1 Timothy 3:13; Isaiah 2:3 - Evil Grows Worse But Soon to Be Removed

2 Timothy 3:13 - But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. -- World English.

Isaiah 2:3 - And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. -- American Standard Version.

It is often observed how the prevalence of sin continues to increase, and sin is often presented as being good. The tendency of this course of man into greater darkness confirms the teaching of the Bible that the tendency of sin is downward toward deeper degradation and departure from the ways of Jehovah. Ever since the sin of Adam, mankind has been living in what the Bible calls "the present evil age." (Galatians 1:4) The Bible speaks of the world before the flood of Noah's day, how it had become corrupted, and how that world was destroyed. (Genesis 6:11,12;  2 Peter 3:6) The same has been true of the long dispensation since the flood -- the dispensation in which we are now living, which is also to pass away. (2 Peter 3:7,10) Jehovah, however, foreknew the predominance of evil. Jehovah, therefore in His Word has foretold the prosperity of sin for a time, and that "evil doers shall wax worse and worse" (2 Timothy 3:13) until the due time should come when a third dispensation set in the Divine Plan for Messiah's Kingdom shall be inaugurated. Only the powers of the age (dispensation) to come will be sufficient to grapple with and suppress the powers of evil so long entrenched in the earth. And thus it is written, the Messiah shall rule the nations "with a rod of iron" (Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27) and then his kingdom will become "the desire of all nations." (Haggai 2:7) At that time, all nations shall learn the ways of Jehovah. -- Isaiah 2:2-4. 

Romans 8:3,4 -- Sin in the Flesh Condemned

{Romans 8:3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; 

{Romans 8:4} that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. -- RLIV.

Jesus, while in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), through his absolute obedience to God, thereby condemned sin the flesh. None of Adam's offspring could do this, for they were all of sinful flesh, having been made so through the sin of Adam. (Romans 5:12-19) Jesus' flesh, however, was prepared by God separate from the condemnation in Adam. (Hebrews 10:5) Thus, Jesus is the only human being that was born into this corrupted world without sin, and he was the only human being that could offset the condemnation of mankind through Adam, if he -- unlike Adam -- remained without sin. Jesus did remain without sin, and thus could offer up his sinless humanity on behalf of Adam and all who are dying in Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:21,26; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 3:18) Jesus, by his obedience, proved that a sinless human being could obey God's law, and thus, by means Jesus' sacrifice of his humanity, God remained just while providing a means of justification to the sinner through Jesus. -- Romans 3:26.

Further comments:

As Adam was sinless before he sinned and brought sin into the world of mankind (Romans 5:12), the God and Father of Jesus (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3) especially prepared a sinless body for Jesus (Hebrews 10:5) so that Jesus, while in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), did not inherit the sin of Adam and its condemnation. (Romans 5:12-19) Unlike Adam, however, Jesus, while in the days of his flesh, never fell short of the glory of his God (Romans 3:23), and thus could offer his body of flesh with its blood to his God for our sins. 

It is only because Jesus was indeed a human being, having the full crown of glory a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9), sinless -- never having fallen short of the glory of God  (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5) -- that Jesus' obedience condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:30, and by his sacrifice of his humanity, made the way for God to remain just, while yet justifying the sinner. -- Romans 3:26.

Nevertheless, we believe that Jesus, before he became flesh, had a mighty glory when he was with his God from a time even before the world of mankind was made. (John 1:1-3; 17:1,3,5) When he became, or was made flesh (John 1:14), Jesus received from his God (Micah 5:2) a body of flesh (Hebrews 10:5), with a glory of a sinless man, a little lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:9) Jesus sacrificed that body of flesh with its blood as an offering to God for our sins. -- Hebrews 9:11,12,23,24,25; 10:1,10.

Jesus condemned sin the flesh, and his offering for sin provided for justification, something that the Law could not do because of weakness of the flesh, which all of Adam's descendants have inherited through Adam. 

Paul many times made it clear that one cannot be justified by keeping the Law Covenant, and he made it clear that the only way one can be justified in this age is through faith in Jesus. At the same, we need to remember that the Law Covenant is based on God's eternal righteous standards, thus the Law presents the righteous principles of God's law of love. Thus, Paul wrote, that Jesus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk after the law covenant given to flesh, but rather after the spirit, the law of love. Thus, the goal of a regenerated child of God is to cultivate the fruit of the spirit. -- Galatians 5:22,23. 

-- Ronald R. Day, Senior.

Related:

Daily Heavenly Manna for February 24 * BSM Aids * Video

What Law Was Weak?

How God's Son Condemned Sin in the Sinful Flesh

Sinful Flesh

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