This past Sunday we touched on 2 Timothy at B & B Fellowship. As the day progressed I felt the need to look at it further. I then decided to look at it with our Wednesday night group. We read the whole book out loud from the Message Remix Bible. As an old friend used to say, "The Lord blessed me down to my shoes!"
2 Timothy is Paul's last letter. What was on his mind? What would you want to say to someone if it was your last letter?
I see it as a letter of encouragement, speaking of Timothy's "honest faith" and his "special gift of ministry". Paul says, "So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us." He goes on, "throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me.."
Timothy is warned to "stay clear of pious talk" (his words must be backed by a godly life) and to "run away from infantile indulgence" (run after mature righteousness).
"Refuse to get involved in inane discussions, they always end up in fights. God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool..."
It wouldn't be easy though. He would have to "take your share of the suffering for the Message". He says, "When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did." Paul was writing this letter from prison having been abandoned by many of his followers (2 Timothy 1:15). Timothy should not expect anything better, neither should we.
There's so much more. Get your Bible out and read 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NLT) says, "You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." Read it and let me know what stands out to you.
Finally Paul says in chapter four, verse two (NLT), "Preach the word of God. Be prepared whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching."
God bless y'all real good.
2 comments:
I just read 2 Timothy 2. Very good chapter. It made me think of the body of Christ as a whole and the quarreling and arguing, church against church, denomination against denomination, and the terrible division among us brothers and sisters. And then when someone is truly steering the wrong way, I know there are some that get mad and frustrated, maybe even angry. I've been guilty of that. But Paul talks about being patient with these people and gentle. "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct..."
It is obvious to me that in Scripture Jesus and even Paul takes a very stern approach in dealing with sin in the church and is very serious as he teaches the way to salvation, however in his teachings, he seems to humble and gentle.
I think we have to be careful and lend some mercy to different people because of where they are in their spiritual walks. I know I can be overly critical of people myself. I think the enemy is very much a part of these quarrels and divisions we cause. He doesn't want us to stand united.
Paul talks about Scripture being the authority and he's right. But I hope as we read Scripture, the more we want to learn an understand and the more we pray and communicate with God. And I think the more intimate we become with Christ, the more these things just tend to flow. The Spirit within is begins to move and breathe and it catches like wildfire. The more good we fill ourselves up with through Scripture and prayer, the more love we can show to others and the less we'll find ourselves quarreling, debating, and arguing over the little stuff.
Sorry, might of rabbit trailed a bit, but something that hit me as I read.
Hey KH
Yes this is a powerful chapter from what many call Paul’s “swan song.” This is his last letter it is noteworthy that it is to his “son Timothy.” And we must not forget that it was written from prison.
There is much to note as both you and ecclesia have done. Of interest to me is what isn’t in chapter 2. Kind of.
2:1 begins with “You therefore my son, be strong in the grace…” Here he is talking directly to Timothy and is referring back to and building on something he already wrote, when he pens these words “therefore my son.” Remember when you see the word, therefore, you need to see what it is “there for”, to look back at something just written.
Also note the interesting phrase “be strong in the grace…” There is an interesting phrase. Understanding how one can be strong in grace is kind of like nailing Jell-O to the wall. So looking back just a bit into chapter 1 we hear Paul’s encouragement “do not be ashamed.” We must assume Timothy had been? Paul also then says we have been called “according to His own purpose and grace…” There is that word “grace” again. And to make sure we have a real life idea of what this grace looks like he adds, “he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior.” Remember in John 1 where Jesus “fleshed out” or embodied “grace and truth”? Here Paul “borrows” the same idea when he claims that Jesus “revealed” these truths. The Greek word, though here a verb, is the word from which we get epiphany.
Paul is chastising Timothy, as only a father can to a son, to be strong, to not be ashamed and this is because of Jesus who embodies grace and showed us what this is. It is because of this that Paul has been suffering. One wonders if Timothy has been avoiding this distasteful part of discipleship. So in 2:1 when Paul turns from his intro to his challenge to Timothy he tells him to take all of these things that he, Paul, taught and then teach them to others who will be able to teach others also. This is the ultimate hear one, do one, teach one model of learning. We Christians call it discipleship. It is not enough to simply know or mentally acknowledge truth.
Lest we think that this is all about theology, or mere mental gymnastics and theory Paul makes it clear what teaching, vis a vis discipleship, is all about in 3:10. Here he makes it clear what true teaching and learning is when he states, “But you have carefully followed my:
- doctrine
- manner of life
- purpose
- faith
- longsuffering
- love
- perseverance
- persecutions
- afflictions”
So first we must understand this grace that Jesus lived in His life, and then take it in and live it and pass it on. And in passing it on we must understand that it is a life style. It is not a classroom concept, to be relegated to graduate school. It is part of life, and Paul makes it clear that this life is full of challenges and blessings.
So bless yourself and others by reading this book, and living out its truths with other believers. And live it out before the world, because “…in the last days perilous times will come…” So Jesus demonstrated grace by living it out, not just a mental concept. We live out grace in much the same way as we understand the truth of grace, and all that it means, and we live out (“flesh out”) the truth of Jesus and His grace.
Though a concept that can be easily misunderstood I like the way Alan Hirsch expresses that knowing is less likely to bring godly actions. He writes, “I simply do not believe that we can continue to try and think our way into a new way of acting, but rather, we need to act our way into a new way of thinking.” The Hebrew way of teaching was to follow a teacher and watch and learn what they did and mimic them. Proper thinking followed this. The Greeks turned this on its head and taught that thinking will result in certain actions. Though it is true that what we think, “mental assent” is important, it is not a biblical concept that this is how we make disciples. Passively passing on information does not make disciples, or generations of church goers would be the best disciples ever!
Rudy
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