II Timothy 4:3-5

We see here indications of the influence of the world, the influence of the Babylonian mystery religion surrounding Christians wherever they might live. Gradually wearing them down, simply by its presence as well as by (from time to time) open persecution against the Christians. Gradually people were weakening rather than being strengthened and beginning to feel that the best thing to do was to give in—in—inch by inch—to what was going on. And beginning to request of the ministry, things that were not so close to the truth that they had been given by the apostles.

II Timothy 4:3-4

Brethren, Paul is not warning the world. He was warning the church, both the first century along with the congregations today. The sobering reality is when someone becomes deeply rooted in a system built on inherited perspectives, voices from outside that system rarely carry enough authority to wake them up. Only God's calling can wake them up. This mystery system is deceptive, tricky, so convincing that as Jesus warned, if possible, even the elect could be deceived.