2 Timothy 2:8-13

How can we live faithfully as Christians?  One essential answer to that question is that we must be able to look back and ahead at the same time.  We are not advocating some sort of spiritual strabismus (where the eyes don’t line up).  Actually, to use the eye disease illustration …

·        Some folks are myopic (nearsighted), unable to see beyond the moment.  They are open to discouragement because they have no confidence about the unknowns of the future; there is nothing to tell them that today’s trials are temporary and beneficial.

 ·        Others are hyperopic (farsighted), unable to see anything but the future.  Sometimes we say they are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.  They are just waiting for Christ to come; they seem to have little urgency about their daily lives.

 ·        And then there are those who are simply hind-sighted (not sure there’s a scientific word for that).  They are always looking back at the good ole days, the way we’ve always done it and convinced if it was good enough for mom and dad it’s good enough for me.  

So here is the point.  All of these, in the spiritual realm, are necessary to a healthy person.  It is true for all people: if we do not have confidence about what comes after this life we are hopeless and thus prone to either despair or to the constant search for validation in life.  Thus Paul gives us a faithful saying.  God will keep His word.  If we died with Christ (Rom. 6:5,8, identified with Him in His death) then we will live with Him (John 5:24; we have passed from death to life).  If we endure in this life (overcome) we will reign with Him (Rev. 2:26; 3:21).  Likewise, if we deny Christ in this life He will deny us.  Our faithlessness will not alter God’s faithfulness; He will keep His word (Matt. 10:33).

But how can we know this is true?  The answer is to look back; remember that Jesus Christ … was raised from the dead.  As we have already noted (2 Tim. 1:8-12) our future is based on His resurrection when He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  It is this combination of far-sight and hind-sight that enables us to see clearly what is in our path today.   

Look at Paul.  His day, in a Roman prison, was a day of suffering trouble, a day of chains.  But it was also a day of living for the gospel.  He endured the hardships because he remembered Jesus Christ … raised from the dead.  Jesus was God in the flesh who was of the seed of David; He endured to death.  His death and resurrection were and are the gospel, the good news for sinful men.  Paul knew what we can know: if we live our lives for Christ we will live after we die, and if we live our lives for the gospel we will be eternally significant.  

Let us ask God to heal our eyes that we might see Jesus clearly!

2 Timothy 2:1-7 (2)

How can we live faithfully as Christians?  It will help immensely if we are doing what it is that Jesus called us to do.  We tire ourselves out if we are doing more than we should or things that don’t really contribute to our assigned task.

Paul’s charge to Timothy is fully in sync with Jesus’ command or commission to His disciples.  Jesus charged them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them … teaching them (Matt. 28:19-20).  Disciples making disciples is the plan with the process involving the public expression of faith through baptism and the faithful teaching of all things that He commanded.  Another way of saying this is: the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  Paul is talking about the pattern of sound words (1:13) as the content that is to be passed on.

Paul uses three illustrations that help us see how we are to do the ministry Christ has given to each of us.

·        You might have thought the illustration of the soldier was going to be encouragement to fight hard.  But instead it is used to tell us we must be focused on our commanding officer.  We are not to allow ourselves to be doing other things so that we are not available to Him when He directs us.  Clearly this goes to the issue of faithfulness; our work needs to be the work of Christ.  Good things cannot be allowed to take the place of the best things.  Acts 20:24 gives a powerful illustration of how Paul applied this principle.

·        Paul often used the illustration of the athlete.  In 1 Cor. 9:24-27 he uses it to encourage discipline and that might be the sense in our passage.  However the reference to the rules probably means you have to run the race or play the game properly.  In our ministry this fits since we must do it properly.  For example, Paul said that he did not use flattery so as to get more money from people; he did not try to please men; and he did not teach that which was in error or deceitful (1 Thess. 2:1-12).  That kind of ministry lends itself to unfaithfulness and would not have allowed him to finish well.

·        The farmer reminds us of something vital in the area of faithfulness.  We should not be surprised if we do not see immediate fruit in our ministry.  It is typical that planting and watering must be done and then there must be time for plants to grow.  It is the same in ministry.  Jesus says we were chosen to bear fruit that remains (John 15:16).  We will be helped in the matter of faithfulness if we remember that God gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6-7).

Jesus promised that as we carry out the ministry He commands to be done that He will be with us (Matt. 28:19-20).  Let us, like our Lord, be able to say at the end of our lives, I have glorified You on the earth.  I have finished the work which You have given Me to do (John 17:4).

2 Timothy 2:1-7 (1)

How can we live faithfully as Christians?  One thing for sure: we will not be faithful if we try to do it in our own strength.  Another thing for sure: we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).  Or another way to say it: we can be faithful if we are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  

These two verses are monumental.  That’s the best word I can think of at the moment.  What I mean is: they give us two grand themes as to the nature of ministry and the means to get it done.  Let us consider them in the order in which they come, which is itself instructive.  Before reminding Timothy of what he is to do (v2) Paul commands him with respect to the source of his power, which is the same as the source of his life in Christ Jesus.

Be strong in grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

·        Every word here is critical.  Our service must be carried out by grace.  That means grace is not simply a grand theological term.  It empowers us in service.  As Paul said elsewhere, I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Cor. 15:10).  That statement is quite similar to Gal. 2:20: Nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me.  We are saved by grace when we believe the gospel of God’s grace.  Remember it was grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Tim. 1:9).  This is the grace that makes us sufficient for every trial (2 Cor. 12:9).  This is the grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).  Paul does not tell Timothy he has been saved by grace and now needs more grace to serve Christ.  He tells him to be strong in the grace he already has in Christ Jesus.

·        How do we do that?  That’s a fine question to ask but don’t get confused.  It is not by the sacraments and I say that for those whose churches speak of this.  A sacrament is an action taken by which we receive grace.  But we are not needing to receive more grace; being in Christ Jesus ourselves we need only to strengthen our life in Him.  The answer to the “how” question is that we abide in Christ, what He taught His disciples in John 15 as to the essence of their relationship with Him.  Certainly we can say that people who are strong in grace are people who pray, who spend time in the word, who are joined in fellowship, who walk in obedience and so forth.  But it is not because those things bring us grace; it is because those things are the essence of our relationship with Christ.  In the matter of ministry here are Jesus words: He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15:6-8).