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.

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.

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.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. – Titus 3:8-11 ESV

Paul has just reminded Titus of the core message of the gospel: Jesus Christ appeared in human form as a visible expression of God’s goodness and love. Not only that, but Jesus proved the love of God by offering His own life as payment for the sins of humanity. His death made salvation possible, not based on our efforts to live righteous lives, but because of the mercy of God the Father. The death of Jesus on the cross provided a way for sinful man to be forgiven, cleansed, and restored to a right relationship with God the Father. After His resurrection and return to His Father’s side, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers; the result was their “new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 NLT). And the Holy Spirit’s presence within the life of every believer is a guarantee of the eternal life awaiting them.

Paul tells Titus that this is a trustworthy saying. In Greek, the phrase is pistos logos. It means these are words we can rely on and believe in. They are true and worthy of our trust because they hold the key to our present effectiveness and our future hope.

Paul places such high expectations on the believers living on Crete because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. His death made possible a life filled with a never-before-available power to live above and beyond the norms of everyday life. A Christian is a new creation whose purpose for life has been radically changed because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. That is why Paul expected Titus to hold the believers on Crete to the higher standard that came with their newfound status as God’s children.

Jesus died so that sinful men might be saved, but His death also made possible their ongoing spiritual transformation. He didn’t just provide a clean slate, wiping them free from the sin debt they owed; He also made it possible for them to live righteous lives. So, Titus was to “insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works” (Titus 3:8 NLT).

Notice Paul’s emphasis on belief and behavior. In his mind, these two things were inseparable, like two sides of the same coin. You could never have one without the other. For Paul, the good news regarding Jesus Christ was not just about gaining entrance into heaven someday; it was about the daily manifestation of our faith through tangible works that reveal the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is exactly what Paul told the believers in Ephesus:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. – Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Paul insists that every believer is God's handiwork or masterpiece. The Greek word he used is poiēma, and it refers to “the thing that is made.” Each believer is a handcrafted work of God. This refers not only to their creation, but also to their re-creation through salvation. Paul’s point is that no one saves themselves; no one becomes a Christian. The work of salvation is entirely up to God, from beginning to end, just as Paul told the believers in Rome.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. – Romans 8:29-30 NLT

Paul was consistently emphatic when declaring man’s non-existent role in salvation.

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. – Ephesians 2:9 NLT

God is entirely responsible for the entire redemptive process, from initial salvation to sanctification and, ultimately, final glorification. From beginning to end, it is the work of God.

…because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV

But while man’s works cannot make him right with God, they can certainly provide evidence of God’s work in him, which is the entire point of Paul’s letter to Titus. He wanted the believers on Crete to live their lives in the power of the Spirit, fulfilling the preordained plans God had for them. There was work to be done because many had not yet heard the gospel message. God had a divine strategy in place requiring all believers to live in obedience to His will and in total submission to His Spirit. Their righteous behavior would give evidence of their belief and shine like light in the darkness. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His audience, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). Jesus used this theme repeatedly.

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.” – Luke 8:16 NLT

“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.” – Luke 11:33 NLT

What Paul shared with Titus was meant to be considered good and beneficial. This wasn’t pie-in-the-sky rhetoric. Salvation wasn’t to be viewed as some future escape plan from eternal torment; it was to be the key to abundant life in the present, and Paul lived his life that way, which is why he could so boldly state, “I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NLT).

He firmly believed that his old self was crucified alongside Christ, “so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless” ªRomans 6:6 BSB). He regularly experienced the reality of his own teaching in his own life.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. – Galatians 5:24 NLT

If those old passions and desires have been nailed to the cross, it is essential that they be replaced with new passions and desires. The believer’s new nature in Christ should become increasingly more evident, revealing the power of God’s indwelling Spirit. So, everything Paul instructed Titus to teach the believers on Crete is tied to the good works God created them to accomplish. That includes submission, self-control, love, patience, temperance, kindness, sacrifice, and a host of other qualities that are still in short supply today. Our behavior should reflect what we say we believe.

…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

We are to believe and behave in a way that displays our new status as God’s adopted sons and daughters. From God’s perspective, we are new creations, so why would we continue to live according to our old natures? God has new things for us to do and a radically different lifestyle in mind, intended to prove the reality of our new identities. Which is why Paul told the believers in Ephesus, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24 NLT).

But many of the believers on the island of Crete were struggling. Some were causing dissension by teaching unadulterated lies. Arguments were breaking out within their gatherings. Sides were being taken, damaging the church's unity and diluting the gospel’s message. Paul makes it brutally clear what Titus was to do with those who caused divisions within the local church.

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him… – Titus 3:10 ESV

The point of Paul’s letter is godly behavior; he is calling all professing Christians to live as who they are: the sons and daughters of God. As such, they were to reflect Christ's character and devote themselves to good works. Anything that distracted from the objective was to be avoided at all costs. Anyone who distorted or took away from that mission was to be rejected for being warped, sinful, and self-condemning. They were guilty of twisting and perverting the message of the gospel, and their actions condemned them. Paul insists that they be avoided like a plague because the spiritual well-being of the body of Christ was at risk. The believers on Crete would find it nearly impossible to accomplish the good works God had prepared for them to do as long as these individuals were allowed to remain in their midst. There was no place for tolerance or complacency when it came to threats against the truth of the gospel.

This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. – Galatians 5:9-10 NLT

Paul had no tolerance for false teachers, and neither should they. Right living becomes virtually impossible when wrong doctrines are allowed to exist. Doing good works is difficult when bad teaching is left unchallenged in the church. The church must always take the truth seriously and deal with falsehood decisively. The world may be filled with lies, driven by deception, and motivated by selfishness, but the church of Jesus Christ is to be the unwavering foundation of God’s truth.

Paul was providing Titus with the same powerful reminder that he had given Timothy, so that both men might “know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 BSB).

Father, Your servant Paul talked a lot about good works because he understood that belief and behavior were inseparable and non-negotiable. I am reminded of the words of James, when he wrote, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19 NLT). Demons know You exist, but thir belief in Your existence does not produce righteous behavior. They fear You, but lack the ability to worship You because they remain unrepentant and unredeemed. So, our verbal expressions of belief may impress others, but they don’t fool You because You know our hearts and You look for “the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:11 ESV). But that fruit is not something we produce, it is the work of Your Spirit within us. Yet, it should be evident to all those around us, like light shining in a darkened room. If we lack fruitfulness, it is because of faithlessness. We either doubt Your power to transform our lives, question the need to live differently, or buy the lie that sanctification is up to us. But for You, belief and behavior are irrevocably linked and the byproducts of Your grace. I can’t produce the fruit of righteousness, but Your Spirit can. So, keep me dependent upon Him so that His fruit might flow through 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.

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.

Passing the Baton

1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.

2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. – 1 Timothy 1:1-2 ESV

Timothy was Paul’s disciple. Paul evidently led him to the Lord during one of his missionary travels to Lystra. During Paul’s second missionary journey, Timothy accompanied him to Troas, Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth. Timothy also accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey to Ephesus and was later sent by Paul to minister on his own in the region of Macedonia. When Paul was under house arrest in Rome, Timothy visited him there. He was well-traveled and well-respected by Paul, having earned the apostle’s trust.

He was ministering in Ephesus when he received this first letter from Paul. Timothy had evidently written Paul, sharing his desire to rejoin him and accompany him on his travels. But Paul would break the news to Timothy that he was needed right where he was. In fact, verse 3 tells us that when Paul and Timothy went to Ephesus on that third missionary journey, Paul went on to Macedonia, leaving Timothy behind with a job to do.

When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. – 1 Timothy 1:3 NLT

By this time, churches were being established all over that area of the world. The gospel was spreading fast, and people were coming to faith in Christ at an incredible rate. The problem was that too few men were equipped to minister to the large number of churches springing up. Infant believers were everywhere, and no one was there to instruct and care for them because there was a paucity of spiritually mature leaders.

Despite his zeal and high capacity for work, Paul couldn’t do it all. Much of his time had been spent in prison or under house arrest. He couldn't be everywhere at once, and no seminaries existed to prepare the next generation of pastors and teachers. No organized strategy existed to raise up and equip elders for the local churches. Yet there seemed to be no shortage of false teachers and ill-informed individuals with potentially destructive viewpoints on a wide range of topics. So, Paul turned to Timothy. Yes, he was young and inexperienced, but he was needed. Knowing this young man was probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by the task at hand, Paul reminded him of the true purpose of all biblical instruction.

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT

Paul's letters to Timothy have less to do with teaching doctrine than with defending it; the content is practical, not theological. Paul wants Timothy to know how to encourage the believers in Ephesus toward true life change, marked by a love that manifests itself in daily life. Paul is looking for practical expressions of love, and he knows there are three things that will prevent that from happening in any believer's life: an impure heart, a conscience burdened by shame, and a lack of trust in God.

These are the basics, and they trump a head full of theology and doctrine every time. But Paul warns Timothy, "Some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions" (1 Timothy 1:6 NLT).

Somewhere along the way, they became obsessed with things that did not result in increased faith and love. Debating had replaced serving, and controversy had become more popular than showing mercy and expressing love to one another. Paul had warned the elders in Ephesus, "some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following: (Acts 20:30 NLT). He went on to say that these "false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29 NLT).

The main problem seemed to revolve around incorrect teaching regarding the law of Moses. Some were presenting their interpretations of the law and its application to believers' lives, and their teaching was wreaking havoc on the church’s health. Their focus was not on increasing the love and faith of God's people, but on being seen as experts on the topic at hand.

Paul told Timothy, "They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently" (1 Timothy 1:7 NLT). These individuals were cocky and confident, assured that their view was the right one. But all this discussion and debate was causing confusion and conflict within the church. Paul reminded Timothy that love should be the primary motivation for any teacher of God’s Word. Teaching that does not edify and instruction that does not increase faith are misapplied and miss the point. Debating doctrine is useless if it fails to foster more love for God and others. If “godly” instruction doesn’t produce increased devotion to and dependence on God, it’s a waste of time.

That is why the church at Ephesus needed Timothy, and the church today needs men and women who understand that increasing the love and faith of God's people is the primary responsibility of those who teach God’s Word. Knowledge alone is not enough; it produces pride. Doctrine by itself is insufficient; it can become sterile and little more than head knowledge. Theology, even that which is sound and biblically based, is incomplete if it does not result in more love and greater faith.

Paul warned the believers in Corinth that their obsession with spiritual gifts was worthless and unwarranted if it was devoid of love.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NLT

Paul needed assistance, so he turned to his young protégé, Timothy. This relatively inexperienced young man was a work in progress, but he represented the next generation of spiritual leadership for the rapidly growing church. Paul knew that the future health of the body of Christ would require new leadership; one man could not keep up with the explosive growth of the gospel. Too many fledgling congregations were popping up all over the place, and there were not enough qualified men to lead them. So, Paul took it upon himself to train and prepare the next wave of missionaries and pastors who would minister to the flock of Jesus Christ. 

Father, here we are two millennium later and the gospel is still spreading across the planet because faithful men and women have continued to raise up the next generation of leaders. The kind of godly discipleship Paul modeled has been carried on by countless individuals who have poured into the lives of young people, training them to do the work of the ministry faithfully and fearlessly. Over the years, You have used godly men to challenge and teach me. Their lives of faithful service encouraged me and their love for Your Word inspired me. And You have given me that same desire to pour into the lives of others. I teach because I have been taught. I share because someone shared with me. I am reminded of the words of the Psalmist: “We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders” (Psalm 78:4 NLT). We have work to do because there are still so many who have not heard the gospel. But we must equip and prepare the next generation of leaders to know Your Word and to rely on Your strength. The spread of the gospel will continue to be unstoppable, but only as long as it is based on truth, accompanied by love, and fueled by faith in You. 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.

Raising Up Righteous Reinforcement

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. – Philippians 2:19-30 ESV

Suddenly and somewhat surprisingly, Paul brings up two individuals who, at first glance, seem to have no relationship whatsoever with the church in Philippi. On closer examination, it becomes clear that both Timothy and Epaphroditus were well-known to the believers there. Epaphroditus was actually a resident of the city and a member of the local congregation. He had been sent by the church to Rome, where he ended up ministering to Paul during his time under house arrest. Paul calls him “your messenger and minister to my need” (Philippians 2:25 ESV). Later in chapter 4, Paul refers to the gifts that Epaphroditus had brought with him on behalf of the church in Philippi. Evidently, Epaphroditus had personally delivered Paul’s letter, having been sent back to Philippi after his recovery from a life-threatening illness.

As far as Timothy is concerned, he had been with Paul and Silas when they first arrived in Philippi on their missionary journey. The Book of Acts reveals that Paul had met Timothy when visiting the cities of Lystra and Derby.

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. – Acts 16:1-3 ESV

Paul informed the church in Philippi that he intended to send Timothy to them as his personal representative with instructions to return with a report concerning the conditions among the Philippian believers.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. – Philippians 2:19 ESV

But why does Paul bring up these two young men at this point in his letter? What was his purpose for switching from a very personal call for the church to live in unity and humility in a city filled with intense darkness and twisted moral standards?

I believe there are two things at work here. First, Paul wants his brothers and sisters to know that he is thinking about them and that, even in his absence, he is sending others to assist them in their faith journey. He is not abandoning them.

But there is another and somewhat more subtle point being made here. Paul is using these two young men as examples for the flock in Philippi. Paul has been talking about the task of the church to work out its salvation with fear and trembling. He has been calling them to exhibit blamelessness and innocence. Now he brings up these two men he has come to know and love.

In these verses, Paul gives a glimpse into the lives of Timothy and Epaphroditus, both of whom were near and dear to his heart. They were his brothers in Christ and his fellow workers in the mission to which God had called him. These two men, while not household names to most of us, were icons of spiritual virtue in Paul’s mind. He couldn’t have survived without them, and he commends them to the believers in Philippi as men whom they could not only trust but emulate. Both were likely younger men than Paul, but that didn’t stop him from praising their value and virtues as men of God.

Paul described Timothy as a one-of-a-kind individual who showed genuine care for the people in Philippi. Timothy didn’t view his efforts on their behalf as work but legitimately cared for their spiritual and emotional needs, as well as their physical well-being. Paul then describes what appears to be a consistent problem among leadership within the early church at that time. “All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:21 NLT).

Paul wasn’t intimating that there was no one else who cared in Philippi, but that there was a prevailing presence of self-centeredness within the church, especially among the leadership. Sadly, it was a rare thing to find a believer who put the interests of Christ before his own, but Timothy was such a man. Timothy had served Paul well and was like family to him. Paul even referred to Timothy as “my true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2 NLT). He was a faithful, loving, reliable, and godly young man who modeled Christ-likeness and ministered faithfully alongside Paul even in his darkest moments. He was a man of integrity with the heart of a shepherd.

Paul describes Epaphroditus as “a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier” (Philippians 2:25 NLT). Paul was making a personal sacrifice by sending Epaphroditus back to Philippi, but he knew Epaphroditus’ friends and fellow church members were anxious to see him. As much as Paul enjoyed Epaphroditus’ companionship in Rome, he was more concerned that this kind and generous young man return home so that he might put to rest any concerns over his physical well-being. The 800-mile trip home would have been a long one, taking anywhere from six weeks to two months. That means Paul would have gone without the encouraging presence of Epaphroditus for a prolonged period of time. But that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

Paul encourages the believers in Philippi to “welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve” (Philippians 2:29 NLT). Obviously, Paul thought highly of Epaphroditus. This young man had risked his life for the cause of Christ, and had displayed faithful service to Paul during his imprisonment in Rome.

Paul appreciated and valued men like Timothy and Epaphroditus because they exemplified the unity and selflessness necessary to spread the gospel message to the four corners of the earth. When reading the Book of Acts or Paul’s own letters, it is easy to conclude that he was a loner with an independent streak. Yet Paul never operated alone; he always had at least one ministry partner and was constantly pouring his life into young men like Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul knew he couldn’t accomplish the ministry without the help of others, especially at this point in his life. While living in Rome, he was under house arrest, unable to travel, and restricted from ministering to the far-flung congregations he had helped to plant. He had to depend on faithful men like Timothy and Epaphroditus to be his hands, feet, eyes, and voice; delivering his messages and expressing his love for the body of Christ.

The church today needs men and women of character like Timothy and Epaphroditus. There is a shortage of reliable, faithful, loving, and selfless individuals who are willing to put the needs of the body of Christ ahead of their own. Paul knew that men like Timothy were going to be constantly tempted to compromise their character, and the same thing is true in our day. That’s why Paul provided his young protégé with the following commission:

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 confessed so well before many witnesses. – 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

The church still needs men and women who have that same attitude and focus. The body of Christ needs to raise up and recognize those kinds of leaders, both men and women, who are willing to risk their reputations, careers, comfort, and even their lives for the cause of Christ. While men like Paul were vital to the church in those early days, the spread of the gospel depended upon individuals like Timothy and Epaphroditus for its long-term survival and success. They were the faithful foot soldiers in the battle for the gospel, and we need more of them today.

Father, Paul knew his life and ministry would not last forever. As he endured his prolonged house arrest in Rome, he knew there were only two outcomes: Acquital and release or conviction and death. Even if he was set free, he knew his days were numbered. That’s why he spent so much energy pouring into the next generation of leaders. He poured into men like Epaphroditus, Timothy, and Titus because he understood that they were the future of the ministry, and he wanted to pass the baton to them so they could continue to spread the gospel and build up the body of Christ. Paul was a dedicated servant who faithfully fulfilled the commission given to him by Jesus, but he understood that the mission would not be completed in his lifetime. I want to share that mindset and dedicate the remaining years of my life to pouring into the next generation of leaders. Rather than looking down on the youth of today, I want to build them up and prepare them to carry on the work of the ministry for years to come. I am reminded of Paul’s words to Titus: “Encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching” (Titus 2:6-7 NLT). That is how I want to finish the race You have set before 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.

The Supernatural Mystery of Spiritual Maturity

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. – Colossians 1:24-29 ESV

As a faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul often found his calling to be difficult and, at times, dangerous. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul described in excruciating detail the treatment he had received as a servant of Jesus.

I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. – 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT

Yet, Paul was pleased to suffer for His Lord and Savior. He viewed the trials and tribulations that accompanied his mission to be in keeping with the suffering experienced by Christ as He carried out His own earthly mission. Paul was well-acquainted with the darker side of ministry life. In fact, he wrote his letter to the Colossians while under house arrest in Rome, where he awaited trial before the Emperor.

But when Paul penned his far-from-exhaustive list of trials to the Corinthians, he wasn’t complaining about his lot in life; he was defending his right to be treated as a legitimate spokesman for Jesus Christ. Like His Savior, Paul had faced a barrage of persecution and personal attacks, and, on top of all that, he had been forced to carry “the daily burden of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28 NLT). He was a faithful shepherd and caretaker for the flock of Jesus Christ who took his role seriously and suffered persecution but was able to say, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake…” (Colossians 1:24 ESV).

Paul saw his sufferings as an opportunity to, in some small measure, experience “Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24 ESV). He was eternally grateful for the pain that Jesus endured on his behalf so that he might be freed “from this life that is dominated by sin and death” (Romans 7:24 NLT). And Paul was more than willing to suffer “for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24 ESV). It was the least he could do.

Paul understood that he had been made a gospel minister and was responsible for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the Gentile world. His job, while far from easy, was accompanied by great joy because he was able to witness firsthand the transformative nature of the gospel.

Paul states that his message to the Gentiles was a mystery to God’s chosen people, the Israelites. Their concept of the long-awaited Messiah did not include hope for anyone outside the Jewish community unless they had converted to Judaism. They believed themselves to be God’s treasured possession because that is exactly how He had described them.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

Even Jesus’ 12 disciples found it difficult to watch Him minister to Samaritans, Syrophoenicians, and Romans. In their understanding of the Messiah’s role, they had no category that accommodated a ministry to the Gentiles, and yet, Jesus told them, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:14-16 NLT).

This mystery of Gentile inclusion had remained hidden for generations and had not been revealed until after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they began ministering to those who had gathered in Jerusalem for the annual feast. Luke describes the crowd as being made up of  “Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5 ESV). He goes on to describe them as “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians” (Acts 2:9-11 ESV).

The crowd consisted of native Jews and converts to Judaism from a wide range of nations and ethnic groups. When they heard Peter's gospel message, they responded en masse.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. – Acts 2:41 ESV

Many who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost would return to their native countries, carrying the gospel message with them. The apostle Paul would later join their forces and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the Gentile world. On his missionary journeys, he would encounter converts to Christianity who had heard the message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone from their converted friends and neighbors. As Paul later told the believers in Ephesus, the mystery of Gentiles being grafted into the family tree of Abraham had been revealed and was making an impact on the world.

God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. – Ephesians 3:2-5 NLT

God had always intended to redeem people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. His Son was the Messiah of Israel, but as God had promised Abraham, His offspring would bless the “nations.”

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” – Genesis 12:2-3 ESV

Jesus, a son of Abraham, fulfilled that promise. Although He was a Jew, Jesus came to offer salvation to all men, a fact that Paul expressed to the Gentile believers in Galatia.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. – Galatians 3:9-11 ESV

It was through Jesus, a Jew, that the blessing of Abraham came to the Gentiles, so that they might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14 ESV). Paul proudly declared that message of hope to the Gentile world and gladly endured suffering as he did so; he considered it his privilege and honor. Jesus had died to make salvation possible, so the least Paul could do was suffer to make it available and accessible.

He wanted the Colossian believers to know that their hope was based on the reality of the Spirit’s presence within them. Jesus had died, been raised to life, and was seated at the right hand of God the Father. But following His ascension, Jesus sent the Spirit of God to indwell His followers. In that sense, Jesus would not only be with them but in them.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” – John 14:16-17 NLT

Paul’s mission was to proclaim this life-altering mystery of  “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:28 ESV), and he did so, “struggling with all his energy,” knowing that “he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29 ESV). His ministry and message were comprised of both warnings and teachings. There were dangers to be avoided and lessons to be learned. False teachers would attempt to undermine the hope of the gospel and diminish the witness of God’s people.

Paul’s goal for the Colossian believers was nothing less than spiritual maturity. He would not settle for mediocrity or partial transformation. Since glorification was the ultimate goal of salvation, Paul remained committed to the ongoing sanctification of all those under his care. His lifelong objective was to one day be able to “present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28 ESV). That lofty goal will not be achieved in the believer’s lifetime, but God has promised it will occur. John assured his readers of God’s divine plan for every believer’s ultimate glorification.

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. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. – 1 John 3:2-3 NLT

According to Paul, our glorification is inevitable and unavoidable because it is the work of God.

And 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

Salvation was for Jews and Gentiles alike. This marvelous mystery was proclaimed gladly by Paul, who willingly endured suffering to do so. But for Paul, salvation was to be followed by the believer’s sanctification, their growth in Christlikeness. This was a non-optional requirement for all who believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior. It would not be easy, but it would be well worth the effort because the God-ordained result was their future glorification. That is why Paul worked hard and suffered well. He knew that, one day, he would have the joy of presenting believers as “perfect in their relationship to Christ” (Colossians 1:28 NLT). They would stand before God in sinless perfection, having been transformed into the likeness of Jesus and accepted into the Father’s presence, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9 BSB).

Father, thank You that Your plan of salvation included the hope of sanctification and, ultimately, our glorification. You saved us so that You could transform us into the likeness of Your Son and, one day, we will see that supernatural process finalized with our glorification. You came up with the plan to include Gentiles in Your eternal family long before You made the universe and placed Adam and Eve in it. Before You called Abraham and created the Jewish nation, You had plans to redeem men from every tribe, nation, and tongue, and You included me in that plan. I am forever grateful because I know I did not deserve Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness. I did not earn salvation; it was given to me as a gift of grace. Thank You for the gracious gift of salvation and the supernatural mystery of spiritual maturity. You are faithfully molding me into the likeness of Your Son with each passing day and You have promised to complete the process with my future glorification. I sometimes find it hard to believe, but I know it is true 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.

The High Privilege of Parenting

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV

When considering Paul’s call for believers to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, it is important to remember that this is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, you could pull it off in your own power for a season, but it wouldn’t be long before your old sin nature raised its ugly head, causing pride and self-centeredness to take center stage again. For wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to sacrificially love their wives, the Holy Spirit is a non-negotiable necessity. He alone can provide the fruit we need to “walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true” (Ephesians 5:8 ESV).

Here in Chapter 6, Paul draws our attention to yet another relationship in which the fruit of the Spirit will be essential; he calls for children to obey their parents. The Greek word Paul uses is hypakouō, which conveys the idea of hearing as well as obeying. It implies a child submitting to the God-given authority of their parents, and that the obedience rendered to them must be “in the Lord,” which is another way of saying “out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 ESV). Just as wives are to submit to their husbands “as to the Lord,” children are to obey their parents with an awareness that they are really submitting to the will of God for their lives.

Paul knows this will be very difficult for young children to comprehend. Even after a child comes to faith in Christ, they will have difficulty understanding what it means to obey in the Lord. That is where the careful, patient, and persistent training from godly parents comes in. Even very young children are naturally prone to disobedience. Their wills develop quickly, and their innate desire to do what they want shows up very early in their development. Obedience is not natural to children. They may not initially realize they are being disobedient, but their natural drive toward autonomy will lead them to choose their own will over their parents'.

In these first three verses, Paul seems to address two phases of childhood, starting with young children and then focusing on adult children. After commanding children to obey, Paul turns to the Mosaic law and quotes the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12 ESV). And he adds a side note: “This is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2 ESV).

Paul calls for honor, not just obedience. The word “honor” carries with it the idea of reverence and veneration. In Hebrew, it is kabad, which means “heaviness” or “weight.” There should be a sense of weightiness or significance that adult children give to the God-given role of their parents in their lives. While young children will not be able to grasp the significance of this concept, older children, especially adult children, can and should.

It is interesting to note that in Deuteronomy 6, Moses told the people of Israel, “Now this is the commandment — the statutes and the rules — that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long” (Deuteronomy 6:1-2 ESV).

Moses was calling the people of God to obedience so that their days would be long in the land. Then Moses went on to give them the motivating factor behind their obedience to God:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ESV

Verse five contains the Shema, which Jesus would later say is the greatest commandment. Love is to be the primary motivating factor behind obedience to God. And Paul seems to be saying that, ultimately, love should underlie children's obedience to their parents and the honor they give them in their later years. But for this to happen, Moses said parents were to teach their children diligently. They were to talk about the things of God all the time. Obedience to God was to be a constant topic in the home, and parents were to be the primary source of instruction and illustration of what that obedience looks like.

Which is why Paul addresses fathers. In God’s economy, fathers are held to a higher standard; they are responsible for the spiritual well-being of their household. So Paul warns fathers about provoking or exasperating their children. Nothing will frustrate a child more than inconsistency in their father's life. His behavior toward and in front of his children will have a dramatic impact on their spiritual well-being. Parental hypocrisy is one of the most damaging influences on a child's life. Fathers who say one thing and do another end up frustrating and confusing their children. Fathers who demand one set of standards for their children while failing to apply those standards to themselves will cause anger and resentment in their children. Which is why Paul says, “Fathers, don't provoke your children to anger” (Ephesians 6:4 ESV).

Another surprising cause of anger within children is a lack of discipline. Children need boundaries, supervision, and discipline in their lives. This will require the parents to train their children, and the father is ultimately responsible. A father who is overly strict or heavy-handed in his discipline will end up exasperating his children. But it is also true that a father who is lax in providing his children with loving discipline and godly instruction will provoke his children to anger. That is why Paul tells fathers to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. It should be the goal of every believing parent to raise godly children. While we can’t cause our children to come to faith in Christ, we can provide an environment in which the truth of the gospel is lived out in their presence and the love of God is modeled in their lives.

Parenting is a God-ordained role that comes with weighty responsibilities. But the Psalmist reminds us that “children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Psalm 127:3-5 ESV). Our children are to be seen as blessings, not burdens. Their presence in our home is a gift from God, an inheritance designed to outlast our lives and bring Him glory for generations to come. But the hope of their future faithfulness begins under our watch and depends on our willingness to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 ESV).  What we say and do matters. How we live and love makes a difference. Faith cannot be inherited, but faithfulness to God can be modeled so that the next generation can learn of His goodness and greatness. 

We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders.

He commanded our ancestors
    to teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
    even the children not yet born—
    and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.
Then they will not be like their ancestors—
    stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
    refusing to give their hearts to God. – Psalm 78:4, 5-8 NLT

Father, the job of parenting is never done. Even as our children leave the nest, we find ourselves still listening, loving, guiding, and directing. Even as our children move into adulthood, they continue to watch our lives and  mirror our behavior. They may stop asking our advice, but they continue to recall the lessons we taught them along the way, both good and bad. The things we said and did when they were young are seared into their memories. What we do when they are young has long-term implications. Even when we are gone, they will still remember our words and actions. They will recall the life lessons we imparted and either embrace or reject them. The degree of our faithfulness to God when they were young will either motivate or demoralize them when they are older. Give us the strength to parent well, to grandparent faithfully. Don’t let us grow weary in doing good. Holy Spirit, empower and equip us to run the race well and to finish strong. Our children’s lives depend upon it. We cannot save them, but we can provide them with a safe and fertile environment in which truth is taught, love is boundless, patience is abundant, and faith is lived out in everyday 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.

The Wondrous Ways of God

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. – Romans 11:33-36 ESV

Paul sums up the last three chapters regarding Israel's rejection of God, their partial hardening, and their ultimate restoration as His chosen people with a statement about His incomparable character. He marvels at God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge. He confesses that God’s ways and judgments are unsearchable and inscrutable. But what is Paul’s point? What is he attempting to say about God?

I think the New American Standard Version has a more accurate rendering of Paul’s opening line: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” The word “riches” refers to abundance or fullness. Paul says that God is overflowing with wisdom and knowledge.

“God’s ‘wisdom’ is His ability to arrange His plan so it results in good for both Jews and Gentiles and His own glory. His ‘knowledge’ testifies to His ability to construct such a plan.” – Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes On Romans, 2009 Edition

We may not always understand what God is doing, but we can always trust that whatever He does is right and good. Paul goes on to say that God’s judgments are unsearchable. The Greek word “judgment” carries a judicial sense. It can mean “condemnation of wrong, the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of others” (Outline of Biblical Usage).

We have no right to judge God for what He does, including His judgment of mankind’s sins or His choosing to show mercy to some who deserve His judgment. His “ways” or actions are beyond our comprehension. His thought processes exceed our limited capacity of understanding. Isaiah confirmed this reality when he wrote, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).

Paul continues to quote Isaiah to support his point.

Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? – Isaiah 40:13-14 NLT

In verse 35, Paul resorts to quoting Elihu, one of Job’s well-meaning but ultimately unhelpful friends.

“If you are good, is this some great gift to him [God]? What could you possibly give him?” – Job 35:7 NLT

He also quotes the words God spoke in response to Job’s questioning of His ways.

“Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.” – Job 41:11 NLT

God is not to be questioned or placed under the microscope of our finite minds. While His ways may seem strange or even distasteful to us, they are always right, just, and good. There is always a method and a meaning behind what appears to us as madness. God doesn’t need our advice and does not seek our counsel. He doesn’t owe an explanation for His actions, and we certainly don’t deserve His.

God is not obligated to redeem anyone and is not required to extend His saving grace to any man or woman. That He does so at all should astound and amaze us. It should leave us in awe of His incredible love, patience, and faithfulness. When Paul wrote, “For God has consigned all to disobedience” (Romans 11:32 ESV), he was saying that God was justly passing sentence on all men for their sin and rebellion against Him “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV).

Every human being is guilty of disobedience or “obstinate opposition to the divine will” (Outline of Biblical Usage), and that includes both Jews and Gentiles. But God has decided to show mercy to some, but not because they deserved it. As Paul explains, God shows “mercy on whomever he will, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Romans 9:18 ESV). His mercy and compassion have nothing to do with human will or self-effort (Romans 9:16), but are His sole prerogative. Which is why Paul concludes, “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:36 ESV). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.”

Salvation is a gift of God and is based solely on His mercy. It has nothing to do with anything inherently good in the one who receives it. No one deserves God’s mercy. What He chooses to do in regard to sinful mankind is completely up to Him. As God, He is free to do whatever He deems to be just and good, and all that He does, He does for His own glory. His actions always reveal His character in a way that illustrates and accentuates His glorious nature. Whenever He acts, He expresses His judgment, and He does so in a perfectly just and righteous manner. When He punishes, He never does so unjustly; it is always deserved. When He shows mercy, it is never at the expense of His justice. In other words, it is never unjust or unfair.

When God pardons the sins of those who believe in His Son, He doesn’t just turn His back on their sins and act as if they never happened; that would be unjust and unrighteous. Their sins deserve punishment. Their crimes require sentencing and payment of the penalty due. So God took care of the penalty with the death of His Son. He paid the price for our sins by sending His Son to die in our place. And as Paul declares, “How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways! How wonderful are the ways of God!”

Father, You are the just judge who always rules rightly and without partiality. You are the righteous Law-Giver and the flawless Law-Keeper. You are light and in You there is no hint of darkness (1 John 1:5). I may not always understand Your ways, but that gives me no right to question Your motives or character. You are always in control and Your plans are always perfect, righteous, and good. In the moment, when the circumstances of life appear difficult and even unbearable, I can sometimes question Your goodness and greatness. I can begin to doubt Your love for me. But Paul reminds me that all things come from You; they pass through Your sovereign hands and are intended for my good and Your glory. 

“…everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory” (Romans 11:36 NLT).

Paul’s imprisonments were part of Your will for him. It was from those prison cells he penned the majority of his letters. Some of his most encouraging words came during what must have been his most discouraging moments. Yet, he didn’t allow his suffering to stifle his faith or keep Him from trusting Your will for his life. I want to make his prayer my own, asking that I might live my life in submission to Your marvelous, mind-boggling, and fully reliable will for my life.

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. – Philippians 1:20-22 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.22

Our Ready, Willing, and Able God

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.” – Romans 11:25-27 ESV

Paul has been establishing the fact that God is not yet done with Israel. While the majority of Jews have rejected Jesus as their Messiah, a remnant has been shown mercy by God and placed their faith in His Son as their Savior. Paul was living proof of that reality, and there were other believing Jews in the church in Rome.

The Gentile believers had much for which to be grateful to the Hebrew nation. It was through the Jews that their Savior had come. Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and born into the line of King David, all in keeping with the promises made to both men. And while those Jews who refused to accept Jesus as their Savior were “broken off because of their unbelief” (Romans 11:20 ESV) and the Gentiles were grafted in, that did not mean that God had turned His back on His chosen people. If He was able to mercifully take Gentiles and graciously graft them into the root of Abraham, could He not do so with the Jews? Paul poses that very question.

And even they [the Jews], if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. – Romans 11:23 ESV

The important word here is “belief.” Faith in Christ is required for anyone, whether Jew or Gentile, to be grafted into the root of Abraham. Paul wrote the Gentile believers in Galatia, reminding them of their status as children of Abraham because of their faith in Jesus, the descendant of Abraham.

The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. – Galatians 3:7-9 NLT

He went on to clarify, “Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14 NLT).

It is through faith, our belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ, that we inherit the promises made to Abraham. We become part of God’s family through belief in His Son, and the same thing is true for God’s chosen people, the Jews. But Paul indicates that a “partial hardening has come upon Israel” (Romans 11:25 ESV). The term Paul used is interesting. It is pōrōsis, and it means “obtrusiveness of mental discernment, dulled perception” (Outline of Biblical Usage). The root word means “to grow hard, callous, become dull, lose the power of understanding.”

For the time being, the Jews, individually and collectively, are experiencing a callousness to the gospel message, but this was all part of God’s divine plan. As Paul wrote earlier, “their rejection means the reconciliation of the world” (Romans 11:15 ESV). It was their rejection of Christ that led to the gospel being taken to the rest of the nations of the world. But Paul indicates that there will be a point when “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25 ESV). Thomas L. Constable explains what this phrase means:

“When all the Gentiles whom God has chosen for salvation during the present age of Jewish rejection (setting aside) have experienced salvation, God will precipitate a revival of faith among the Jews. Even though some Jews trust Christ now, God is not presently working through them as Israel as He will in the future (i.e., in the Millennium), after multitudes of them turn to faith in Christ. He is now working through the church.” – Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Romans, 2009 Edition.

Paul writes, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:26-27 ESV). He is quoting the writings of the prophet Isaiah.

“And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.” – Isaiah 59:20 ESV

Paul understood this passage as a prophecy concerning the Messiah, which was partially fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. But upon His arrival, Jesus was met with opposition from His own people. The apostle John described the less-than-warm welcome Jesus received from His fellow Jews.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:10-12 NLT

The Jews didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet when Jesus appeared the first time. But God is far from done with them. He will still accomplish His will among the Jewish people and fulfill the promises He made to them, but it will not take place until He has completed His work among the Gentiles. There is a day coming when the number of Gentiles to be saved will be complete. Paul is not inferring that ALL Gentiles will be saved; he is indicating that there is a limited number of those who will place their faith in Christ, and when that number has been reached, God’s work among the Gentiles will have been fulfilled. He will then turn His attention to the Jews.

But when Paul says that “all Israel will be saved,” he does not mean that every single Israelite who has ever lived will become a believer in Jesus Christ. In the same way that not all Gentiles will come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, neither will all Jews. But when compared to the relatively small believing remnant of Jews that currently exists, the number that will come to faith in the future will be large, and there will be representatives from every tribe of Israel.

The prophet Zechariah predicted a future day when God would do a mighty work among the people of Israel. He quotes God’s promise to complete His divine plan for His chosen people.

“I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.” – Zechariah 12:10 NLT

The day will come when the people of Israel will grieve over their mistreatment and rejection of their Messiah. But their sorrow will be turned to joy. 

“On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity.

“And on that day,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will erase idol worship throughout the land, so that even the names of the idols will be forgotten. I will remove from the land both the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them.” – Zechariah 13:1-2 NLT

But not all Israel will be saved. The prophecy is very specific in indicating that God will redeem and restore a remnant of His chosen people.

“Two-thirds of the people in the land
    will be cut off and die,” says the Lord.
    “But one-third will be left in the land.
I will bring that group through the fire
    and make them pure.
I will refine them like silver
    and purify them like gold.
They will call on my name,
    and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘These are my people,’
    and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” – Zechariah 13:8-9 NLT

God is ready, willing, and able to redeem Israel. He is not yet done with His chosen people, nor has He fully rejected them. He is simply waiting until the full number of Gentiles has come to faith in Christ, then He will turn His attention to the Jews. His plan is perfect, and His timeline is right on schedule. We don’t know when these things will take place, but we are to trust that they will, because our God is faithful, just, righteous, powerful, and fully capable of completing what He has started and fulfilling all that He has promised to the people of Israel and to us.

Father, as Paul has so persistently illustrated, You are a promise-keeping God. Your Word is filled with promises You made to the nation of Israel and You will fulfill every one of them. As Balaam said, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Numbers 23:19 NLT). You are good for Your word. You don’t renege on Your promises and You never change Your mind. You are faithful, true, and totally trustworthy. And the fact that You will keep Your promises to Israel is a powerful reminder that You will keep the promises You have made to me and every other Gentile believer. You are more reliable than the sun coming up in the morning or the changing of the seasons. I am reminded of the words Paul wrote to Titus, reminding him of Your faithfulness.

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. This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. – Titus 1:1-2 NLT

Your plan is far from finished. Your will concerning the people of Israel is not yet complete. They remain hardhearted and incapable of accepting the truth concerning Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. But the day is coming when You will give them new hearts and a new capacity to see the error of their ways and return to a right relationship with You through faith alone in Christ alone, 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.22

Our Promise-Keeping God

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. – Romans 11:1-6 ESV

Is God done with Israel? Has their rejection of His Son as their Messiah put them on His permanent “naughty” list and denied them any opportunity to be restored to a right relationship with Him? Paul would say confidently and emphatically, “No!” and he used himself as living proof.

If God was done with Israel, Paul would never have come to know Christ as His Savior. After all, he was a Jew himself.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.” – Acts 22:3 NLT

“I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.” – Philippians 3:5 NLT

Paul argued that he and the other believing Jews in his audience were not the last of their kind. He used the story of the prophet, Elijah, to drive home his point. Elijah had defeated the prophets of Baal and, as a result, came under the wrath of the wicked queen, Jezebel. She put a bounty on his head, and Elijah was forced to run for his life. When God confronted Elijah and asked him why he was running from the queen, Elijah responded: “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Kings 19:10 ESV).

Elijah and God had this conversation two times in the narrative. Then God informed him, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18 ESV). In other words, God knew something Elijah didn’t know; he was not the last man standing. Despite his feelings of isolation and intimidation, Elijah was not alone. There were others who, like Elijah, had refused to abandon God.  

And Paul’s conclusion was, “It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.” (Romans 11:5 NLT). While the majority of Israel had rejected Jesus as their Messiah, there were some who had chosen not only to recognize Him, but to accept Him as their Savior. And Paul couldn’t resist the urge to remphasize that their salvation was the result of grace, not works.

The very existence of this faithful remnant in Paul’s day was proof that God had not abandoned His people; He was not done with them yet. And, later in this chapter, Paul explains what God has planned for His people in the future. Chapters 9-11 form a cohesive unit in which Paul focuses on Israel, the chosen people of God. In chapter nine, Paul reveals God’s past grace in His sovereign selection of Israel as His people. In chapter ten, Paul addresses the present reality of Israel’s refusal to respond to God’s provision of grace, as revealed in His Son’s death. And finally, in chapter eleven, Paul outlines God’s future plans for Israel.

Paul paints a compelling picture of God’s matchless grace. While the people of Israel never deserved God’s favor, He had repeatedly displayed it — despite their ongoing rebellion and refusal to repent. Over the centuries, they had proved to be unfaithful and disobedient time and time again, but God never fully abandoned them. Even after sending them into exile for their rebellion, He graciously and mercifully restored them to the land. He kept a remnant alive and returned them to Jerusalem so that He might one day fulfill His promise to produce a descendant of David who would sit on the throne of Israel.

Even today, there are future plans concerning Israel that have yet to be fulfilled. At present, they are experiencing a temporary rejection by God. But as Paul will explain later in this chapter, that condition will one day be radically altered. Their rejection of Christ as their Messiah opened up a door for the gospel to be shared with non-Jews, “those who are not a nation” (Romans 10:19 ESV). God made the good news regarding salvation available to “those who did not seek me” (Romans 10:20 ESV). And those of us who have discovered the grace of God made possible through the death of Christ have much to be grateful for. We were totally undeserving of God’s favor, and yet He provided a way for us to be made right with Him.

When he wrote to the Gentile believers in Ephesus, Paul emphasized the incredible nature of their conversion.

Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. – Ephesians 2:11-13 NLT

Paul wrote something similar to the believers in Colossae.

You who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:21-22 NLT

As Gentiles or non-Jews, we have much to be grateful for. We must never forget that if God had not chosen Abraham and given him Isaac as his son, if He had not chosen Jacob over Esau, if He had not chosen David over Saul, and if He had not chosen to send His Son through the nation of Israel, we would never have heard the good news concerning Jesus. But our God is good and gracious, and He is sovereign over all. He knows what He is doing, and He is not yet done with Israel. Their rejection of Him has not resulted in their rejection by Him, because He is faithful, loving, and true. He will accomplish all that He has promised for them, in His time and according to His plan.

Father, Your grace truly is amazing. That You would deem to save any should astound and confound us. As David wrote in his Psalm, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one” (Psalm 14:2-3 NLT). And Paul echoed those words when he wrote, “No one is righteous— not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLT). And yet, You poured out Your mercy and grace on Jews and Gentiles alike. You have redeemed a remnant of Your chosen people and You are far from done. You have made Your grace available to all humanity, but You have not turned Your back on the seed of Abraham. You will one day fulfill every promise You made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You will redeem and restore a righteous remnant from among the 12 tribes of Israel. And this fact reminds me that You are faithful and fully worthy of my trust because You are not a man, so You do not lie. You are not human, so You do not change Your mind. You have never spoken and failed to act. You have never promised and not carried it through (Numbers 23:19 NLT). You are the promise-keeping God. 
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.22

Faithfulness Versus Fruitfulness

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:14-17 ESV

Paul has just finished saying, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11 ESV), and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 ESV). As he was prone to do, Paul used the Old Testament Scriptures, quoting Isaiah 28:16 and Joel 2:32, to prove his point that belief in God leads one to call out to Him in times of need or trouble. His focus throughout this section of his letter has been on the Jewish people. He has expressed his heart’s desire that they be saved, even suggesting that he would be willing to suffer eternal damnation if it resulted in some of his fellow Jews coming to faith in Christ. But Paul knew they would have to experience salvation the same way as everyone else; they would have to call on the name of the Lord.

But at this point in his letter, Paul turns his attention to the believers in his audience, both Jews and Gentiles, asking them, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? ” (Romans 10:15 NLT).

Yes, the Jews were required to express belief in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior, just like everyone else. But Paul was adamant in stating that the believers in Rome had an even weightier responsibility to tell the Jews in their community about Christ. After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and commanded them, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT).

He also told them, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21 NLT). And that Great Commission didn’t just apply to the eleven men Jesus left behind; it has been the non-negotiable marching orders for every Christ follower since that day. Once again, Paul quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures, using Isaiah's words to support his point.

How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
    the news that the God of Israel reigns! – Isaiah 52:7 NLT

Isaiah wrote this message to the people of Judah to announce that God would soon restore them from captivity in Babylon and return them to Jerusalem. Paul uses these words of comfort and joy to express what it is like to hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time. It is like the Jewish exiles in Isaiah’s day hearing that God is going to end their 70 years of captivity and allow them to return to Judah. Despite their disobedience and rebellion against Him, He is graciously promising to restore their relationship with Him, even though they are undeserving of His amazing grace. In a similar way, when someone shares the gospel with an unbeliever, faithfully obeying Christ’s command to tell, they are delivering news of peace and salvation.

But sadly, Paul reports that not everyone who hears will listen. Even when Isaiah told the people of Judah that God would set them free from captivity in Babylon, not everyone responded positively; not everyone believed. God told them, “Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves” (Isaiah 52:11 NLT). Yet the prophet declared, “Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?” (Isaiah 53:1 NLT).

Many of the Jews living in Babylon refused to return to the land of promise. Rather than believe God and make the long and arduous journey back to Judah, they chose to remain in captivity. And Paul states that in his day, not everyone who hears the gospel receives it. When told of Christ’s offer of redemption from slavery to sin and death, many refuse to accept it, choosing instead to choose captivity over freedom.  Paul had firsthand experience watching both Jews and Gentiles rejecting the good news regarding faith alone in Christ alone.

For Paul, it always came back to faith, but proclamation must precede acceptance. That is why he declares,  “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). No one can accept or believe in that which they have not heard. So, disciples of Jesus have a responsibility to tell the good news of God’s grace made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But every person who hears must also obey, expressing faith in God’s gracious offer of salvation.

As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to communicate the gospel with unbelievers, but we are not responsible for their conversion. They must confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Only then will they experience salvation.

Ultimately, it is God who calls, justifies, and glorifies (Romans 8:30). Salvation does not depend on human will or effort, but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:16), and God said, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Romans 9:15 ESV). Conversion is never the result of coercion. We will never debate someone into a saving relationship with Christ. Our responsibility is to share and then to leave the results up to God. Paul provides us with an interesting and important analogy in his letter to the Corinthians believers.

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. – 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NLT

Some plant, others water, but only God produces the results. We simply do our part and allow Him to work the miracle of regeneration and new life. Jesus once told a parable of a farmer whose task of sowing seed appeared to be haphazard and, ultimately, unsuccessful.

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.” – Matthew 13:3-7 NLT

The farmer was faithful, but his efforts were apparently unfruitful. Yet, Jesus finished His parable by adding, “Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 13:8-9 NLT).

The disciple is responsible for sowing the seed of salvation by telling others about Jesus, but not for the results; that is up to God. Some will receive the good news with open arms and softened hearts. Others will stubbornly reject God’s gracious offer of salvation and choose to remain enslaved to sin and condemned to death. When we share the good news concerning Jesus, we have no way of knowing what the outcome will be. Like a farmer scattering seed, we are to sow the gospel on all kinds of soils, leaving the task of germination and regeneration up to the Lord of the harvest. We tell so that all can have an opportunity to hear, but we leave the results up to God.

We've a story to tell to the nations
That shall turn their hearts to the right
A story of truth and mercy
A story of peace and light, a story of peace and light. 

We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil
and shatter the spear and sword

We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
hath sent us his Son to save us,
and show us that God is love

We've a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow hath trod,
that all of the world's great peoples
might come to the truth of God

– “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations,” H. Ernest Nichol

Father, we are always about results. Productivity is king in our culture. We hate to waste time and despise failure. But in Your Kingdom, efficiency and effectiveness don’t always go hand in hand. The apostle Paul appears to have failed quite frequently. The apostle James was martyred for his efforts at sharing the gospel. Jesus Himself was crucified for claiming to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Faithfulness doesn’t always produce the fruitfulness we were expecting. The prophets faithfully proclaimed Your message of repentance to the people of Israel, but their words fell on deaf ears. From our success-obsessed perspective, we view them as abject failures, but to You, they were dediicated servants who faithfully fulfilled their God-given responsibilities. And that is what You have called me to be. You are concered with my faithfulness, not my fruitfulness, because, ultimately, that is Your responsibility. I can’t save anyone, but I can tell everyone about the good news of Jesus. I can plant, water, and even harvest, but I can’t cause the growth. Help me stay in my lane and accept my role in Your grand redemptive plan. Because, as Jesus said, “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). 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.22

Things Are Not Always As They Seem

36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:36-39 ESV

What are the “these things” to which Paul refers in verse 37? To get the answer, all you have to do is look at the preceding verse where he lists tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and the sword. Paul says that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37 ESV).

According to Paul, we’re not only survivors, but we’re also thrivers. The phrase he uses, “more than conquerors,” is actually a compound word in Greek. It is hypernikaō and the first half means “exceedingly abundantly, over, beyond, more than.” We don’t just conquer, we hyper-conquer. Or better yet, we overcome, because that is what the second half of the compound word means. The Greek word nikaō means “to overcome, to carry off the victory, come off victorious” (Outline of Biblical Usage). In the end, we come off victorious in a big way. Why? Because God is for us. He has justified us, and one day He will glorify us. So, “these things” that happen to us in this life are nothing compared to God’s love and faithfulness and the future plans He has for us.

None of “these things” can prevent God from loving us, sanctifying us, and, one day, glorifying us. From our limited human perspectives, we tend to view things just as the psalmist did, whom Paul quotes. 

Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. – Psalm 44:22 ESV

That same psalm contains the following words of encouragement concerning God’s faithful care and provision for His people.

O God, we have heard it with our own ears—
    our ancestors have told us
of all you did in their day,
    in days long ago:
You drove out the pagan nations by your power
    and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
    and set our ancestors free.
They did not conquer the land with their swords;
    it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
    and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
    for you loved them. – Psalm 44:1-3 NLT

The psalmist went on to talk of their need for continued dependence upon God.

I do not trust in my bow;
    I do not count on my sword to save me.
You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
    you disgrace those who hate us. – Psalm 44:6-7 NLT

Just as God had saved their ancestors in the past, the Israelites counted on God to defend and protect them from their enemies. The psalmist knew that the key to their ultimate victory was the presence and power of God, and Paul shared their viewpoint. Which is why he qualified his description of us as “more than conquerors“ by emphasizing the means of our victory: “through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37 ESV).

Our victory over the troubles and trials of this life is completely dependent upon the love of God as expressed in the sacrifice of His Son. God’s love for us is perfect and complete, and includes not only our salvation, but our ultimate glorification. Which is why Paul expresses his confident reliance upon his ever-faithful God.

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. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 NLT

There are times we feel as if God has fallen out of love with us. Difficulties have a way of making us feel unloved and uncared for. In the midst of a trial, we wonder where God has gone or why He is doing nothing to remedy our problem. The psalmist knew exactly how that felt.

But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
    You no longer lead our armies to battle.
You make us retreat from our enemies
    and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.
You have butchered us like sheep
    and scattered us among the nations.
You sold your precious people for a pittance,
    making nothing on the sale. – Psalm 44:9-12 NLT

The psalmist even boldly asserts that their suffering is unmerited because they are innocent of any wrongdoing.

All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
    We have not violated your covenant.
Our hearts have not deserted you.
    We have not strayed from your path. – Psalm 44:17-18 NLT

From his perspective, God was strangely silent and inactive. God was the key to their rescue, but He seemed distant and uninterested in their plight. So, the psalmist issued the Almighty a wakeup call.

Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
    Get up! Do not reject us forever.
Why do you look the other way?
    Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
We collapse in the dust,
    lying face down in the dirt.
Rise up! Help us!
    Ransom us because of your unfailing love. – Psalm 44:23-26 NLT

But Paul would have countered this view with the words of another psalm written by King David.

“…he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” – Psalm 122:4 NLT

Pau understood that God had already provided the victory. That is why he could assure his audience that they were already super-overcomers. Why? Because their sins had been forgiven. They had been made right in God’s eyes and stood before Him as justified and fully assured of their future glorification. There was nothing that could happen to them in this life that would ever separate them from God’s love. He had already ransomed and redeemed them. They were His children and heirs to His kingdom.

In the latter years of his life, Paul was able to tell Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT).

His victory was assured, and so is ours. We will overcome. We will enjoy the full measure of the love of God, which will culminate in our glorification.

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. – Romans 8:23 NLT 

Father, this reminder of Your unfailing love and unassailable plan for my future is always needed. We live in difficult times when the world seems to be falling apart and the enemy appears to be winning the battle. Yet, as Paul reminds us, You are still large and in charge of all that You have created. You have never abdicated Your throne or relinquished Your right to rule and reign. Your will is being done at every moment of every day, and that includes in my life. There is nothing that can separate me from Your love and their is nothing that can deter or defeat Your plan for my future glorification. While I don’t always feel like a victorious conqueror in this life, Paul reminds me that our team wins in the end. And while this life may be filled with sorrow, suffering, and setbacks, You have already secured the final victory over sin and death through the sacrifice of Your Son. His resurrection and the promise of His ultimate return guarantees that my redemption will be fully realized one day. Never let me forget that reality. 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.22

God’s Guarantee of Our Glorification

 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. – Romans 8:28-30 ESV

There is a method to God's seeming madness. Let's be honest, living the Christian life can sometimes be a maddening and quite frustrating experience. We have been promised an abundant life, but at times it can feel as if that promise applies to everyone except us. We face difficulties, experience trials of all kinds, go through hard times, and find ourselves wondering what has gone wrong or where God has gone. Yet, Paul tells us that “all things work together for good.”

But what is good about the loss of your job, your health, or, worse yet, your child? How are we to find any good in the bad experiences of life? Paul tells us it’s a matter of perspective. If we live our lives as if this world is all there is, then we will see the troubles and trials of life as setbacks to our joy. We will end up expecting all the blessings of God in this life and question His love and goodness when anything that doesn't measure up to those expectations comes our way.

But Paul viewed life from a different perspective, allowing him to see its difficulties from God’s point of view.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. – Romans 8:18 ESV

He had his sights set on something other than this world and had placed his hope in something far greater and far more reliable than anything this world has to offer. He said, “We wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children” (Romans 8:23 NLT). Then he adds, “We were given this hope when we were saved” (Romans 8:24 NLT).

In other words, it is our future glorification for which we must hope and wait because God is not done yet. He has a purpose in mind for us and is faithfully fulfilling His plan concerning us. Which is exactly why Paul wrote, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 ESV).

God's purpose for us is multifaceted; it has stages. But it also has a culminating or completion point. In this life, we are being “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29 ESV). Paul reminded the believers in Corinth of this divinely ordained transformation process. ,

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. – 2 Corinthians 3:18 NET

God's plan calls for our ongoing transformation or sanctification, but that is only part of the plan. Paul gives us the outline in its glorious entirety: God called us, He justified us, and one day He will glorify us.

But interestingly enough, Paul uses the past tense when referring to our future glorification.

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. – Romans 8:30 ESV

He uses the aorist active indicative form of the Greek word doxazō, which denotes a simple, completed action in the past rather than an ongoing process. Paul speaks of our glorification as if it has already happened, because it is as good as done; we can trust God to accomplish what He has promised because He is as good as His word. But if we don't keep our hope focused on the final phase of God's plan, our future glorification, we will find ourselves struggling to make sense of all that goes on in this life. We will measure the trials and troubles of this life from our limited, earthly, time-bound perspective. 

In this life, God's goal is to make us increasingly more like His Son. He is transforming us from our earthly, sinful nature into the likeness of His Son, and He can and does use everything to accomplish that goal. This includes the good, the bad, the painful, and the pleasant aspects of this life.

God called us, justified us, is currently sanctifying us, and has effectively already glorified us because it is the final part of His divine plan for us. And while we will experience difficulties in this life, they in no way change or alter the fact that our future glorification is guaranteed. God's love for us will culminate in His glorification of us, which Paul says includes “the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23 ESV). That is why, later on in this same chapter, Paul asks, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35 NLT).  Then Paul provides the answer to his own question:

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.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 NLT

God's love for us cannot be stopped, and it will not be complete until His plan for us has been fully fulfilled. His love for us is best illustrated in His Son's death for us. He loved us enough to send His Son to die in our place. But Christ's death was intended to provide for not only our justification, our being made right with God, but also our future glorification. It is for that hope we wait, and when we keep our hope placed firmly in that reality, we find the strength to endure the difficulties of this life.

We can trust that God has a purpose behind our pain. He has a reason for allowing us to suffer in this life because He is preparing us for the one to come. He is slowly weaning us off our dependence upon this world and getting us ready for the life He has prepared for us. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul quoted from Isaiah 64:4 to describe God’s mysterious and marvelous plan for His beloved children.

No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:7-9 NLT

Father, to You time is non-existent because You live outside its confining bounds. You are eternal, so You see the beginning and the end as if they are one. You are not bound by minutes, hours, months, or years. As Peter wrote, “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (2 Peter 3:8 NLT). You declared through the prophet Isaiah, “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.  Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NLT). So, You see my future glorification as a present reality because it is guaranted by Your faithfulness. You have promised it, so it is as good as done. That is why I need not fear the suffering I may endure in this life. It is why I can count it all joy when I suffer various trials. My future is secure and my glorification is guaranteed — by You. Help me keep my eyes focused on the joy that awaits me because You are the promise-keeping God. 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.22

Our Promise-Maker and Promise Keeper

18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. – Romans 4:18-25 ESV

Belief does not come without its obstacles; it does not go unopposed or unchallenged. The author of Hebrews provides a helpful working definition:

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. – Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Faith is not a timid thing. It is not a half-hearted kind of commitment, but instead, it requires confidence and assurance, both of which must be firmly placed in God, not the thing for which we are hoping. Earlier in Chapter Four, Paul wrote, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3 ESV). Paul was quoting from the Old Testament account found in Genesis 15, where God promised Abraham, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5 ESV). After hearing this promise from God, Abraham believed; he took God at His word.

But Abraham had plenty of reasons to doubt God. He had just offered an alternative plan, suggesting that God consider using one of Abraham’s male servants as his heir. The problem, as Abraham saw it, was that he was old and his wife was barren. He believed that God would do what He promised, but he just wasn't sure how. That is why Paul says, “in hope he believed against hope” (Romans 4:18 ESV). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations.”

Abraham had every reason to question God's promise. His situation and circumstances shouted out to him daily, “This is hopeless!” All he had to do was look around, and the evidence suggested that God's promise was nothing more than a dream. Yet Paul says, “Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb” – Romans 4:19 NLT).

As long as Abraham focused on his circumstances, he would be tempted to doubt God's faithfulness. But his faith was in something else. Even when Abraham took into account his wife’s barrenness, he refused to conclude that God's promise was null and void. Paul says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God” (Romans 4:20 NLT). Abraham “was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises” (Romans 4:21 NLT) because his faith was in God. His confidence was in the source of the promise. This led Paul to conclude, “because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous” (Romans 4:22 NLT).

Martin Luther wrote, “Faith is something that is arduous and difficult. First, it is directed to what a person does not see; indeed, to the very opposite of what one perceives. It seems utterly impossible” (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans).

Abraham grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. There is a reciprocal nature to our faith. When we believe and trust in God, He is glorified. And as we believe in Him, our faith is strengthened as we see Him work in ways we could have never imagined. Placing our faith in God gives us front-row seats to watch Him work. When we trust God, we glorify Him, and our faith in Him increases. When we trust Him in spite of the circumstances swirling around us and the doubts welling up within us, we get to see God work. As a result, our faith in Him grows stronger.

Abraham's faith was in God. Yes, he believed the promise of God, but his faith in the promise was based on the faithfulness of the one who had made the promise. Abraham knew that God was good for it and believed that He would come through. He was fully convinced that God could do what he had promised. That is why Paul uses Abraham’s faith as a model for the kind of faith we are to have. We are to place our faith in God and His gospel message, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 ESV). And when we “believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification,” our faith is counted to us as righteousness.

It is our faith in God and His ability to save us through His Son's death, burial, and resurrection that results in His declaration of righteousness. We are saved by faith. While the world will constantly strive to cause us to doubt the veracity of God's words and to question the reality of the gospel message, we must remain fully convinced and unwaveringly confident in the one who stands behind the promise. Our circumstances will paint a different picture. As we look around us, the evidence will not be favorable to remaining faithful. Our hopes will begin to waver. But like Abraham, in hope we must believe against hope (Romans 4:18).

Abraham hoped for an heir, but the evidence made that outcome appear hopeless. So, he placed his faith in God, the One who stood behind the promise. When he was tempted to focus on his barren wife, Abraham set his eyes on God. As the years passed and he remained fatherless, Abraham placed his hope in the promise-maker, believing God was also the promise-keeper. And we must do the same.

Father, it is an undeniable fact that circumstances lie. They deceive and distract us from believing Your promises. You promised to never leave us or forsake us, yet it so often feels as if You are nowhere to be found. Your Son promised us an abundant life, but sometimes reality makes it appear as if that promise went unfulfilled. Yet, You always keep Your word. You never lie or fail to fulfill what You have promised. Give me the ability to look past my circumstances and see You. I know You are there and I am fully convinced that You care deeply for me. But I am so easily swayed by the circumstances of life and the false expectations of the world. I want to have the kind of faith Abraham displayed. He was far from perfect and there were days his doubts and fears got the best of him. But he kept believing in You. He never stopped trusting Your promises because His hope was in You. May that be the story of my life when all is said and done. 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.22

The Power of Perseverance

11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? – 2 Corinthians 12:11-18 ESV

Paul confesses that he feels like a fool. All this self-promotion is out of character for him, but he tells the Corinthians that their silence forced him to do it. They are the ones who should have been commending him because they had been the recipients of his ministry and message. They had enjoyed the benefits of his self-sacrifice and loving commitment to share the gospel with them. As far as Paul was concerned, he had no reason to take a back seat to the “super-apostles” who were setting themselves up as his spiritual superiors. He had come to the Corinthians as an apostle of Jesus Christ, armed with the gospel and backed by the power of God as revealed in the signs and wonders he had performed while among them. This had been Paul’s modus operandi everywhere he went.

Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum. – Romans 15:18-19 NLT

Paul had not short-changed the Corinthians; he had treated them the same way he had every other Gentile community he had visited. The only difference was that he had not burdened them with providing for his needs while he ministered among them. Others had funded his ministry, and before that, he had paid his way by working as a tent maker. Yet, there were those who accused him of deception and craftiness, claiming that he acted as if he were sacrificing on their behalf while hiding that he was receiving outside aid. There were others who said that Paul had simply gotten money from them by sending his surrogates to collect it, under the guise that it would be used for the saints in Jerusalem. In other words, they were accusing Paul of sending Titus and others to take up a collection, all the while using that money for himself. It seems that, in the eyes of the Corinthians, Paul could do nothing right. His actions were constantly under attack, and his motives were always suspect.

But Paul pledges to keep on loving and giving, whether or not they return the favor. It was his sincere desire to return to Corinth for a third time, and he intended to act in the same way he always had. He would love them like a father loves his children. While he greatly desired that love to be reciprocal, he wasn’t going to let their lack of love prevent him from doing the will of God. He tells them, “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me” (2 Corinthians 12:15 NLT).

Everything Paul had done for them had been motivated by love. He had sacrificed greatly so they might receive the gospel. He had already written two other letters, intended to encourage them in their faith and to provide them with wise counsel regarding real-life scenarios taking place in their midst. He was like a loving father, gladly providing for his children's needs and willingly making sacrifices for their benefit. And while he would have longed for them to return his love, he would not let their distrust and disloyalty sway his actions. All his efforts were motivated by his desire to please his heavenly Father. When all was said and done, Paul was out to please God, not men; he was looking for the praise of God, not the praise of men.

Paul’s only regret was that he was having to waste time defending himself before the Corinthians. There were other pressing needs he would have preferred to address. Instead of wasting time “boasting” about his qualifications and defending his actions, he would have preferred to help them grow in their faith. Paul was a teacher, yet he had to spend all his time playing defense attorney.

He could have given up and written off the Corinthians as too stubborn and hard-headed to waste any more of his valuable time on them. But Paul was committed to their spiritual well-being and was not content to see them languish in their faith and settle for the status quo. He would not allow their complacency to deter his commitment to the call of Christ on his life. He was out to make disciples, and nothing was going to stand in his way, including the damaging accusations of false apostles, the lack of love from those to whom he had shared the gospel, or the constant time spent defending his motives and reputation. His attitude remained, “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you” (2 Corinthians 12:15 NLT).

Father, nobody likes to have their motives questioned, especially when their efforts are sincere and well-intentioned. So, it is understandable why Paul was so frustrated with the Corinthians. He had done nothing wrong, yet all his efforts on their behalf were under attack and unappreciated. His character was being attacked in an effort to undermine his authority. Yet, he never gave up or threw in the towel. It would have been so easy for him to dismiss the Corinthians as ungrateful and unworthy of his time and energy. But he saw himself as Your servant and was willing to take abuse for Your sake. As ministers of the gospel, we will not always be understood or appreciated. Our message will be rejected by some and our motives will be questioned by others. People will falsely accuse us and attempt to undermind our efforts. But, as difficult as that may be, we have to remember that we work for an audience of one: You. Never let me forget that. When I begin to lose heart because others seem to dismiss or even discredit my efforts, remind me of Paul’s unwavering commitment to his commission. He was not a quitter. When it came to his Christ-ordained mission, he refused to be distracted, deterred, or defeated, and that is the mindset I want to have. 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.