Good Manners or Christian Behavior?
II Timothy 3:10-15
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div
© 2008 Harold Dinsmore.

Our subject this morning concerns that which influences you to action.  From the time we were children, we all have been taught good manners.  Sit up straight, don’t slouch, don’t talk with your mouth full, chew with your mouth closed, don’t put your elbows on the table, open the door ladies, say please and thank you – you get the picture.

Good manners are a part of our culture.  The basic manner is respect for other human life.  And our constitution guarantees us certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We have certain freedoms and with freedom come the exercise of restraint and good manners.

But is what we are as Christians just good manners or Christian behavior?  Paul, in writing his second letter to the young preacher Timothy, instructs him in many areas.  In chapter 3, we discover his theme is that of the last days in verse 1.  Verses 4-5 stress that people will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it.”