Written ~ 10-31-2024
Read 2 Timothy Chapter Two
2 Timothy 2
As we study the Book of 2 Timothy I will continue to remind you that this letter to Timothy are the last words Paul will write before he was executed. So be reminded as you read this letter, the urgency in Paul’s heart, think about Timothy as he read these words, treasuring them in his heart. When you picture those things in your mind it can make the meaning of this letter all the more endearing, but also makes what Paul says all the more important. We must sit up, wake up and pay attention. Without doubt, what Paul is teaching Timothy in his letters to him, applies to us today.
Let’s begin looking at what Paul needs to get through Timothy’s heart and mind… it would be good for us to have the same attentive heart as Timothy would have had while reading these final words of Paul.
2 Timothy 2:1-7…
1 “Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.”
This is how I would summarize these first few verses…
“Timothy, my dear son, be strong…teach these truths…endure suffering…be a good soldier of Christ Jesus…and understand all these things.”
When Paul told Timothy to “be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus,” that means we should put all of our trust in the Lord and draw on His strength as we walk through this life. Paul doesn’t just say “be strong” and end it with that, no he encourages us to be strong through Christ’s strength. We can never achieve what God wants us to do in life if we rely solely on our own strength.
One of the responsibilities we have as believers is to spread the Good News message. Teach others about Christ. That doesn’t mean it has to be a technical sermon, it can be a casual conversation which is focused around the truth of Jesus. That’s how news gets spread, very quickly. When one person tells another person, with enthusiasm, everything Christ has done for them, that enthusiasm, that Good News will spread. That’s how the message of who Jesus is gets out to all people!
When Paul warns about how we will endure suffering for Christ, it might be that you haven’t experienced any kind of suffering like that. Certainly most of us can’t imagine being imprisoned for speaking about the love of Jesus. But this is a real threat in the world, even today. Christians are persecuted in varying degrees of hardship all over the world. Here’s the challenge for us today… if we aren’t being persecuted in any way, could it be that we aren’t showing the world who Jesus is? When Paul talks about being a good soldier for Christ… that doesn’t mean we are to be rigid in the way we live. But it does mean we are to be disciplined, we need to have the type of daily regime that prepares us for battle. Praying, reading and studying Scripture and telling others about Christ. We aren’t to engage in the things of this world that take our focus off of Christ. By following the rules that are meticulously laid out in the Bible, it’s through that diligent and unwavering obedience, that will cause us to see the fruit of our labor!
When we are learning the Word of God, sometimes it can be overwhelming! There is a lot to study and learn. But I love that Paul says in verse 2:7, “The Lord will help you understand these things.” If we try in our own human effort to understand every mystery of the Bible, we might get frustrated and not continue with our study. So we must rely on the Lord to teach us, to bring understanding to our hearts and minds.
2 Timothy 2:8-14…
8 “Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the Word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
11 This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with Him,
we will also live with Him.
12 If we endure hardship,
we will reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He will deny us.
13 If we are unfaithful,
He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny who He is.
14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.”
No matter how many times throughout history the Bible and its message has been scoffed and ridiculed and its messengers persecuted and killed, it keeps on going, the message of Jesus Christ carries on! So even if the messenger of God’s Word winds up in chains, “The Word of God cannot be chained!” Those words right there prove that the Bible you have in your hand right now will not only carry on through your lifetime, but through each and every generation after you! And because of that fact alone, we should be confident in its message!
The “trustworthy saying” Paul gives us in verses 2:11-13 is packed full of truth! In a nutshell…It’s everything we need to remember. We live and die for Christ, we will endure hardship but we will also reign! Denial goes both ways, but unfaithfulness does not. Be faithful to a faithful God, do not deny who He is.
When arguments and debates about “words” is what leads people away from their faith in Christ, Paul is quite adamant that Timothy be bold and command those who are involved in such behavior “to stop.” Period. We need to do the same thing! As hard as that might be, when a discussion about Scripture turns into an argument over minute details and the meanings of insignificant words, it’s at that moment that conversation needs to be halted and the focus must be brought back to the basic foundation of our Salvation.
2 Timothy 2:15-17a…
15 “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer…”
Do you work hard for the Lord? Do you seek to receive His approval in everything you do? Are you a good worker? Do you think of all the ways you can reach people with the Gospel message? Do you seek to explain the Word of Truth correctly? Are you ashamed of voicing the truth of Jesus through your actions and the words that come out of your mouth?
Paul says that if you are speaking anything other than the Word of the Lord, you are speaking worthless and foolish talk. Be warned here, that if your behavior is leading towards an ungodly path, those watching you or listening to the words that come out of your mouth will follow your lead. When verse 2:17a says, “this kind of talk spreads like a cancer…” does that statement resemble your lifestyle? Do you continue to walk in sinful behavior and through a godless lifestyle you are spreading cancer? Or do you spread the Gospel message in EVERYTHING you do and bring healing? Are you the cause of someone turning away from faith in Jesus Christ because of the wishy-washy way you live your Christian life? Or are you drawing people in, leading them to Christ because your light shines so brightly?
2 Timothy 2:19…
19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there was a transformation in your heart and life, you are now the Lord’s and He knows you by name! The Lord knows you! Having that assurance we should run from evil, we belong to the Lord, we must turn from evil.
2 Timothy 2:22…
22 “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.”
I loved what the Life Application Study Bible said about this verse…
- Running away is sometimes considered cowardly. But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation can often be the most courageous action to take. Timothy, a young man, was warned to run from anything that produced evil thoughts. Do you have a recurring temptation that you find difficult to resist? Remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin. Knowing when to run is as important in spiritual battle as knowing when and how to fight. 1 Timothy 6:11-12a says, “…run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith…”
When we surround ourselves with godless people, the activities and attitudes we entertain could easily become godless as well. When our companionships are with other believers, like minded Christians, our conversations will honor the Lord, we can challenge one another to keep our hearts pure.
2 Timothy 2:23-26…
23 “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”
Many of us know someone or have encountered someone who does not believe the truth of Jesus Christ or believe there is a God in Heaven who created all things. Their ideologies are set firm with what they want to believe and there doesn’t seem to be any other way of convincing them otherwise. We are reminded in this Scripture that it doesn’t do any good to be argumentative, it’s not going to bring someone to Christ by trying to pound the truth into them. In verse 2:25b it says, “Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.”
God knows the state of that person’s heart and He will be the one to soften and change their heart. When we want to push and maybe confront those who don’t want to believe, the Lord says stop, don’t quarrel, don’t get into arguments. It may be time to completely let go and let God take over this person’s soul, we should no longer feel it is our sole responsibility to “save” that person. It can be difficult, the patience needed must come from the Lord. Why is it difficult? Because we want, so badly, for that person to know the love, peace, and joy of the Lord for their lives! For me personally, it’s super difficult, because I have never known anything different but to love the Lord and know He died on the cross for the sin of the world and that God himself created the world and everything in it with His own breath, His own words. So, it’s hard for me to understand how someone couldn’t or doesn’t want to believe the same way as I do. It really breaks my heart when I see someone not grasp onto the truth for themselves.
God may choose to open their hearts, it just may not be up to us to get through to them. If God does choose to change their hearts, verse 2:26a says, “Then they will come to their senses…”
Isn’t it true when you speak to someone whose heart has been so hardened that there is no getting through to them, that you just can’t make sense of their disbelief? It’s because their minds and their hearts are not open, they aren’t making sense to us because our minds and our hearts have been opened, we know the truth and want them to know it as well. Verse 2:26b gives further explanation as to why they can’t see, hear, or understand the truth, it says that when they come to their sense it’s then they will, “…escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”
It’s a scary thought, isn’t it? That the reason some people will not turn their hearts to Jesus is because the enemy, the devil has twisted the truth, told so many lies, that its delusion has become a reality in that person’s heart and mind. They have fallen into a trap and will need extraordinary, supernatural help to get out.
If all we can do is pray for someone’s Salvation, then we should do it with great diligence, make it a part of our constant prayer. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.
Because Paul knew the trap of the enemy was all too real, he was adamant when he told Timothy to “be strong…teach these truths…endure suffering…be a good soldier of Christ Jesus…and understand all these things.”
All of us need to really hear the words of Paul, press them into our hearts and minds. To be a good worker for the Lord and to present ourselves to God to receive His approval should be our highest goal!
Join me next time as we continue this final letter from Paul.
And may God bless all the work you are doing to further His Kingdom.
~AMEN~