himself away. That's exactly what Paul is telling Timothy to do. As a young believer, Timothy, don't turn into the path of sin. Don't turn towards the things and the ways of the world, but turn thyself away from them. And the Christian must be no different. We must shun those places of sin. That takes effort. That takes self-discipline. It means, Christian, if you find yourself in a place and you're being tempted, and you're being tempted with the same thing all the time, then it's time to take stock of where you really need to be in that place or not. If you find yourself being tempted to the same sin or watching the same thing, and you find yourself in this kind of concentrated attack by the devil, then take steps just as Joseph did. Turn yourself away. Not only that, but separation from the world is absolutely essential for a vibrant and victorious Christian life. During the time of great war in the city of Athens many, many hundreds of years ago, a fearful plague broke out among the people. Many managed to escape, even though there was war around them. Others decided to stay, decided to stay against the best advice that was being given at that time. But as the plague raged, spread throughout the population, many of the people of Athens died. Others lost part of their bodies, not because of the war, but because of the plague. Some lost their arms, some lost their legs, some lost their fingers, some lost their eyes. Those who refused to go, those who refused to leave, they suffered. So it is spiritual. If we're going to live for Christ in victory and enjoying the power and the blessing of the gospel in our lives, then we need to separate ourselves from sin. We need to be those who turn away. I look at Lot. Lot did not turn away. He turned towards Sodom. Pitched his tent there. And before long, you find him in Sodom. in a house in Sodom. Then we find him sitting in the council of Sodom, sitting at the gate of Sodom. And he's sojourning in that place. He becomes part of the place. But just look at what Lot lost, because he failed to turn away. He lost his testimony. He lost his family. He lost his wealth. The very thing that took Lot into Sodom He lost it. If we're going to live victorious lives for Christ, as Christ would have us live for him, then we need to shun these things and turn ourselves away from them. A separated life also is a life of happiness. Holiness and happiness go together. I know the devil's very quick to suggest to a young Christian, especially if you live different from the world, and if you don't do the things that others are doing who are not saved, then your life will be miserable. You know, I read in Psalm 1, blessed is the man, or happy is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Happy is the man that standeth not in the way of sinners, and happy is the man that takes not his seat among the scornful. It's the separated man who's the happiest man. If you want real happiness in your Christian life, and take up the counsel that Paul gives to Timothy. And from such sin turn yourself away. Separated life is also the life of usefulness. It's the life of service. It's the life that glorifies the Lord. And that's why these commands are so important. There are serious temptations for young people in this world. Things were bad when I was young. And I made a comment in school just a few months ago talking about my days in secondary school or high school, and I made the comment that was 20 years ago, 25 years ago. It makes you feel really old. But things were bad then. I can remember some of the issues that we had to face as a young Christian back then. I think things are much worse tonight for young people. There's much more openness in regard to sin, so much more boldness in regard to sin. You think of television, you think of the magazines, you think of the music that's available. and the lyrics in some of those songs that are sung. You think of the access there is on the internet and the content of internet sites. You think of the facility within mobile phones to access material that's anything but good. And of course these things in themselves, those instruments, those advances in technology are not sinful in themselves. But there's a grave temptation there for young people in some of those things. And there's a potential for young people to be led along a path that's marked with dreadful sin and dreadful temptation. And therefore, we need to turn ourselves away from those things, those sinful temptations. Paul's clear here to Timothy, from such turn thyself And oh, that we would be very careful, careful in our language, careful in our dress, careful as to where we visit, where we go, who we're with, what we do, what we see, what we read, what we look at. Christian, if you're going to live in an age of apostasy, maintain your separation from the world. I don't mean by that that you become recluse, you don't mingle with people, you don't talk with people, that's not what separation is speaking of. It's speaking of abstaining from the sin that's taking place, separating yourself from the wickedness that's there, and living your life for the glory of your Savior Jesus Christ. It's not always easy. It's not always easy in school to be different. It's not always easy in work to be different as a young Christian. But if we're going to live for Jesus Christ and enjoy the blessings of the gospel, then let's take to heart what Paul is saying to young Timothy. From the sins of this age, the wicked rebellion of this age, may God give us grace to turn away. maintain your separation from the world. Let me say secondly that the young Christian must maintain his steadfastness despite the world. The warning that Paul gave to Timothy regarding the declension or the departure of the last days really has special reference to the truth of the gospel and to the word of God. Notice what he says in verse 8. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth. Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. Paul is talking here about men who resist the truth. Men who resist the Word of God. Men who resist the Gospel. Men who will make it their business to present another kind of message. Men who will make it their life's work to Try to put down the Bible and put down the Scriptures of God, and they will oppose and they will resist and they will stand against what we believe to be God's Word and God's truth. And of course, there's a very strong pressure put upon Christians to turn away from the truth. But notice what Paul says to Timothy in verse 14. Having spoken of those men who resist the truth, He then says in verse 14, But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. He says, continue in the truth. Continue in the things that thou hast learned. It's a very interesting study just to take up a concordance sometime. Those of you who have online Bibles on your computer, this will be even easier. Just to type up the word continue and do a search and mark out the references in the New Testament to the exhortations where the Christian is told to continue. We're told to continue in prayer. We're told to continue to grow in grace and to continue in the faith and continue in our walk with God. And Paul here says to Timothy, continue thou in the things that thou hast learned. And a particular reference here has to do with continuing in the Word of God. Because he goes on to say in verse 15, from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures. So he's saying to Timothy, Timothy, from a child you have known the Scriptures. And now you're coming into these perilous times of the last days, and you're a young minister, you're a young Christian, And you've known the Scriptures from your childhood. Timothy, continue in the Scriptures. Be steadfast in the Word of God. Not the first time he said that to Timothy. If you look back at 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 13, he says there, Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Hold fast the form of sound words. What does he mean? Hold fast the Word of God. Don't let people take it from you. You hold on to that, Timothy. You hold on to the Word of God and keep it. Defend it. Keep it for yourself. That's what Paul says when he writes to the church of Thessalonica. 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 15, he says, Therefore, brethren, stand fast. And hold the traditions, he means the ordinances or the teaching, hold the teaching which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. And the last thing in the world a Christian wants to do in the perilous times, in days of apostasy, is abandon the Word of God. Never abandon the Word of God. Even the world condemns the Bible. Let the Christian continue with the Bible. And that word continue just simply means to keep, or to hold, or to remain with. In other words, the Christian should be determined in his own heart and with God's help to keep the word of God in his heart. That's what Christ said in Luke 11, verse 28. He said, Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Young Christians. You seek to maintain your separation from the world. You maintain your steadfastness to God's Word despite the world. Let me say this very quickly. Remain true to the doctrines of Scripture. Remain true to the doctrines of Scripture. Look at what Paul says. He's writing, remember this, to a young man. And he says in verse 3 of the next chapter, The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. Paul is saying to Timothy, there's going to come a time when people will not want sound doctrine. They'll not want the Word of God. They'll want something different. And young person, that's the age we're living in tonight. People don't want the doctrine of God's Word. Doctrine sometimes is presented as if it was unnecessary. Something that's hard to understand and therefore young Christians especially can be tempted just to think, well, that's beyond me, that's above me. No, it's not. No, it's not. You can understand the doctrine of God's salvation, how he sent his son to come to this world to die as a substitute for sinners. You can understand the doctrine of the resurrection, how that on the third day he rose again. You can understand the doctrines of God's word in regard to sin. You might not understand all there is, But you can understand some of the doctrine, some of the truth of God's Word. Let's hold fast to those things. That's why it's very important for young people to pay attention when God's Word is being preached. That's why it's important for young people to take time to read God's Word for themselves. That's why it's good, young person, if you read your Bible, to read it with a commentary, or if there's a passage you can't understand, just don't let it lie there. Seek help. Ask someone. Get a commentary. Ask someone for an explanation. What's been taught there? Let's hold fast to the doctrine of God's Word. Continue in them. Let's maintain our defense of Scripture. It's not without significance that these two letters to Timothy have a military theme to them. Paul tells Timothy to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And he paints him as a soldier. A soldier who has to fight. A soldier who has to guard. A soldier who has to defend something. And young people, never be ashamed to defend the gospel. I know there are raging controversies regarding creation and evolution. It's just an ongoing controversy. Never be ashamed in your school. Never be ashamed in your place of work. To testify that you believe that God created this world in six days, and on the seventh day He rested. Continue, continue to hold fast and stand fast. The Christian is to maintain his steadfastness to the demands of Scripture. It's better to obey than sacrifice. Better to obey. If you come as you're reading God's Word and there's a command there or a precept there, God speaks to you through it, God shows it to you in your Bible reading, don't be afraid to obey God's Word. Continue in that thing. Continue to do the will of God. And those are practical things for every young Christian. This world tonight lives by its own standards. It does its own thing, it forms its own rules, and very often they're ungodly and anti-Christian. The believer is not to follow that kind of lead. Our lives are to be regulated by the Word of God in every part. And Christian, we have no right tonight. We have no right to dismiss the teaching of Scripture. We have no right just to disobey it. We have no right just to cast it to the side. God has revealed His will and we must continue in that way. well. We are to maintain our steadfastness despite the world. It will make you different. It will make you stand out. It will cause others to look at you and wonder what on earth you're trying to do and who on earth you really are. It's far better to walk with God in obedience to God's word. One last thing, for time is gone. The young Christian also in these days of apostasy must maintain his service in the world. He must maintain his separation from the world. He must maintain his steadfastness despite the world. He must maintain his service in the world. Look at verse 17 of our chapter. Paul says to Timothy, All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God May be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. In Timothy's context here, he goes on to say in chapter 4, verse 2, Preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Verse 5, he says, But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist. Make full proof of thy ministry. And when you bring all those thoughts together, and we've just skipped over them very quickly, he talks in verse 17 of good works. He talks in verse 2 of preaching the Word. He talks in verse 5 of doing the work of an evangelist, making full proof of his ministry. Bring all those thoughts together. And it's clear that what Paul is saying to Timothy is, continue with your service for God. You labor for the Lord. He was to preach the Word. He was to exhort sinners. He was to edify the saints. He was to evangelize the lost. He was to keep the faith. He was to engage in good works. Timothy. was not to be idle. He was not to shun his responsibility. Christian service is not just for those who are in what's called full-time work. If you're a Christian, you're a servant of Jesus Christ. In your school, in your college, in your university, in your workplace, in your home, in your street, in your church, You're a servant of Jesus Christ. And as servants of Jesus Christ, let's maintain our service despite the apostasy of the last days. Serve him despite the opposition. Serve him conscious that Christ is your judge. Serve him by spreading and testifying of the gospel. You'll reach people that the minister in your church will never reach. You'll have opportunity to testify to people he will never have opportunity to talk to. And there's a work that you can do for Jesus Christ. Serve him in the knowledge that our time for service is short. The opportunity is limited. Remember, we're in the last days. And serve him with a desire for his reward. Christian, young Christian, maintain your separation from the world. Maintain your steadfastness despite the world. And also remember to maintain your service in the world. When I bring those three headings together, I get a glimpse of Christ. Christ was separated from sinners. He maintained his separation. He maintained his steadfastness. He says, I delight to do thy will, O my God. And he maintained his service, that in Christ's say, I must work the works of him that sent me. While it is yet day, for the night cometh, when no man can work. Christ is here. What's the greatest advice to young people living in an age of apostasy? Be like Christ. Be like Christ. That's God's great purpose for us. That's why you've been saved. If you're a Christian, that's why you've been saved. You've been saved that you might be conformed to the image of God's Son. Someday we will be. Someday we shall see him as he is. And the Bible says we shall be like him. Instantly, perfectly like Christ. But until that great day comes and we are taken home to heaven, let us be like Christ on this world. He's our great pattern. If you take nothing else away from me, take this. Make that the prayer of your heart, to be like Jesus. All that I ask is to be like Him. That's the greatest advice for young people in an age of apostasy. And may God help you. In a dreadfully sinful age, may God help us all to live for Jesus Christ. Maybe you're not saved tonight. You're not a Christian at all. My friend, it's time you were. The greatest need of your soul is God's salvation. And may you come tonight to trust Christ and know Him as your own and personal Savior. May God bless His Word to our hearts for Jesus' sake.