2 Timothy 2:1-10
INTRODUCTION
It is a great time to preach the gospel of the grace of God but how many “grace believers” are ready for the challenge? All to often immature, untrained, undisciplined – but eager – believers leap into or pushed into service before they are ready.
Paul knew that believers must be trained “even as a solider” that was going to war… Eph. 6 says we are in a war.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
War is a fluid situation where tactics and strategies are always changing. A good solider must be able to improvise, adapt and overcome obstacles to meet the demands of the divine conflict!
In war some soldiers will…
Desert or defect – As did Demas! See: Col 4:14 & 2 Tim 4:10
Be taken captive – As some “believers” are! See: 2 Tim 2:25-26
Become MIA – Whatever happened to _________? (fill in the blank)
Become discouraged and then encouraged – As did John Mark! See: Acts 15:37- 38 & 2 Tim 4:11
Will rise to the occasion!!!
Go beyond the call of duty!!!
Lay down their life for what they are fighting for!!!
And may I say… what we are fighting for is the liberation of the doomed, dominated and driven souls for which the Lord Jesus Christ PERSONALLY died to save!
Proclaiming Grace And The Timothy Principle
Divine Training For Divine Combat With The Enemy Of God, Saints & Souls
If we are going to make difference in the destiny of the souls of men we will have to do it God’s way, using God’s word, relying on God’s spirit.
Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-10
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
COMMENT: Here we see “personal consideration” – Paul encourages Timothy “as his own Son” to be continually growing stronger in the divine provision that is found “in Christ”. – This strength is in a person – The Lord Jesus Christ!
Consider who he is – he is the faithful son of the living God! – Rom 3:22; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:22.
Consider what he has done – ” Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
The grace (provision) we need for the daily conflict is found in a person and that person is the risen Lord Jesus Christ!
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
COMMENT: Here we see three things:
“Personal Conformation” Of The Truth
Here we mean “make the truth yours“. Study it out for yourself. Do not rely on what others say the bible says you must “confirm” it for yourself. David when going against Goliath did not use the armor given to him by Saul but rather opted for that which he knew! You and I must also be like David and know how to use the sword which God, not man, has placed into our hands. One of the reasons there is so much confusion in the religious world is because people believe what they are told not what they have studied. Failure to be “Berean” is a fall from the faith waiting to happen. Acts 17:11 These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
“Personal Committing” Of The Truth
We must be looking for men who are full of faith and commit the message committed to the apostle Paul to them! Paul always had a group of young Timothy’s around him wherever he went. You and I too should keep our eyes peeled for believers who need to hear the word of God “more perfectly” as Aquila and Priscilla demonstrates in Acts 18:26!
Personal Communication Of The Truth
The job is finished the work is complete when we have trained one who goes and trains another! We confirm the message for ourselves, we then commit the message to the faithful who then teach it to others – this is the heart of the Timothy principle!!!
May I remind you that it is not only God’s will for all men to be saved, BUT also to come to the “knowledge of the truth”! This is the truth of the word of God rightly divided.
Paul prayed for boldness to make known the “mystery of the gospel” and so should we!
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
COMMENT: Here we see Personal Courage for the conflict! – Having done all to stand – stand therefore! Timothy was to demonstrate personal courage. He was to be an “example of” not “to” the believers.
This courage is not a product of our abilities but of our willingness to yield to God. Notice this verse: 2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
Our sufficiency is of God!! And a good solider NEVER forgets that!
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
COMMENT: Here we see personal concentration in the details of life. We are not to be entangled ( Webster’s: Twisted together in a tangled mass) with the affairs ( Webster’s: A vaguely specified concern) of this life. I do not know if it has ever occurred to you but the life we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the son of God – this is HIS life! Your life is hid with God IN CHRIST! When Christ, who is our life shall appear THEN shall ye also appear with him IN GLORY.
Now I hope you understand that I am not advocating as some say we do that you “become so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good” BUT rather that your focus, your attention, your priorities are ordered, arranged, governed in heaven. In fact if you really are “heavenly minded you cannot help to be of earthly good”
Do you want to please God? He has chosen you to be a soldier. Your citizenship is in heaven. You are a solider and ambassador in a foreign world. Do not defect to the enemies side!
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
COMMENT: Here we see personal conduct in striving for the faith. This is no place for loose cannons. In new world naval history sometimes a cannon would break loose from its restraints and roll back and forth on deck causing tremendous damage, destruction and death. A solider has to follow orders from his commanding officer if there is to be discipline in the ranks. Our commanding officer today in the dispensation of the grace of God in the apostle Paul. 1 Cor 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
While it is true that we are not under the law (Romans 6:14) we are under grace. And grace has its rules too.
1 Cor 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
We are to live by grace and under grace as we show grace to the human race!
VERSE: 2 Tim 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
COMMENT: Lastly we see Personal Confidence in the word of God!
Paul received the revelation of the mystery. In it we learn that there is more than one reason why Christ was raised from the dead (among other wonderful things). According to prophecy Christ was raised to sit on David’s throne but according to the Mystery committed to Paul Christ was raised for another “secret reason”. (Don’t trust me.. be a Berean and go check it out for yourself. ) To Paul was committed the Word of God, the capstone of divine revelation, concerning the Gentiles in the dispensation of the grace of God. And because he stood for that truth he suffered trouble – even as an evil doer – even unto bonds. But praise God the word of God is not bound!!!!!! Therefore Paul endured because he had personal confidence in the word of God.
Conclusion
Are you a combat ready solider? Can you share the gospel of grace clearly to the lost? Can you rightly divide the word of truth and teach others to do so? If not… it could be that you have your roots deep in this present evil world. A world that is not our own. Our citizenship is in heaven! We are called to be soldiers. We are called to be ambassadors. If you are saved, you too are called. Will you answer the bell?