Head and Heart Go Hand-in-Hand

9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. – 2 Timothy 4:9-15 ESV

When reading Paul's letters, it can be easy to assume he was a spiritual loner who, because of his work, traveled from place to place and never put down roots. He can come across as a spiritual soldier of fortune, moving from one city to the next and staying only as long as it took to make enough converts to start a local church. Once his work was done, Paul would pack his parchments and scant belongings and head to yet another town, where he would start the whole process over again.

This image of Paul as a type-A personality with an over-zealous constitution and a somewhat legalistic, doctrinally-driven mindset is inaccurate and unfair. Even a cursory reading of his many letters reveals a man with a deep love and concern for others. Yes, he was driven. He was a man on a mission who would not allow himself to be distracted by the cares of this world. But that does not mean he was callous, cold, or uncaring. As a leader, Paul had an unwavering commitment to preach the gospel with boldness, despite the opposition of some and the stubborn obstinacy of others. Yet, he had a pastor’s heart for every person who came to faith in Christ through his ministry.

You can sense Paul’s love and concern in the way he addressed those under his care.

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you. – Galatians 4:19-20 NLT

I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. – 1 Corinthians 4:14-15 NLT

…we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. – 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 NLT

Like any loving parent, Paul could be demanding and doting. He was also willing to admonish and encourage, and was deeply concerned for the well-being of all those who came to faith in Christ under his ministry. He did not view them as notches on his belt or numbers on a spreadsheet. They were his spiritual children, and he cared for them as much as he cared for Timothy.

As Paul draws his letter to Timothy to a close, he mentions seven individuals with whom he had deep relationships: Demas, Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, Tychicus, and Alexander. Some of these names are more familiar than others, appearing elsewhere in the New Testament. But a few remain a mystery, with their exact identities and roles in Paul’s life unknown. Yet this list of names reveals the diverse nature of Paul’s relational pool. The sheer scope of his ministry necessitated interaction with a wide range of individuals, some of whom he developed deep and lasting relationships. Some remained relatively unknown to Paul, but their anonymity did not diminish his care for them.

Seemingly convinced that his conviction and death at the hands of the Romans were drawing near, Paul appealed to Timothy to come to visit him in Rome. One can almost feel Paul’s sense of loneliness as he pleads with his young friend to make the arduous trip from Ephesus to Rome. Paul has just urged Timothy to be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill his ministry (2 Timothy 4:5). Yet now he wants Timothy to drop everything and come to Rome so he can see him one last time. 

Paul’s explanation for this impromptu visit was that Demas had deserted him. Apparently, Demas was a ministry associate of Paul’s who had been working alongside him during his imprisonment in Rome. But Paul accuses Demas of jumping ship, having fallen “in love with this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10 ESV). As a minister of the gospel, Paul had the extreme joy of leading many people to Christ and training others for ministry. But he also had the unenviable task of watching some stray from the path of faith. Earlier in this letter, he mentioned Hymenaeus and Philetus, who had “swerved from the truth” (2 Timothy 2:18 ESV). In his first letter to Timothy, Paul called out Hymenaeus and Alexander, accusing them of having “suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith” (1 Timothy 1:19 ESV).

Paul knew what it felt like to be betrayed and abandoned by those he had led to Christ and loved like a father. He had felt the pain of watching leaders wander from the truth into false doctrine, and he had witnessed countless individuals walk away from the faith because the path was harder than they expected. Now, he was forced to watch Demas abandon his calling because his love for Christ had been replaced by a love for the things of this world. Demas’ life showed what Paul had warned Timothy about: he had become a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God (2 Timothy 3:4). Demas failed to fulfill his ministry, and this must have caused Paul much pain and disappointment.

But not all of Paul’s ministry companions had walked away from the faith or deserted his side. Some, like Crescens and Titus, left Paul in Rome so they could carry the gospel to places like Galatia and Dalmatia. Paul was encouraged as he watched them do the work of ministry he could no longer perform. But it must have been difficult for him to send these men into the world, knowing they would face difficulties and trials, just as he had.

The departures of Crescens and Titus had left Paul with one remaining companion, the physician, Luke. Even while imprisoned in Rome, Paul seems to have enjoyed regular visits from many of his friends and ministry associates. But as the reality of his pending death grew clearer, Paul wanted to reconnect with those he had not seen in some time. This included John Mark, another former disciple and companion. Acts 13 reveals that on one of their missionary journeys, John Mark had left Paul and Barnabas and had returned to Jerusalem. No explanation is given for his departure, but Paul instructs Timothy to pick up John Mark and bring him to Rome. Paul seems to assure Timothy that all will go well in Ephesus in his absence because he had sent Tychicus to serve in his place.

Paul also instructed Timothy to bring some specific items that he needed, including a cloak Paul had evidently loaned to someone named Carpus. He also asked for books and parchments he had lent Timothy to help with his studies. These could have included scrolls from Paul’s personal library containing copies of the Old Testament scriptures. Even in old age and facing imminent death, Paul was still reading, learning, and studying. And as his letter to Timothy illustrates, even in prison, Paul was still teaching, training, encouraging, and pouring his life into others.

Finally, Paul warns Timothy to avoid Alexander the coppersmith. Paul accuses Alexander of having done him “great harm” by opposing his message. No further explanation is given, but it seems clear that Timothy knew Alexander, and Paul wanted him to avoid this man like the plague. Once again, this warning fits in with Paul’s earlier admonition to Timothy regarding godless people.

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! – 2 Timothy 3:5 NLT

The gospel ministry will include all kinds of people. Some will be true converts, while others will appear to have saving faith but eventually walk away when the going gets tough. Self-proclaimed teachers will replace the truth of God with pleasant-sounding platitudes that tickle people’s ears and attract fair-weather followers. For every Demas and Alexander, there would be a Crescens or Titus. But Paul was convinced that preaching the good news would attract bad apples. The gospel message would attract people who saw an opportunity to profit by replacing the truth with ear-tickling claims that promoted wickedness rather than godliness.

Even as he prepares to conclude his letter to Timothy, he warns his young friend to stay alert and remain faithful to his calling. Because “in the last days there will come times of difficulty” (2 Timothy 3:1 ESV).

Father, Paul was religious and relational. He was a lover of the truth and a lover of people. He cared deeply about the the honor of Your name but he also cared for the spiritual well-being of others. His dedication to spreading the gospel message was unwavering, but so was his determination to encourage and challenge all those who placed their faith in Christ. He was a man who took his calling seriously but who never let his zeal for carrying out his mission diminish his care and concern for people. He was diligent, determined, and dedicated, but he never became distant or too busy to pour into the lives of others. I am encouraged by his ability to balance a love for the truth with a love for people. Yes, he could be blunt and unapologetically harsh at times, but only because he cared deeply about the truth of the gospel and the spiritual health of Your people. I am always amazed at the sheer volume of personal letters he wrote. These documents feature a well-balanced blend of doctrine and fatherly love. They were meant to educate, encourage, rebuke, warn, and challenge. Never allow my pursuit of the truth to become academic or cerebral. As Paul himself wrote, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1 BSB). Becoming a Bible scholar is not the goal. Attempting to impress others with our doctrinal wisdom is not our calling. Again, Paul confessed, “if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge…but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NLT). Paul was well-balanced, displaying an equal commitment to head and heart. That is how I want to live my life. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Run To Win

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:6-8 ESV

It is important to maintain the close connection that links verses 5 and 6. Paul calls Timothy to “always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry,” and then adds a strong motivational clause: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.” This was the important “why” behind Paul’s impassioned plea. Essentially, Paul was telling Timothy to take the baton from his hand and finish the last leg of the race. Paul was done. He wasn’t quitting or throwing in the towel, but he knew that his days were numbered. Confined to prison in Rome and awaiting trial before the emperor, Nero, Paul somehow sensed that his ministry was quickly coming to a close. He greatly desired that Timothy stand in the gap his departure would create.

Paul describes his life as a drink offering poured out as a sacrifice to God. This imagery would have resonated with Timothy and reminded him of the drink offerings used in the Jewish sacrificial system. God had ordained their use in His original instructions to Moses, given during Israel’s journey from Egypt to the land of Canaan.

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.” – Exodus 29:38-41 ESV

There were a variety of different drink offerings, but they all shared the same fate. Prior to sacrifice, each lamb or bull was to be ceremonially slaughtered, with the blood being drained from its body. Once the animal was burned on the altar, the appropriate drink offering was to be poured out on the altar, “as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Numbers 15:10 ESV). In a sense, the flour, oil, and wine mixture became a symbol of the blood poured out on behalf of the one offering the sacrifice. God told Moses elsewhere, “For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible” (Leviticus 17:11 NLT).

Jesus picked up on this imagery on the night He shared a final Passover meal with His disciples in the upper room. He poured wine into a cup, then stated: “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20 ESV). He was preparing to spill His blood so that they might have their sins atoned for.

This imagery would not have escaped Timothy’s notice as he read Paul’s words. His dear friend and spiritual father was telling him that he too was being poured out like a drink offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And to add a further sense of immediacy, Paul uses the Greek word, analysis to describe his pending death.

…the time of my departure has come… – 2 Timothy 4:6 ESV

This word conjures the image of a ship preparing to depart on a journey, with its ropes loosened from their moorings. Paul saw his death as inevitable and unavoidable, but he did not fear or dread its coming. In fact, he shared with the believers in Corinth his deep longing to be at home with the Lord.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. – 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 NLT

Paul could face death with confidence because he knew what lay ahead, and he was at peace with his efforts for the kingdom. He had done his job well. He had served faithfully.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

Paul wasn’t bragging or boasting; he was simply expressing his confident assertion that his life had pleased God. And while he knew that his death would result in his appearance before Christ, he had no reason to be fearful when facing his Savior once again.

…we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. – 2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT

Paul knew his death would come long before Christ's Second Coming, but he was confident he would not miss a single moment of that great day. He would receive the final reward, the crown of righteousness, that awaits all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

…now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. – 2 Timothy 4:8 NLT

Paul knew all his effort for Christ in this life would be rewarded in the life to come. He believed, as did the apostle John, that his ultimate reward would be a life of sinless righteousness, like Christ's.

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. – 1 John 3:2 BSB

That future hope is what kept Paul going in the present reality of his imprisonment and pending death. He could face anything because he knew his salvation and ultimate glorification rested on God's unfailing love.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. – Romans 8:38 NLT

With that hope in mind, Paul continued to run his race well. He kept his eyes on the objective and knew the finish line was in sight.

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:14 NLT

He wanted Timothy to run his race with the same intensity and intentionality. He knew there would be days when Timothy wanted to give up. His young friend and fellow minister of the gospel would face potential setbacks and difficulties. His strength would ebb, and his motivation would dissipate. But Paul knew from personal experience that the best way to survive the rigors of the race was to keep your eye on the prize.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 BSB

Paul was passing the torch to Timothy. He wanted his young friend to know the race was well worth running. There would be an end to the pain and suffering. The weariness and feelings of sheer exhaustion would one day cease. In the meantime, Timothy had to keep fighting the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. And as the author of Hebrews points out, Timothy was not the first and would not be the last to run the race of faith.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. – Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT

Others have run the race of life before us. They completed the course that God laid out for them and are now enjoying their promised reward. Their efforts were not in vain, and neither will ours be. So, we run with determination and an unwavering confidence that the final prize will be well worth the effort. As Paul told the believers in Corinth, “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT).  

Father, just his morning, I received news of the death of another one of Your saints. He was a godly man and a leader in our faith community. But You have called him home. He finished his race. He crossed the finish line. And now, he is enjoying unbroken fellowship with You and Your Son. While I will miss him, I know I will see him again. I also know that he is cheering us on from the sidelines, encouraging us to keep fighting the good fight, finish the race, and remain faithful. None of us knows when our race will end, but we keep running because we value the prize You have promised. The race is not the point, the reward is. We are not hamsters on a wheel, running in circles but going nowhere. Our lives are not meaningless and headed into a void of non-existence. No, we are Your sons and daughters, and heirs of Your Kingdom. We know where we’re going and we run with eagerness to reach our destination. It isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it because, when our race is over, the prize will be priceless. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Season For Sound Teaching

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. – 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV

Preach the word. This three-word summary says it all. Paul greatly desired to hear that his young protégé was faithfully fulfilling his God-ordained commission as a minister of the gospel. Paul had poured his life into Timothy, mentoring and instructing him, and providing his own life as a model of dedication and perseverance. Paul let nothing deter him from his divine calling, and he longed for Timothy to follow his example. For Paul, this mattered because he knew his life and ministry were drawing to a close. He was writing from prison in Rome, facing trumped-up yet serious charges that could result in his death. In the very next verse, Paul states, “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come” (2 Timothy 4:6 ESV).

The gospel must continue to be preached, and Paul was convinced of Timothy’s role in that divine endeavor. His words are meant to give Timothy a gentle yet sobering boost of moral courage and spiritual conviction, and he adds weight by using the Father and His Son as witnesses. Paul may have chosen to make Timothy his disciple, but he wanted Timothy to understand that God's sovereign will called him.

In the opening lines of his letter, Paul recalled Timothy’s ordination when he had placed his hands on his young acolyte, using his apostolic authority to commission him for ministry. But God poured out His Spirit on Timothy, divinely gifting him for service.

I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands… – 2 Timothy 1:6 ESV

Paul wanted Timothy to know that God and Christ Jesus were both witnesses to his ministry. They had a vested interest in his work because it involved proclaiming God’s gracious gift of salvation, made possible through the sacrificial death of His Son. The very same Jesus whom Timothy preached as having been resurrected from the dead will one day return and “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1 ESV). Timothy needed to remind himself that Jesus would return a second time and establish His Kingdom on earth. And when He does, all the ungodly who appear to be prospering and profiting from their immoral behavior in this life will face judgment at His hands.

With that thought in mind, Timothy was to “Preach the word of God” (2 Timothy 4:1 NLT).  The Greek word Paul used is kēryssō, which means “to herald” or “proclaim.” Knowing that Jesus will one day judge and condemn all those who remain unbelieving, Timothy was obligated to declare the good news of salvation through faith in Christ. He was to preach the gospel boldly and powerfully, motivated by his awareness of its life-and-death implications.

“…to officiate as herald; to proclaim after the manner of a herald; always with a suggestion of formality, gravity, and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed.” – “κήρυξον”, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

But for Timothy to be effective, he had to “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV). He could not afford to be a fair-weather preacher or wait until things were more convenient or the atmosphere was more conducive to his message. Regardless of the circumstances he faced, Timothy had to be prepared to preach the word unapologetically, faithfully, and with equal doses of encouragement and correction. Timothy was to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV).

The danger in preaching the “good news” is that it can leave people believing that the Christian life is a trouble-free existence, a kind of heaven on earth. But nothing could be further from the truth. Salvation does not guarantee a lack of trials or suffering in this life; it offers a way to avoid eternal suffering in the life to come. When Jesus promised His disciples life more abundantly (John 10:10), He wasn’t offering them a life filled with ceaseless pleasure, abundant possessions, and perfect health. In fact, He warned them to expect the opposite.

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.” – Matthew 10:16-19 NLT

He went on to tell them, “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39 NLT).

The abundant life is one in which the believer lives with their eyes focused on eternity. When they do, the trials and troubles of this life pale in comparison with the joys to come. That’s exactly what Paul meant when he wrote, “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later” (Romans 8:18 NLT).

So, Timothy was to preach a well-rounded gospel message, clearly communicating the future glories to come, while also warning of the dangers inherent in this present life. Jesus Himself warned, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 NLT). The decision to follow Christ is costly, requiring the disciple to reprioritize everything else in their life so nothing competes with or distracts from their calling.

But Paul warns Timothy that not everyone will embrace the Christian life with the zeal and unbridled enthusiasm required. They’ll confuse the “good news” with the “good life” and demand that their preachers support their wrong assumptions with false messages that replace the truth with pleasant-sounding lies.

…a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

But while there will always be people-pleasing preachers willing to offer pious-sounding platitudes in place of truth, Timothy was to remain fully committed to God’s Word.

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. – 2 Timothy 4:5 NLT

Truth-telling and ear-tickling are antithetical; you can’t please God and people at the same time. A ministry motivated by a desire for popularity and focused on earthly rewards may garner a following and appear successful, but it will lack God’s presence and power. Timothy’s reward would not come in this life. The true measure of his success would be revealed when he stood before the Lord and heard Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23 ESV).

Father, You have called us to preach the gospel “in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV). There are no off-season for the gospel ministry and no time-outs for those whom You have commissioned as Your ambassadors. Ministry is a full-time job that requires diligence, determination, and a desire to please You rather than men. But we live in an age where popularity and men-pleasing is not only fashionable but preferable for many ministers. In an effort to draw crowds and increase their following, “they teach man-made ideas as commands from God” (Matthew 15:9 NLT). And Your Son called their worship of You “a farce.” Sermons designed to tickle men’s ears will never bring You glory or bring about changed lives. That is why Paul was so adamant that Timothy stay faithful to his calling. The pressure to compromise is real. The temptation to pursue popularity and “likes” has never been stronger. But You never intended the gospel ministry to be about building a fan base of satisfied customers. Timothy was to “ reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV). Telling people what they want to hear may keep them coming back for more, but it will never produce faith-filled followers of Christ who are willing endure the momentary light afflictions for the “glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT). Help me stay committed to the calling You have placed on my life. Keep me focused on eternity so I am not tempted to seek heaven on earth or trade eternal promises for temporary pleasures. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sanctification, Suffering, and Scripture

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.– 2 Timothy 3:10-17 ESV

Timothy found himself surrounded by false teachers and foolish people whose lack of spiritual discernment led them to accept their heresy as truth. But Paul would not let his young disciple lose hope or abandon his ministry objectives. Timothy still had work to do. The gospel must be preached, new believers must be educated in the teachings of Christ, the truth of God’s Word must be defended, and the promises of God must be believed – at all costs.

If Timothy needed encouragement or an example to follow, he only had to look to the life of Paul, his mentor and friend. After all, Paul wrote this letter while confined to prison in Rome, and he was there solely because of his faith in Christ and his commitment to preaching the gospel. Those who opposed his message falsely accused him and despised him so much that they would do anything to see him eliminated. A group of 40 Jews had even made a pact, sealed by an oath, that they would not eat until they had personally assassinated Paul.

The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.” – Acts 23:12-15 NLT

So, just in case his memory had lapsed, Paul provided Timothy with a sobering reminder that his own ministry experience had been anything but easy. From the moment he received his commission from Christ, Paul faced opposition, persecution, and suffering. But he had done so with patience, faith, love, and steadfastness. This was not a display of arrogant pride or boasting on Paul’s part; he was simply reminding Timothy of what he had already witnessed with his own eyes. Paul recounts three occasions when he suffered persecution for doing what he had been called to do. The first took place in Antioch of Pisidia. There, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in the synagogues and saw many people come to faith.

Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. – Acts 13:43 NLT

But they also met with increasing opposition on the part of the Jews.

But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said. – Acts 13:45 NLT

And it wasn’t long before their jealousy and slander turned to acts of physical violence.

Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. – Acts 13:50 NLT

Railroaded out of Antioch by the Jews, Paul and Barnabas made their way to Iconium. But as Luke records in Acts, their relocation did little to improve their popularity. 

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News. – Acts 14:1-7 NLT

But things took a rather odd and nearly deadly turn in Lystra. Their miraculous healing of a crippled man caused the inhabitants of Lystra to mistake them for gods in human form. They even tried to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, mistaking them for the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. But Paul took the opportunity to declare the good news, calling their audience to “turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God” (Acts 14:15 NLT).

But the crowds remained undeterred by Paul’s words, still convinced that they were gods. Then, a contingent of Jews from Antioch and Iconium showed up, whose accusations against Paul and Barnabas transformed the adoring crowd from worshipers to executioners.

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. – Acts 14:19-20 NLT

Paul reminds Timothy, “You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it” (2 Timothy 3:11 NLT). Paul miraculously walked away from his own stoning and made his way to Derbe, where he continued to faithfully proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Then, according to Luke, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps, returning to the very cities where they had faced opposition and Paul had been stoned and left for dead.

After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. – Acts 14:21-22 NLT

The inhabitants of these three cities must have been shocked when Paul and Barnabas showed back up. But no one would have been more surprised than those who had placed their faith in Christ as a result of the teaching of these two men. They must have assumed they would never see Paul and Barnabas again. But not only did they return, but they also provided a living lesson in what it means to suffer for Christ. It is likely that Paul still displayed the cuts and bruises from his stoning in Lystra.

And Paul reminds Timothy of the message he delivered to the faithful in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch: “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT).

The reality of the Christian life is that the godly will suffer while the ungodly will appear to prosper. False teachers will continue to deceive and mislead the innocent and immature. The wicked will appear to get away with their ungodly behavior, even flourishing, while those who follow Christ find themselves facing trials and difficulties of all kinds.

But Paul encourages Timothy to remain faithful at all costs, reminding him to consider the history of his own conversion and calling. Timothy was raised by a godly mother and grandmother who saturated his life with the Scriptures. That immersion in the Old Testament prepared Timothy to understand the truth about Jesus and His claim to be the Messiah of Israel.

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 3:15 NLT

Timothy knew Jesus fulfilled all the Messianic passages in the Hebrew Scriptures. He was the Son of David and the long-awaited Messiah, and He was Timothy’s Savior. Just as Scripture prophesied Jesus’ first coming, it also revealed that Jesus would come again one day. That’s why Paul reminds Timothy to keep trusting God’s written Word because it reveals the truth concerning His Living Word.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. – Acts 3:16-17 NLT

Things wouldn't be easy. Living the Christian life would not be a walk in the park. But Paul wanted Timothy to know that he could endure whatever came his way because he could trust in the Word of God. It had the power to instruct, discipline, encourage, and equip God’s people. It was divinely inspired and, therefore, spiritually empowered to help every believer not only survive but thrive. Sanctification, suffering, and Scripture are three non-negotiables in the life of the believer. Salvation will result in our transformation into the likeness of Christ. That process will involve suffering and persecution; it comes with the territory. But Scripture, which reveals God's redemptive plan made possible through faith in Christ, also provides everything we need to live godly lives as we await His Son’s return.

Father, this message is a difficult one for us to hear. We don’t want to think about suffering. In fact, we avoid it at all costs. Instead, we pursue ease and comfort, hoping to create our own little heaven on earth where pain, persecution, and problems have no place. But Your Son said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows” (John 16:33 NLT). He reminded His disciples, “I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19 ESV). So, Paul is right when he warns Timothy that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV). It is an inescapable fact that following Christ will bring down the wrath of the enemy. Satan hates us, and the more we serve God and reflect the character of Christ, the more intense his attacks will become. Our sanctification infuriates him because it proves the truth of the gospel. As we become more like Christ, we reflect the power of the Holy Spirit, the reliability of God’s promises, and the hope of eternal life. Yet, the temptation is to view suffering and persecution as unwanted, undesirable anomalies that have no place in the life of a believer. The enemy wants us to reject them as unacceptable and to see them as unwelcome “gifts” from an unloving God. But Paul describes our persecution, pain, and suffering as small and short-lived, and reminds us, “Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT). Yes, the pain is real, the suffering hurts, and the persecution is difficult to accept, but as Paul promises, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (Romans 5:3-5 NLT). Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

There’s Always Room For Growth

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.  – 2 Timothy 3:6-9 ESV

After assuring Timothy that the spiritual condition of the world was going to get worse before it got better and providing him with a detailed description of the moral state of its inhabitants, Paul warned him, “Stay away from people like that!” (2 Timothy 2:5 NLT). They may appear to be religious and even claim to be followers of Christ and faithful members of the local church, but their behavior will reveal that they love pleasure more than God. They will be worldly, controlled by their sin natures, and driven by their passions, rather than living under the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In his letter to the believers in Galatia, Paul provided yet another list of characteristics that would mark such people.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

While Paul’s words apply to any church in any age, he had someone specific in mind when writing to Timothy. A group of false teachers exhibiting the characteristics in verses 2-5 was negatively influencing the church in Ephesus. These self-loving, pleasure-seeking, ego-driven individuals were preying on the weak and vulnerable in the church.

They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. – 2 Timothy 3:6 NLT

What Paul describes is a predatory mindset that seeks out the spiritually and emotionally immature. These pious-sounding individuals were actually self-proclaimed purveyors of doctrinal error who purposefully targeted the weaker brothers and sisters in the congregation. Paul emphasizes their particular emphasis on “weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions” (2 Timothy 3:6 ESV).

It is important to remember that the early church was made up of converts from all walks of life, including men, women, slaves, freemen, Gentiles, and Jews. The church was a melting pot of the rich and the poor, and the educated and the illiterate. Some people had come to faith in Christ while their spouses remained unsaved. Paul makes that point clear in his first letter to the church in Corinth.

And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. – 1 Corinthians 7:13-14 NLT

Just a few verses earlier in the same letter, Paul commanded anyone who had become a believer to remain married to their unbelieving spouse.

But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband…And the husband must not leave his wife. – 1 Corinthians 7:11, 12 NLT

If a believing woman had lost her husband, she was particularly vulnerable, lacking a spiritual partner in her quest for godliness. She could not expect her husband to provide any spiritual leadership or support. Because of the prevailing cultural constraints of the day, many women were uneducated and ill-equipped to see through the doctrinal error promoted by these false teachers.

Paul uses an interesting Greek word to describe these women: gynaikarion. It appears nowhere else in the New Testament and is a non-flattering term that means “little women.” Various Bible translations use different English words to convey the term's original meaning: vulnerable, weak, gullible, silly, foolish, and idle.

But Paul seems to have viewed these women as spiritually immature and still “burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires” (2 Timothy 3:6 NLT). These false teachers were taking advantage of the situation, targeting the less spiritually informed in the congregation to sway opinion and recruit converts to their way of thinking.

Paul essentially described these women as “little” or childish in their faith. They were immature and lacked the wisdom to see through the false teachers' deception. In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, he warned them about unknowingly doing damage to their weaker brothers and sisters. In their case, the issue involved eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. The more mature believers understood that the meat, available for purchase at the local market, was of high quality and completely harmless. But the less mature believers, most of whom had been idol worshipers before coming to faith in Christ, viewed the meat as tainted and unholy. So, when they saw their fellow believers eating or serving this meat at their meals, they were appalled and confused. This led Paul to write: “take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9 NLT).

The weaker or less mature believer will always be more susceptible to false teaching because they lack biblical knowledge to help them discern the difference between falsehood and truth. Their understanding of basic Bible doctrine is rudimentary and easily manipulated. Paul describes these women as being spiritually hungry but lacking in discernment.

Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7 NLT).

What Paul describes is a timeless problem that is not relegated to the first century. A new believer’s hunger for spiritual truth is a good thing, but can become dangerous when there is no one to provide wisdom and discernment. A young child will satisfy their physical hunger with whatever appeals to them, with no regard for its nutritional value. In the same way, immature Christians can feed their spiritual appetite with sermons, books, podcasts, and teachings that do more harm than good. They can fill up on spiritual “junk food” that appeals to their senses but leaves them in a weakened state because it is devoid of truth.

And Paul accuses the false teachers of feeding these spiritually childlike women a steady diet of lies and half-truths that left them spiritually malnourished and starving. Paul compares the false teachers to the Egyptian magicians who tried to counter Moses' miraculous plagues with their own brand of supernatural conjuring. Paul names two individuals not mentioned in the Old Testament but preserved through Jewish oral tradition. Jannes means “the rebel,” while Jambres means “the opponent.” Like the court magicians who opposed Moses' efforts, the false teachers were spinning their own version of the truth. But Paul pulls no punches in exposing them because they were “corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith” (2 Timothy 3:8 ESV).

The Egyptian magicians could only produce counterfeit miracles that simulated the work of God. And the false teachers could only offer up spiritual-sounding platitudes that lacked substance and led to spiritual starvation. Eventually, their deception will be exposed, and their erroneous teaching will lose its grip on the weak and vulnerable.

… they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres. – 2 Timothy 3:9 NLT

A steady diet of junk food may sound appealing, but will eventually lead to poor health. And the immature believer who fills their spiritual tank with the latest faith-fad and quick-fix religious trend will find themselves suffering from malnutrition and in need of something of substance. The weak and immature are to grow up, and the spiritual infant is expected to make steady progress toward maturity. Spiritual growth is a normal part of the Christian life, as Paul and the author of Hebrews make clear.

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NLT

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. – Hebrews 5:12-14 NLT

The best antidote to spiritual immaturity is the truth of God’s Word. Each Christ-follower is to feed on the truth and allow it to transform them from an infant in Christ to a fully mature believer “who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT). Like an infant that craves its mother’s milk, believers should long for the life-transformative nourishment of the Word of God.  

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. – 1 Peter 2:2 BSB

Father, we each began our faith journey as spiritual infants, totally dependent upon the wisdom and care of others to ensure our safety and growth. But there came a time when we had to learn to self-feed and stand on our own. This transition from total dependence on others to spiritual adulthood and independence is natural and normal. But it can’t happen without a steady diet of Your  Word, which “is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:15 BSB). The truth of Your Word serves as spiritual nourishment that strengthens our faith, increases our resistance to falsehood, and transforms us into fully devoted followers of Christ, “mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13 NLT). When we make spiritual maturity our highest priority, “then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT). That is the goal, and it is achievable because You make it possible. Never let me become complacent about my spiritual growth or satisfied with where I am in my faith journey. Give me an unsatiable appetite for Your Word so that I can continue to grow more like Christ the older I get. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Dismal Days Ahead

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV

If Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to encourage Timothy, this section seems to veer wildly off course. In it, Paul shares a bleak, pessimistic view of the conditions Timothy can expect in the days ahead. Essentially, he warns his young friend that things will get worse before they get better. In his efforts to spread the gospel and instruct the saints, Timothy should not expect the world to be transformed into heaven on earth.

By “last days,” Paul refers to the period that began with the birth of the church at Pentecost and will continue until the Lord returns for His bride at the Rapture. In his first letter, Paul had already warned Timothy to expect an increase in apostasy and demonic activity.

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. – 1 Timothy 4:1-2 NLT

And  Paul was not alone in his gloomy assessment of the final days. The apostle Peter also shared a rather dismal outlook of the future.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?” – 2 Peter 3:3-4 NLT

And Jude echoed the apostles' words, warning his readers that the last days will be marked by an increase in “scoffers,” those who stand opposed to Christ, His followers, the things of God, and the truth of the gospel.

But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. – Jude 17-19 NLT

If Timothy was successful in helping believers live lives set apart from the world, they would act as bright lights in the darkness, exposing the sinfulness of those around them and accentuating the glaring difference between holiness and wickedness. Paul talked about the exposing nature of the Christian faith in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. – Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

Timothy could expect difficult days ahead because he would carry out his ministry in an increasingly wicked context. He would find himself sharing the good news of the gospel in a world filled with evil people with bad motives. Paul shares a blunt, far-from-flattering description of what Timothy can expect to encounter in these last days.

…people will love only themselves and their money – Vs. 2

People will be plagued by selfishness and self-centeredness. They will be narcissistic and self-consumed, refusing to love others, and will spend all their time and energy on loving themselves. They will use money to gratify their own desires, chasing the almighty dollar to satisfy their insatiable appetite for pleasure, possessions, power, and prominence.

They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God… – Vs. 2

Their growing affluence will make them self-sufficient and arrogant, as they glory in their own greatness. Their self-made success will cause them to dismiss the very idea of a sovereign God of the universe. They will see themselves as the masters of their own fates and the captains of their souls. Mankind will inculcate the values expressed by Napoleon Hill in his classic work, Think and Grow Rich.

“You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct, and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.” – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich (1937)

King David described the very nature of these kinds of people.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. – Psalm 14:1-3 BSB

In the last days, money will become a substitute for God, serving as the primary source of comfort, provision, and purpose in life.

Paul goes on to describe the world’s inhabitants as “disobedient to their parents” (2 Timothy 3:2 NLT). Each of these descriptions stands in stark contrast to the Ten Commandments. Rather than honoring their fathers and mothers, people will treat them with disdain by disregarding their God-given authority.

Ingratitude will become commonplace and will be primarily directed at God. A spirit of dissatisfaction fueled by unmet expectations will run rampant. People will never be happy with what they have and will refuse to thank God for all that He has done. Paul expressed this problem in his letter to the church in Rome.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. – Romans 1:21 NLT

And Paul warns Timothy that it will get worse.

They will consider nothing sacred… – Vs 2

Paul used one Greek word to describe these individuals: anosios, meaning “unholy” or “wicked.” Their lives will be marked by a complete disregard for all that God has deemed holy. While Christ-followers are called to live set-apart lives, the rest of humanity will share the common distinction of being unholy because they will not belong to God. In fact, they will stand in rebellion against Him, and their antipathy toward God will manifest itself in a range of godless behaviors that expose the destructive nature of their chosen lifestyle.

…unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. – 2 Timothy 3:3-4 NET

The last days will be marked by love of self and hatred of others. This narcissistic, self-consumed lifestyle will have corporate consequences; no one will care for anyone other than themselves. The world will become an increasingly selfish place where everyone looks out for their own self-interest, at the expense of all others. It will be every man for himself. Disunity, discord, dissension, and division will be the order of the day. Everyone will care only for themselves, a trait Paul describes as self-love that is motivated by self-pleasure.

“If it feels good, do it” will be the mantra of the day, and the love of pleasure will replace a love for God. The quest to fulfill sinful desires will overwhelm any sense of living in obedience to God's will. But Paul warns Timothy that this will not be an irreligious time; people will pursue all kinds of spirituality in the form of man-made religions. But they will all prove unprofitable because they will lack any transforming power. Paul states that people “will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (2 Timothy 3:6 NLT).

Pursuing godliness apart from God is impossible. The desire for contentment, significance, and meaning in life can never be fulfilled apart from a relationship with Him. Man’s tireless quest for pleasure at all costs will fall short because true joy is unattainable without God. A restored relationship with God is impossible apart from belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ. So, as Timothy continued to do his work of preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, he was to avoid all those who displayed a persistent and stubborn rejection of the truth. The self-righteous and falsely religious were not interested in what Timothy offered. Like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, they viewed themselves as spiritually whole and in no need of a Savior. They proudly saw themselves as healthy individuals who did not require the services of the Great Physician.

But there would always be those who understood their need for healing. Timothy would find some who recognized their sickness and were unashamed to seek the Savior's help. So, he was to keep on teaching, preaching, and proclaiming the good news of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone.

Father, the evidence that we are living in the last days is all around us. Social media is filled with proof of Paul’s assessment of humanity. Self-love, materialism, pride, arrogance, godlessness, heartlessness, slander, brutality, wickedness, and conceit are on full display. The culture is consumed with conspicuous consumption and the pursuit of pleasure — at any cost. People regularly sacrifice their convictions and abandon their morals while chasing success, significance, meaning, happiness, power, popularity, and their fleeting 15-minutes of fame. Yet, despite it all, You have called us to be salt and light. We are Your ambassadors, tasked with spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and calling those living in darkness to step into the light of Your grace and mercy. Don’t allow us to be overwhelmed by the circumstances or to give in to compromise or complacency. We need to remain firm in our faith, committed to carrying out Your will, and dependent upon the Holy Spirit’s power. Paul wasn’t trying to discourage Timothy; he was attempting to prepare him for the inevitable. The world is becoming increasingly wicked and godless., but the real danger we face is from within. The attitudes Paul described to Timothy were evident in the local church, not just the culture. These destructive characteristics can just as easily show up in the life of a believer as in a non-Christian. So, we must be vigilant, constantly assessing the spiritual health of the body of Christ and prepared to deal with sin in the camp. We are either to call them to repentance or avoid them like the plague. To treat godlessness among God’s people with kid gloves is unacceptable and, ultimately, dangerous. It weakens the body and damages God’s reputation. So, please continue to protect, preserve, and motivate us to love and good works — until Your Son returns. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Vessel of Honor

20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. – 2 Timothy 2:20-26 ESV

Quarrelsome words. Irreverent babble. Gangrenous talk.

Paul pulled no punches when describing the erroneous teaching that was influencing and infecting the church in Ephesus. To Paul, it was like a deadly disease slowly spreading through the congregation, causing some to doubt their true spiritual condition. The doctrinal errors propagated by individuals like Hymenaeus and Philetus ran contrary to the message Paul had preached about the truth of the gospel.

Paul informed Timothy that he had the unenviable, but necessary responsibility of addressing this problem by “rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV). He encouraged his young protegé to do his job with an eye toward seeking the approval of God, not men.

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. – 2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

Telling people what they want to hear might help Timothy win over some of the dissenters in the congregation, but it would not score him any points with God. As a minister of the gospel, Timothy was responsible to teach the truth, regardless of how his audience responded; he answered to God. And Paul reminded Timothy that “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’” (2 Timothy 2:19 NLT).

The congregation in Ephesus was confused. With men like Hymenaeus and Philetus teaching contrary doctrine and sowing seeds of doubt and dissent, it had become difficult to tell who was telling the truth. But Paul emphasized that God knew; the Shepherd knows His sheep, and those who belong to the flock of God were expected to “turn away from evil.” As in any congregation, the fellowship in Ephesus was comprised of both the faithful and the unfaithful.

There were those who adhered to the truth of God and sought to abstain from evil, and those who “swerved from the truth” (2 Timothy 2:18 ESV) and, in doing so, embraced wickedness. This led Paul to use yet another illustration to help Timothy understand what he faced in Ephesus.

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. – 2 Timothy 2:20 ESV

This simple analogy was intended to expose the diverse composition of any local congregation. In a church, as in a fine home, it is only natural to find both honorable and dishonorable “vessels.” This is not a reference to the saved and the lost. Paul focuses on the word “honorable,” which in Greek refers to “value” or “esteem.”

Paul’s point is that God deems honorable those who rightly divide the word of truth; they meet His approval. But those who twist and distort the truth are viewed as dishonorable or unworthy. A wealthy homeowner would not use clay dishes to serve his dinner guests. To do so would dishonor himself and his guests. And God will not use those individuals who distort the truth of the gospel because to do so would bring dishonor to His name.

The primary issue here is that of holiness, or the state of being set apart. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have been set apart by God for His use. Having been saved by God through the sacrificial death of His Son, they now belong to Him.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT

Those who belong to God are expected to honor Him. But when a believer embraces teaching that is contrary to God’s truth or commits sins that are unacceptable for God’s children, he renders himself unfit for service. Paul is not teaching that a believer can lose his salvation; He is simply stating that a Christian can fail to live a set-apart life by choosing to follow the desires of their sinful nature. When they do, they disqualify themselves from service to God. But Paul also says disqualification can result from believing or teaching false doctrine. He insists that this “irreverent babble…will lead people into more and more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:16 ESV).

The word “irreverent” is the Greek word bebēlos, which refers to something “common” or “unholy.” It contradicts being set apart by God for His honor and glory. In veering from the truth of God and encouraging others to follow suit, a believer renders themself unfit for His service. They become common rather than holy or, as Paul put it, they become a vessel for dishonor rather than honor. And to ensure Timothy doesn’t miss his point, Paul puts his warning in practical, everyday terms his young disciple can understand.

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. – 2 Timothy 2:22 NLT

Paul challenges Timothy to live a set-apart life; to live in a way that reflected his status as a new creation in Christ. He was to seek the company of those who shared his desire to live a holy life.

But Paul wasn’t telling Timothy to form a “holy huddle,” an elite group of super-serious Christians who chose to sequester themselves away from the less honorable members of the congregation. Paul wanted Timothy to teach and train up a group of believers who would positively influence the rest of the church body through their words and actions. Rather than pick a fight with those who disagreed with them, they were to “Gently instruct those who oppose the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25 NLT). The goal was to provide loving instruction with an eye toward reconciliation.

Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 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. – 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NLT

In Paul’s mind, the “dishonorable” vessel was not doomed to remain that way; he could be renewed and restored. Every believer is responsible to compassionately care for those who stray from the truth.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. – Galatians 6:1 NLT

Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister. – 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 NLT

Paul greatly desired that the church be marked by a spirit of unity and solidarity. But he knew that the sinful natures of those who made up the church could make that difficult. But he also knew that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit provided every believer with an ample source of power to overcome sin and resist the lies of the enemy. But Timothy, as a minister of the gospel, would need to set the example, modeling the life of an honorable vessel, “set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 ESV).

Father, You saved us so that we would bring You honor, and You placed Your Spirit within us so we would have a constant source of guidance and power to make it possible. Thankfully, You didn’t leave the goal of our sanctification up to us or it would never happen. We can’t transform ourselves into the likeness of Your Son, but that doesn’t absolve us of the responsibility to cooperate with Your Spirit and to make godliness our primary goal. As a follower of Christ, I should want to honor You with my life because of all You have done for me. Seeking to faithfully follow Your will should motivate all that I do. But it requires that I know the truth and that I refuse to veer from it. Yet, the world is constantly selling a different version of the truth designed to produce compromise and complacency among Your children. The enemy constantly seeks to distort Your Word through the subtle dissemination of plausible lies and convincing half-truths. It all sounds good but it doesn’t produce honorable vessels. Those who buy into the lies end up shipwrecking their faith and rendering themselves unfit for service in Your Kingdom. Open my eyes to see the battle raging all around me and to recognize the enemy’s deceptive attempts to lure me away from the path of righteousness. I want to be “set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 ESV). Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How Firm a Foundation

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” – 2 Timothy 2:14-19 ESV

Paul wasn’t afraid to name names and call out individuals for their unfaithfulness or failure to remain committed to the cause of Christ. First, he mentions Phygelus and Hermogenes, two individuals who abandoned him in Asia. Now he brings up another pair, Hymenaeus and Philetus, whom he accuses of “swerving from the truth” (2 Timothy 2:18 ESV). These individuals taught that the resurrection had already taken place, which caused confusion and doubt among the faithful.

Paul’s mention of Hymenaeus and Philetus was intended to provide Timothy a concrete example of what he meant by “irreverent babble” or quarreling about words. Paul had just instructed Timothy to take what he had been taught and “teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (2 Timothy 2:2 NLT).

One of Timothy’s primary responsibilities as a minister of the gospel was to provide those under his care with sound instruction and a Christ-like model to follow. Because the body of Christ was still in its infancy, it suffered a serious leadership void, and many people were ignorant about spiritual matters. Those who had come to faith in Christ knew little beyond their original understanding of the gospel message. They had eagerly embraced Paul’s message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, but beyond that, they had little knowledge of what living out their faith in Christ should look like in daily life. Many expected their salvation experience to bring a trouble-free, blessing-filled life because of their newfound relationship with Yahweh. Yet, instead, they found themselves suffering persecution, facing difficulties, and discovering that the Christian life was not a walk in the park.

To make matters worse, some had taken it upon themselves to serve as teachers, providing “instruction” in spiritual matters that left their students more confused than comforted. Conflicting messages and competing opinions were causing discord in the church, with people “fighting over words” (2 Timothy 2:14 NLT), and Paul deemed these arguments useless because they produced nothing of value.

Amid the confusion and competing agendas, Timothy was to be a source of sound teaching, “rightly handling the word of truth” and providing those under his care with accurate information about spiritual matters. That meant Timothy had to stick to the script; he was not free to ad-lib or add to the teaching he had received from Paul. When it came to the gospel, there was no place for conjecture or personal opinion. For Paul, the gospel was about more than the message of salvation; it included the whole divine process of redemption, from salvation to sanctification, and ended with the believer’s glorification.

…those whom He predestined, these also He called; and whom He called, these also He justified; and whom He justified, these also He glorified. – Romans 8:30 BSB

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6 NLT

Like the apostle Peter, Paul expected every believer to “grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT). He told the believers in Ephesus “to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 ESV). Salvation was to result in sanctification or ongoing spiritual maturity, which will ultimately culminate in the believer’s glorification or final transformation into the likeness of Christ.

Paul expected Timothy to teach these truths faithfully and accurately. If he did, Timothy would have no reason to be ashamed, and time would vindicate the veracity of his message. But those who “teach man-made ideas as commands from God” (Matthew 15:9 NLT) will eventually be exposed as fakes and frauds, guilty of “worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior” (2 Timothy 2:16 NLT).

Paul describes this false, man-made teaching as a disease that can spread throughout the body of Christ with deadly consequences. He uses Hymenaeus and Philetus as examples of those who propagate such lies. Out of ignorance, these two men had drawn erroneous conclusions regarding Paul’s teaching about the resurrection of the dead. They claimed this future event had already taken place. Not understanding the true nature of the resurrection, they had over-simplified and spiritualized it, falsely assuming that they were already experiencing it. It’s likely they used Paul’s words to the Romans to justify their conclusion.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his….Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. – Romans 6:4-5, 8 ESV

Paul had even told Timothy, “If we have died with him, we will also live with him” (2 Timothy 2:11 ESV). So these men assumed the resurrected life referred to the “newness of life” Paul referred to. This teaching was leaving believers with the false impression that all the promises associated with the resurrection of the dead were to be expected in this life, not the one to come, and this claim left the suffering and persecuted believers in Ephesus confused and concerned.

This is why Paul told Timothy, “If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11-12 NLT). He called this a trustworthy statement, a promise supported by the full weight of God’s glory and goodness. To support his claim that God could be trusted to complete what He began and fulfill all that He has promised, Paul turned to the Hebrew Scriptures, citing two Old Testament passages.

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.” – 2 Timothy 2:19 NLT

Paraphrasing Numbers 16:6 and Numbers 16:26, Paul illustrated the timeless nature of God’s promises; He always does what He says He will do. God’s words have an eternal quality, spanning the centuries and assuring all who hear and obey them that He is trustworthy and true.

Despite the teaching of men like Hymenaeus and Philetus, the believers in Ephesus had no reason to doubt their salvation. Just because things weren’t turning out like they expected, they had no cause for fear or doubt; the Lord knows those who are His. They could rest in the promise that they would remain firmly held in the loving grasp of God all the way to the end. Their only responsibility was to turn away from evil. They didn’t have to strive to remain saved, and they weren’t under obligation to continually earn their right standing with God through additional good works. They simply needed to live out their salvation in daily life, allowing the Spirit of God to produce fruit in their lives through His power, not their own.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.” 

— “How Firm a Foundation,” 1787, author unknown (“K—”)

Father, standing on Your promises isn’t always easy. You have promised to give us the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, but it doesn’t always feel like that power is readily available. Your Son promised us abundant life, yet it sometimes feels as if this life misses the mark. Life isn’t always easy or fulfilling and living the Christian life can be a real challenge. But You have promised that we will experience sanctification, our ongoing transformation into the likeness of Your Son. How You bring it about is part of the problem because You sometimes use trials and troubles to reveal our weakness and illustrate our need for You. I think of Your words to Paul: ““My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT). And his response still blows me away.

“I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT). 

I want to stand firm on Your promises, fully confident that You will finish what You began in my life. I have already experienced the transformative power of the gospel and You are far from done. My sanctification is ongoing and my future glorification is on schedule because You are faithful. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Faithful to the End

1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself. – 2 Timothy 2:1-13 ESV

Paul, an older and more experienced minister of the gospel, pours out his heart to his young protégé, Timothy, to prepare him for what lies ahead. Paul was imprisoned in Rome, awaiting a hearing before the emperor, and he knew that his fate, while in God’s hands, could end poorly. He had no delusions that he would receive a fair and just trial at the hands of the Romans. The Jews had been relentless in their efforts to hold Paul accountable for what they considered to be his disruptive and divisive ministry, and would do everything in their power to seek the death penalty for Paul.

As he sat in jail awaiting his hearing, Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, telling them, “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21 ESV). He knew that his days were numbered and that death was inevitable. But his greatest concern was to honor Christ, whether through ministry or martyrdom.

As Paul penned this letter to Timothy, he must have thought about the message he received from Christ after praying on three different occasions for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed. Jesus had told him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT). And this promise from the Savior had prompted Paul to respond, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).

The power of Christ, made available through His grace, was all Paul needed, and it gave him an overwhelming sense of confidence and peace, regardless of the circumstances he faced.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13 NLT

Now, Paul was passing on the promise of Christ’s grace to Timothy. He told him to “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1 ESV). Timothy was in a difficult spot, ministering to the fledgling congregation in Ephesus while his mentor sat behind bars in Rome. He was on his own, surrounded by hostile forces that opposed his ministry and message. He also faced dissension in the ranks as some of his own parishioners began to question their decision to follow Christ. Persecution and difficulty had begun to set in, causing some to lose faith, like Phygelus and Hermogenes, who had abandoned Paul in Asia.

Paul wanted Timothy to understand that he was no longer the disciple, but had moved into the role of disciple-maker. His days of serving as Paul’s assistant were behind him. Now it was time for him to step up and embrace his responsibilities as a minister of the gospel; that would require Timothy to raise up others to assist him in his work. Paul had chosen Timothy and determined to teach and train him for gospel ministry; now it was time for Timothy to take the baton and run the next leg of the race on his own. But he was not to run alone. Paul encouraged Timothy to “teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (2 Timothy 2:2 NLT).

This was all about propagating and multiplying the ministry by raising up others who could share the burden. Jesus told His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:37-38 NLT). But asking God to supply workers also comes with a responsibility to train them in the disciplines of harvesting, and that would require discipline on Timothy’s part. A landowner would not send inexperienced or untrained workers into his fields to harvest his crops; he would ensure they were trained to do the job well so every ounce of grain was gleaned. No loss. No waste.

Paul drives home the seriousness of Timothy’s role as a disciple-maker with three analogies. First, he compares Timothy to a soldier, who faithfully fulfills his duties, undistracted by the cares of this world.

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

A distracted soldier will prove to be a disloyal soldier. If Timothy allows himself to become preoccupied with the things of this world, he will lose sight of his God-ordained mission. This is what Jesus warned His disciples about when He said, “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39 NLT).

Discipleship, like military service, requires a commitment that carries a high cost. Part-time soldiers make less-than-ideal warriors because they lack commitment to the cause. They tend to let other responsibilities distract them from their mission. And, in the same way, believers can allow their love for the things of this world to render them less-than-successful disciple-makers.

The next analogy Paul uses is that of an athlete. This imagery was a favorite of Paul’s, and he used it repeatedly to illustrate the commitment required to live the Christian life.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! – 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. – 2 Timothy 4:7 NLT

Living the Christian life requires perseverance and determination; no easy paths lead to the finish line, and there are no shortcuts. As Paul warns Timothy, victory is impossible if the runner fails to follow the rules. Timothy was not free to fudge on the God-ordained regulations established for the Christian life. He couldn’t take the path of least resistance and still expect to win the prize at the end of the race. Avoiding difficulty, taking shortcuts in the pursuit of spiritual growth, and running the race just to finish rather than to win are unacceptable. God demands more.

Paul's final analogy entails farming, highlighting the obvious life lesson that hard work has its rewards.

…hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. – 2 Timothy 2:6 NLT

In an agrarian culture, laziness could be a death sentence. The farmer who failed to plow and plant could not expect to reap a harvest. But the diligent farmer, who put in the required labor to prepare his fields and plant his crops at the proper time, would enjoy the fruits of his labors. It was only natural, logical, and fair. Paul wanted Timothy to know that the Christian life also required commitment, diligence, perseverance, and hard work. And just in case Timothy missed the very obvious point behind Paul’s three analogies, he assures him that “the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7 ESV).

Then, as if out of nowhere, Paul changes the topic altogether, shifting his focus to Christ and His resurrection from the dead. But his point remains the same. He is simply using Jesus, “the offspring of David” (2 Timothy 2:8 ESV), as an example of someone who lived a life fully committed to God’s plan for His life. Jesus was a descendant of King David and the rightful heir to the throne, yet He willingly suffered on behalf of sinful mankind so He could become the sinless substitute and selfless source of salvation for all who would believe in Him. Jesus never shirked His God-given responsibility to serve as the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, “becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 ESV).

Paul also uses himself as an example of someone who refused to compromise his convictions or cut corners in his spiritual life. After all, he was writing this letter from prison, bound by chains, and facing a trial on trumped-up charges intended to result in a death sentence. But Paul boldly proclaimed, “I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen” (2 Timothy 2:10 NLT).

Paul's bottom line was that faithlessness has no place in the believer's life. Jesus Christ had sacrificed Himself so that we might live in newness of life. He provided us with the Holy Spirit as a permanent source of power and direction. His death assures us of eternal life, and our endurance in this life comes with the guarantee of an inheritance in the next life. But even if we fail to remain faithful, Jesus Christ will never fail to keep His promise to keep and preserve us.

…if we are faithless, he remains faithful. – 2 Timothy 2:13 ESV

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize,
But as those who’ve gone before us.
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

("Find Us Faithful" – Written by Jon Mohr, performed by Steve Green (From the 1988 album, Find Us Faithful).)

Father, I want to remain faithful — to the end, but it is so easy to get distracted by the cares and concerns of this world. And it doesn’t require a love for the world; even our daily responsibilities and commitments can cause us to lose our perspective and focus. Good things can keep us from accomplishing our mission. That’s why Paul’s words to Timothy are so convicting. Timothy had a mother and grandmother who loved him deeply. He had friends and family members who depended upon him. But Paul was calling him to something higher and greater. He wasn’t asking Timothy to abandon his responsiblities as a son or friend, but he was demanding that he not lose sight of his priorities. Like a dedicated farmer, faithful soldier, or committed athlete, Timothy was to keep the main thing the main thing. His calling by Christ was to take precedence over anything else in his life. I can’t help but think of the shocking words Jesus spoke to His disciples. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26 ESV). He wasn’t calling His followers to literally hate their family members; He was demanding a sold-out commitment to Him that allowed nothing or no one to stand in the way. A farmer will not allow his own child’s birthday keep him from planting his crops. A soldier will refuse leave to visit his family if he knows his platoon is headed into battle. An athlete will pass up breakfast with a friend if it means missing a workout. That is the kind of commitment Jesus was calling for. And that is the way I want to live my life: Dedicated, determined, and undistracted. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Stay the Course

13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. – 2 Timothy 1:13-18 ESV

Even while imprisoned in Rome, Paul took a keen interest in the affairs of the many local congregations he helped to start. He wrote many of his pastoral epistles while under arrest, using his time to encourage the church of Jesus Christ, provide doctrinal instruction, offer relevant application of Jesus’ teaching, and occasionally admonish false teachers and all those swayed by their words.

But Paul also used his confinement to write this letter to his young friend and disciple, Timothy, to bolster his faith and strengthen his commitment to his calling as a minister of Christ. Paul knew firsthand the kind of opposition Timothy faced. He also understood the constant pressure his young friend was under to compromise his message and discredit his calling.

Timothy was young, yet he had been thrust into a high-intensity role, responsible for overseeing the growing flock in Ephesus. He was the God-appointed shepherd of the sheep under his care, and Paul knew his young friend was struggling. Even Paul’s imprisonment had left Timothy wrestling with questions and doubts about the future. After all, his mentor had been arrested and accused of crimes against the state, and Paul’s enemies had used his arrest as an opportunity to undermine his work and destroy his reputation. But Paul encouraged Timothy to “never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him” (2 Timothy 1:8 NLT).

Paul assured Timothy that there was only one reason behind his imprisonment: his preaching of the gospel. He wasn’t an insurrectionist or an enemy of the state; he was simply a “preacher and apostle and teacher” (2 Timothy 1:11 ESV), who had been faithfully fulfilling his God-ordained assignment. So, for him, confinement in prison was a badge of honor, a symbol of his alignment with Christ's sufferings, and Paul wanted Timothy to share that mindset.

Timothy had become part of Paul’s traveling entourage and had watched him preach the good news of Jesus Christ all throughout the Roman Empire. He had witnessed the sheer power of the gospel message as countless individuals from all walks of life placed their faith in Christ. He had seen small congregations spring up in the most unlikely of places. Gentiles who had grown up in pagan cultures worshiping a pantheon of false gods had discovered the truth about Yahweh and His Son. They had turned their backs on idolatry and been restored to a right relationship with the one true God through Jesus Christ.

Timothy must have found all of this incredibly encouraging to his faith. He had enjoyed a front-row-seat experience of the gospel’s transforming power and of Paul’s obvious calling as an ambassador of Jesus Christ. He was compelled to follow Paul’s example, until things went south and Paul was imprisoned. But Paul didn’t want Timothy to lose heart, so he challenged him to quit focusing on his imprisonment and to remember all that he had taught him.

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 1:13 NLT

Paul’s circumstances had done nothing to alter the gospel message. His imprisonment did not confine the good news any more than Jesus’ death prevented His resurrection and ascension. God's sovereign plan remained intact, and Timothy had a responsibility to continue spreading the message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone.

Confined to prison, Paul passed on to Timothy the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and warned him to “carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:14 NLT). He was to do it “through the power of the Holy Spirit” (2 Timothy 1:14 NLT). Nothing had changed. Paul’s imprisonment was not a problem for God, and it had not caught the Almighty by surprise or left Him desperately trying to develop a “Plan B.” It was all part of God’s divine strategy, and Paul wanted Timothy to know God had chosen him for this very occasion. God had called, gifted, and empowered Timothy, and then Paul had sent him to Ephesus. He was exactly where he was supposed to be to accomplish what God had for him.

Paul wanted Timothy to understand that his role was not up for debate. He may not have liked the circumstances of his life, but he had no choice but to embrace the gift of grace God bestowed on him.

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

To ensure that Timothy remained faithful to his calling, Paul brought up the actions of two individuals named Phygelus and Hermogenes, who had used Paul’s imprisonment as an excuse to abandon him. These men had evidently played a leadership role among the churches in Asia, and their treatment of Paul had negatively affected those under their care.

In contrast, Paul highlights the efforts of Onesiphorus, who chose to remain faithful to Paul and his ministry despite his imprisonment. Paul points out that this individual and his family “often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains” (2 Timothy 1:17 NLT). Onesiphorus even made a special trip to Rome to find Paul and encourage him. Paul expressed his gratitude by asking the Lord to show special kindness to this man and his family.

Paul wanted Timothy to model his life after Onesiphorus, not Phygelus and Hermogenes. His young friend was to embrace a mindset of selfless service and sacrificial love, refusing to let life's circumstances deter him from his mission or distract him from his calling. The gospel does not need fair-weather friends who bail at the first sign of trouble. Paul wanted Timothy to know his job would be difficult but not impossible; he would face trials, but he was not alone. Timothy also needed to embrace his role as non-negotiable and fully binding. In fact, in the very next lines of his letter, Paul will call Timothy to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3 ESV).

And, as a soldier of Christ, Timothy was obligated to serve faithfully and obediently. That’s why, in his first letter to Timothy, Paul provided him with some strong words of instruction.

But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so 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. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. – 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

Paul may have been imprisoned, but Timothy was free to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and continue building up the body of Christ. There was no time to doubt and debate the efficacy of God’s strategy; there was work to be done, and Paul wanted Timothy to know that he was the man for the hour. His young age, inexperience, feelings of inadequacy, fear, and reservations were no match for God’s divine calling and Spirit-empowered gifting for the task at hand. Timothy needed to remain committed to the cause and ready to be used by the One who had called him in the first place.

Father, Your calling on our lives is irrevocable and inarguable. We may not feel qualified or equipped to carry out the mission You have given us, but that does not exempt us from doing Your will. Jesus’ disciples certainly didn’t feel up to the task He gave them. His command to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV) was not something they aspired to do. Yet, He had prefaced His command with the reassuring words, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8 ESV). They would have all the resources they needed to carry out the work He gave them. And the same is true for me and every other follower of Christ. Like Timothy, we have been called, gifted, and empowered. We enjoy the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and have access to Your Word and the support of the body of Christ As Peter put it, You have “given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3 BSB). Jesus never promised it would be easy. The Christian life is not a walk in the park or a trouble-free existence. But when we do Your will in the power of the Spirit, we find the strength to persevere and joy of watching You work in and through our lives. Never let us lose sight of the mission. Keep us on task and in complete dependence upon You till the work is done and Your Son returns. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Call to Holiness, Not Happiness

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. – 2 Timothy 1:8-12 ESV

Paul’s letter to Timothy was personal, but global in scope and impact. Originally written with Timothy in mind, Paul’s words are applicable and appropriate for any child of God who understands their calling as an ambassador and servant of Christ. The early church fathers' decision to include this letter in the canon of Scripture shows they believed it was Spirit-inspired and, therefore, intended for a broader audience.

In a way, Timothy serves as a model or representative for the rest of the body of Christ. He was a relatively new believer, privileged to have the apostle Paul as his personal mentor and spiritual guide. Although it seems clear that Timothy was commissioned for gospel ministry and received spiritual gifts commensurate with that responsibility, Paul's instructions apply to every Christ-follower.

If we read this letter as if we’re eavesdropping on a personal conversation between two close friends, we will miss its vital truths. Paul’s admonitions and instructions, while directed at Timothy, apply more broadly to a larger audience. They span the boundaries of time and continue to speak to all those who share Timothy’s “sincere faith” (2 Timothy 1:5 ESV) and who desire to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6 ESV).

Paul issued the same challenge to all Christ-followers: “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT). He intended his life to model Christlikeness, and he expected every believer to learn from his example. So when Paul declared himself an ambassador for Christ entrusted with “the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV), he expected all followers of Christ to share that responsibility. When he told the Corinthian believers, “we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV), he included them as fellow ambassadors, tasked with sharing the same divine invitation: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV).

There is a sense in which all believers are being mentored by Paul as they read his letters and allow the Holy Spirit to apply God’s truth to their hearts. We should read Paul’s words to Timothy with an eager expectation that we will discover personal applications that will radically alter the spiritual trajectory of our lives.

So, when Paul tells Timothy, “do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8 ESV), his words apply to us. As believers, we should never find ourselves ashamed to tell others about God’s message of reconciliation made possible through faith in Christ. Paul knew Timothy was struggling to reconcile his mentor's imprisonment. He was probably fielding difficult questions from believers in Ephesus who wondered what they should expect if the apostle Paul had been imprisoned for his faith. How could that be part of God’s divine plan? Would they be next? Paul knew that Timothy was probably embarrassed by his mentor’s untimely and inexplicable confinement and was struggling to find answers.

But rather than making excuses for his predicament, Paul invited Timothy to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8 ESV). Paul wasn’t ashamed of his imprisonment. He viewed it as a privilege and viewed it positively rather than negatively.

I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

Paul saw his life as exemplary rather than an anomaly. From his perspective, he was living the model Christian life, and he even pleaded with the believers in Corinth to see every aspect of his life as worthy of emulation, highlighting the good along with the seemingly bad.

In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. – 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 NLT

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul reminded them that suffering for Christ was to be expected because they were engaged in a spiritual war.

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. – Philippians 1:29-30 ESV

The apostle Peter echoed Paul’s recognition that suffering is a non-negotiable part of the Christian life.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. – 1 Peter 5:8-10 NLT

So, Paul reminds Timothy (and us) that he was saved “to a holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9 ESV) and set apart by God for a divine purpose, and, like Paul, he had a responsibility to live up to his calling. Paul acknowledged his own appointment as “a preacher and apostle and teacher” (2 Timothy 1:11 ESV), and he knew that calling was the reason for his imprisonment. That’s why he could “take pleasure” in it. He knew he was doing exactly what he had been commissioned to do, and if faithfully carrying out his job brought suffering, he was simply getting a small taste of what His Savior endured on his behalf.

Paul found no shame in his imprisonment; in fact, he boldly proclaimed, “I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT). Despite his less-than-ideal circumstances, Paul’s faith in Christ remained confident and secure. Difficulties had not caused his faith to waver or his trust in Jesus’ saving work to diminish. Paul was not looking for heaven on earth, and he didn’t expect his belief in Christ to result in a trouble-free life marked by health, wealth, and prosperity.

He knew that the salvation Christ died to provide was eternal in nature, not temporal. Jesus did not sacrifice Himself so Paul could live a comfortable, pain-free life in the here and now. He died so that Paul, Timothy, and every other individual who placed their faith in Him could one day experience an eternity free from sin, pain, suffering, and sorrow.  As Jesus Himself said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT).

Father, we don’t like to think of the Christian life as a call to arms. The thought of being in a spiritual battle is unattractive to us. The idea that suffering is a non-negotiable reality of following after Christ is diffiicult for us to accept. But Your Son made it clear that trials and sorrows were to be expected because we live in a fallen world and Peter warned us that Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). Yet, we try to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. We seek comfort and sacrifice conviction. We play the short-game, longing for heaven on earth, while forgetting that eternity is what You have planned for us. Your gift of salvation wasn’t designed to give us our best life now, but was a calling to be holy as You are holy — even as we struggle to live out that holiness in an unholy and inhospitable world. We are to lights in the darkness and ambassadors of the good news to those who dwell in darkness. Renew our sense of calling and reinvigorate our commitment to carrying it out, no matter the cost. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Passing the Baton

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:1-7 ESV

Over the course of his memorable and eventful life, the apostle Paul wrote a number of letters, many of which would eventually form a large part of the New Testament canon of Scripture. His pastoral letters, like First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, were addressed to the churches in the communities he had helped start. Paul was, first and foremost, an evangelist, with a Christ-ordained mandate to take the good news of the gospel to the Gentiles. In his former life, Paul had been a dedicated Pharisee on a personal crusade to eradicate every last vestige of “the Way,” the name given to those who had chosen to follow the former rabbi, Jesus, who had been crucified in Jerusalem years earlier.

Paul, as a faithful Jew and a zealous member of the Pharisees, had deemed the teachings of Jesus as radical and a threat to the Hebrew faith. Yet God, in His infinite wisdom and as part of His divine redemptive plan, chose to redirect Paul’s ambitions and turn him from antagonist to evangelist.

The story of his conversion from persecutor to church planter appears in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts. It explains how Paul had an unexpected and life-transforming encounter with Jesus Christ Himself. As a result of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Paul came to realize that the rumors concerning Jesus, the itinerant rabbi who had been executed by the Romans, were actually true. He was alive and well, having been resurrected from the dead, all as proof that Jesus was who He had claimed to be all along: the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah.

As a result of his roadside encounter with the risen Christ, the trajectory of Paul’s life was changed forever. He discovered a new purpose and a much-improved focus for his ambitious nature and high-octane personality. Paul became one of the most outspoken proponents of the gospel, focusing his evangelistic efforts primarily on the Gentile world. Over the course of his life, he would lead countless individuals to Christ, helping them come to know the joy of salvation through faith in Christ.

Paul was an apostle, literally “a messenger” of Jesus Christ, who had been called and commissioned by Jesus to carry the gospel to the far reaches of the known world. Paul took his commission seriously, eventually embarking on three extensive missionary journeys to the far corners of the Roman Empire. Along the way, he shared the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles, revealing the truth “that Christ was crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23 NLT) and that he had “died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV).

Paul faithfully preached this message in cities, synagogues, public squares, before governors and magistrates, and with a tireless passion to see the lost come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. He witnessed countless individuals come to faith in Christ, including the young man to whom this letter is addressed. Timothy was a disciple of Paul’s, hand-selected by the apostle to join him on his missionary journeys and assist him in spreading the gospel.

The tone of this letter reflects Paul’s deep and personal affection for Timothy. Written from Rome, where Paul was under house arrest and awaiting a hearing before the Roman Emperor Nero, the letter is a highly personal and intimate message from the apostle to his young protégé and friend.

Paul’s love for Timothy is reflected in his salutation: “To Timothy, my beloved child” (2 Timothy 1:2 ESV). Paul viewed Timothy as a son, and this letter contains words of fatherly love in the form of both encouragement and admonition. Paul was obviously proud of Timothy, and even complimented him for his “sincere faith.” He was thankful that God had placed Timothy in his life and longed to see his young friend again. But since Paul was under house arrest in Rome and Timothy was ministering in Ephesus, Paul could only pray for and write to his son in the faith. In part, this letter was intended to encourage Timothy to remain faithful in the face of opposition. Paul was determined to help his young coworker become all that God intended him to be. Physically separated but spiritually bound by a common belief in Christ and a shared calling to preach the gospel, Paul felt a personal responsibility for Timothy’s life and ministry. This letter is his attempt to pour into this young man’s life by calling him to an ever-increasing commitment to his faith and his Christ-mandated mission.

Paul reminds Timothy to “fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you” (2 Timothy 1:6 NLT). We’re not told what “spiritual gift” Paul had in mind, but it could be a reference to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. In the early days of the church, it was not uncommon for Gentile believers to receive the gift of the Spirit through the laying on of hands by the apostles.

Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. – Acts 19:1-6 ESV

We know Paul viewed Timothy as specially gifted by God, and he longed to see him use every resource at his disposal to faithfully accomplish his work. He also wanted Timothy to know that, because of his divine giftedness, he had no reason to embrace thoughts of inadequacy or fear.  

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

This was not the first time Paul challenged Timothy to live in the power God provided him. In a previous letter, Paul used strong words of encouragement to counter any feelings of inadequacy or inability Timothy may have felt.

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. – 1 Timothy 4:12-16 NLT

Paul knew from his own experience just how difficult it was to live the Christian life. The added pressure of preaching the gospel and shepherding the flock of Jesus Christ made Timothy’s job that much more challenging. He was young, relatively inexperienced, and in a high-pressure career where he faced spiritual opposition.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12 NLT

Timothy had been blessed to have a mother and grandmother who modeled the life of faith for him. But he now had to “fan the flame” of his own faith, learning to trust in all the resources Christ had provided. Paul wanted Timothy to know that he had power, love, and self-control at his disposal; he had everything he needed to accomplish that task before him. His age, inexperience, and any feelings of inadequacy he felt were irrelevant. He had a saving relationship with Christ, a clear calling to the gospel ministry, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and a responsibility to remain faithful to his commission as a minister of the gospel because it was a “holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9 ESV).

Father, I love Paul’s fatherly concern for Timothy and Titus. He didn’t view them as projects, but as his sons in the faith. They weren’t merely students to be trained, but sons to be lovingly prepared for service in Your Kingdom. I want to have that same passionate care and concern for the men you have given me to lead and love. Regardless of their ages, I want to help instill in them a desire to learn and grow in their faith, just as Paul did with Timothy and Titus. Father, You have chosen to spread the gospel through the process of multiplication; one person sharing his faith with another. That is how the early church went from a handful of Christ-followers to a growing network of house churches spread throughout the Roman Empire. But it was the faithful mentoring of men like Paul, Peter, Apollos, and James that helped raise up the next generation of spiritual leaders. Help me carry on Paul’s mission to raise up the next generation of leaders who will love Your Word, follow Your will, and carry the good news of Jesus Christ to the world until the day He returns. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All For One, And One For All

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. – Titus 3:12-15 ESV

The early community of Christ was close-knit. Paul had traveled from one end of the known world to the other and planted churches in ethnically and geographically diverse regions, yet these far-flung congregations all shared a bond of unity. Wherever they were, these fledgling communities of faith were in the minority and faced extreme opposition. To unbelieving Gentiles, Christians were nothing more than a splinter sect of the Jewish religion that followed the teachings of an itinerant Jewish rabbi. But to the Jews, Christians represented a dangerous heresy that rejected the Mosaic Law and dismissed the rite of circumcision. So, wherever Paul and his companions preached the gospel and saw its message of faith in Christ take root, they encountered strong opposition fueled by extreme antagonism.

These new congregations of believers were often ostracized and isolated from their former communities, and lacked mature spiritual leadership, so Paul felt a strong sense of responsibility to provide them with instruction and encouragement. He wanted them to know they were part of a much larger community of faith spreading around the world. His letters formed a kind of literary highway system linking these distant and disparate congregations together. His growing network of spiritual disciples included men like Timothy, Titus, Artemas, Tychicus, Zenas, and Apollos, each of whom played a vital role in ministering to the distant Christian communities. These men provided much-needed spiritual training to the faithful, but they also served as Paul's eyes and ears, giving him insight into what was happening within the body of Christ around the world.

Paul was constantly traveling from one place to another, fulfilling his commission to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the nations. But he left a part of his heart in every city, town, and village where the gospel found converts. In many cases, his first visit to a city was his last. His travels didn’t always allow him to circle back and check in on the churches he helped to plant. In time, his lengthy imprisonment in Rome would completely curtail his efforts to minister to those whom he loved like his own children. But Paul never left them without adequate spiritual nourishment or oversight. He desperately wanted them to know that they were all in this together and were part of a much larger family of faith that God was planting around the world. For Paul, it was essential that each of these churches understood their role within the bigger picture. Rather than focus their attention on their particular circumstances, they were to see themselves as members of the growing body of Christ.

Paul firmly believed that when an individual came to faith in Christ, they were to align themselves with a local faith community. They were not to act as a free agent, operating Lone Ranger style, independent and isolated from other Christians in their community. This corporate mentality was essential to the spiritual well-being of the individual and the community. For Paul, it went well beyond geographic confines. He often used the metaphor of the human body to illustrate the interconnected and interdependent nature of the body of Christ.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NLT

The concept of a global church made up of people from all walks of life, every conceivable economic background, and diverse ethnic makeups was revolutionary. And this new admixture of individuals into a mutually beneficial community of faith was making a radical impact on the world. The church was growing, people were noticing, and Paul was obsessed with getting his expanding family of faith to understand their need for one another. He encouraged an attitude of generosity and selflessness and praised the churches in Macedonia for their gracious giving toward the needs of the church in Jerusalem.

For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. – 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NLT

Paul went on to encourage the believers in Corinth to follow the example of the Macedonian churches.

Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. – 2 Corinthians 8:11 NLT

And Paul wanted the believers on Crete to have the same attitude, telling Titus, “let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14 ESV).

The church is a living organism, not an organization. It is an interactive, interdependent collection of individuals formed into a worldwide community that reflects the unity of the Godhead. And the letter that Paul wrote to Titus is as applicable today as it was in the 1st Century in which he penned it. His call to Christlikeness, humility, submission, service, and an unwavering commitment to the truth is as vital today as it ever was. The words Paul used to open his letter still apply.

I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. – Titus 1:1 NLT

Father, Paul had such a clear sense of calling and exhibited an unwavering commitment to accomplish his mission to spread the gospel to the four corners of the world. He was a man obsessed, but for a good cause. His former zeal to eradicate the followers of Jesus had been dramatically altered into a passion to tell the world about Your gift of grace made possible through the death and resurrection of Your Son. But Paul was more than an evangelist, He was a loving pastor who served as a powerful motivational coach to all those he led to Christ. I am challenged by his determiniation to raise the bar of expectation for Christ followers. He refused to accept the status quo or turn a blind eye to those willing to settle for a lukewarm and fruitless faith. I am also motivated by the way he incessantly trained up the next generation of men to carry on the mission after his departure. Even while he was in prison, the work went on because he had raised up faithful men to stand in the gap and continue the work. I want to be that kind of leader. I want to dedicate my life to the cause of Christ, teaching and training others to fall in love with Your Word and live out their faith with confidence, power, and perseverance. Keep me from becoming distracted or defeated. Constantly remind me of my weakness and Your strength. Help me to number my years and to live each one of them for Your glory and the good of others. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wanted: Godly Leaders

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. – Titus 1:10-16 ESV

Like Timothy, Titus was one of Paul’s protégés. He was a Greek Gentile whom Paul had led to Christ and who joined the apostle on several of his missionary journeys. Over time, Titus earned Paul’s trust and was sent on his own mission endeavors, including the island of Crete, where he was to appoint elders and establish some sense of order among the congregations there.

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. –  Titus 1:5 NLT

As he had done with Timothy, Paul gave Titus advice on how to deal with false teachers, a recurring problem in the fledgling churches on Crete. Titus found himself ministering in a place where the reputation of the inhabitants was far from stellar. Paul even quoted Epimenides, a 6th-century BC philosopher and religious prophet from Crete who held a low view of his fellow Cretans.

Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. – Titus 1:12 ESV

“In his poem Cretica, Epimenides accuses the Cretans of being liars and evil beasts because they claim to host a tomb of Zeus, the chief of the gods. Since Zeus “lives and abides forever,” the Cretans must be liars. Paul quotes from this same poem in his sermon to the Areopagus in Acts 17:28. Crete also claimed to be the birthplace of Zeus, known in antiquity as the Dictaean Cave, which legend placed on the slopes of Mount Ida, Crete’s tallest mountain. Reputedly from Knossos, Epimenides was supposed to have the gift of prophecy, which was bestowed on him after he allegedly slept for 57 years in a cave sacred to Zeus.” – Currid, John D., and David W. Chapman, editors. ESV Archaeology Study Bible. Crossway, 2018

Paul concurred with Epimenides’ assessment and went out of his way to paint a less-than-flattering picture of the people of Crete. He described them as  “insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party” (Titus 1:10 ESV).

Evidently, the false teachers were not the only people of poor repute on Crete; some members of the local church were, too. That’s why Paul spends a great deal of time in his letter focusing on good works. He wanted Titus to understand just how important good character and moral behavior were in the life of a believer.

Paul commanded Titus to deal harshly and firmly with those whose lives were marked by laziness and lying. He didn’t want his young disciple to tolerate the disorder and chaos these kinds of people were bringing into the church. He told Titus to “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13 ESV). Rebuking and restoration were both part of Titus’ ministry on Crete.

Paul’s objective was for these individuals to become “sound in the faith,” because they were spreading false and deceptive ideas concerning faith in Christ. Paul’s use of the term “faith” refers to eternal salvation made possible through belief in Jesus Christ as Savior. The false teachers were confusing and even contradicting what Paul, Titus, and others had taught regarding what it means to have faith in Christ, experience forgiveness of sins, and have a restored relationship with God.

Rather than teaching faith alone in Christ, these false teachers proclaimed novel messages about salvation that contradicted the gospel Paul and the other apostles proclaimed, weakening the faith of the Cretan believers. These new converts to Christianity no longer knew who or what to believe, leaving their confidence in the gospel in doubt.

One of the qualifications for elders that Paul gave Titus was “he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9 ESV). Elder candidates were to be knowledgeable of the truth so that they might refute falsehood and rebuke those who taught it. As far as Paul was concerned, sound faith was totally dependent upon sound doctrine.

But these false teachers were teaching “what they ought not to teach” and all “for shameful gain” (Titus 1:11 ESV). Paul refers to them as being from the circumcision party, a reference to Jews who expressed faith in Christ, but who taught that Gentiles must keep the Law of Moses and undergo the rite of circumcision in order to be saved. Paul fought this heresy with every fiber of his being. His fear was that, based on their reputation, the Cretans would easily accept this false teaching and end up “devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth” (Titus 1:14 ESV).

The Cretans were easily swayed by the “commands” or teachings of these people. They readily accepted what they had to say about circumcision, abstinence from certain foods, the keeping of Jewish feasts and festivals, and adherence to the Mosaic law. But Paul warned Titus that these false teachers were nothing less than hypocrites and were to be avoided at all costs.

Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. – Titus 1:16 NLT

Paul made it clear that the real problem with these false teachers was their hearts.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. – Titus 1:15 NLT

They were obsessed with the externals: keeping laws and commands and adhering to rituals and religious rules. During His earthly ministry, Jesus encountered another group of well-respected individuals with a similar outlook. On one occasion, a group of Jewish religious leaders approached Jesus and asked why His disciples didn’t follow their man-made tradition of ceremonial hand-cleansing before they ate. Jesus politely listened to their thinly veiled accusation and then responded with a stinging rebuke.

“And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” – Matthew 15:3-9 NLT

Jesus went on to say: “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth” (Matthew 15:11 NLT).

Those self-righteous religious leaders had missed the point. They were so busy keeping external rules that they missed the real issue: the condition of their hearts. Paul knew that the false teachers who were so negatively impacting the churches on Crete were suffering from the same problem. Their minds and consciences were defiled, and their hearts were hardened to the truth regarding faith in Christ. They were convinced that there had to be more to salvation than faith alone in Christ alone. Judaism began as a faith-based relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but over time it became a system of rigid rules and religious rituals focused on self-righteousness. But Paul describes these Jewish believers as defiled, unbelieving, wrong, and dangerous. So, Titus was to rebuke these false teachers sharply, and chastise the Cretans for so readily accepting their lies.

Sound doctrine and sound faith go hand in hand. The Word of God is not open to interpretation, and we are not free to add to the gospel or alter the truth of God in any way. We are not to tolerate those who attempt to mislead by misinterpreting the Word of God. That is why Paul told Titus that an elder must “have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong” (Titus 1:9 NLT).

Paul had written something similar to Timothy, stating that the purpose of his letter was that he would “know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 NLT). The church and its leaders were to adhere to and uphold the truth of God, especially as it relates to the message and means of salvation. There is no other gospel except the one we have been given: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 ESV).

We live in the midst of an ungodly world, and there is an ongoing need for godly individuals who will step forward and provide leadership and protection for the flock of God. The church needs men of character who are led by the Spirit of God and committed to the Word of God because disorder and disruption are all around us. That’s why qualified leaders are in great need, even today.

Father, it is hard to believe, but liars and deceivers exist in the church. We don’t like to admit it, but the enemy has done a masterful job of infiltrating the flock of God, with his agents of deceit masguerading as sheep and propagating his clever-sounding lies disguised as truth. That is why we need godly leaders who know Your Word and are willing, ready, and able to defend it at all costs. The danger is real because the subtle lies of the enemy are difficult to spot. They sound good and cause the innocent and unsuspecting to wander from the path of righteousness. That’s why we need men and women who are dedicated to rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and devoted to the care and protection of Your flock. Continue to raise up leaders like Paul, Titus, and Timothy, and give us the wisdom to recognize and appoint them. The church belongs to You and we want to steward its care well. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

We’ve Got Work To Do

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. – Titus 1:1-4 ESV

As the title of this letter reflects, Paul wrote to Titus, another of his young disciples in the faith. Like those he wrote to Timothy, this letter is intended to encourage and instruct Titus as he ministers on behalf of the gospel.

Paul had left Titus in Crete with the task of ministering to the faithful living there, and had given him orders to “put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5 ESV). Now, Paul was writing to this young man with further words of encouragement and instruction.

Paul’s letter begins with a customary salutation or greeting, a common feature of most letters during that day. Unlike modern letters, where the sender signs their name at the end, ancient letters began with a formal introduction of the sender. All of Paul’s letters begin this way, with some featuring longer salutations than others. This is a particularly long one and is far more than a simple greeting or introduction. In it, Paul summarizes what he will address in the main content of his letter.

He begins with a dual description of himself as the servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ; both are intended to establish Paul’s credentials as a minister of the gospel. He is, first of all and most importantly, a servant of God. The Greek word he used for servant is doulos, and it refers to a bondservant or slave. Paul, as a former Pharisee, was well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures and would have been very familiar with the use of the term “servant” in association with some of the great patriarchs of the Israelites.

Moses, David, and Elijah were each referred to as servants or slaves of God. This was a designation of honor, not infamy. God chose each of these men for their role and, in essence, they belonged to Him. Yet they viewed their subservient status to God as a privilege, not a burden. Paul claimed to have that same kind of relationship with the God of Moses, David, and Elijah. Yahweh had handpicked and commissioned Paul to accomplish His will on this earth. So Paul understood that he served God, not man, and he would ultimately have to answer to God for his life and ministry. His was a divine calling, complete with the authority and power given to Him by God Himself.

Secondly, Paul states that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ. The Greek word is apostolos, and it refers to a delegate, messenger, or one sent forth with orders (“G652 – apostolos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). Paul was not only a chosen servant of God, but he was also delegated by Jesus Christ as His representative and given a very specific task to perform. The exact words of that commission are recorded in the Book of Acts. They are part of Paul’s testimony regarding his salvation experience on the road to Damascus.

“I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” – Acts 26:15-18 ESV

Jesus appointed Paul as His servant, with the task of telling others all that he had seen and heard. Paul had been given the privilege of seeing the resurrected Christ, and would be anointed by Ananias and receive the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. After his Damascus Road conversion experience, Paul was to take this message to the Gentiles, opening their eyes to the good news of the gospel.

In the opening lines of his letter to Titus, Paul further clarifies the purpose behind his role as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. – Titus 1:1 NLT

This vital point applied to Titus as well. Paul had been sent to proclaim the message of salvation by faith in Christ so that all those whom God had chosen could hear it. And when those so chosen by God had placed their faith in Christ, Paul was obligated to teach them the truth, so that they might live godly lives. In other words, Paul had a dual responsibility: to play a role in the salvation of the lost and the sanctification of the saved, and Titus was equally obligated.

As the opening line of this letter indicates, Paul firmly believed in the doctrine of election. He uses the phrase “God’s elect” in order to refer to those whom God has chosen to come to faith. The Greek word is eklektos, and it means “picked out or chosen” (“G1588 – eklektos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). In Paul’s understanding of the gospel, God was the acting agent behind salvation, leaving nothing up to chance. Just as God had chosen Paul for salvation, so He has pre-ordained all those who will come to faith in Christ.

Paul played no role in his own salvation; he had not been seeking the resurrected Christ. In fact, he believed the Rabbi Jesus to have been a heretic who deserved to die for claiming to have been the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. Before his encounter with the resurrected Jesus, Paul had been busy persecuting and eliminating all those who claimed to be followers of Christ. And yet, God had chosen him for salvation. Paul strongly believed that was true for all who come to faith in Christ, past, present, or future.

“The doctrine of divine election firmly establishes the believer’s eternal security. God has not left the believer’s assurance of salvation captive to changing feelings or faltering faith. Rather, the faithfulness of God demonstrated in his divine election secures the believer’s salvation in the will and purposes of God himself.” – Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin Jr., 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, p. 265

For Paul, salvation, godliness, and eternal life were all the work of God, and none of them were possible apart from God. Each was pre-ordained and promised by God “before the ages began” (Titus 1:2 ESV). Paul insists that the message regarding salvation, godliness, and eternal life was given at just the right time, through men like him, so that the elect might come to faith through the preaching of the good news. Paul wanted Titus to know that he was nothing more than a messenger and a means by which God would accomplish His preordained will concerning the elect.

Suffice it to say, Paul saw himself as a man with divine authority and a providential responsibility to spread the gospel so others might come to faith in Christ. But Paul also believed he had a divine commission to ensure those same individuals grew in godliness. He wanted Titus to know that he shared this same responsibility and calling. This young man, whom Paul saw as his son in the faith, was also carrying the heavy burden of ministering the gospel to the people of Crete, carrying on what Paul and others had begun. In the rest of his letter to Titus, Paul provides him with much-needed guidance and encouragement for the task before him.

That’s why Paul extends to him “grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:4 ESV). Paul knew exactly what Titus was up against. The gospel ministry was anything but easy, and Titus needed to be reminded of his dependence upon the grace (charis), or unmerited favor, of God.

grace: the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.” – "Charis." Outline of Biblical Usage, Blue Letter Bible, www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5485/. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Titus would know the peace of God only to the extent that he understood the grace of God. His effectiveness as a minister of the gospel would be directly tied to his reliance upon God’s power and his understanding of his role as a servant. Paul wanted Titus to never forget that the greatest expression of God’s grace and mercy is found in “Christ Jesus our Savior.” It was God who graciously sent His Son to suffer in the place of undeserving sinners, and this was a recurring theme in Paul’s letters.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved! – Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT

It was not Titus’ job to save anyone; he was simply to point them to the Savior, the one who had already paid the penalty for their sins and guaranteed their hope of eternal life. Titus was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, just like Paul, and while he had a job to do, Jesus had already accomplished the work.

Father, these message of Paul to his young disciples are so timely and applicable today. His words are a powerful reminder that each Christ-follower is a servant and messenger of the gospel, just as Titus and Timothy were. We need to be reminded of Your grace and challenged to take the gift You have given us and share it with all those we meet. Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus propelled him into a lifelong ministry of telling others the good news of new life in Christ. His fervor was contagious and he did everything in his power to equip the next generation of leaders with the tools they needed to carry on the mission. He knew these men would face obstacles and grow weary. He understood the temptation to give up would be real and the opposition to their work would be intense. But he was relentless in preparing them for their God-ordained ministry because he knew his days were numbered and they were the key to Jesus’ commission being fulfilled. Give us that same sense of urgency and dedication to training up the next generation of godly leaders so the good news will continue to spread. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Life of Godliness Is Busy But Blessed

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. – 1 Timothy 6:11-21 ESV

Flee, pursue, fight, take hold, keep, guard, and avoid. Paul’s final words to Timothy contain a lengthy list of infinitive verbs that are meant to solicit action and encourage godly behavior. He wants his young associate to take his role seriously and to use his position to influence the faithfulness of the Ephesian believers.

He calls him to live a distinctively different life, set apart from all those around him, including those who crave money or have wandered from the faith. Unlike the false teachers for whom godliness was a means to acquire wealth, Timothy was to run from that kind of attitude and make true godliness his goal, accompanied by ever-increasing faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Paul tells him to “pursue” godliness. The Greek word Paul used is diōkō (διώκω), which means “to run swiftly in order to catch.” It can also refer to one “who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal.” The pursuit of money, materialism, popularity, power, pleasure, significance, and comfort was off-limits for Timothy. And while Paul addressed this last section of his letter to Timothy, it is really a call to all believers. Paul made it clear to Timothy that he was to “teach these things … and encourage everyone to obey them. Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life” (1 Timothy 6:2-3 NLT).

Everything Paul shared in his letter was intended to be put into practice and promoted among the people of God. As a leader, Timothy was to be an example of godly living to all those under his care, despite his young age.

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT

As believers, our lives are always on display; even if we don't realize it, others are watching. God Himself, our fellow believers, and the countless lost who surround us constantly witness our behavior and conduct. That’s why Paul encouraged Timothy to live a life marked by consistency and outward purity. He portrayed the Christian life as a battle for good.

…fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you. – 1 Timothy 6:12 NLT

For Paul, perseverance and consistency of faith were essential. He wanted Timothy to finish well and to keep his eyes on the goal of Christ’s return. Timothy was to focus his mind and heart on the reality of that promise so no one could find fault with his character or conduct. Some would certainly dislike and disparage his life because he lived it for God, but that was to be expected. Suffering for our faith was something Jesus said would happen. But Paul didn’t want Timothy to do anything that would harm his reputation as a believer or bring dishonor to God.

Next, Paul turns his focus to the flock under Timothy’s care, addressing those who enjoyed the benefits of wealth and privilege. Despite their affluence, they were to trust God and live in a way that honored Him. 

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. – 1 Timothy 6:17 NLT

He doesn’t condemn them for their wealth, but warns them not to trust money because it will prove unreliable and unable to save them. Money makes a lousy god; it promises the world but can’t save the soul. It can’t even bring true happiness or contentment.

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. – 1 Timothy 6:9-10 NLT

Instead, the rich were to trust in God, the ultimate provider of their needs. They were to view their wealth as a divinely ordained resource to be used for the care of others and to further the cause of God’s Kingdom. They were to be “rich” in good works and generous to those in need. They had been wealthy when God had called them, so He must have had a purpose for placing them in the body of Christ in that condition. By focusing on obedience to God and service to others, they would learn to view their wealth as a tool in God's hands, not a treasure to be hoarded and held onto.

Paul warned Timothy to “guard what God has entrusted to you” (1 Timothy 6:20 NLT). He was to see his own salvation and the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as invaluable and worthy of constant protection. Leadership in the body of Christ was a dangerous calling, and it came with great responsibility. Timothy had been entrusted with the message of the gospel and the care of the flock of Jesus Christ, and was obligated to put the needs of the congregation ahead of his own. Yet, he was also to guard himself, constantly watching over his character and conduct. The same message applied to Timothy that Paul shared with the elders in Ephesus.

So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock – his church, purchased with his own blood – over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. – Acts 20:28 NLT

The goal for all spiritual leaders is godliness, not only for themselves but for all those under their care. But godliness without God’s grace is impossible. The journey of faith requires an ever-increasing dependence upon God. We need His Word to teach and guide us. We need His Spirit to empower us. We need His grace and mercy to miraculously meet us where we are along the way and constantly remind us that godliness is our one and only calling.

But pursuing godliness demands action, not apathy. It requires consistency, not complacency. It is a life marked by action verbs like flee, pursue, fight, take hold, keep, guard, and avoid. But it also offers the promise of rest, contentment, hope, peace, unity, confidence, and joy. The life of godliness is busy but also blessed.

Father, You have made the life of godliness possible. By sending Your Son to die for the sins of mankind, You provided atonement and forgiveness in place of judgment and condemnation. His sacrifice reconciled our relationship with You and transformed us from enemies to Your sons and daughters. Then, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, You provided a means for us to grow in godliness, as the Spirit molds us into the likeness of Your Son. It is not an easy process and it doesn’t happen over night. It is a lifelong process that requires all the things Paul talked about in his letter to Timothy. It requires that we flee, pursue, fight, take hold, keep, guard, and avoid. We must fight the good fight and run the race to win. But never in our own strength or for our own glory. We are to do it out of gratitude for Your grace, mercy, and love. We diligently pursue godliness, not to earn Your favor, but to serve as lights in the darkness of this world. As your children, we should desire to reflect Your character and to serve as living proof of the gospel’s efficacy. Godliness isn’t someting we can manufacture on our own, but we can certainly make it our highest priority. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Goal of Godliness

1 Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. – 1 Timothy 6:1-10 ESV

As Paul wraps up his letter to Timothy, he focuses on godliness, a topic near and dear to his heart as a pastor. The Greek word for “godliness” is eusebeia (εὐσέβεια), and it refers to piety or reverence for God. In essence, godliness is the outward expression of one’s belief in God.

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul declared his love for them and reminded them of his constant prayers for their spiritual well-being.

I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. – Ephesians 1:16-17 NLT

He knew that the key to their spiritual health would be their continued growth in godliness; the increase in their knowledge of and reverence for God.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

Their belief in God included belief in the power He had made available to them. Through their faith in Jesus Christ, they had access to the very same power that raised the crucified body of Jesus back to life. And that same power could and should produce similarly miraculous changes in their own lives. In coming to faith in Christ, they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and received access to His supernatural power and gifts. Paul reminded the believers in Rome, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:11 NLT).

In Chapter 3, Paul referred to godliness as a mystery (mystērion). He declared that at one time, the key to attaining godliness was hidden from men; anyone's ability to truly know and revere God was hindered. It wasn’t that they couldn’t have a relationship with God; it simply meant their ability to draw near to God was hampered by indwelling sin. That was the whole reason for the sacrificial system. Sin separated mankind from God, and sacrifices were required to atone for those sins. But all that changed when Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. That was Paul’s point in Chapter 3.

He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory. – 1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

The sinless Son of God became a man and lived a perfectly godly life. He demonstrated love and reverence by fully obeying His Father’s will. Paul emphasized Jesus’ godly behavior in his letter to the church in Philippi.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

Paul challenged the Philippians to “have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT). They were to model their lives after Christ’s humility, obedience, and selfless sacrifice for the good of others.

Paul firmly believed that true godliness should make a difference in the way the believers in Ephesus lived their lives. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead was available to them through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. To demonstrate the practical necessity of godliness, Paul addressed three different groups of people in the church in Ephesus. His point was to remind Timothy that the Christian faith was to be a practical part of everyday life and to make a difference in how believers lived and interacted with the world around them.

First, he addressed slaves, specifically those slaves who had come to faith in Christ and were now part of the body of Christ. Slavery was a ubiquitous part of the Ephesian culture, and slaves lived and worked in the community and worshiped within the congregation in Ephesus. Some of them had been sold into slavery, while others had been forced into servitude because they were unable to pay their debts. These slaves would have come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and included Jews and Gentiles. But the ones to whom Paul referred were believing slaves; those who had placed their faith in Jesus Christ and were now part of the local fellowship in Ephesus. Paul encouraged Timothy to teach them to respect their masters and work diligently. Paul doesn’t condemn slavery or attempt to disrupt the social fabric of his day. He didn’t condone or condemn the practice; he simply wanted those affected by it to live in a way that honored God and illustrated godly behavior.

In his letter to Philemon, a Christian slave owner and a prominent leader of the local church in Colossae, Paul asked him to welcome back Onesimus, a slave who had run away and become a believer. Paul encouraged Philemon to see Onesimus differently.

…he is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. – Philemon 1:16 NLT

From a legal standpoint, Onesimus was still a slave. Coming to faith in Christ had set him free from sin but not from slavery. In the cultural context of his day, Onesimus remained a slave and Philemon's legal property.

Coming to faith in Christ does not always change our circumstances, but it does alter how we should respond and conduct our lives in the midst of them. For Paul, the godly behavior of these believing slaves was paramount.

…slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. – 1 Timothy 6:1 NLT

As believers, the way they responded to their enslavement would demonstrate their reverence for God. It would reflect their belief in and reliance upon God. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul discussed the need for believers to prioritize their status as God’s children over their circumstances, and he included slavery in his list. 

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. – 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 ESV

The next group Paul addressed were false teachers, those who refuted his teaching and stirred up “arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions” (1 Timothy 6:4 NLT). These individuals were arrogant and lacked true understanding; they had turned their backs on the truth of God and were concocting their own version of spiritual reality. Their motivation was purely selfish and financially driven. Paul said, “to them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy” (1 Timothy 6:5 NLT). Their ministry was based on what they could get out of it, and their godliness was all for show.

But Paul understood godliness differently. It was the objective, not a means to an end, and it was not to be used as a device to gain respect, power, or financial gain. Godliness was sufficient in and of itself, and when accompanied by contentment, it proved more than profitable to an individual’s life.

…true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. – 1 Timothy 6:6 NLT

That’s why a godly slave could remain a slave and be content with his lot in life. Circumstances have little to do with godliness and should have virtually no impact on the degree of our contentment. Godliness does not depend on material possessions or personal circumstances. The godly individual does not rely upon the accumulation of things to find contentment. That is why Paul wrote, “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (1 Timothy 6:8 NLT). The false teachers were motivated by money, but the godly are motivated by Christ.

Paul ends this section by talking about those who display an inordinate love for money. Each of these three groups was part of the church in Ephesus. Slaves, false teachers, and lovers of money were participating in the body of Christ, but not all who had a love affair with money were false teachers. Some in the church were wealthy and desired more, while others were poor and dreamed of becoming rich. In both cases, the love of money could prove to be dangerous.

…people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. – 1 Timothy 6:9 NLT

They lacked contentment and had made the accumulation of wealth their goal, rather than godliness. Money was their provider and protector, putting it in place of God. But notice that Paul does not condemn money or wealth. He simply points out that loving it and obsessing over it can be harmful to the believer. The love of money can have devastating consequences on a believer’s pursuit of godliness.

True godliness is accompanied by contentment. Desiring anything other than Christ can be deadly to the believer. Craving something other than Christ to fulfill our need for contentment, joy, and hope can also harm our spiritual maturity. Slaves were to be content with their circumstances and live godly lives right where they were. The false teachers needed to be content with the truth of God’s Word and the message of Jesus Christ, just as it had been preached to them. They also needed to live godly lives without expecting any financial reward in return. Those who viewed money as their savior were to be content with their current financial status and live godly lives regardless of how little or how much money they possessed.

Godliness combined with contentment is the real currency of God’s Kingdom. Like circumstances, money can be unsteady and unreliable; both can change on a whim. And any version of the truth that doesn’t align with the Word of God will never produce godliness. For Paul, a life without godliness was to be considered unthinkable for the child of God.

Father, in another one of his letters, Paul wrote, “God’s will is for you to be holy” (1 thessalonians 4:3 NLT). You want us to be “godly” because You are godly and, as Your children, we are to reflect Your character. But so many things interfere with our pursuit of godliness. The world offers up a panoply of tempting alternatives, from money and materialism to popularity and fame. We are constantly bombarded by messages that appeal to our need for significance and meaning. The enemy wants to distract us from the truth with shiny baubles and tempting treats that promise us happiness, health, purpose, power, influence, and fulfillment. But they never come deliver. Yet, even as believers, we wrongly assume that a change in our circumstances is the key to contentment. If only I had more money, I would be happy. If my problem would go away, my life would be so much better. If more people liked me, I wouldn’t be so lonely. But they’re all lies, promoted by the enemy and designed to distract us from our real need for godliness. Wake us up. Open our eyes. Help us see that godliness really is the key to contentment, It’s not an option; it’s a non-negotiable necessity, and until we make it our highest priority, we will continue to fixate on our circumstances and wrongly believe that a change for the better would make us happier. Or we will falsely assume that more is better, more money, friends, possessions, popularity, and power. But consumption and accumulation are not the answer, godliness is. But as Paul said, godliness must be accompanied by contentment. You are enough, Your Son is sufficient, and the Spirit is all we need for life and godliness. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Caring For the Caretakers

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. – 1 Timothy 5:17-25 ESV

Paul addressed the qualifications for elders earlier in his letter, but now he deals with the more practical realities of how Timothy is to interact with these essential church leaders. It’s interesting that he revisits the topic of elders immediately after giving Timothy advice on how to care for widows in the church. It seems that, to Paul, both groups are important to the life of the church, and neither should be overlooked or taken for granted.

It would be easy to forget about widows because they tend to be out of sight and out of mind, even in society, and Paul didn’t want that to happen in the church as well. The same can be said of elders. Once a man is chosen to serve as an elder, it could be easy to overlook him or assume that his spiritual life is fine. Paul didn’t want Timothy to take these men for granted, neglect their needs, or fail to show gratitude for the significant role they play in the spiritual health and well-being of the local church.

So, Paul tells Timothy to care for those men who voluntarily commit their time, talent, and energy to the oversight of the local church.

Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. – 1 Timothy 5:17 NLT

It appears these men were financially compensated for their work. As teachers and preachers, they could expect to receive a “double honor.” This may refer to the respect that came with their position as leaders, along with some form of financial remuneration to compensate them for their work on behalf of the church.

They were to be honored, respected, and cared for, especially those who carried the extra responsibility of preaching and teaching. It would make sense that, in the early days of the church, these men would have received financial compensation for the time they spent ministering to the spiritual needs of the body of Christ. It appears they may have been bi-vocational, holding down secular jobs and sacrificing part of their work hours to serve the needs of the church.

Serving as an elder, which would have included teaching, preaching, leading, and praying for the local congregation, would have been a time-consuming job. So Paul encourages Timothy to ensure these men are adequately cared for. Quoting from the Old Testament book of the Law, Paul uses an agrarian metaphor to make his point.

You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain. – Deuteronomy 25:4 ESV

As an ox pulled a stone wheel over the stalks of wheat to separate out the grain, it was allowed to eat as it worked, giving it an incentive to keep doing its job. Similarly, elders who work hard on behalf of the body of Christ should be compensated and cared for to reward and encourage their efforts. But the apostle Peter warned elders against turning this gracious compensation into a profit-making pursuit.

Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away. – 1 Peter 5:2-4 NLT

Elders were never to do their job for what they could get out of it. Ultimately, they were servants of God, and any compensation they received was to be determined by the local congregation. They were not to demand payment for services rendered. To do so would have altered the nature of their role as shepherds who served the flock of Jesus Christ selflessly.

Paul also knew that, because elders served in a leadership capacity, they would be open to criticism and accusations. Some would disagree with their teaching and, at times, reject their leadership. That’s why Paul told Timothy to “not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19 NLT). Leaders will always face opposition, even in the church; not everyone wants to follow directions or submit to authority.

So Timothy was to give these men the benefit of the doubt, refusing to take the word of one individual who might bring an accusation against an elder. If Timothy discovered that an elder had sinned, he was to confront him in private; if the man proved unrepentant, he was to be reprimanded before the entire congregation, serving as a strong warning to the other elders and reinforcing the seriousness of their role as the church's spiritual leaders. In all of this, Timothy was to act as an objective party, not showing favoritism or taking sides. Though he was to treat elders with respect and honor, he was to show no partiality or favoritism.

Paul also warned Timothy not to be hasty when appointing elders. Laying hands on a man and ordaining him for this important spiritual role was a serious matter that required careful consideration. To appoint a man to this high office, only to find out that he was unqualified, would be to share in his sin and shame. The one who placed an unqualified man in this important leadership position would be culpable for putting the congregation at risk.

So, Timothy was to be extremely careful when selecting men for the role of elder. But Paul knew that not all sins are obvious at first glance. There would be the inevitable occasion when a man appointed to the position of elder was discovered to have some hidden sin in his life that disqualified him. It was going to happen and, when it did, Timothy would have to deal with it.

But there would also be cases in which a man’s good character might lie hidden and unseen. There would be men in the church whose good deeds were done behind the scenes, out of sight, and unrecognized by those in the congregation. That’s why it was so important for Timothy to choose carefully. The “obvious” candidates would not always be the right ones. So Timothy was to examine each man's hidden character. When the prophet Samuel was searching for the next king of Israel, God told him, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT).

Finally, Paul gives Timothy some personal health advice. He was sensitive to the fact that this responsibility could prove to be stressful, and he knew that Timothy already suffered from a chronic health issue. So, Paul recommended that Timothy “drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often” (1 Timothy 5:23 NLT). Leading a church can be difficult and stressful; it is a huge responsibility and must be taken seriously. That’s why Paul pleaded with Timothy to care for his physical well-being; he must be in good health to properly care for the body of Christ. A leader who fails to care for his own physical, mental, and spiritual health will prove to be a poor shepherd of God’s flock. 

Father, You provided Your church with a model for leadership that is based on the earthly ministry of Your Son. He came to serve, not be served. He was the Good Shepherd, who willingly laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). He put the needs of the flock ahead of His own and sacrificed His life so that they might live. Now, He has passed on the responsibility for the care and feeding of His sheep to others. Just before He returned to Your side, He told Peter, “Feed my sheep!” (John 21:17), and that is what Paul was telling Timothy. But to adequately feed and care for Your growing flock, qualified leaders are required. The work is too important to leave to hired hands who are in it for the wrong reasons. As Jesus said, “A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock” (John 10:12 NLT). Finding good candidates to care for your sheep can be difficult, but You always provide enough workers to accomplish Your will. The problem is that we tend to measure leaders by the wrong criteria. Like Samuel, we focus on worldly standards of leadership that fail to consider the heart and the inward character of the candidate. Your flock is too vital to subject it to poor leadership. So help us find for those You have chosen to lead and then to care for them as they do so. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Practical Righteousness

1 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, 10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows. – 1 Timothy 5:1-16 ESV

In the closing part of chapter 4, Paul gave Timothy three essential tasks to master if he wanted to be successful as a man of God. He must teach others, train himself to live a godly life, and he must model what it means to love and serve God. Now Paul gives Timothy additional concrete examples of how to apply what he is learning to everyday life within the body of Christ.

While Paul encouraged Timothy to never “let anyone think less of you because you are young” (1 Timothy 4:12 NLT), he also wanted his young protégé to refrain from arrogantly flaunting his position as a shepherd of God or treating those under his care with disrespect. He was to give special attention to his relationships with older men and women in the church, honoring them as he would his own father and mother by showing them the respect they were due. Timothy was also to view the younger members of the church as his brothers and sisters in Christ, treating the young men with dignity and interacting with the young women in purity.

Paul wanted Timothy to know that being a minister of the gospel wasn’t just about disseminating information and doling out discipline to the unruly and unfaithful; everything hinged on relationships. The church was a family, a God-ordained collection of individuals from all walks of life who had been divinely joined together and commanded to care for, love, and support one another. Personality conflicts, disagreements, and each individual’s residual sin natures would tend to cause conflict within the local body of Christ. So Timothy needed to know how to handle the practical side of ministry: people and the personal problems they bring to the table.

The church always has constant needs. In Paul’s day, widows were a significant concern because, in the cultural context of the 1st Century, widows tended to be overlooked and neglected. Women were often considered second-class citizens with few rights and privileges, and marriage was their safety net. Being a wife and mother was necessary for most women, providing a roof over their heads, respect within the community, and a way to make ends meet in a culture where jobs for women were few and far between. That’s why widows were especially vulnerable. They were viewed as having little value and were neglected by the culture at large. But Paul encouraged Timothy to care for widows who had become part of God's family.

He was to see that they were cared for, knowing these women looked to God as their help and source of hope. The church was to be the hands and feet of Christ, ministering to these women and ensuring their families cared for them properly. When no family members could meet their needs, Timothy was to make sure the family of God stepped in and cared for them properly.

As usual, these cases are never cut-and-dried. There are always underlying circumstances that must be considered and dealt with. It would be much easier if we could just say, “Take care of the widows in the church,” but circumstances often make our decisions a bit more difficult and a shade more grey than black-and-white.

Timothy was to consider all circumstances regarding widows. He had to factor in their age, existing family relationships, and most importantly, their character. Not every widow was to be the church’s responsibility. Careful consideration was required when investigating the needs of these women. In some cases, their families were to be confronted and held accountable for having neglected their care. Obviously, there were cases where grown children had chosen to ignore the needs of their own mothers. This was unacceptable, and the church was not obligated to take on the responsibility.

Paul recommended that younger widows not be added to the “list” of those who received regular support from the church because they could still remarry, have their own families, and access a reliable means of support. Paul’s statements suggest he expected the older widows who received care from the church to willingly dedicate their lives and service to the body of Christ in return for financial support. Evidently, they agreed not to remarry, dedicating themselves to the service of God and the church instead. Younger women, if added to this list and then presented with the opportunity to remarry, would find it hard to keep that kind of commitment.

These verses address a very specific issue that was a real problem in the Ephesian church, but it is more descriptive than prescriptive. In other words, Paul was not establishing a binding rule or law for the church. These 16 verses should not be interpreted as a non-negotiable biblical requirement for the care of widows in the local church. But they do offer an insightful glimpse into the careful consideration shepherds must apply when caring for their flock.

The bottom line is that the church is to be all about relationships. It can be messy and, at times, difficult. Variables and circumstances can make decision-making anything but easy. We must consider many things when dealing with people and relationships, and must apply a careful combination of biblical wisdom and common sense. Timothy needed to do his homework, considering carefully and prayerfully what God would have him do, always striving to treat everyone with dignity, respect, and honor. And the same is true for us today.

Father, the body of Christ really is a family, a sometimes complicated and messy household of disparate individuals whose personalities, problems, and sinful dispositions can make community difficult and unity almost impossible. But You designed it to function in the Spirit’s power, equipped with His gifts, guided by Your Word., and motivated by the bond of love. It isn’t always easy but, because it is Your will, it produces the fruit of righteousness and makes the church a beacon of hope in a sin-darkened world. The local church should be a place where the love of Christ is not only taught, but displayed. Your Son told us, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT). He also encouraged us to let our “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). That is what Paul was calling Timothy to do and it would require a careful assessment of every relationship with the church at Ephesus. No one was to be neglected and no sin was to be overlooked. The well-being of the entire body was dependent upon the spiritual health of each individual. I love how Paul put it to the church in Corinth: “God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:24-26 NLT). May that be the attitude within every household of faith where Your children gather to worship. Help us display Your grace and goodness to one another so that the lost will know that our faith in Christ is truly life-transforming. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What To Do While We Wait

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. – 1 Timothy 4:6-16 ESV

Our lives are meant to make a difference, but not in the way the world would have us believe. In this age, significance is measured in assets, popularity, job title, income, the neighborhood we live in, the kind of car we drive, or even the number of friends and followers we have on social media. We live to impress, influence, and to make a difference in the world, but the terms by which we measure the success of our contribution can be shallow and exceedingly temporal. Paul encouraged Timothy to use a different standard. He wanted his young protegé to keep his eyes focused on what really mattered, so he gave him a few basic tips for living a life that makes a difference.

First, he tells him to teach. Paul wanted Timothy to take what he was learning and share it with those all around him. Knowledge that is never shared is wasted. Wisdom that isn’t passed on to others becomes self-centered and senseless. But Paul’s letter to Timothy wasn’t meant for him alone; his intention was for Timothy to teach the truths it contained to those under his care. He told him to “explain these things to the brothers and sisters” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT). He challenged him to “teach these things and insist that everyone learn them” (1 Timothy 4:11 NLT). The truths found in God’s Word are meant to be shared, not hoarded. We are to pass on what we learn.

Second, Timothy was to train others, and Paul was quite specific about the kind of training he meant. Paul said, “train yourself to be godly.” (1 Timothy 4:7 NLT). The Greek word Paul uses is gymnazō, and it means “to exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind” (Blue Letter Bible. (n.d.). Outline of Biblical Usage for [gymnazō] [G1128]. Retrieved August 25, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/). It is the word from which we get our English word, gymnasium.

Paul was expecting Timothy to put effort into his pursuit of the spiritual life. Godliness was to be his goal, not material success, financial reward, physical health, or personal fulfillment. Paul reminded Timothy that he would receive far greater benefits from pursuing a healthy and vibrant spiritual life than he ever would from getting physically fit. Godliness has both temporal and eternal ramifications for the believer's life; we benefit in the here and now as well as the hereafter.

Third, Paul tells Timothy to typify or exemplify the Christ-like life. He was to be an example of godliness to those around him in every area of his life, through his speech and conduct, in his demonstration of love and faith, and through living a life of purity. Purity includes sexual purity as well as integrity of heart.

The Christian life is holistic, with no room for compartmentalization. In other words, there are no hidden or secret areas where the light of God’s transformative power does not shine. Timothy’s godliness was to touch every area of his life, and it was to be a clear model of Christ-likeness to all those around him. Timothy was never to allow his young age to be a hindrance or an excuse. His chronological age was irrelevant because godliness is ageless. Becoming like Christ has nothing to do with the number of years we spend on this planet, but everything to do with the time we spend in the Word, with the Lord, and being submitted to the Holy Spirit. Godliness is to be lived out for others to see.

Paul gives Timothy one final charge: “Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:15-16 NLT).

Timothy was to teach others, train himself diligently, and typify the life of a believer. And he was to throw his entire energy into making this a reality in his life. The pursuit of a godly life cannot be done half-heartedly; it’s a full-time job that requires our constant attention. We have to regularly examine how we’re doing and constantly assess our spiritual well-being. There is no room for complacency or contentment. Paul modeled this lifestyle of constant commitment to excellence.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

There will always be distractions, and we will be tempted to become complacently satisfied with where we are and how far we’ve come. But Paul warned Timothy that the goal will not be realized on earth; our salvation will be consummated in heaven, not here. This life is not to be all there is, and this world is not our home; we’re just passing through on our way to somewhere better. Our salvation awaits our glorification, and that is to be our ultimate objective. That’s why Paul told Timothy to train himself for godliness; he didn’t demand that he achieve it. Eventually, our godliness will be complete. We will be done with all the training and will have completed the race. The apostle John reminds us, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 NLT).

That day is coming. But in the meantime, we are to teach, train, and typify. So let’s get busy!

Father, we have work to do and yet, we find ourselves so easily distracted by the cares and concerns of this world. Rather than focusing on the prize that You have promised, we become fixated on the here and now and overly consumed with temporal things like popularity, possessions, pleasure, and power. We allow the enemy to deceive us with the promise of our best life now, but his sales pitch never delivers. He can’t provide us with true joy, contentment, peace, or significance. He has no concern for our well-being, but simply wants to keep us addicted to the things of this world. That is why John warned us, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 NLT). And Paul called us to teach, train, and typify godliness in this life because we believe in the promise of eternal life. I want to become less worldly and more godly with each passing day., but I know I can't do it on my own. So thank You for providing Your word and the Spirit to help me. May I become increasingly more focused on living out what I say I believe so that others can see the power of the gospel in me. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.