Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David,
was raised from the dead.
Perhaps no other New Testament book or letter
reflects the impact of the resurrection of Christ in the life of God’s people
as does this last of Paul’s letters.
Written in the difficult days of his final imprisonment, not long before
tradition says he died in the Roman Coliseum, we see God’s man sustained by,
and seeking to sustain others by, the truths based in the resurrection of
Christ.
The letter is written to Timothy, Paul’s
younger but long-time associate. Paul
realizes he is about to die. The work of
Christ in building His church will go on.
This is an issue that every faithful servant of God must reckon with: who
will carry on faithfully what God has been doing through my life? Will these others persevere? Will the increasing sinfulness in the world
be too much for those I love and have prayed for and to whom I have ministered?
In the first chapter, having reminded Timothy
of the faithful people in his past (v3-7), Paul reminds him of what Jesus did:
He abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel (v8-12). Timothy must not be ashamed of the gospel of
Christ for it is man’s only hope. And
powerful hope it is! Death is no longer
the fearful enemy for those who believe the gospel.
In chapter 2 Paul again speaks of the
resurrection of Christ (v8) in the context of Timothy’s need to remain
disciplined in his walk (v1-7). Paul’s
own example (v8-10) speaks of faithfulness in the face of affliction. What else is there but the hope of the
resurrection that will encourage believers to serve Christ when their very
lives are on the line? Thus Paul also warns
Timothy to be on the lookout for those who would destroy hope by denying our
future resurrection (v14-19).
From 2:20-4:5 is one of the greatest passages
on the centrality of the Bible, the Word of God, in the ministry of the
Church. Paul’s life is almost over;
Timothy too will some day pass. But what
must be constant is God’s Word. The Word
is God-breathed and thus eternal, unchanging, and infallible. With the Word Timothy is to reprove others
and to make it the substance of His preaching and teaching. He himself must be diligent to study so that
he might please God.
In the closing verses of chapter 4 we see a
personal side of Paul that should be a part of every believer’s anticipation of
eternity. Because Paul had ordered his
life to do so (Acts 20:24) he has finished the work God gave him to do. He has been faithful! He anticipates seeing Christ. And he does not leave life bitter about those
who have not been faithful to him. How
will we leave this life?
This is the legacy of a man who has true hope
beyond this life. He is not naïve about
the reality of death. He rather has a
faith for tomorrow that is in the One who abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel.
Friend, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the
dead!
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