2 Timothy

2 Timothy 4

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A Final Word of Warning.

2 Timothy 4

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. – 2 Timothy 4:2 NLT

This was all serious business for Paul. He wasn’t mincing words or beating around the bush. The proclamation of the Gospel and the desire to one day present those under his care as mature in Christ drove Paul’s efforts. He lived and worked as if God was watching his every move. Paul answered to a higher authority, namely God Himself, who was relentless in His desire to have His Son’s saving work proclaimed to the world and His Word carefully and accurately taught to the church. So Paul viewed his work with a certain soberness and seriousness, and he attempted to pass that attitude on to his young disciple, Timothy. As he wrapped up his second letter to this young man, he warned him to remember that God was watching. The righteous Judge of the universe was observing his every move and would one day pass judgment on all that he had done. So Paul encourages him to “preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT). In other words, he was to stay the course, do his job, maintain his focus and not lose sight of his primary responsibility as a shepherd of the flock of Jesus Christ.

These words of warning were necessary because Paul knew the truth about the world in which he and Timothy both lived. Paul was neither a pessimist or a wide-eyed optimist. He was a realist. He knew that mankind, apart from Christ, was on a downward trajectory and that any efforts to spread the Gospel were going to be met with apathy and even antagonism. One of the primary problems Timothy would face would be resistance to the Gospel message – not so much in the form of outright defiance as in the more subtle, but no-less-insidious form of apathy. In every generation, those who attempt to proclaim the truth will be faced with the constant temptation to twist its content in order to make it more sensational, palatable, and successful. The desire for larger audiences and a greater impact has always been the siren call of ministry. The danger comes when, in an effort to attract more people, we begin to alter the truth to make it more appealing. Paul warned Timothy, “a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:2-3 NLT).

Packed pews, popular Podcasts and best-selling books are not the litmus tests for successful ministry. The temptation will always exist to judge our effectiveness based on numbers rather than transformed lives. The key for Paul was the faithful proclamation of the Word of God, regardless of whether people wanted to hear it or not. The truth is not always popular. Our job is not to tell people what they want to hear; providing them with false hope and ourselves with a false sense of accomplishment. Timothy was to preach the Word, patiently correcting, rebuking and encouraging. Telling people what they want to hear will never help them get where they need to go.

This entire letter has been filled with admonitions regarding faithfulness. Paul wanted Timothy to remain faithful to his calling, faithful to the Word, faithful to his flock, faithful to Christ and faithful to the end – just as Paul himself had been. “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 5:6-7 NLT). Paul wasn’t bragging. He was simply encouraging Timothy to consider his life as an example of faithful service. Paul didn’t measure his success based on numbers, but on his own determination to remain faithful to his calling. He was willing to leave the results up to God. Because he had proclaimed the Gospel, preached the truth and prepared the people of God by faithfully and accurately teaching them the Word of God – he could face the future with confidence. He could eagerly look forward to the return of Christ and fearlessly face God knowing he had faithfully fulfilled his calling to the best of his ability.

Paul’s life had not been an easy one. It had been filled with trials and difficulties of all kinds. But he was content and confident that he had lived his life well. He knew that God had been a constant part of his life over the years. “But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death.Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17-18 NLT). His life had been a joint effort between himself and God. He had faithfully played his part and he knew that God had been beside him every step of the way – even in his darkest moments. But his greatest confidence was that God was going to faithfully take him home. His hope was in the future, not the present. His motivation was eternal, not temporal. His ultimate reward was in heaven, not on earth. As believers, we will not be held accountable for the results of our efforts on behalf of God. God will not measure our effectiveness based on our own human achievements, but on our faithfulness to Him. Faithfulness requires dependence on God. The Old Testament prophets were rarely successful – if we judge their efforts based on numbers of converts or the popularity of their message. But they were successful in God’s eyes, because they were faithful to their calling. They did what they had been called to do. They remained faithful regardless of the circumstances or the apparent failure of their message. Their reward was of a heavenly nature, not an earthly one. They had to remain faithful to their calling and trust God for the outcome. That is one of the hardest things for us to do as believers. We are results-oriented. We are trained to judge success based on visible results. Too often in the church, nickles, noses, and numbers are the criteria we use to measure success. And in our efforts to produce those results we can find ourselves tickling ears, twisting the truth, and compromising our faithfulness. Oh that we might hear and heed the call of Paul today. “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”

Father, may we be a people of faith and faithfulness. It is easy to come to faith in Christ, because it is completely provided for us by Him. We simply have to believe. But to live in faithfulness is difficult. To keep our eyes focused on the future reality of our faith is hard for us to do. We get distracted by the cares of this world and we measure our success by the wrong standards. You have called us to live faithful lives based on a reliance on Your Word and a dependence upon Your power. Don’t let us compromise Your message in an attempt to get better results. Don’t let us rely on our own efforts in the hopes of producing greater success. Keep us faithful to You.  Amen.

Ken Miller Grow Pastor
& Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Timothy 3:10-17

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Practical and Profitable.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

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. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

As far as Paul was concerned, the Word of God was a non-negotiable necessity for the people of God. An understanding of God’s Word was essential for anyone who wanted to live the life Christ died to make possible. Our salvation was accomplished solely through the efforts of Christ on the cross, with nothing done on our part to earn or deserve it. But our sanctification, or continued transformation into the likeness of Christ is ongoing and dependent upon the wisdom and guidance found in the Word of God, as well as the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God.

Paul reminded his young disciple, “But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra — but the Lord rescued me from all of it” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NLT). Timothy was well-acquainted with Paul’s life and had watched his mentor model the Christian life integrity, faith and purpose. He knew that Paul was a student of the Scriptures and applied them daily to his own life and ministry. Paul was intimately familiar with the character of God as revealed in the Word of God. The Gospel message was not something new or novel, but simply an extension of the redemptive plan that God had revealed all throughout the writings of Moses and the prophets. It was Paul’s familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures that gave him such a remarkable understanding of just who Jesus really was and the significance of what His death, burial and resurrection had accomplished. It was the Scriptures that kept Paul from misinterpreting Christ’s mission or giving it his own spin, as many of the false teachers had been doing. It was Paul’s faithfulness to the Word of God that resulted in much of the persecution he endured on behalf of God. And Paul made it clear that persecution and suffering were not just reserved for him alone. He told Timothy, “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT). Persecution and sanctification are inseparable in the life of the believer. The life of true godliness will always attract the attention of the enemy and result in spiritual attack. If there is one thing that Satan hates more than salvation, it is sanctification. An individual who surrenders his or her life to Christ, but then lives as if nothing has really happened, is no threat to the enemy. But should that individual begin to spend time in God’s Word and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in their life, Satan will sit up and take notice. He will turn up the heat. He will do everything in his power to derail their efforts and distract their attention to other things. Satan’s desire is to keep believers ignorant of God’s Word and so distracted by the things of this world, that we become ignorant and impotent. Our knowledge of the truth as revealed in the Word of God, is the greatest threat to the father of lies. As long as he can keep us out of the Word, he can mislead us with tantalizing and plausible-sounding half-truths.

But Paul reminds Timothy that the Scriptures are the inspired words of God, designed to teach us what is really true. It is the Word of God that tells us the truth about who God is and why the world is in the sorry state it’s in. The Word of God tells us the truth about sin and the reason we need a Savior. It paints a painfully clear picture of our condition and shows us the only remedy. It is through the Scriptures that we learn right and wrong, truth from falsehood, and fact from fiction. The Scriptures comfort, convict, and correct. They guide and enlighten, inspire and encourage. They equip and instruct us how to live godly lives. As the people of God, we are dependent upon the Word of God for our spiritual well-being. The Scriptures are to be non-optional in the life of the believer. But Bible knowledge is not to be our ultimate goal. Knowledge of the Scriptures is a means to an end. “God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17 NLT). The Word of God is intended to reveal the will of God so that we might accomplish the work of God. Satan doesn’t fear our knowledge of Scripture. He fears when we apply it to our lives and allow it to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

Father, Your Word is essential to living the Christian life. But it can be so easy to treat it as an optional part of day. Too often we leave it out and then wonder why we don’t sense Your power and feel a nagging need to know Your will. Make us a people of the Word. Draw us into to it daily. But don’t just let us study it to increase our own knowledge and impress others. Help us to apply its truths to our daily lives and live in obedience to its commands.  Amen.

Ken Miller Grow Pastor
& Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Timothy 2:15-26

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Ready, Willing and Faithful.

2 Timothy 2:15-26

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. – 2 Timothy 2:21 NLT

As stated earlier, a big part of Paul’s letter to Timothy focused on the topic of faithfulness – God’s faithfulness to man and man’s faithfulness to God. Here Paul reminded Timothy to be a “good worker” – someone who could be depended upon to do the right thing and to do it well. Rather than seek the approval of men, Timothy was to work diligently and faithfully, so that one day he might stand before God and receive His approval, having no cause for shame or regret. That meant that Timothy had to live his life from an eternal perspective, recognizing that his future reward was far more significant than any earthly praise or promotion he might receive.

Paul put a high priority on Timothy’s ability to accurately handle the teaching of the truth of God’s Word. Like a dedicated and diligent worker, he must take painstaking precautions in teaching and defending the truth. He could not afford to give it his own spin or place on it his own perspective. The Word of God was not to be subjective and open to interpretation. God had an intended meaning and purpose behind it, and a faithful worker would take the time to understand what God was saying and teach accordingly. This was essential for Timothy to know because he found himself surrounded by false teachers who were twisting the truth of God and, unwittingly, leading people into ungodliness. Paul mentioned two of these people by name, and clearly articulated their crime: They had been teaching that the resurrection of the dead had already taken place. They had misunderstood the truth regarding the future reality of the bodily resurrection of the dead and spiritualized it to mean that believers were already resurrected with Christ and that all of the blessings that come with salvation were to be experienced in this life. Rather than focus of a future of the resurrection and the reality of heaven, they were teaching that you could have “Your Best Life Now.” It would seem that this was the first incarnation of the prosperity gospel. These two men, through a misunderstanding of the truth of God, were wrongly encouraging believers to see the Gospel as nothing more than a quick fix to all of life’s problems. This kind of talk was worthless and foolish, leading only to godless behavior. But a faithful worker would remain faithful to God’s truth, teaching only what He intended, regardless of what others might want to hear.

Paul quotes from two Old Testament passages in order to assure Timothy that God knows His own. He recognizes His own children and one of the distinguishing characteristics of a child of God is godly, not godless, behavior. If we belong to Him, our lives should reflect that reality. Paul used the metaphor of household vessels to further convey the idea that within the church there are faithful and unfaithful Christians. Paul stated that in a wealthy home there could be found vessels of all kinds, some made of gold and silver, and some made of wood and clay. The more expensive vessels were reserved for special occasions, while the more common vessels were for everyday use. But in either case, purity and cleanliness were prerequisites for usefulness. A dirty gold pitcher was of no more use than a contaminated clay pot. The key to usefulness was cleanliness. “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 NLT). The specialness of the utensil was not based on the material from which it was made, but on its purity. Those within the church who saw themselves as gold vessels because of their position as teachers, but who falsely proclaimed the word of truth, were actually defiled and unusable by God.

Purity meant everything, so Paul warned Timothy, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts” (2 Timothy 2:22 NLT). Timothy was to pursue a life of righteousness, faithfulness, love and peace, and surround himself with those who shared the same desire. Paul was not telling Timothy to avoid the false teachers like a plague or read them the riot act, but to “gently instruct those who oppose the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25 NLT). As Timothy pursued a life of godliness and remained faithful to the truth of God, he would be equipped to handle all those, both inside and outside of the church, who stood in the way of the Gospel and its message. Timothy’s faithfulness would equip him to deal with the unfaithful and the faithless in a loving and Christlike way.

Father, if there was ever a time when faithfulness to the truth of Your Word was needed, it is now. There is so much falsehood and subjective information being taught as truth. Even within the church, there are those who misunderstand and misapply Your Word so that it ends up leading Your people astray. The Gospel has been altered to such a degree that it no longer looks like the same message that Paul preached. Call Your people back to the truth of Your Word. May we learn to be faithful to Your truth and not some version of our own. May we be pure vessels, ready for You to use to pour out Your message of hope, love and mercy to the world around us. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Timothy 2:1-14

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Passing the Mantle.

2 Timothy 2:1-14

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.. – 2 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT

Paul was a man who was passionate about his calling and totally realistic about his situation. He was in prison in Jerusalem yet again, facing trial and the distinct possibility of losing his life. And while Paul felt like he had much work yet to accomplish for the Kingdom of God, he had to recognize that his days on this earth were numbered. So he began to focus his attention on men like Timothy, attempting to prepare and train them to carry on the work of spreading the Gospel and caring for the growing family of God. Paul encouraged Timothy to take all that he had him teach and pass it on to others. He wanted Timothy to find other “trustworthy people” with whom he could share the Gospel message and the truths regarding life as a Christ-follower.

The ministry to which Timothy had been called was not going to be easy. He had to have the mindset of a soldier, complete with a sense of dedication and a determination to persevere under trial, seeing his work as a form of spiritual warfare. Like a soldier, Timothy’s life was going to require focus and a freedom from distraction, even from the good things of life. “Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them” (2 Timothy 2:4 NLT). Like Paul, Timothy answered to a higher authority, the Sovereign God of the universe. He was enlisted into Kingdom service by God Himself and was to remain faithful to his King and his calling at all times. Paul reminded Timothy that a runner in a race must compete according to the rules if he wants to win. He can’t bend the rules or shorten the course in an attempt to gain victory unfairly or unethically. Winning is impossible without obedience, just as fruitfulness is impossible with diligent, faithful work. It is the farmer who works hard all year long who gets to enjoy the fruit of his labor at harvest time.

At this point in his letter, Paul made an interesting shift from Timothy and his responsibilities, to the life of Jesus. He refers to the Lord as Jesus Christ, the only place in all of his letters where he arranged His names in that order. It would seem that he was attempting to emphasize the humanity of Christ. He was Jesus the man and the Messiah. Paul tells Timothy, “Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach” (2 Timothy 2:8 NLT). Jesus was a descendant of David and heir to the throne of Israel. He was also the Messiah of Israel. And yet He had to suffer and die. In order for Jesus to be raised from the dead, He first had to go through the agony and pain of the crucifixion. He had to endure separation from His Heavenly Father. And it was the reality of Jesus’ suffering, death, and ultimate resurrection that formed the basis for the Good News that Paul preached. It was the reason for which he suffered and for which he was willing to endure anything in order for its message to “bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen” (2 Timothy 2:10 NLT). In referring to “those God has chosen,” the “elect” in other translations, it would seem that Paul is calling Timothy to endure hardship in order that those who have come to faith in Christ might grow in Christ. In other words, Paul is charging Timothy to see to it that the body of Christ is cared for and that he sees to its spiritual growth.

Paul included what appears to be a poem or song that may have been part of a hymn in the early church. It carried a message that called believers in Christ to live lives of faithfulness.

If we die with him,
    we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship,
    we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
    he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful,
    he remains faithful,
    for he cannot deny who he is. (2 Timothy 2:11-13 NLT)

It is a reminder to live our lives in light of the reality of the resurrection. In salvation, our old nature was crucified with Christ. But one day, we will also experience resurrection and eternal life with Him. This is the same point Paul made in his letter to the Romans. “And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.” (Romans 6:8-9 NLT). Paul includes a sobering warning to remain faithful. Christ’s faithfulness is unwavering and is not based on our own faithfulness. He is unchanging and His faithfulness is part of His character as God. So, in light of Christ’s consistent and constant faithfulness to man, Paul challenged Timothy to live his life faithfully in return. Not only that, he was to call the people of God to faithfulness as well. Denial or rejection of Christ was unacceptable. Unfaithfulness was unthinkable. In view of all that Christ had done – His coming to earth as a man, His suffering at the hands of man, His death on behalf of man, and His resurrection to make possible the restoration of man – Paul saw no other response than a life of faithful, loving, grateful service to God in return.

Father, this life is not easy. It sometimes requires difficulty and suffering. But Your Son suffered on my behalf. He died so that I might live. He was raised again so that I might know that there is life beyond the one I experience on this earth. Help me keep my focus on eternity. Help me remember the unfailing faithfulness of Christ so that I might live faithfully in this life. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Timothy 1

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The Faithfulness of God.

2 Timothy 1

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT

Nero was on the throne in Rome. Paul was in prison yet again, after having enjoyed a brief time of freedom. Every Christian was persona non grata having been falsely accused by Nero for the burning of Rome in 62 A.D. Timothy, Paul’s young disciple was more than likely still ministering in Ephesus when this letter arrived. Unlike many of Paul’s other letters, this one is deeply personal rather than theological. Paul’s intent was to encourage Timothy in his work as a minister of the Gospel, but also to persuade his young friend to come visit him in Rome. He greatly desired to see Timothy again, referring to him as “his beloved child (1:2). “I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again” (2 Timothy 1:4 NLT). There is an intimacy to this letter that makes it like no other that Paul wrote.

The basic theme of Paul’s letter to Timothy was faithfulness, beginning with the faithfulness of God. This was what kept Paul going, despite his less-than-pleasant circumstances. “And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:11-12 NLT). Paul was confident in his calling, but he was also confident in the promise of Christ’s return. God would be faithful to fulfill His promise by sending back His Son to gather His people and take them to be with Him. But this letter was also a reminder to Timothy of Paul’s own faithfulness and a call to Timothy to remain faithful as well. Paul would also stress the need for all followers of Christ to remain faithful in whatever circumstance of situation they encountered.

Paul started out by commending Timothy’s faith which had been passed on to him by his mother and grandmother. He encouraged Timothy to “fan the flame” of the spiritual gift given to him at his ordination. Paul wanted Timothy to actively use and perfect his God-given ability. There was no time to relax or to grow complacent. Timothy’s gift had not left him, but a gift unused becomes wasted and ineffective. He was not to be timid or fearful, but bold in his efforts for the Gospel, living a life marked by power, love, and self-discipline. Under the current circumstances, it would have been easy for Timothy to grow weary, give up and throw in the towel. His faith was under test, and Paul wanted him to pass with flying colors. But to do so, he would have to remember his faith, recall and rely on his Spiritual gift, refuse to be ashamed of the Gospel message, and be ready and willing to suffer for its sake. Paul reminded Timothy, “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT). Paul’s faith was in God. He fully trusted his Heavenly Father to accomplish His will through him, regardless of the seemingly negative circumstances in which Paul found himself. Paul would not recant his faith in God because God remained faithful to him. He wanted Timothy to stay the course and remain strong, keeping his faith focused on the faithfulness of God.

Paul called Timothy to carefully guard the truth that had been entrusted to him. He had been given the privilege of being a minister and messenger of the Gospel. Finding himself in difficult circumstances and under constant pressure to give up, it would have been easy for Timothy to throw in the towel and compromise his faith and convictions. He was a young man facing extreme conditions and under tremendous pressure to keep the church pure, while modeling a life of faithfulness and moral integrity. Living as a Christian in a hostile world was never intended to be easy. It requires that we remain focused on the faithfulness of God, never forgetting that He has not yet completely His plan of redemption. Our salvation, while completely paid for by Christ, is not yet completed. This world is not our final destination. Yet, if we’re not careful, we will tend to think that this is all there is, and expect all of God’s blessings to show up in this life. Paul was in prison. His circumstances were far from perfect, but his faith was unwavering. He knew that his suffering was all part of God’s divine plan, and that there was a rhyme and reason to it all. Faith in the faithfulness of God is what will give us the strength and endurance to weather the storms of life. He is not done yet. We can fully trust Him to finish what He has begun. Our salvation will one day be completed with our glorification. We will be fully and completely transformed into the likeness of Christ, experiencing for the first time what it means to be fully sinless and totally righteous. That future promise should motivate us to endure the difficulties of this life. The Good News of Jesus Christ reminds us of the reality of new life now, and eternal life to come. “And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News” (2 Timothy 1:10 NLT).

Father, You are faithful. You can be trusted to complete what You have begun. And while things around me may appear difficult and formidable, You are in no way limited by my circumstances. Your plan is perfect and Your power to bring it about is limitless. Help me to live a life of faith based on Your unwavering faithfulness. Keep me focused on You and not my circumstances. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org