2 Timothy 4:1-8 – The Gospel must be preached

For some 30 years, Paul had labored as an evangelist or a pastor without taking a break. At this point, he was very close to being martyred. What he wrote here consists of some of the most stirring calls to faithful service to the Lord’s Gospel. One cannot read them without being challenged to a life of diligent service.

In the first five verses, Paul, like a commander in the Lord, was giving Timothy the order to preach the Word. By extension, this order is also made to us. By the Word, Paul was referring to the Gospel. Verse 2 outlines the call and it is a serious call to preach the Word. In what manner should Timothy go about preaching? Firstly, he was to preach the Word with urgency. It must be preached in and out of season, meaning at all times. Secondly, he was to preach it relevantly. To be relevant, he would need to reprove and rebuke at times but he must exhort too. Not only must the preaching be urgent and relevant, it must also, thirdly, be delivered patiently. Finally, it must be preached instructively.

In verse 1 and verses 3-8, we see the basis for the call to preach the Word. Knowing the timid and diffident Timothy, Paul now adds to his command the incentive why he should boldly preach the Word. Firstly, he told him to do it because of Christ’s soon coming. This charge he made was not from Paul himself, but in the presence of God and Jesus Christ. The emphasis of this first verse is on the soon coming of Jesus Christ. He will be appearing not just personally but also visibly. And when He appears, He will be judging the living and the dead, and then the Kingdom reign will be consummated. In the light of His soon appearing, Timothy must preach the Word urgently.

Secondly, in verses 3-5, he told him to do it because of the current state of affairs in men and their surroundings. Paul anticipated a time when the situation would deteriorate. Men would have no desire for sound doctrines. They would crave for things that are amusing and pleasant to hear. They would only go after teachers that would cater and pander to their desires.  Men would wander from the truth and go for misleading myths. Seen in the context of people with such wandering tendencies, the different stances in preaching, described in verse 2, become necessary components of preaching. In preaching, Timothy must reprove, rebuke and exhort with patience to instruct.

Thirdly, in verses 6-8, he told him to do it because of the apostle’s impending martyrdom. Here he used two illustrations to describe his impending death. He saw his life first as a drink offering about to be poured onto the altar. Secondly, he saw his death as a departure, like a ship ready to set sail for another shore. So in three expressions, he talked about his ministry for the past 30 years: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course and I have kept the faith. In all the three pursuits, Paul was faithful to the very end. All he was looking forward to was the prize, the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to him at the judgment day. This crown will also be given to all who love His appearing. The Righteous Judge is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The call to share the Gospel is not just given to Timothy but to everyone, to all of us who have chosen to call Jesus our Lord. The Great Commission is an imperative, it is a command. It is not a request. It says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

2 Timothy 3:10-17 – Faithful to the end

Despite the dismal morals, the empty show of religion and the advancement of false teachings, Timothy was to be different. In motivating him to remain faithful, Paul reminded him of how he had followed the aged apostle, and was familiar with his teachings and conduct.

The word “followed” is in the past tense and is used in the sense that as a disciple, Timothy had been following Paul’s teachings, accepted them and applying, practicing and emulating his way of living. Paul had taught the truth and lived an exemplary life. Having been with him, Timothy had thus seen and emulated his conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecution and suffering. Paul also cited how the Lord had delivered him from intense persecution at three places – Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. Timothy had known them all. He then warned Timothy by way of reminder that all who desire to live a godly life in Jesus Christ would be persecuted. On the opposite end, evil men and imposters would advance from bad to worse, and would continue to deceive others as they themselves would continue to be deceived.

While the mischief-makers would advance in their evil, Timothy was told to continue in the things he had learned. He was to remain in the truth, the Gospel message that he had learned from Paul, and be convinced of it. Paul reminded Timothy that since childhood he was acquainted with the sacred writings, the Old Testament writings which were taught to him presumably by his mother and grand-mother. He wanted Timothy to know that those things he had taught him were not in contradiction with what he had learned from the sacred writings. In fact, they were in harmony. The sacred writings would give wisdom leading to salvation by faith in Christ Jesus.

In verse 16, he used two words – “All Scripture …” – to refer to the sacred writings. In two verses (vv.16-17), Paul showed the origin and purpose of the Scriptures. In Paul’s reckoning, his all Scripture consists of just the Old Testament, because the New Testament was not compiled yet. But today, when we mention the “Scripture,” we are referring to the whole Bible, that contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Paul tells us that God is the originator of all Scripture. He inspired them to be written, thus they are profitable. They will definitely benefit all who study them. All Scripture is given for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. It will guide His people on how to live their lives. It will reprove and reveal to them when and where they have gone wrong. It will correct by showing them the right direction and what are the necessary adjustments to make. And it will train them to have a righteous life that will ensure a right standing with God. God has given this Scripture, His Word, to train and equip His people for every good work.

Let’s be faithful in our walk and diligently study the inspired Word of God, and become the godly man and woman that God intends for us to be. Let’s make it our goal! 

2 Timothy 3:1-9 – Dealing with heretics and heresies

While Timothy was timid, diffident and reticent, the tasks Paul entrusted to him were Herculean. The false teachers and their teachings were marching on relentlessly. Timothy was probably at a point where he became passive and hoped that with the passing of time, the situation would get better. Here, Paul set out to paint the bleak situation to Timothy. He wanted him to know that the situation would not become better as he had hoped, but instead would go from bad to worse. He did it to stir Timothy into action. 

Although Timothy already knew that the false teachers and their erroneous teachings were gaining in momentum, Paul still felt the necessity to highlight to him. In verse 1 when Paul said, “But realize this …,” he did it to emphasize to Timothy that opposition to the truth was not a temporary situation, but a permanent feature. The phrase “… in the last days …” is not referring to some future days. Paul used it in the way that was predominantly understood in the days of the New Testament. This phrase is referring to the whole period between Christ’s ascension and His second coming. Hence, Paul was not talking about something that would happen in the future; he was talking about the existing conditions. And since he wanted Timothy to be able to identify the false teachers, he gave details about them. He described their characteristics (verses 2-4), their religious emptiness (verse 5) and their mistaken zeal in spreading their errors (verses 6-9).

Verses 2-4 show us 18 characteristics of these false teachers. Each of these characteristics is self-explanatory and does not require further elaboration. These false teachers display themselves as lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceitedness and lovers of pleasure.

The emptiness of the false teachers’ religion and confession are clearly defined in verse 5. Such people hold on “... to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.” What does it mean? They are simply people who possess an outward form of religious piety, but devoid of inward reality and experience. They confess religion but have no morals; they claim to have faith but it does not result in action. Such men should be avoided, so said Paul.

Paul went on to describe their zeal in propagating their mistaken piety in verses 6-9. These false teachers had a network of people who would go around canvassing their brand of false religion. From the way Paul described their operation, one gets the impression that they were very covert and clandestine in mold. Some of them would stealthily worm themselves into unsuspecting households, seeking to captivate weak women. Their victims were weighed down with sins and led by various impulses. The ways these women were being described show that they were not only silly but also idle, and had questionable morals, unstable emotions and were easily swayed. These false teachers also had zeal to know more and were always learning, but never had any strong and firm conviction about the truth.

Paul brought up two names, Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses. Although the Old Testament text did not mention their names, the Jewish tradition indicates that they were the Egyptian magicians of Pharaoh mentioned in Exodus 7:11. The bogus teachers of Ephesus were like those two magicians. They were merely impostors and deceivers that opposed the truth, just as the magicians opposed the truth of Moses. Paul here also rejected these false teachers, whom he said had corrupt minds, although they claimed to have knowledge. Their faith had been proven to be spurious and they would not make further progress. Why? Like the obvious folly of Jannes and Jambres, so also would the folly of the false teachers be obvious to all.

The lessons we take from these verses underscore again the importance to hold fast to the truth. Elsewhere in the Bible, we are called to live it, teach it and spread it. We need to live in a culture of truth to demonstrate that we, the church, is truly a transformed community.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 – On being the Lord’s servant

 In these four verses, Paul used the illustration of the Lord’s servant to encourage Timothy to excel in the ministry. From the vessel in the household, he now changed it to refer to the servant in the house of God. Paul’s context was that useless debates and excessive arguments would breed quarrels. 

With that in mind, he outlined four fundamental characteristics of the Lord’s servant. Firstly, the servant must be gentle, having a gracious spirit that is not quarrelsome. Secondly, he must be kind to all, always treating others with kindness. Thirdly, he must be able to teach and be skillful at imparting the truth. Finally, the servant must be patient when wronged; he must be forbearing and gently correct.

The goal of ministry toward the wayward should be restorative, always seeking to help them repent and come to the knowledge of the truth. It should assist them to be free from the crutches of the devil and from the sway of doing Satan’s bidding.

We need to shine for the glory of God as we serve Him. In our service, bear in mind that the important issue is not what we do when everyone is looking but what we do when no one else is looking. Let’s bear in mind that ultimately how God values us is more important than how men value us! 

2 Timothy 2:20-22 – A vessel of honor

In these verses, Paul used the illustration of a vessel to challenge Timothy to be effective. He described a great house that is filled with vessels. These vessels are made for different functions. In fact, there are essentially two kinds of vessels: those made of gold and silver and those made of wood and clay.

The great house is the church and the vessels are the workers. Some workers are fit for honorable uses, while others for dishonorable uses. Now verse 21 says, "If a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

What does “these things” mean? What was Paul referring to? In verse 16, he talked about worldly and empty chatters that lead to more ungodliness and, in verse 19, the wickedness. One implied doctrinal error and the other implied moral decay. A vessel of honor, fit for the Master’s use must be cleansed from these doctrinal and moral filth. Hence, he told Timothy to flee from youthful lusts. This is not necessarily referring to sexual lusts. It is most likely to be the wayward tendencies of a youth.

Timothy was to pursue four positive qualities:  righteousness, faith, love and peace. Together with those who remained faithful to the Lord, he must also call on Him with a pure heart.  Like Timothy, let’s heed the call of Paul to live in such a way that we become God’s vessels of honor!

2 Timothy 2:14-19 – Being an unashamed workman

In this section, Paul returned to give three more factors to challenge Timothy to be effective in ministry. He used three more metaphors to motivate him: the illustration of the unashamed workman; the clean vessel; and the Lord’s servant. In these verses. Paul dealt with the quality of an unashamed workman

In calling for Timothy to be a workman for God, Paul was telling him as well as us today, that a workman handles the word of truth. However, he also reveals that there are two types of workmen for God: the good and unashamed workmen and the bad ones. The good ones are tried and approved, whereas the bad ones have failed the test and are not approved. Furthermore, the differing trait between these two categories of workmen would be the way they go about handling the Word. One group would rightly divide it while the other one would wrangle about words (verse 14) and stray from the truth (verse 18).

Paul told Timothy that as a good workman of God, he must accurately handle the word of truth. He must not do what the bad workmen were doing. They would wrangle about words that were not only useless but caused ruin to their hearers (verse 14). They had also strayed from the truth (verse 18) by contorting the Scriptures with their worldly and empty chatters. The result would be more ungodliness. Furthermore, their unwholesome teachings were spreading like gangrene. Timothy was advised to avoid them. Paul even specifically mentioned the names of two such people: Hymenaeus and Philetus. They taught that the resurrection had already past, thereby upsetting the faith of some believers. However, Paul had a firm assurance that God knows those who are truly His. And those who truly belong to God would visibly abstain from wickedness.

What did Paul mean when he called for workers of God to accurately handle the Word of truth? He is saying that true workers of God must go into the Word of God, study it and carve out godly principles that are based on good and sound interpretation of the Word. Having discovered those principles, he then practice it by living them out. The result would be righteous conduct and behavior. Such kind of workmen will never be ashamed in life!  

2 Timothy 2:9-13 – Endurance and victory

To motivate Timothy to be diligent, Paul showed him that blessings in ministry never come easy. The blessings of ministry success always extract a price. To affirm all that he had said, Paul drew on the experiences of the Lord Jesus (verse 8); his own life and testimony (verses 9-10); and the common Christian experience (verses 11-13).

No Christian worker would ever forget Jesus Christ! Hence, the call by Paul to Timothy to remember Jesus Christ would seem insulting. However, Paul knew that having the Lord in clear view was the best way to keep Timothy focused and diligent in the task. The Gospel is about Jesus Christ, so Paul specifically told Timothy to remember Jesus Christ. He was to remember the Lord’s resurrection and ancestry. To recall His resurrection is to remember His work: He died and rose again. To recollect His ancestry is to remember His Person: He was a descendant of David. Here two roles of the Lord Jesus Christ are implicitly portrayed: He is not only our Savior but also our King. And if Christ’s death is the gateway to His life, then suffering will be the gateway to glory.

In verses 9 and 10, Paul then went on to use his own experiences to illustrate that suffering was a necessary part for the advancement of the Gospel. He endured hardship and imprisonment as a criminal. Though he was in chains, he insisted that the Word of God was never bound. He still had the liberty to freely proclaim it. His imprisonment and the trial afforded him many opportunities to share the Gospel. It also motivated others to spread the Gospel. Hence, the Gospel is not chained in that sense.

Here a pertinent question needs to be asked. Who are “the chosen”? Who are the people whom Paul was referring to? The chosen is best seen as the people who would respond to the message of the Gospel. The response of people to the Gospel largely depends on two things: God’s divine initiative and the human agency that God uses to bring the good news. Here Paul was not claiming that he could save. He was only collaborating with God in sharing the Gospel so that those who would respond to the message, could obtain salvation and eternity. In doing this work of the Gospel, he was prepared to endure the hardship that accompanied the task.

Finally Paul illustrate his point with Christians who shared the common spiritual experience. Here Paul gives another of his five trustworthy statements in the Pastoral letters. We see two pairs of axioms:

1.         If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him;

2.         If we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

We must keep in mind here that Paul was motivating Timothy to be engaged in the work of the ministry, and to remain faithful to the task. Since the task would come with hardships, Timothy could do with lots of endurance. He was calling for Timothy to serve the Lord with his whole heart. Why? Because in dying to self, he would find life through Christ; and in enduring suffering, he will find triumph through Christ. The second pair of epigram anticipates the dreadful consequence of denying Christ and being faithless. A person who denies Christ should expect Him to reciprocate with a similar response. He would deny the person in return. The last part of this second epigram, which states that God remains faithful even if we are faithless, poses a difficulty. It simply means that the faithless will find Christ faithful to His warnings of consequences awaiting those who are faithless, for Christ is true to Himself and He will never deny His own nature.

What’s the take then? As Christians we need to endure and serve the Lord faithfully and diligently. Despite the obstacles, let’s remain steadfast in the task. As God is faithful let’s also remain faithful. 

2 Timothy 2:1-8 – Keys to success in life and ministry

No doubt Timothy had a strong spiritual grounding. He had good parental upbringing, a true spiritual friend in Paul and was endowed with spiritual gifts. But he had a timid and tender nature. And he seemed to have left his spiritual gifts unused. Here, Paul began by calling Timothy to be strong in the Lord. Timothy was not to rely on his natural talent but in the grace that could be found in Christ. As a servant of Christ, he had at his disposal the grace, the divine enablement that Christ would gladly supply. Here in this chapter, Paul literally gave him several directives to consider.

Firstly, Timothy was to impart the truths which he learned from Paul to faithful men (verse 2). The aim was to disseminate those truths. To do it successfully, Timothy must engage in the task of equipping others. He must identify and select faithful men, who also had the ability to impart. The goal was to train them so that they would in turn train other faithful and able men to do the same thing. This is the principle of multiplying oneself.

Secondly, using the metaphor of a soldier (verses 3-4), Paul urged him to endure hardship. Just as a soldier who has been enlisted for war follows the orders of his commander, Timothy was enlisted into a battle in another realm. As a soldier would expect to go through hard time and even suffer mistreatment, Timothy must also be prepared for that in his spiritual duties. Hard as the situation might be, like a soldier, he should not look for the luxury or ease. To be effective, Timothy had to break tie with the daily mundane and secular grind of life, and choose not to be entangled in them. Instead, he must be engaged in the battle for the truth, seeking only to have the approval of his commander, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, Paul went on to use the metaphor of an athlete (verse 5) to emphasize the need for devoted discipline. To succeed in ministry, Timothy was required to look at his ministry as an athlete would in a competitive race. A dedicated athlete is wholly immersed in his quest. He divests himself of all encumbrances and will not give anything less than his best. He is single-minded and focused in order to win the prize. To succeed in the ministry, Timothy must emulate the athlete. He must be single-minded, devoted and disciplined. In short, Paul was encouraging Timothy to be focused and emulate the tenacity of an athlete.

Fourthly, Paul used the lesson from the life of a hardworking farmer (verse 6). A farmer has to work hard in order to enjoy the harvest. After sowing, the farmer must be patient while waiting to reap the harvest. He has to take care of his own self so that he can endure the harsh demand of farming. So here, Paul was telling Timothy to be prepared for hard work. He should take care of himself, sow in the life of others and then be patient and wait to reap the harvest.

In order for Timothy to fully grasp what Paul had just told him, he asked the young minister to ponder and reflect on what he had just said. Paul was assured that understanding would come to Timothy from the Lord.

There are plenty to pick up from here if we are to triumph in life and ministry. We must be sure to rely on the Holy Spirit. Just stay focused, refusing to be entangled in worldly stuff. Meanwhile cultivate deep devotion for the Lord and exercise discipline and patience as we serve God and the people. God will help us in all situations, as with His strength we work out His plan and purpose for our lives. 

2 Timothy 1:15-18 – Discerning between friends and foes

 A scan of verses 15-18 gives us the impression that as if these verses are out of place. But on careful reflection we will see that Paul had his reason for putting them here in this letter to Timothy. If his protégé was to successfully guard the Gospel, he had to be careful with the people he aligned himself with.

Here we see two groups of people being described here. We see there were those who were ashamed of the Gospel and those who weren’t. The first group comprised of people in Asia who left Paul during his most trying times. He mentioned the names of two specific persons, Phygelus and Hermogenes. Paul was actually warning Timothy against them. This group of people was obviously ashamed of the Gospel and Paul. These were the deserters when the time gets tough.

However, a person who belonged to the other group was Onesiphorus. Verses 16-18 are dedicated to him. He was the runaway slave of Philemon and Paul was responsible for his conversion. Onesiphorus took care of Paul, refreshed him and stood by him unashamedly. He eagerly sought Paul out when he went to Rome. Furthermore, he did much service to the saints at Ephesus. Here Paul commended him to Timothy and prayed for God’s mercy to be upon Onesiphorus.

In our journey with Christ we are surrounded by people. Some of them have good intentions but lack the substance. There are also those who harbor selfish ambition and working for self-aggrandizement. It’s here that the call of Paul to Timothy becomes relevant to us. We need to be discerning, pray much and learn to distinguish between those who are helpful to us in the ministry and those who are not. It will help us to decide who we allow to influence our lives.     

2 Timothy 1:8-14 – Stand firm for the Gospel!

The word “therefore” in verse 8 made a reference to what was said in verse 7. Timothy was told that God had given him power and not a spirit of timidity. So in the light of that, he should stand tall and not be ashamed. Interestingly verses 8-13 consist of one long continuous sentence. But it contains a chain of thoughts linked together by a series of clauses. In this sentence, Paul gave reasons as to why Timothy should not be ashamed of the Gospel.

Firstly, it is because the Gospel is the power of God (verse 8). To share about what Christ has done to save mankind is to give testimony of the power of God. Therefore, Timothy need not be ashamed of the testimony of the Gospel. He also need not be ashamed of Paul, God’s representative, who was in prison for the testimony of the Gospel. In fact, Timothy should emulate his boldness and be fearless to testify of the Gospel. Paul called on him to share in the suffering for the sake of spreading this powerful message. Secondly, it is because the Gospel is God’s means of preservation. Verse 9 tells us that it is through the Gospel that God saves and calls us into a holy calling. The Gospel not only brings salvation but also ushers us into the process of sanctification. This Gospel not only saves us from guilt and condemnation but also draws us to live a set-apart life for God. Thirdly, it is because the Gospel is based on God’s eternal purpose. In verse 9, we learn that salvation has never been the result of man’s work. It is God’s grace granted through Christ Jesus. And God did not have this as an afterthought but before time began, He already had ordained it in eternity. Fourthly, it is because the Gospel is God’s presence. Through Christ’s appearing, God came to tabernacle among men. In His death, Christ aborted death, and in His resurrection, He brought immortality to light. Since through the Gospel, the life and immortality achieved through Christ are brought to light, proclaiming the Gospel should be a necessity. Hence, Paul said that he was made a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of the Gospel.

For the sake of the Gospel, Paul went through great suffering. Yet he stoutly remained unshaken and unashamed because of his deep conviction and trust in Christ. Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to suffer for the Gospel was something that Paul himself was more than prepared to experience. Paul had already committed his work and life to God. Thus he was fully assured that God could be relied upon to keep what he had committed to Him.

The two terms, the standard of sound words and the treasure or precious deposit, mentioned in verses 13 and 14 respectively are referring to the same thing. They both refer to the Gospel. The standard of sound words is the Gospel that Timothy heard from Paul. Hence, the teaching of Timothy should follow the model that was given by Paul. It must be retained in its pure form with faith and love, found in Christ Jesus. In verse 14, Paul used another word to refer to the Gospel. Here he was telling Timothy to guard the treasure, the Gospel. He was to guard it by the Holy Spirit Who dwells within him.

The call here is for us to be faithful to God because He is totally trustworthy and reliable. No matter what this life may lead us to, the faithful God to whom we have entrusted our lives will bring us through. The Holy Spirit who indwells us will be there to guide us to live unashamedly.

2 Timothy 1:1-7 – Mentors and counsel

In this opening paragraph, we are introduced immediately to Paul as the writer, and Timothy as the recipient of the letter. Paul wrote as a mentor to his young protégé. In calling himself an apostle of Christ Jesus, Paul had again ranked himself with the 12 apostles whom the Lord had appointed for the task of advancing the Kingdom of God. He also saw his appointment as part of God’s will, for he only met the Lord Jesus after His ascension. It was at that divine encounter that Paul was commissioned. Here Paul revealed two things concerning his apostleship. Firstly, his appointment was “by the will of God” in the sense that God was the origin of the commission. Secondly, he pointed to the purpose or objective of that call: the promise of life in Christ Jesus. As an apostle, Paul’s commission included formulating and communicating the Gospel that gives life to sinful men, especially the Gentiles.

In verse 2, Timothy is identified. Here, Paul declared the threefold blessing of grace, mercy and peace of God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord upon him. In addressing Timothy as his beloved child, we conclude that he was instrumental for the latter’s conversion. This tells us that Paul was reassuring Timothy. He told him that he was constantly on his mind. Being the grateful person that he was, Paul was thankful to God for the privilege of serving Him. His service to God was rendered with a clear conscience after the tradition of his forefathers. Being the prayerful person whom he also was, he constantly prayed for Timothy day and night. And in his desire to see this beloved son, he would often recall his tender spirit and remember the tears he shed. It kept him joyful.

The aged apostle would also recall Timothy’s sincere faith in God, a spiritual foundation laid in him by his godly grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice. Truly, Timothy had a rich spiritual heritage. Paul then reminded him of the spiritual endowment he received at his ordination. The laying on of hands refers to his ordination. It was then that Timothy had received his spiritual endowment. It appears that he could have neglected his gifting over time. So Paul urged him here to rekindle that gift, take up the ministry mantel and boldly discharge his responsibility. From verse 7, we can see that Timothy was timid. And because of this reticent disposition, Paul had to assertively tell him that God did not give us a spirit of timidity but one of power, love and sound mind. 

Timid as Timothy maybe, he had been endowed with a good mentor in Paul and godly parentage in his grandma and mother. His rich heritage were definite assets in the service of the Lord. It is good to have a mentor to guide us and help to regulate our journey. Pray that God will give us one to help us in our journey.  

Introduction to 2 Timothy

The Second Epistle to Timothy is a sequel to Paul’s first letter to this “beloved son” in the faith. In his first letter, he was mainly giving instructions for Timothy to take care of matters in the church at Ephesus. There were the false teachers and their teachings that he had to deal with. He was also to administer the public worship, appoint right elders, handle needs of widows and help believers to cultivate a proper attitude and orientation toward money. These were Herculean tasks. Such pressing issues, plus his timid disposition and a body that was prone to illness, must have discouraged Timothy.

Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy to encourage him. The tone of its content tells us that it was a very personal letter. Through it, we learn that Paul himself was going through a very difficult time. Many of his associates had backslidden and left him. He said in 2 Timothy 1:15, “… all who are in Asia turned away from me.” He then spoke of Demas, a fellow worker, in 2 Timothy 4:10 as “… having loved this present world, had deserted me.” There was also Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14) who did him much harm. He could have been responsible for Paul’s arrest and imprisonment. In 2 Timothy 4:16, Paul remarked that all deserted him and no one supported him at his first defense. Besides, he was also troubled by the teachings of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who had strayed from the truth and were promoting unhealthy doctrines (2 Timothy 2:17-18).

Paul then surmised that the day when men would not endure sound doctrines was fast approaching, and he was thus very concerned. But here, Paul was actually awaiting trial in a prison in Rome and its outcome appeared very bleak. If ever there was a candidate more susceptible to discouragement, it had to be Paul. But despite his own personal difficulties and challenges, he found the time to write to encourage his true son in the faith.

He urged Timothy to be faithful even as he indicated his soon departure (2 Timothy 4:6). Paul did not anticipate a positive outcome from his upcoming trial. So he asked Timothy to make a stop in Troas so as to see him quickly. This urgency suggests that Paul saw a possibility that he might not get to see his protégé again. However, his desire was for him to emulate his steps and complete the race faithfully. Together with his personal encouragement was also his call to Timothy to guard the Gospel that was entrusted to him. The main theme of this epistle is actually a call to Timothy not to be ashamed of the Gospel. Paul told him to fully exert himself by the grace that God had granted him. Timothy must be prepared to endure hardship as he sought to guard and advance the Gospel and its sound doctrines.

Hardship is part and parcel of working for the Lord, whether as a vocation or as a lay person. We must face this squarely and choose not to be discouraged. The call is to courageously face whatever circumstances we encounter, and remain faithful and committed to the course of the Gospel. As it was for Paul and Timothy, it must be for us also.

1 Timothy 6:17-21 – Steward of wealth and of life

Realizing the importance of handling riches rightly, Paul returned to talk about it. In these verses, he instructed Timothy to teach believers, especially the rich ones, on the perspective of wealth. Basically he wanted them to exercise proper stewardship of their possession. In the previous passage, he dealt with those who want to get rich, but here he dealt with those who have wealth.

The first concern Paul had was one’s attitude toward riches. So he said that they should not become proud because of their riches. Secondly, his concern was that riches might induce a misplaced hope in the wealthy. So he told them not to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. Thirdly, he wanted them to know that their wealth comes from God. So he told the rich to make sure that they continue to put their trust in God, Who is the Giver of their riches, and not in the wealth that God gives. Fourthly, he wanted them to know that it is God Who gave all things for their enjoyment. Hence they should cultivate an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness. Fifthly, Paul instructed the wealthy to use their wealth positively to do what is good. They were told to be rich in good works. Sixthly, since they have been given more, they must cultivate generosity and learn to share their wealth with the less fortunate. Seventhly, because Paul knew that the wealthy have a tendency to be preoccupied with earthly possessions only, he told them to consciously and deliberately cultivate an eternal perspective. They should not neglect their spiritual foundation, but instead they should give time to build that foundation. Eighthly, they must learn to differentiate between what appears to be life and what true life really is, and to lay hold of the latter. In other words, they should not go chasing after wealth, which is only the shadow at the expense of life itself, which is the real.

The wealth one possesses is a God given opportunity to learn stewardship of His gift. It is never given to display superiority or to dominate others. Our perspective of why God had given us riches would help us to steward what we have. Know that the more we have the more accountable we are. God is our source. All that we have come from Him and He’s given us an opportunity to enrich the lives of others as He had enriched us.   

In Paul’s final call to Timothy in the last two verses, he outlined four areas all believers should also work on. Firstly, he was to protect the truth as a sacred trust given to him. Secondly, he must not dabble with false teachings. Thirdly, he must be weary of false teachings and their potential to corrupt faith. Finally, he must be totally reliant on the grace of God. What marvelous advices!

Like Timothy we must guard the Word of God and not propagate anything false and contrary to it. This require that we build a rich resource of truth so that we can distinguish between what’s truth and what’s spurious. As we go along in our spiritual journey, don’t ever forget that it’s God’s grace – His saving grace, His sanctifying grace, and His sustaining grace – that will enable us to live a triumphant life. 

1 Timothy 6:11-16 – Cultivating godliness

Paul knew that no one has immunity to the propensity of man, not even Timothy. So here he gave him a series of personal charges. The four charges are four active verbs in the imperative: to flee, to pursue, to fight and to take hold.

Firstly, Timothy was commanded to flee all these things. What are the “things” that he had to flee? In the context, it seems like he was to flee from love for riches that would lead to departure from the faith and end in ruin and destruction. Secondly, he was strongly challenged to pursue after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Thirdly, he was instructed to fight the good fight of faith. And finally, he was told to take hold of the eternal. The goal of the battle was to lay hold of eternal life.

Timothy’s ministry had to do with eternal issues and so he had to keep faith with God. Paul was reminding him of the pledge of faithfulness which he made before many witnesses during his ordination. Timothy was charged to be faithful to the truth entrusted to him, for the charge was given in the presence of the Omnipresent God, the Giver of all things and the faithful Lord Jesus Christ, Who demonstrated faithfulness before Pontius Pilate. Furthermore, Timothy was told to keep the commandment with vigor, not giving any reason or room for accusation to discredit the commandment. He must learn to live life in expectation of the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ that could take place anytime.

In verses 15-16, Paul rounded off in a doxology to praise the greatness of God. “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” 

We can live a life pleasing to God by fleeing lust and inordinate passion for riches; by pursuing godliness, righteousness, faith love, perseverance and gentleness; by remaining steadfast and consistent in contending for the faith; and by steadily focusing and moving toward our goal and our hope of eternal life.  

1 Timothy 6:6-10 – Perspective toward money and being contented

In verses 6-10, Paul dealt with the matter on how believers ought to view wealth. While the false teachers propagated godliness as a way to financial gain, Paul affirmed anther way that one could certainly find gain. It is being contented in life. Contentment helps one to be divested of greed, and cultivate a proper perspective of money and life. It helps one to see the momentary and transitory nature of wealth and possession. Besides, Paul said that this contentment will assist one to evaluate the difference between needs and wants, and learned to be satisfied with the basic needs of life.

Paul wanted to show that the greed which the false teachers were promoting would only lead to destruction and ruin. So in verses 9-10, he argued that those who pursue riches would be more prone to give in to temptation. Then they would be snared or trapped and be led into many foolish and harmful desires, leading to ruin and destruction.

In verse 10 Paul emphasized what he had already said in verse 9. When you compare the two verses, you see that Paul was essentially saying the same thing. Those who want to get rich described in verse 9 are those who love money in verse 10. The many foolish and harmful desires are those who have all sort of evils. The ruin and destruction of those who love money described in verse 9 mean the same thing as those who would be pierced with many a pang. 

However, we see one extra fact in verse 10, that is, some by longing for it (riches) have wandered away from the faith. The love of money can have a dire effect on one’s faith. In regard to devotion to God or mammon, the Lord Jesus Himself has said, “No man can serve two masters.” One will eventually be sacrificed for the other. So what do we do? Pursue godliness over wealth and be contented with life. For godliness with contentment is great gain!

1 Timothy 6:3-5 – Dealing with false teachers and teachings

Since false teachers were proliferating erroneous teachings, Paul felt that Timothy needed to know how to recognize both the teachers as well as their teachings. So in these verses, he gave him some ways of identifying the false teachers as well as their doctrines.

Here we see the features of those teachings. Firstly, the teachings were described as of a different doctrine. This suggests that they were a distortion from the type that the apostle taught and probably a mixture of Jewish legalism and Greek philosophy. Secondly, they did not agree with sound words. The teachings went contrary to those given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, they would not be in line with those that lead to godliness.

Verses 4 and 5 reveal how a false teacher could be recognized. Firstly, a false teacher is conceited. He is simply blinded by pride and would openly display his ignorance. Secondly, a false teacher has an unusual craving for controversial questions and loves to quarrel about words. The things that false teachers do would have adverse results in the fellowship. They would bring chaos and confusion. The fellowship would be filled with envy, strife, abusive languages, evil suspicions and even constant friction. In verse 5, we also see a third feature of the false teachers. They are people of depraved mind and deprived of truth. In other words, their minds are corrupted and they are destitute of truth. Verse 5 also reveals one key defective motive of these false teachers. They think that godliness is a means of gain. By “gain,” Paul was referring to their motive of profiteering from the faith. Those false teachers were motivated by a desire to amass material gain.

In our days and age, we also see a proliferation of false teachers and teachings. We must be on guard and discerning. Not only must we not be taken in we must also help to see to it that others are not taken in. So let us be zealous for the truth and be on guard against all false teachings. 

1 Timothy 6:1-2 – Being respectful to those above us

Paul began chapter 6 by giving instructions on how slaves ought to behave toward their earthly masters. In the days of the aged apostle, slavery was a common phenomenon. Thus, in verses 1-2, he instructed Timothy to ensure that slaves showed respect to their earthly masters.

Since attitude and perspective play key roles in shaping respect, we see Paul dealing with them in these verses. He first dealt with the relationship between a believing slave and a non-believing master in verse 1. Proper respect always originates from a proper attitude. When a servant has the mindset that his master deserves to be honored, he would naturally accord due respect to him. That would naturally remove all negative feelings and slanders against God and the teachings of the church. This implies that the opposite would take place when slaves misbehave by showing disrespect to their masters. Verse 2 deals with slaves who have believing masters. They should show respect because now the master is not only his owner but also a fellow brother in the faith. This would call for better service to be rendered, for the beneficiary of the service is a believer in Christ and should be loved.

When Paul called for Timothy to teach and preach these principles at the end of verse 2, it was not just about slaves respecting their masters. He was also calling for Timothy to teach and preach all the other issues which he had instructed him in the previous chapters.

What we truly need to cultivate is a right attitude. Why? How we act in life often flow from our attitude. A sweet attitude will also help to generate a proper perspective concerning what we are to do. Whether we are serving an employer or treating an employee, let’s make sure that whatever we are doing flow out of a good attitude. Then it will surely be pleasing unto God.   

1 Timothy 5:17-25 – Honoring the leaders

This paragraph essentially defines four areas regarding the treatment of elders: how elders ought to be rewarded; how elders ought to be defended; how elders ought to be disciplined and how elders ought to be appointed.

How should elders or leaders be rewarded? While verses 17-18 tell us how this should be done, Paul also took time to talk about the role elders should play. They not only rule or lead the congregation but also preach and teach them. Here we can conclude that elders are expected to lead, shepherd, teach, ground and establish believers. Hence, Paul taught that elders should be rewarded. As in previous usage, the word “honor” suggests more than just showing respect; it implies remuneration as well. Hence, showing honor is both giving respect as well as giving monetary reward. In talking about elders who rule well, Paul was not comparing elders here. The emphasis here is not so much on the word “rule” as it is on the word “well”. All elders are expected to lead; however, there are those who excel. They should be honored more. Underlying this is the idea that when a person is qualified to take the office of an elder, he deserved to be honored. However, Paul was saying that those who do it with excellence should be doubly rewarded. To substantiate his argument that elders deserved to be rewarded, Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4. If an ox that treads the grains is free to eat of the grains it treads, how much more should the elders who provide spiritual nourishment be worthy of reward.

In verse 19, Paul then turned to the issue of defending elders. Paul wants the honor of elders to be protected. There would be times when an elder would be accused of impropriety in the line of his duty. Certain times accusations would be true while other times they would be unfounded. In situations where frivolous and unfounded accusations are hurled at elders, the matter should be handled correctly and fairly. Using Biblical standards prescribed by God, Paul said that unless two or three witnesses could substantiate such an accusation brought against any elder, it should not be entertained. Thankfully, we are also showed how wayward elders ought to be dealt with. While an elder with unfounded accusation should be protected, one guilty of continual sin must be disciplined. Sin should not be immunized or condoned, elder or not. So in verses 20-21, Paul laid down the discipline that must be meted out. He said that elders, who continued to perpetrate a sin, should be rebuked, reproved and corrected openly. The process should be done openly as a public example for all, so that others would not fall into the same error. This, he advocated, should be done fairly and without bias because it is a serious matter, and God, Jesus Christ our Lord, and even selected angels, would be watching over the whole event.

Finally in verse 22, Paul dealt with the appointment of elders. He said that it should not be done hastily. Wanting to make sure that the right people were appointed as elders, Paul suggested here that an elder must be carefully chosen. In referring to the laying on of hands, Paul was talking about ordination. So here he is saying that to prevent wrong people from being appointed into as elders, the church must avoid hasty ordination. A person ought to be carefully examined and proven before a leadership position is entrusted to him. Timothy was told not to ordain a person hurriedly. This would help him to avoid the sin of ordaining an unsuitable person to leadership. All candidates ought to be properly evaluated so as not to install an unqualified one. Verse 23 suggests that Timothy was avoiding wine. It could be due to a pledge he had made to abstain from it for the sake of ministry. Paul probably wanted Timothy to know that his call for him to be free from sin (verse 22) had nothing to do with the consumption of wine. His instruction was to keep him from the sin of carelessly appointing people to be elders. So here he gave him a side instruction. Wine is thought to have medicinal value. Since Timothy had a frail body and was prone to fall ill frequently, Paul instructed him to drink a little wine. He also told him that a little wine would do well to his stomach too.

In verses 24-25, Paul was giving other instructions relating to the appointing of elders. Essentially, these two verses reveal that people ought to be evaluated as to their suitability for elders. In referring to judgment (verse 24), Paul was talking about the process whereby the candidates for being elders were being evaluated. Here he said that some people’s sins would be obvious for everyone to see even before the assessment. The others, whose sins trail behind them, is referring to people whose sins could only be detected with careful evaluation.

What is the implication of it all? Paul is calling for care to be taken to ensure that inappropriate people would not be appointed as elders. In verse 25, Paul said that some are obviously fit to be elders. Just as some whose sins would be obvious, there would be others whose good works would be obvious too. This sort of people would clearly fit the bill for elders. Even for those whose good deeds were not obvious, through the evaluation process, their good deeds could be detected too.

Elders should know their roles and fulfill them. And the church must support and honor them. And when they are guilty of wrong doing they should be dealt with so that any wrong could be set right. What’s important is that care ought to be taken to ensure that only qualified people with right character be appointed to leadership.  

1 Timothy 5:3-16 – Providing for the needy

Paul was concerned about several social issues confronting the church in Ephesus. In these verses he gave instructions on how to handle the widows in the church. He began with the issue relating to the needs of the widows in the church at Ephesus. From the Bible, we know that God has great concern for the protection of women. Describing the women as a weaker sex, God in various portions of His Word has stipulated that care must be accorded to them, especially when they are bereft of their husbands. Thus, from verses 3-16, Paul instructed Timothy on how to care for the widows in the church.

To begin with, the term “widows” refers to women who have lost their husbands, particularly through death. Being deprived of her husband would seriously disadvantage a widow, and therefore help ought to be rendered to her. Paul told Timothy that the church should shoulder some responsibilities in the care of widows.

Firstly, in verse 3, Paul said that the first duty of the church relating to widows is to provide some means of support for them. He said: Honor widows who are widows indeed. Paul was strongly advocating that genuine widows, those totally deprived of husbands to take care of them, ought to be honored. The word “honor” has to do with more than just showing respect. It implies giving monetary assistance as well. Not wanting the church to go caring for widows carelessly, Paul specified the categories of widows who deserve to receive help. Hence, the second duty of the church is to assess widows who truly need support.

The church must not be frivolous relating to her support to widows. If a widow needs financial assistance, her family has the first responsibility. Her children and grandchildren must adopt the support. Verse 4 gives the reason why the first line of support should come from the family. Piety, according to Paul, must begin in the home, and God fully endorsed this. Furthermore, in verse 8, we are told that family members, meaning the children or grandchildren, who refused to provide for their widowed mothers or grandmothers, are classified as people who have denied the faith and are worse than infidels or unbelievers. Thus, the first category of widows the church should consider assisting are those with no family members to shoulder the responsibility.

In verse 5, we see the next category of widows that the church should consider helping. They are the godly widows who place their hope in God and seek Him in prayers constantly. They should be given assistance. And in contrast, those widows who give in to reckless pleasure and are spiritually dead deserve no financial aid from the church.

Another category of widows deserving help is described from verses 9-16. They are widows who are above 60 years of age and display high standards of conduct. In verse 9, we are introduced to a list. What is this list? It is probably an official list of those who were serving in some kind of full time capacity in the church. The qualifications of those who made it into the list are very much like those required of an elder or deacon. The criterions that would make them qualified are shown in verses 9 and 10. Having dealt with those who qualified, Paul then went on to deal with those who are disqualified. The catalog of disqualifications includes younger widows who might have the tendency to return to gratify their carnal desire. When that happened, they would want to remarry and renege on their pledge to serve God. Then it would reflect negatively on them. Furthermore, they also would have the tendency to be idle by going from house to house, being nosey parkers and spreading gossips. In so doing, they would create havoc and even end up doing unmentionable deeds. Paul’s advice for such widows was for them to get married again and raise a godly family. As they do that, they would not give the enemy any quarter to discredit them, or God, or the church. Regarding this, Paul pointed out that some younger widows had already fallen prey to Satan. In discussing this list, Paul actually directed us to the third duty of the church regarding widows. That is, the church must ensure that widows selected to serve in the church meet and maintain godly standards.

So, in caring for needy widows in the community of believers, Paul said the first responsibility rests with a widow’s family members, the children and grandchildren. The second responsibility is seen in verse 16. Women, who are well-off and able to shoulder the needs of dependent widows in their families, should adopt that duty. When they pick up the responsibility, the church would not be overburdened and thus, be freed to assist those with no other means of help. The responsibility to provide for widows should only rest on the church as a final resort. When there is no other means, one of the church’s responsibilities is to see to the needs of their widows.

The church of Jesus Christ needs to seriously consider what Paul had said here. Of them all, I think what really stands out for me is that family members must take on the responsibility first. When they cannot, than the church ought to consider helping the needy. 

1 Timothy 5:1-2 – Be right in relationships

It’s true that we can choose our friends, but we can never choose who we want to be our siblings. This is also true when we come to the spiritual family. It is God who sovereignly design the family. Who will be members of our spiritual family is entirely God’s prerogative.  However, there is a necessity to rightly relate with each one of them. So in these two verses, Paul set out to provide some guidelines to Timothy on how to relate with four categories of people.

Firstly, he showed him how to relate to older man, especially how to correct them.  He was to encourage them and not rebuke them. This does not mean that he can’t correct them. What Paul meant was that they should not be rebuked harshly. Instead they should be corrected gently. What Paul wanted to avoid was for Timothy to develop a condescending and disrespectful attitude toward the older men. He should treat them like he would his father, and speak with respect. Secondly for younger men, Timothy was to treat them like brothers by providing help, care, encouragement and affirmation. Thirdly to the older women, he was to show respect and concern and care. And finally to the younger women, he was to treat them like he would his own sisters. Timothy was to exercise moral purity toward them. The emotion of a younger lady can be easily manipulated and he was not to toil with their feelings and emotion. He should abstain from any attitude and behavior that appear flirtatious. The best way to avoid this was not to look at them lustfully.  

Conscious of it or not, these are principles that are applicable even for our days. By practicing them we can maintain good, healthy relationships in the family of God. In church, learn to view the older people like you would your parents. Respect them by all means and speak to them with gentleness and not rudely. With people of the same age treat them with respect and honor. And with the opposite gender, ensure you have a mindset and attitude that would honor them, and accord them the dignity they deserve. 

I Timothy 4:11-16 – Modeling Christian life

Timothy, we have discovered, was very young at this point in time. Here we could sense Paul calling on him to live out his salvation and set the example for all to emulate. The young Timothy probably had problems with some people because of his age. In 1 Timothy 4:11–16, Paul gave him some instructions on how to deal with his seeming setbacks so as to strengthen his ministry.

Paul began by telling him to insist and teach his hearers to adhere to his teachings. What were the things he was to insist on and to teach? He was very likely calling Timothy to pay attention to everything that was imparted to him. As indicated in verse 13, it is safe to say that Timothy was to give attention and devotion to the public reading of Scripture. He must also live out his salvation and to authoritatively teach God’s Word. He was to teach the believers to gladly receive and to live out what was taught.

Timothy was also expected to live a life of integrity. He was to devote himself to all the instructions Paul had given him. In so doing his progress would be seen and would leave no room for anyone to despise his youth. Instead he would be able to set an example to the believers. So here we see Paul delineating several areas for his consideration.

First on the list was his speech pattern. This was important. His words would attest to his character. It could possibly be that he was tempted to be abrasive with those who resisted his teaching. Paul now gently reminded him to act kindly and gently.  Secondly, Timothy was to be exemplary in conduct. He was to live the truth by example. What one is, will definitely speak louder than what he says. Thirdly, he was to live a life of love. He was to be a giver not just a taker. He was to put others before himself and show kindness. Fourthly, Timothy was to be an example in faith. It meant trusting God to fulfill all that He had promised. Faith demonstrated would inspire and model faith for others to follow. Finally, he was to be an example in moral purity. He was to handle his relationship with the opposite gender carefully and circumspectly.

Verse 16 suggests that salvation is not just a present experience. It embraces the past, the present, as well as the future. We all can recall that day when we invite Christ to be the Savior and Lord of our lives. But we must also know that we need to continue to live out that decision, day by day and moment by moment. And when Christ returns, an event scheduled for the future, we shall be saved not only from the penalty and power of sin, but also the presence of sin. Hence, we see Paul telling Timothy to continue to put what he had learned into practice. And to demonstrate it so that all could see his progress. In setting the example of paying close attention to the Word by practicing them, he would not only save himself, but also save all who were watching his life as well.

The key to be an effective example is devotion to the Lord and His Word. We should teach it, but more importantly, we must model it and live out the principles. This will inspire others to follow suit. So let’s do it for the glory of His name!   

1 Timothy 4:6–10 – Diet and discipline to achieve godliness

Timothy was expected to teach others what he had learned. So here we see Paul encouraging him to excel in his assigned tasks. More than that, Paul also pointed out that despite his comparatively young age, there were things which he could do to become a faithful and godly minister.

There are two things that define a good minister of Jesus Christ: what he teaches, and how he practices what he teaches. So here Paul detailed for Timothy things a good minister of Christ has to do. Paul began by using the metaphor of eating. Just as eating right physical food would keep the physical body healthy, eating the right spiritual food would keep the spiritual life vibrant. To be a good teacher in spiritual matters, a worker of God must constantly nourish and feed on the Word of faith, and sound doctrines. And he must shun spiritual junk food, such as worldly, godless myths and old wives’ tales, and chatters that old women indulge in.

Paul also used another metaphor to illustrate the necessity for spiritual discipline. He went from the metaphor of eating to the metaphor of exercising. He used an athletic analogy to illustrate how a worker could attain godliness. What is godliness? Godliness can be defined as a healthy respect and reverence for God. It can only be inculcated by exercising spiritual disciplines diligently. Here Paul did not specifically detail the kind of spiritual disciplines. From the drift of his discussion here, we roughly guess that he was referring to the reading, studying, meditating, memorizing and practicing of the Word of God. While physical exercises would only be good for this life, these spiritual exercises help not only in this present life, but also prepare one for eternity. Verse 9 is better seen in connection with what he had just prescribed in verse 8. Thus, Paul was saying that spiritual discipline and exercises should be seriously considered if one desires to attain a godly life.

What is Paul saying here? In a nutshell he is saying that we can all grow in godliness. The way to go about it is to cultivate the life within us. And we do so by feeding and training ourselves on God’s Word. It is all a matter of diet and discipline. Be careful about the kind of spiritual food we partake and be careful about how we conduct our lives – we become what we practice. 

1 Timothy 4:1-5 - Dealing with wrong teachings

In chapter 4, Paul turned to deal with two issues that Timothy was confronted with. First, the young Timothy had to contend with people who were leaving the faith due to the erroneous teachings propagated by the false teachers. Second, he had to deal with those who questioned his teachings because of his age. Thus, Paul wrote to teach him how to detect and deal with false teachings, and also how to get the truth accepted and endorsed despite his age.

In verses 1-6, Paul spoke of ways to deal with false teachers and their teachings. He began by painting the picture that some would fall away from the faith although the church had been made the custodian of the truth. Here we are told that this fall away had been foretold earlier. Paul was possibly referring to what he had told them earlier concerning the savage wolves. By saying that it was the Holy Spirit who explicitly said this, Paul was suggesting that the source of his prediction was the Holy Spirit Himself. At the time when Paul talked about the savage wolves, the fall away had not taken place. This accounts for why when he referred to the fall away, he spoke of it as a future happening. But time had lapsed and what he had predicted was happening to the believers in Ephesus, so he used the present tense in verses 3-6, to talk about the signs of the false teachers and their erroneous teachings.

In verses 1-2, Paul also gave the reasons why some believers fell from the faith. Firstly, he said that those who abandoned the faith had paid actual attention to the deceiving spirits, and gave ears to doctrines that came from the demonic forces. He was pointing to the source, the diabolical work of demonic spirits. Secondly, he revealed that while the source was demonic, the means by which the errors were propagated were human channels. The false teachers, referred to as hypocritical liars, lent themselves as evil instruments to spread the errors. In calling them hypocritical liars, Paul was implying that they themselves did not believe in their own teachings. Yet they would teach those errors as if they believed in them. Here was a clear reflection of their moral decadent. The conscience of these false teachers was seared as if with a branding iron. 

In verse 3, Paul further revealed that what the false teachers propagated was a form of asceticism. They advocated celibacy and abstinence from meat. While sex and food could be abused, they are nonetheless basic biological needs of the human body. In advocating that the body be denied these needs in order to attain holiness, the false teachers were carrying their teachings too far. They have failed to see the purpose and intention of God. Hence, Paul showed Timothy the first thing to look for was to differentiate truth from errors. He directed him to consider God’s original intention and purpose for marriage and for food. So from verses 3-5, we are told that God has instituted marriage and also given food and all created things for man to share, enjoy and celebrate life. To reject them would be to insult the One Who said He has created everything good for our enjoyment. Once marriage and food has been set apart for its intended purpose by prayer and the Word of God, they should be gladly and gratefully acknowledged, accepted and celebrated.

We must live a life of thankfulness to God. We thank Him for creation and for everything in life: for food, for marriage, for home, for children and even for sex. Recognizing God for His provision of all the good things in life can inoculate us against drifting away from Him, and embrace needless asceticism. Living a life of constant thanksgiving to God for things big and small, help us to bring Him to bear to all that we encounter in life. It helps us to know that He is in charge and we are thankful that He is. This will glorify God!    

1 Timothy 3:14-16 – Grappling with the Truth

In verse 14, Paul told Timothy that he would be going to Ephesus to meet up with him soon. In anticipation that he might be delayed, he gave him some interim instructions on how every believer ought to conduct himself.

From verse 15, we discover several things about the church: Firstly, the church is the household of God. Secondly, she is the church of the Living God. It is comforting to note that each time we gather and meet in church, we are meeting God, Who is alive and present. Thirdly, the church is the pillar and support of the truth. The church has been entrusted with the truth. And as custodian of the truth, one key role of the church is to be a pillar and support of that truth.

What is this truth? Why is it called a “great confession” and a “mystery of godliness”? It is truth as opposed to all the heresies propagated by the false teachers. It is a confession, a creed that states the basic belief about Christ. It is a mystery because it is something that cannot be known via speculation and needs a revelation to disclose. Verse 16 tells us that it is the revelation of God Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. It did not come through human speculation but divine revelation. Here Paul quoted a part of an ancient hymn to elaborate the essence and the centrality of Christ in the truth. It briefly gives a synopsis of Jesus Christ, the God incarnate in human flesh. There are six vital parts.

Firstly, He was revealed in the flesh. In Jesus Christ, the invisible God made Himself visible in human form. Secondly, He was vindicated in the Spirit. In raising Jesus’ human body from the dead, the Holy Spirit has declared Him the righteous Son of God. Thirdly, He was seen by angels. The idea is about Christ being attended to by angels. On many occasions in His life, angels attended to Him. The angels announced His birth, ministered to Him during and after the temptation, strengthened Him at Gethsemane, rolled away the stone from His burial cave at His resurrection, etc. Fourthly, He was proclaimed among the nations. After His resurrection, He gave instruction that the Gospel, which is His redemptive plan, should be preached to the world. Mark 16:20 recorded that “… they (the early disciples) went out and preached everywhere ….” Fifthly, He was believed on in the world. Paul was alluding to the success of the Gospel as people responded positively to it by faith. Finally, He was taken up in glory.  This probably refers to Christ’s ascension. In referring to Christ’s ascension, Acts 1:9 tells us that He was taken up into glory.

We are the church of Jesus Christ. We confess His Lordship over us individually and corporately. This is all the more reason for us to live and conduct our life in line with our proclamation of His Lordship. It behooves us therefore to live our life to bring glory to His name!