STANDING FIRM AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF OPPOSITION
Brethren, we live in a time when the spirit of Alexander the Coppersmith still breathes – not in one man’s name, but in the resistance that rises wherever truth is spoken plainly.
Paul’s warning wasn’t preserved just to inform Timothy; it was written to alert every believer who dares to stand for the Gospel in a world that grows hostile to it.
The church has always faced opposition from without, but the sharper wounds often come from within – from those who once sat beside us, sang the same hymns, shared the same bread, yet turned against the truth when it cut too close to their comfort.
This is not a tale of one bitter man; it’s a mirror for all generations. Alexander the Coppersmith represents the defiant heart that rejects correction, corrupts sound doctrine, and resists the Spirit of truth.
His hands may have shaped metal, but his words forged weapons of deceit. He twisted truth, stirred strife, and sought to weaken the vessel God was using – Paul himself.
Yet Paul did not curse him. He stood firm, trusted the Lord’s judgment, and pressed forward. “The Lord reward him according to his works.” That’s not revenge; that’s release. It’s the declaration of a man who knows God defends His servants.
Friends, false teachers, bitter opposers, and spiritual saboteurs still walk among us. They may wear a smile, quote Scripture, and claim authority, but their fruit reveals them. God’s people must not be naive.
We must discern truth from imitation, Spirit from flesh, and godly zeal from personal ambition. The same Spirit that strengthened Paul is alive in us today. The question is – will we stand, or will we shrink back when opposition rises?
WHO WAS ALEXANDER THE COPPERSMITH?
Alexander the Coppersmith wasn’t just a critic; he was an enemy of truth. Paul wrote near the end of his life:
“Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” (2 Timothy 4:14–15 KJV)
Imagine that – Paul, weary and imprisoned, still burdened to protect others from a man who had caused him great harm. Alexander’s opposition wasn’t a passing disagreement; it was deep, deliberate, and dangerous. Paul’s words carry the weight of experience – betrayal from within the ranks.
ALEXANDER’S IDENTITY AND FALL
In 1 Timothy 1:19–20, Paul names Alexander alongside Hymenaeus as those who “made shipwreck” of their faith and were delivered unto Satan “that they may learn not to blaspheme.” Both letters were written to Timothy in Ephesus, showing that this was no stranger – it was a man from within the local fellowship.
Alexander’s downfall began with a heart that drifted. He once held faith but cast it aside. He once kept a good conscience but ignored its voice. The result? Shipwreck. Friends, no one sinks overnight – it’s the slow leak of compromise that brings a believer to ruin.
HIS FALSE TEACHING AND ITS DAMAGE
Paul links Alexander to the heresy of Hymenaeus, who taught that “the resurrection is past already” (2 Timothy 2:18). Such teaching didn’t just confuse minds; it corrupted souls.
It denied the very hope of the Gospel – the bodily resurrection of believers – and spread like a cancer. Scripture calls this kind of talk “profane and vain babblings” (2 Timothy 2:16). False doctrine is never harmless; it spreads decay wherever it’s tolerated.
Paul had to act. “I delivered them unto Satan,” he wrote – not out of cruelty but correction. Like a doctor removing infected tissue, discipline was mercy in disguise. When truth is at stake, soft tolerance becomes silent betrayal.
THE EVIL HE DID TO PAUL
Paul said Alexander “greatly withstood our words.” The Greek word means to resist violently, like an enemy army standing in formation. Alexander didn’t just disagree – he fought the message of Christ.
Perhaps he slandered Paul publicly, stirred legal trouble, or fueled the riotous opposition in Ephesus (see Acts 19:23–41). Whatever the case, Paul was wounded, but not defeated.
He didn’t plot revenge or curse the man’s name. Instead, he lifted his eyes heavenward and said, “The Lord reward him according to his works.” (2 Timothy 4:14) That’s faith speaking. That’s the voice of a man who believes God keeps perfect records.
WAS HE THE SAME MAN FROM ACTS?
Acts 19:33 describes another Alexander, a Jew drawn into the uproar at Ephesus when the craftsmen feared Paul’s preaching would ruin their idol trade. If that was the same Alexander, it’s not hard to see how a man so rooted in worldly interests could later oppose the Gospel within the church. When money, status, or pride take root, the truth becomes an enemy.
Another Alexander is listed in Acts 4:6, among the high priest’s family. Whether related or not, Scripture paints a pattern – men named Alexander often stood against the message of Christ. Religious pride has many faces, but one spirit.
THE LESSON: OPPOSITION FROM WITHIN
This story hits close to home. Some of the greatest wounds in the body of Christ come from those who once walked beside us. Judas kissed Jesus before betraying Him. Demas loved the world more than Christ. Hymenaeus, Philetus, Diotrephes – all used influence to resist truth.
Paul warned, “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:30)
The church must be watchful. Not fearful, but discerning. We don’t fight flesh and blood – we battle spiritual deception disguised as sincerity.
HOW TO HANDLE OUR “ALEXANDERS”
- Don’t retaliate – release it to God.
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) Let God settle the score. You stay pure. - Stay anchored in truth.
Study the Word. Know it well enough to recognize when someone twists it (2 Timothy 2:15). - Beware of persistent opposers.
Titus 3:10–11 says after warning a divisive person twice, reject them. Some only repent when removed. - Keep a clean conscience.
Faith and purity walk hand in hand (1 Timothy 1:19). Guard both like treasure. - Trust God’s justice.
Psalm 37 reminds us not to fret because of evildoers. God’s justice may seem slow, but it’s sure.
THE FAITHFUL RESPONSE
Paul could say at the end of his life, “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.” (2 Timothy 4:17) The Lord still stands with those who stand for truth. Opposition may isolate you, but you’re never alone. When men resist you, heaven supports you.
Praise the Lord. Thank You, Lord. Praise be to God who judges righteously and strengthens the weary. Let the Alexanders rage – truth will still triumph, the Gospel will still go forth, and the Lord will still reward every man according to his works.
“Be thou ware also.” Those words still echo. Stay watchful. Stay faithful. The Spirit of truth will guide you through every storm.
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