2 timothy · 2016-07-16 · 2 timothy day 1: background 2 timothy is the last letter that paul...

2 TimothyFight the Fight, Finish the Course and Keep the Faith

1

More studies available at www.workmanapproved.com:

RuthRomans

PhilippiansColossians

1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians

1 TimothyHebrews

JamesRevelation

© 2016 Cindy Brown. All Rights Reserved.This study was written using the ESV.

2

2 Timothy

Day 1: Background

2 Timothy is the last letter that Paul wrote before his death. Paul penned this letterto Timothy somewhere between AD 64 and 67, a few years after his first letter to Timothy. The persecution against Christians had intensified and it was not an easytime to be known as a follower of Christ. In 1 Timothy, Paul gave Timothy instructions about how the house of God should function there at Ephesus. This letter is much more personal. Instead of instructions about the church, most of theinstructions in this book are written directly to Timothy. (So if you have not studied 1 Timothy, do that before you begin this study, as the two letters build upon each other).

Today read the book of 2 Timothy in one sitting.

After reading through the book, write your initial thoughts about what Paul's main message is to Timothy in this epistle. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3

Day 2: Paul

Today read through the book again and circle every reference to Paul, including pronouns.

From chapter 1, what words does Paul use to describe himself? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After reading the book, what did you learn about Paul's circumstances at the time this was written? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does Paul mention about what has happened to him in the past? What has he been through? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In 2 Timothy 1:13, Paul urges Timothy to follow his pattern of life. In what waysis Paul an example to Timothy in this letter? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4

Day 3: Timothy

Read through the whole book again and this time, mark every reference to Timothy. Mark it in a different color or a different way from how you marked the references to Paul so that you can easily distinguish them.

What did you learn about Timothy's background from chapters 1 and 3? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does Paul address Timothy in this letter? Note the verses where you find these descriptions. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What things does Paul warn Timothy about? What does he tell him to avoid? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What kind of people does Paul warn Timothy about? Some he names and some are general descriptions. Note the verses where they are mentioned. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write down every instruction given to Timothy in this book.1:6 _______________________________________________________________________1:8 _______________________________________________________________________1:13 _______________________________________________________________________1:14 _______________________________________________________________________

5

2:1 _______________________________________________________________________2:2 _______________________________________________________________________2:3 _______________________________________________________________________2:7 _______________________________________________________________________2:8 _______________________________________________________________________2:14 _______________________________________________________________________2:15 _______________________________________________________________________2:16 _______________________________________________________________________2:22 _______________________________________________________________________2:23 _______________________________________________________________________2:24 _______________________________________________________________________2:25 _______________________________________________________________________3:1 _______________________________________________________________________3:5 _______________________________________________________________________3:14 _______________________________________________________________________4:2 _______________________________________________________________________4:5 _______________________________________________________________________4:9 _______________________________________________________________________4:11 _______________________________________________________________________

6

4:13 _______________________________________________________________________4:15 _______________________________________________________________________4:21 _______________________________________________________________________

What instructions do you see repeated? Do you see any way that these instructions are connected that might give you insight into the theme of the book? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul knew that his life was drawing to an end, so he takes the time to pen one last letter to his faithful disciple. Many people start the Christian life strong, but do notremain steadfast to the end. They turn away and follow after false teaching (2:16-18), or they are lured away by the world (4:10). Paul was an example of keeping the faith and finishing the course, despite persecution, hardship and suffering. In this short letter, Paul urges Timothy to not be ashamed of the gospel, to share in suffering, and to keep the faith no matter what persecution or threats he might be faced with. As the world around us goes from bad to worse (3:13) it is important for us to study this book so that like Paul, we too will remain faithful. What a day it will be when we see Jesus face to face and by his grace, we can say that we have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith!

7

Day 4: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Read chapter 1 today.

Mark the following words in these first 7 verses:

any references to Jesusfaith

Some instructions on marking key words:It is easier to look for and mark one key word at a time. This means that you will be reading through a chapter or passage several times, but that helps you to become very familiar with it and see things you might otherwise have missed. Mark each word in a different color or in a different way so that they all stand out and you can easily pick them out later. You will be amazed at the things you see when studying the Bible this way, and by the time we get to the end of the book, you will see key themes and messages that are lined out and explained. You will have a good understanding of each chapter and see how they all tie together in the overall theme of the book. Inductive Bible study helps you to discover the truth for yourself!

Paul starts out this letter in familiar fashion, introducing himself as one who is an apostle by the will of God.

According to verse 1, what is Paul's message about as an apostle? _______________________________________________________________________

People everywhere are searching and trying to fill a God-given void that is in all ofus. Some try to fill it with pleasure, adventure, money, sex, friends and a host of other things, but true life is only found in Christ Jesus. He is the giver and sustainer of life, and the only one that can provide the abundant life that satisfies our deepest needs and cravings. The gospel was the central theme of Paul's message and the good news of the gospel is that Christ offers us life! We who were once dead and separated from God can now enjoy eternal life and it is only able to be enjoyed and experienced through a relationship with Jesus. This no doubt was what helped Paul endure and remain faithful to the Lord until the end of his life. Christ was his life!

8

What title is Jesus referred to by in chapter 1? _______________________________________________________________________

Christ Jesus is the name most used in this book. The name Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew and Aramaic word 'Messiah'. It emphasizes Jesus as theanointed one, the One who fulfilled all the Old Testament prophesies of a promised Redeemer.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Isaiah 11:1-5 speak of this coming Christ.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ 14

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.15

Based on these verses, what character traits will the Christ have? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

14 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Je 23:5–6). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.15 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Is 11:1-5). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

9

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So the name 'Christ' highlights the deity of Jesus. In this name he is portrayed as aking who executes justice and righteousness. He has authority and victory over his enemies and is a righteous and faithful ruler.

Jesus is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning “Jehovah saves.” This name highlights the fact that Jesus had to take on human flesh in order to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sin.

Why do you think Paul chose to use the name Christ Jesus in this book? What might he be trying to emphasize? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verses 3 and 4, what do we learn about Paul and Timothy's relationship? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does Paul describe Timothy's faith in verse 5? _______________________________________________________________________

The word sincere means “pertaining to being genuine and sincere, and hence lacking in pretense or show.”16 It speaks of being without hypocrisy.

Paul and Timothy had spent time together in ministry, Paul had discipled him and taught him the Word, and Paul knew Timothy was the real deal. His faith was notjust a show. Can people who know you well say that your faith is sincere?

Because of Timothy's sincere faith, what does Paul tell him to do in verse 6? _______________________________________________________________________

16 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (674). New York: United Bible Societies.

10

The phrase “fan into flame” means to rekindle or to stir up. It could also be translated “to keep at full flame.” Paul encourages Timothy to use his spiritual gift so that he could reach his full potential in ministry.

How does it say Timothy received his gift? _______________________________________________________________________

We have to look at this verse in light of 1 Timothy 1:18 and 1 Timothy 4:14.

What does 1 Timothy 1:18 say about Timothy? _______________________________________________________________________

How does 1 Timothy 4:14 say Timothy received his gift? _______________________________________________________________________

If we take these three verses together, we see that by prophecy, Paul was guided toTimothy as one who was to be raised up in special service to the Lord. Given this prophecy, Paul and the elders laid their hands on Timothy and he received a gift from the Lord for service to the church.

This begs the question: does this happen this way today? Let's go back through Scripture and look at some instances where the laying on of hands occurred.

In Acts 6:6, the apostles chose seven men to serve as deacons before the church. After they were selected, it says that the apostles prayed and laid their hands on them. Also in Acts 13:3, the church in Antioch was told by the Holy Spirit to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work which God had called them. In both of these cases, no spiritual gift is mentioned, but it seems to be a recognition that these men were set apart for ministry.

In Acts 8:17, we see that the Samaritans believed the gospel message, but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. The apostles sent Peter and John down to them to layhands on them and then they received the Spirit. In every other instance of salvation in Scripture, people received the Holy Spirit the moment they believed. So why the delay for the Samaritans? It seems that during the time of the birth of the church, God wanted the church to be unified. Normally Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with one another. “There was a real danger that the church in Jerusalem might retain ideas of Jewish superiority, and that they might continue to

11

have no dealings with their Samaritan brethren. To avoid the possibility of schism, or the thought of two churches (one Jewish and one Samaritan), God sent the apostles to lay their hands on the Samaritans. This expressed full fellowship with them as believers in the Lord Jesus. They were all members of one body, all one inChrist Jesus.”17

We also see the laying on of hands in healing. In Acts 9:17 Ananias laid hands on Saul (Paul) after his conversion and he received his sight and in Acts 28:8, Paullaid hands on a man and healed him.

Most of the occurrences of laying on of hands occurred in Acts during the apostles' ministry. The only mention of laying on of hands in any of the epistles occurs in 1 Timothy 5:22 where Paul cautions Timothy against being too hasty in the laying on of hands. Given the context, it would seems this would be done in arecognition of one set apart for ministry.

In Hebrews 6:2 the laying on of hands is referred to as an “elementary doctrine of Christ.” Here the author chides them that they have not gone on to maturity but are still back at the starting blocks in their understanding.

So in all of the occurrences of the laying on of hands, it was done during the time of the apostles' ministry and during the transitional period during the birth of the church. It was done for healing and in order to receive the Holy Spirit. The apostles and the leaders in Antioch laid hands on those they recognized the Lord had set apart for ministry. Nowhere else in Scripture do we see the laying on of lands in order to receive a spiritual gift. In 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 where spiritual gifts are mentioned, it simply says that God gives gifts how he wills.

Based on these occurrences and what we see in 2 Timothy, it seems that what happened to Timothy was unique. This was something the Apostle Paul did basedon a prophecy he received about Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18, 4:14). There are no other places in the epistles that give instruction about how or when to lay hands on people, but we do see it done in the book of Acts and by the apostles.

In verse 7, it seems that Timothy might be lacking confidence and boldness. We

17 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.) (1606). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

12

learned in 1 Timothy that Paul tells Timothy not to let anyone despise him because of his youth (1 Timothy 4:12).

Because God has set him apart for ministry, what does Paul tell Timothy in verse 7? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8 and note what it says we receive from the Spirit. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why is this important to remember when we are serving the Lord? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Love and self-control are both mentioned as fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Ministry is hard and Timothy would come across those who would oppose hismessage and try to lead others away from the truth. Paul reminded Timothy that through the Spirit's power, he could be equipped to show love to difficult people and he could be self-controlled in his response to them. (See 2 Timothy 2:23-26). God had given Timothy everything he need to faithfully serve Him.

As you serve the Lord today, by the Spirit's power, ask God that his character of love and self-control would be evident in your life.

13


Read chapter 1 again today.

Mark the following words in this section:

any references to Jesusashamedsuffer, sufferinggospelteacherentrusted

Verse 8 starts out with “Therefore.” It has been said that whenever you see the word therefore in Scripture, you should stop and ask yourself what it is there for. It is a connecting word.

So based on verses 1-7, why should Timothy not be ashamed of giving testimony about the Lord? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If Timothy was not ashamed of the testimony about the Lord, what does verse 8 say the likely result will be? _______________________________________________________________________

The phrase to share in suffering means “to undergo the same type of suffering as others do—to join in suffering, to assume one’s share of suffering, to suffer together.”18

God's Word promises us that if we are committed to following Christ and being his ambassador, we will experience suffering. Note what the following verses tell us about suffering.


14

2 Timothy 3:12 _______________________________________________________________________Philippians 1:29 _______________________________________________________________________1 Thessalonians 3:3 _______________________________________________________________________

A disciple who is serious about following the Lord will automatically find himself at odds with the world. Jesus promised us that if we follow Him, we will be hated by the world (Matthew 24:9).According to verse 8, what is available to us as we share in Christ's sufferings? _______________________________________________________________________

Next, Paul reminds Timothy why he should not be ashamed of Christ and why he should be willing to share in suffering for Christ's sake.

What do verses 9 and 10 say God has done for us? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let's look at these things a little more closely. Paul starts out with three little words - “who saved us.”

Look up Titus 3:4-5. What do we learn about God's character by the fact that hesaved us? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We were completely undeserving of salvation, but God made the first move. In his great goodness, kindness and mercy, he made a way for us to be saved from our sin and escape the punishment that we deserved by sending his Son to die in our place on the cross.

Next it says God called us to a holy calling. Look up the following verses and note what you learn about our calling.

15

Romans 8:28-29. For what purpose were we called? _______________________________________________________________________Hebrews 3:1 and Philippians 3:20-21. _______________________________________________________________________Romans 1:6-7. _______________________________________________________________________1 Corinthians 1:9 _______________________________________________________________________Galatians 5:13 _______________________________________________________________________1 Thessalonians 2:12 _______________________________________________________________________1 Peter 5:10 _______________________________________________________________________2 Peter 1:3 _______________________________________________________________________

Why does verse 9 say God called us? Why were we not called? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verse 10 tells us our calling is made possible through Christ Jesus. What has Christ done for us? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jesus abolished death! To abolish means to render idle or to make of none effect. He has voided out the power of death. Now when a believer dies, it is as harmless as taking a nap! 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 describes death like sleep.

What do these verses say about death for a believer? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because death has no power over us, we have life and immortality. Eternal life!

16

What is the avenue through which life and immortality are brought to us? _______________________________________________________________________

Based on the verses you just read, why has Paul been made a preacher, an apostle and a teacher? _______________________________________________________________________

Paul brings it around again to suffering. He says the reason he is suffering is because he is telling people that Christ has abolished death and made a way for them to have eternal life through the gospel. It is worth it to him to undergo suffering so that others can hear this good news!After encouraging Timothy not to be ashamed in verse 8, Paul tells Timothy that he is not ashamed either.

Why does Paul say he is not ashamed? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of verse 12 says that Paul is convinced that God will guard until that Day “what has been entrusted to me.” That phrase in the Greek literally means “my deposit.” So Paul says that God is able to guard his deposit until the Day. Interestingly enough, down in verse 14, Paul encourages Timothy to guard the deposit that has been entrusted to Him. So we see that both God and Timothy had a responsibility to guard the deposit.

Based on the context, what do you think the deposit is, or what is it that has been entrusted to Paul? Explain. (Also see 1 Timothy 6:20 and 2 Timothy 1:13-14). _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It seems that Paul could be referring to the gospel, since he urges Timothy in verse 13 to follow the pattern of sound words he has learned from Paul. He does not want Timothy to swerve away from what he has been taught and he does not want him to be ashamed of the gospel.

In verses 15-18, Paul gives two examples – one good and the other bad.

17

What example does he give in verse 15 and what did they do? _______________________________________________________________________

We are not told why they turned away from Paul – perhaps they were ashamed of his message and feared they too would end up in prison. Perhaps the cost of following Christ was more than they were willing to give. But for whatever reason, these two in particular are called out as people who did not remain faithful to Paul and the gospel message.

Who does Paul commend in verses 16-18? What did he do? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Onesiphorous is the third person mentioned in this chapter who was not ashamed.He went out of his way to find Paul and visit him in prison. Paul mentions that he refreshed him – he encouraged him and cheered him up. Paul also mentions that he served the church at Ephesus, where Timothy worked. So Onesiphorous was a mutual friend to Paul and Timothy.

How would highlighting Onesiphorus' example also encourage Timothy to not beashamed? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What do you think is the theme of chapter 1? _______________________________________________________________________

Three times in this chapter, Paul talks about not being ashamed of the gospel. There were reasons why Timothy might be tempted to be timid. Paul was a livingexample of what could happen to those who boldly proclaimed the truth of the gospel. Paul was suffering in prison for his faith and he does not want the hardship he is experiencing to intimidate Timothy. And so Paul reminds Timothy about the glorious message of the gospel. He reminds him of what God has done for us in saving us, calling us to himself and entrusting us with this most precious message. It's the best news in the world and he urges Timothy not to shy away from his responsibility!

18

What is your attitude about sharing the gospel with others? Are you ashamed to speak the name of Christ? Are you willing to go out of your way (like Onesiphorous)? Write your thoughts to the Lord below. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19

Day 6: 2 Timothy 2: 1-7



any references to Christ entrustteachsuffering

In verse 1, we see a connecting word, “then.” What has Paul talked about in chapter 1 that would tie in with the admonition for Timothy to be strengthened by grace? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Focusing on God's grace strengthens us in the hard times. It is easy to focus on the difficulties and discouragements, but Paul tells us to focus on God's grace and that will strengthen and make us more able to complete the tasks that God has called us to.

Look up the following verses and note what they say that God's grace is able to accomplish for us.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

20

Titus 2:11-12 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What instruction does Paul give Timothy in verse 2? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To entrust means to commit to the keeping of. Timothy was to look for faithful men who were trustworthy, dependable, and reliable, who could be entrusted with the gospel. As they grew and matured in their faith, the goal was that they would pass on what they had learned to others.

Have you proven yourself faithful? Would someone want to invest in teaching you the Word? Are you passing on what you have learned in the Word to anyone in your life? We always should have teachable hearts and be willing to learn, and at the same time, we should be looking to pass that on to others as well!

In verses 3-7, Paul talks about suffering and endurance and he uses several illustrations to drive home the point.

What is the first thing that Paul tells Timothy in verse 3? _______________________________________________________________________

This is the second time Paul has said this so it must be important! (See 1:8) Any one who signs up for the military knows what he is getting in to. The reason we have our armed forces is so that they can fight to defend our country and to defeat threats to our freedom. Good soldiers don't complain that war is hard – it is a given!

In the same way, as Christians we are in God's army and we are in a battle. We are in this together and suffering is a given! In 1 Timothy 1:18 Paul urges Timothyto “wage the good warfare.”

Think about the harm that would be done in a battle, if a soldier thought, “This istoo hard! I'm out of here!” What would happen if that soldier deserted his post and left?

21

Relate that example to a Christian who does not act like a good soldier and does not endure suffering. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Many times in Scripture we are told that we will suffer persecution (1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus promised us that the world will hate us because it hated him (Luke 6:22-23; Matthew 10:16-42). Peter encourages us not to be surprised when we encounter fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12)

Read 1 Peter 4:12-19. What should our attitude be as we share in Christ's sufferings? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What positive things result from sharing in Christ's sufferings? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 4, what is another thing Paul says a good soldier should not do? _______________________________________________________________________

Next Paul warns us about the dangers of being distracted on the battle field.

Relate the dangers of a distracted soldier in relation to a Christian. What things might distract us from being a good soldier? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

22

Colossians 3:1-4 tells us that our minds should not be on earthly things or civilian pursuits. Instead we should set our minds on things above.

Read Hebrews 12:1-3. Where should our focus be and what will be the results if we do this? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The difficulties of life and the lure of earthly things can distract us from what we should be doing – fighting in the Lord's army. It is important to set our minds and fix our eyes on Jesus during the battle.

Next Paul gives us the example of a disqualified athlete – one who does not compete according to the rules.

What would a disqualified Christian look like? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are we disqualified from? See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Look up the following verses and note what you learn about how we can be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:27 _______________________________________________________________________Colossians 2:18 _______________________________________________________________________2 Timothy 3:8 _______________________________________________________________________

The word disqualified means unapproved or not worthy of a reward. It has

23

nothing to do with our salvation, but if greatly affects our usefulness to the Lord while we are on this earth, and it affects if we receive a reward when we get to heaven.

We can be disqualified by not disciplining ourselves and living a life of sin and wecan be disqualified by following wrong teaching. Only those who have listened totheir Coach and competed according to the rules will be awarded a prize. Paul will talk more about this in chapter 4.

The last example Paul shares with us is of a hardworking farmer. As Christians, we are planters and God gives the increase and causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Think about how silly it would be if a farmer worked hard during planting season, and once the seed was sown, said, “Well, my work here is done!” Suppose he sold his farm and moved half way across the country. No, a farmer sees his work through to the end so that he can enjoy the harvest!

It takes a long time to see the results of our labor. Sometimes we invest in people and we see no visible growth and it seems like our labor is in vain! But Paul encourages Timothy to be like a farmer: to work hard and see the job through to the end so that he can enjoy the harvest.

Which of the examples that Paul shared has been the most meaningful to you – a soldier, an athlete or a farmer? Write your thoughts to the Lord below in a prayer. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

24



Mark the following words as you read today:

any references to Jesuspreachedgospelsuffering endure

As we endure suffering, what does Paul want us to remember about Jesus? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We are to be mindful and think about the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead.

Look up the following verses and note what is true for us because Christ has risen from the dead.

John 11:25-26 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Romans 6:4-11 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1 Peter 1:3-5 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christ's resurrection does not just guarantee us eternal life when we die, (as wonderful as that is!) but it also gives us power to live and experience newness of life now!

25

Why do you think Paul points out that Jesus was the offspring of David? What significance do you think that has? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read 2 Samuel 7:12-16. In these verses the prophet Nathan is speaking God's message to David. Part of the message refers to David's son Solomon building thetemple, but part of the prophecy refers to Jesus.

What did God say about David's throne and kingdom that Solomon could not fulfill? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Compare Luke 1:32-33. What did the angel tell Mary about the baby that she would conceive? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The fact that Christ was raised from the dead and can never die again, is the reason that Jesus' throne will be established forever. Every other ruler on earth hasdied and none of their kingdoms last forever, but no one will ever be able to usurpChrist's throne and he alone will be the only eternal ruler.

How would remembering Christ's resurrection and his eternal throne encourage you if you are suffering and enduring hardship? It is in light of the context of suffering that Paul tells us to remember these facts about Jesus. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

According to verses 8-9, why does Paul say he is suffering? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What important truth do we learn about God's Word in verse 9? _______________________________________________________________________

26

The word bound in the Greek means “to cause someone to be under the authority of someone or something else—to restrict, to place under (the jurisdiction of).”19

Paul was in prison for preaching about Christ, but the Roman government could not restrict the preaching of God's Word even if they tried to silence Paul in prison. God's Word is not subject to any human government and as much as mantries to silence God's Word, they will never be successful! It is becoming increasingly unpopular in our culture today to speak the name of Jesus and to live our lives in light of the gospel. How important it is for us to remember that whatever legislation is passed forbidding Christians to name the name of Christ, God's Word will never be bound! That should make us bold and give us courage!

What truth in verse 9 helps Paul to endure the suffering he mentions in verse 10?_______________________________________________________________________

Because God's Word can never be silenced, this helps Paul to endure. It gives him confidence that people will still hear the gospel message and come to faith in Christ. For this reason, he perseveres! No matter how hostile our culture becomes to Christianity, it should thrill and embolden us to remember that God's Word can never be bound!

In verses 11-13, Paul shares with us a trustworthy saying. Remember that what Paul shares in these verses is in the context of suffering for Christ.

In verse 11, Paul says that even is someone dies for their testimony about Jesus, what is true? Compare Romans 6:8 and 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10. _______________________________________________________________________

In verse 12, what is the reward for enduring suffering? _______________________________________________________________________

Isn't that amazing? We will be given the privilege of reigning right alongside Jesus! That is still a hard one for me to wrap my head around!

Read these verses and note what they say about those who endure. This should motivate us to keep pressing on!


27

Romans 8:17 _______________________________________________________________________2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 _______________________________________________________________________Hebrews 10:32-36 _______________________________________________________________________

What does Paul say is true for those who deny Christ? _______________________________________________________________________

The word deny here means “to disavow, reject, abnegate:—deny, refuse.”

Do you think this refers to believers or unbelievers? _______________________________________________________________________

So let's look at Matthew 10:16-33 to help us see what this means. Read this section carefully then answer the following questions.

Who is Jesus speaking to in this passage? _______________________________________________________________________

What things will happen to those who bear witness for Christ? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

From this passage what type of person would acknowledge Jesus before men?_______________________________________________________________________

What type of person would not acknowledge Jesus before men? _______________________________________________________________________

Now let's look at some passages that are written specifically to believers. What do these verses say?

Hebrews 13:5 _______________________________________________________________________

28

Romans 8:31-39 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Note what the very next verse says in 2 Timothy 2:13. What will God do to us if we do not remain faithful to him? _______________________________________________________________________

Verse 13 tells us that God cannot deny himself – in other words he cannot lie and go back on his Word. He will not deny something that he has already told us.

Look up Numbers 23:19 and Titus 1:3 and note what they say. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God has promised believers eternal life so if there was something a believer could do to cause God to deny us before the Father, that would make God a liar. The verses we looked at show that God will never leave us, and nothing can separate us from his love – even ourselves.

So when we read that God will deny those who deny him, it must be talking aboutthose who deny Jesus for salvation.

For those undergoing persecution and suffering, Paul reminds them of some important things that will help them to persevere. Even if we are called to give ourlives, we will enjoy eternal life with Jesus in heaven. Death has no power over us because something much better awaits us! Those who endure, will be granted theawesome privilege to reign with Christ. And even if we are not faithful to the Lord, he will always remain faithful to us! Remembering who Jesus is and what hehas promised us should help us to stand strong in the midst of difficulty.

What hardship are you facing right now? Are you tempted to give up or act in a way that would not accurately reflect Christ? Remembering these truths about Christ will help us to endure.

29

Write your thoughts to the Lord below. What has been the most impactful for you in this section? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

30



Mark the following words as you read this section.

Any references to Godashamedungodlinesstruthfaith

In verse 14, Paul tells Timothy to remind the church about “these things.” Basedon the context, what things do you think Paul is referring to? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next, Paul tells Timothy to charge the church not to quarrel about words, specifically not to quarrel about the meaning and use of words.

What does verse 14 say the results will be if people quarrel about words? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul says it does no good – in other words, there is absolutely no benefit to it. It only brings ruin. In the Greek, the word ruin means “to do serious harm to, with the implication of misleading.”20

How do you think quarreling about words could mislead someone? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In what other ways could quarreling about words do harm to someone? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


31

So this is something we definitely want to avoid in the body of Christ! Arguing to prove our point and show others that we are right is never beneficial, only destructive.

Paul has told us what we should avoid, now he is going to give us a positive instruction in verse 15.

There are several interesting words in this verse in the Greek. First, lets look at theword 'present'. We are told to do our best to present ourselves to God. The word present here means “to cause something to be or to serve as.” So when we present ourselves to God as his worker and in his service, there is some criteria.

First, we should work or serve as one approved. In the Greek, this word means “pertaining to being genuine on the basis of testing—genuine, sincere.”21

Based on the context, what is it that might test us and show that we are genuine and sincere? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If we have presented ourselves to God in his service in a genuine and sincere way, what does the next phrase in the verses say will be true of us? _______________________________________________________________________

Not being ashamed means “pertaining to having no reason or need for being ashamed or feeling disgrace.”22 Often in the news, we hear reports of celebrities that may have presented themselves in one way, only to later hear about a scandalor other information that comes to light that tarnishes the image they have created for themselves. But for a person who is genuine, there is no need for them to be ashamed because they are the real deal! That is the kind of worker that God wants us to be. What about you? Are you a genuine Christian?

21 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (674). New York: United Bible Societies.22 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (309). New York: United Bible Societies.

32

What is it specifically in this verse that will help us to be a worker approved by God? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This contrasts with the person in verse 14 who only quarrels about words. But an approved worker correctly handles the Word of God. The word handle means “togive accurate instruction—to teach correctly, to expound rightly.”23

I see two aspects to correctly handling the Word. First, we should teach the Wordaccurately and properly interpret Scripture. We never want to insert our own agenda and make it say something that suits our own purposes. We must be careful to study the context so we don't accidentally come away with an interpretation that is not sound. Secondly, our attitude in how we handle the Word is also very important. Unlike the person in verse 14 who is argumentative, an approved worker corrects his opponents with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:25) and seeks to bring them to repentance.

Correctly handling the Word of God is the key to us being an approved, genuine worker for the Lord. Our service for God cannot flow out of an empty tank. When I see Christians who are caught up in their own lives and are not taking the opportunities God gives them to serve, it is probably because they are not feeding themselves in the Word. It is in the pages of Scripture that we are confronted withour own awfulness and we can be overwhelmed with the grace that God has poured out on us. When we see Christ exalted in the Word, it should be a natural response to want to serve the God who has done so much for us.

What is another thing that Paul warns about in verse 16? _______________________________________________________________________

Irreverent babble could also be translated 'godless empty talk.'

What effect will this type of talk have on people? (v. 16-17) _______________________________________________________________________

Talk that is absent of the Lord and His truth, will naturally lead people away from Him. This talk is so dangerous because it spreads like gangrene. If left untreated,


33

gangrene will eat away the flesh and bone. Since the church is called the Body of Christ, this is a very appropriate word picture. Godless empty talk will destroy thechurch, eating away the life and crippling its members.

This is so dangerous, that in verse 17, Paul names the people who have been propagating this type of talk. Hymenaues in particular seemed to be a threat to this church, because Paul also mentioned him in Paul's first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:20). In 1 Timothy, Hymenaeus was mentioned with a man named Alexander. Here we see Philetus working with him. Since Hymenaues is always mentioned first, it seems he was the one of influence, leading others astray. According to verse 18, what exactly have they been teaching? _______________________________________________________________________

What does Paul say the result of this has been? _______________________________________________________________________

To upset the faith of some means “to cause serious difficulty or trouble with regardto someone’s belief—to upset belief, to overturn.”24 By teaching that the resurrection had already occurred, these men were causing some to doubt what they had been taught, and their faith in the Lord was overthrown.

We see a contrast between verses 18 and 19. What is it? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Even though doubts may overthrow the faith of some, God's firm foundation stands! On God's firm foundation is a seal – it is a mark or impression.

Verse 19 is so encouraging! Despite people doubting the truth, what does the first quote in this verse remind us of? _______________________________________________________________________

Look up Ephesians 1:13-14 to learn more about this seal. Note what you learn. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


34

Aren't you glad that your belonging to Christ doesn't depend on you knowing God, but on Him knowing you?! We can waver in our belief, but God will never change and He knows those who belong to Him because we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. That is a tremendous comfort!

What does the second quote in this verse tell us? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because we have been sealed and have been called by His name, that should affect our actions. Those who say they belong to Christ should live in a way that accurately represents him – we should depart from iniquity.

To depart means “to purposely avoid association with someone—to shun, to avoid, to keep away from, to have nothing to do with.”25 1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to avoid every appearance of evil, or evil in any form.

Based on verses 15-19, what evil in particular has Paul addressed? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What help and hope do these verses give us to avoid it? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What has the Lord spoken to you about in this section? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


35


Read chapter 2 once more.


any references to God honorabledishonorableusefulready for every good workteachtruth

Next Paul gives us an example of vessels in a house. A vessel here just means a container of any kind. Paul says some vessels have an honorable use (they have respect and status) and others have a dishonorable use (they are shameful or reproachful – disrespected). A gold or silver vessel might be used to serve the master's food while a dishonorable vessel, one of wood or clay, might be used to clean up the pig pen. Obviously, God wants us to be honorable vessels for him.

What does a person have to do to be a vessel for honorable use? _______________________________________________________________________

To clean means to cleanse thoroughly or to purge. Paul is reiterating what he saidin verse 19. If we have called ourselves by Christ's name, we must depart from iniquity. The words 'depart' and 'cleanse' are both active verbs and they speak of intentionality and purpose. Is there anything in your life that is causing you to be a “dishonorable vessel”? Is there any sin that you need to depart from or purge from your life?

What three things does Paul say describes someone who is an honorable vessel? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The phrase 'set apart as holy' is one word in the Greek (hagiazo). It means dedicated or consecrated to the service of God. Because this person has been set

36

apart for the Lord, they have a single mind and purpose that guides all of their actions. Is this how you view yourself – as one set apart solely for the Lord's service or are you more concerned with your own agenda? Do you seek the Lord in every decision or do you make decisions and then ask God to bless them? Onewho is set apart for the Lord is one who submits to God's will and is dedicated to carrying out His will.

The second characteristic of an honorable vessel is one who is useful to the master. This word in the Greek means valuable or profitable. Only those who arecleansed from sin will be useful in the Lord's service.

The third thing Paul mentions is that an honorable vessel is ready or prepared for every good work. We never know what opportunities the Lord might bring before us each day. Often we miss the opportunities because we are caught up in our own schedule and plans of what we want to accomplish. But an honorable vesselhas an attitude of readiness to do whatever the Lord asks.

Read Titus 2:14. What should our attitude be about good works from this verse? _______________________________________________________________________

Read Ephesians 2:10 and note what you learn about good works from this verse. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This verse tells me that God has thought ahead of time what good works I might be privileged to participate in. He is giving me opportunities to serve Him! An honorable vessel is ready and prepared to fulfill every good work.

In light of Paul's discussion about being an honorable vessel, next he gives us some instructions about how we should live.

What does he tells us to run away from in verse 22? _______________________________________________________________________

Passions in the Greek refers to “a longing (espec. for what is forbidden):—evil desire, lust.”26

26 Strong, J. (2009). Vol. 1: A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (31). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

37

Practically, what are some things we can do that will help us flee when those passions and evil desires arise? Look up the following verses and note what weapons are at our disposal.

Psalm 119:9-11 _______________________________________________________________________Matthew 26:41 _______________________________________________________________________

It is interesting that Ephesians 6:11 tells us that we are to stand against the devil's schemes but here Paul tells us to flee from temptation. When Satan comes againstus and tries to thwart our work for the Lord, we are to stand firm. But when specific temptations arise, we are to run to our Savior!

As we flee youthful passions, what are we to pursue instead? _______________________________________________________________________

Compare this verse with 1 Timothy 6:11. Note how similar they are.

What else does Paul tells us to avoid in verse 23? _______________________________________________________________________

Why are we to avoid them? _______________________________________________________________________

This is the second time in this book, Paul has warned Timothy about this. In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul addressed this issue four times (1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7, 6:4 and 6:20) , so it was a real threat to the church. Anything God repeats in His Word we should pay close attention to!

As a leader of the church in Ephesus, what five things does Paul tell Timothy should characterize him as a servant of the Lord from verse 24? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

38

When a church leader acts in this way, what does Paul say could happen to thosewho oppose him? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The story is told of Jonathan Edwards who after 23 years of pastoring his church inNew England, was ousted by a congregational vote. Only 10 percent of the church voted to keep him. One of his friends noted, “I never saw the least symptoms of displeasure in his countenance the whole week, but he appeared likea man of God, whose happiness was out of the reach of his enemies and whose treasure was not only a future but a present good.”27 Ten years later, one of his main opponents admitted that pride and selfish ambition had fueled the contention. Edwards handling of the difficult dispute left such an impression, that 150 years later, the church publicly repented of their actions. Edwards never lived to see the good that came from his positive testimony, but God honored his godly attitude and he is viewed today as one of the greatest preachers of the Great Awakening.

A godly, gentle response can lead an opponent to repentance. To repent in the Greek means to change one's mind. It is interesting to note that a leader's life andnot his preaching is what is noted here as the catalyst for change. Once an opponent's mind is changed, he is able to be led to the truth.

In verse 26, we see the results of repentance; the person comes to their senses, or starts to think correctly. It has the idea of returning to a proper state of mind.

What according to this verses has caused someone to have erroneous thinking? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The word for snare here refers to a trap. The word captured carries with it the ideaof being controlled by someone and actually has the picture of being a prisoner of war.

Timothy was facing some opposition from some individuals in the church and Paul tells him that these individuals have been ensnared by the devil and are

27 Details from Leadership Journal, “Preacher in the Hands of an Angry Church” (1/1/03). www.ctlibrary.com/le/2003/winter/8.52.html

39

carrying out his will. But Paul reminds Timothy the power that a godly life can have. A leader who is kind, not quarrelsome, but rather gentle, can greatly influence and change the mind of those who oppose him. What a good reminder for all of us!

40



As you read, mark the word 'godliness' in this section.

What important thing does this verse tell us about the last days? _______________________________________________________________________

Paul explains the reason for the times of difficulty – people's sin. As we look at the following list, I'm sure you can look around at our world today and see these things played out.

In verse 3, what two descriptions tell about where people's affections are focused? _______________________________________________________________________

First we see that people will be self-absorbed and selfish. Loving and pleasing themselves will be their main concern.

What has Paul already told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:10 about loving money? _______________________________________________________________________

Next, we see that people will be proud and arrogant. You value and treasure things that you love and those things become very important to you. Here because people are lovers of themselves, the natural result is that they become proud. They are quick to tell others how great and important they are!

In the last days, people will be abusive. This is an interesting word in the Greek; itcomes from a word meaning to blaspheme. It has the idea of “being insulting and slanderous.”27 This shows us that people will abuse God and others with their words.

Paul covers every age and next he addresses children. What does he say about them? _______________________________________________________________________


41

All children disobey at times, but is seems in the last days, this will be a pervasive thing in society and we can certainly see things going in that direction right now.

Ungrateful – having a complete lack of thankfulness.

Unholy - “pertaining to what is not consecrated or devoted to God—wicked, impious, godless.”28

The word heartless is an interesting one. It means “pertaining to a lack of love or affection for close associates or family—without normal human affection, without love for others.” 29 This speaks of the complete decay of the family.

Unappeasable means “pertaining to being unwilling to be reconciled to others—irreconcilable, unwilling to be at peace with others.”30

People will be slanderous. This refers to being a false accuser and is the same word in the Greek used for the devil.

People will also be without self-control. They will be unable to control their desire for sin and it speaks of a complete lack of restraint.

Brutal means “pertaining to fierceness, in the sense of being wild and untamed—fierce, vicious, savage.”31 I think about ISIS and the way they have randomly killed innocent people and I see this description fulfilled.

Things will be so bad that people will not love what is good. Most people at least appreciate things that are good, but these people will actually be against what is good!

Treacherous means one who delivers without justification a person into the

28 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (538). New York: United Bible Societies.29 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (292). New York: United Bible Societies.30 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (502). New York: United Bible Societies.31 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (228). New York: United Bible Societies.

42

control of someone else— a betrayer, one who betrays.”32

Reckless refers to being impetuous and doing things without consideration of the consequences.

Swollen with conceit means “to be so arrogant as to be practically demented—“tobe insanely arrogant, to be extremely proud, to be very arrogant.”33

Next Paul notes that people will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This speaks as to where people's affections lie. Instead of loving God and pursuing him, people will seek to please themselves. This could be evidenced in seeking thrills through adventure, a lavish lifestyle, sex, partying, and a host of other ways that people seek to please their flesh.

In the Church, Paul tells us that people in the last days will have the appearance of godliness. The word appearance is an interesting one. It means “the embodiment of the essential features and qualities of something—embodiment, full content, essential features.”34 So just by looking at these people, they look likethe real deal!

But what essential thing are they missing according to this verse? _______________________________________________________________________

God's word tells us where power comes from. Look up the following verses and note what you learn.

Psalm 29:3-9 _______________________________________________________________________Acts 1:8 _______________________________________________________________________Romans 1:16 _______________________________________________________________________

32 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (485). New York: United Bible Societies.33 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (764). New York: United Bible Societies.34 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (584). New York: United Bible Societies.

43

1 Corinthians 1:17-18 _______________________________________________________________________

These people have a form of godliness but deny its power. They refuse or disregard the power of God. What does this tell you about them? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are Paul's instructions to Timothy about people like this? _______________________________________________________________________

What does Peter tell us about the last days in 2 Peter 3:3? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why is it important for us to know what the last days will be like? See 2 Peter 3:17. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Matthew 24:3-13. What does Jesus warn the disciples about in these verses? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With evil and sin so rampant in the last days, many will be led astray from the truth. How important it is for us to be firmly grounded in God's Word! Ephesians 6:13 tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we are able to “withstand in the evil day.” The only way we can stand firm is in the power of the Lord!

Write your thoughts to the Lord below and confess any vulnerabilities to Him. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

44




truthfaith

Paul continues with his description of what things will be like in the last days. In referring to people who have an appearance of godliness but deny its power, he tells us some more information about these type of people.

According to verse 6, who do these people prey on and what do they do? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

According to verse 6, what two things are noted that make these women weak and susceptible to an attack? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The word 'burdened' in the Greek comes from another word meaning to heap or to load. It has the idea of being given over to sin and being fully engaged in it. A life of continuous, unconfessed sin makes a person weak.

Hebrews 3:13 warns us about the deceitfulness of sin and here we learn that thesewomen are led astray by their sinful passions. Actually the word 'astray' is not in the Greek, but was inserted for clarity. In the Greek, it is has the idea that the passions are what carry and drive these women, and they are controlling them. Because of this, these women found themselves burdened and loaded with sin, and as a result they were weak and susceptible to false teaching.

It is not clear in the English, but in the Greek, the sentence structure in verse 7 refers back to men who creep into houses and the not the women mentioned in verse 6.

45

What else do we learn about these men in verse 7? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The word 'arrive' is important in this verse. In the Greek, it is an idiom and literally means “to come into knowledge.” It means “to come to understand the meaning of something, with special emphasis upon the process—to come to understand, to come to know.35

So theses men are always learning (acquiring information), but they are never ableto really understand the truth. Knowledge without understanding is useless. Understanding helps us to know how to apply the knowledge that we have.

Look up 1 Timothy 2:3-4. What does Paul say in these verses that arriving at a knowledge of the truth results in? _______________________________________________________________________

So based on these verses, what can we conclude about these people? _______________________________________________________________________

In verse 8, they are compared to Jannes and Jambres. These two men are actually not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, but they come from a widespread Jewish legend. They are depicted as two of Pharaoh's magicians who went up against Moses and lost. In comparing these false teachers to the Egyptian magicians, what point do you think Paul is trying to make about them? (See Exodus 7:11; 8:18; and 9:11). ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What encouragement might this have been to Timothy? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


46

What three things does Paul point out to Timothy about these men? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To oppose means “to resist by actively opposing pressure or power.”36 So perhaps these men were using their sphere of influence to oppose the truth of God's Word. They resisted the truth and were against it!

Because they opposed the truth, that led to a corrupted mind. Corrupted means “to cause someone to become perverse or depraved, as a type of moral destruction—‘to deprave, to pervert, to ruin, to cause the moral ruin of.”37

As a result, they were disqualified regarding the faith. This means “pertaining to having been proven worthless—of no value, valueless, worth nothing.”38

What encouragement does Paul share with Timothy in verse 9 in regards to thesepeople? _______________________________________________________________________

Why is this the case? _______________________________________________________________________

Their folly or their lack of understanding will be obvious, and eventually people will be able to see this for themselves.

These men had no regard for the truth of God's Word. We see that they were not able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth themselves and they opposed it to make it difficult for others to accept it. Because of their negative response to the truth, they became corrupt. A rejection of the truth was displayed in their actions.

What about you? What is your attitude to the truth? Sometimes the truth makes us uncomfortable and we may be tempted to oppose it on our own lives as well.

36 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (494). New York: United Bible Societies.37 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (769). New York: United Bible Societies.38 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (621). New York: United Bible Societies.

47

The examples Paul gives us of people who did this should give us pause and warning.

When we know and accept the truth, what results in our lives? Look up the following verses:

John 8:32 _______________________________________________________________________Titus 1:1 _______________________________________________________________________

Ask God to give you a heart for the truth in your life and in the lives of others. It's not always popular in this day and age to speak the truth. Like Timothy, we may be confronted with people who challenge us and oppose the truth that we proclaim. But the truth will set people free and it will change us as well. May we always be people who stand for the truth and offer it to those around us!

48

Day 12: 2 Timothy 3: 10-17



teachingfaith, believedpersecutions, sufferingenduregodlyany references to Scripture equipped for every good work

Now Paul contrasts Timothy with the false teachers he spoke about in the previoussection.

In verse 10, Paul tells Timothy that he has followed him, and we don't mean like on Twitter! This word in the Greek means “to make an extensive effort to learn the details and truth about something—to trace, to investigate carefully, to diligently check out.” 39

This is what disciple-making is all about. Timothy had seen Paul, up close and personal, the good and bad, the joys and the difficulties. He checked out what Paul was teaching, and saw that his life backed it up. Paul lived his life in such agenuine way that despite the persecution and the trials, Timothy was convinced that this was the road for him as well! He was on board!

Let's look at each of the things that Timothy had followed in Paul and see why it might have made such an impact on him.

My teaching: See 1 Corinthians 1:21-24 and Galatians 6:14. What was the focus of his message? _______________________________________________________________________


49

My conduct: See 1 Thessalonians 2:5-12. How did Paul conduct himself before this church? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My aim in life: See Acts 20:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:9. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My faith: See 2 Timothy 1:12. Where was Paul's faith centered? _______________________________________________________________________

My patience: See Acts 16:16-34. Patience is “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.”40 Timothy is not mentioned in this story, but he was on this missionary journey with Paul (Acts 16:1-3). How did Paul display emotional calm in front of Timothy on this trip? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My love: See Romans 9:1-3. What was Paul's heart like for other people? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My steadfastness: See 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. What helped Paul to be steadfast in the face of despairing circumstances? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My persecutions: See 2 Corinthians 11:24-28. What kind of things did Paul endure? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


50

Paul then notes some cities in particular where he endured suffering.

Read Acts 13:13-52. What happened in Antioch? Who was he preaching to and what was the response? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Acts 14:1-6 and note what happened in Iconium. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Acts 14:6-20. What difficulty did Paul encounter in Lystra? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does Paul say about the persecutions he endured in verse 11? _______________________________________________________________________

God did not prevent Paul from going through persecutions and difficulties, but he was always with him. And in each of these cases, the Lord saw fit to spare his life.

What does Paul remind Timothy of in verse 12? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul makes no apologies that being a Christian is going to be hard – especially for those who desire to follow the Lord wholeheartedly. The world will hate the truth we stand for and the message we proclaim, and Paul was living proof that persecution would come. Are you willing to follow the Lord knowing that you will likely be persecuted and mistreated for it? It is a question that every believer needs to answer.

What else does he tell Timothy in verse 13? _______________________________________________________________________

51

Things are not going to get any better. In fact, they are going to get worse! There will be people who pose as Christian messengers, but in reality they will be wolves in sheep's clothing. They themselves will be deceived and they will seek to deceive others.

Read Hebrews 5:12-14. According to these verses, what trains us to distinguish good from evil? _______________________________________________________________________

How important it is for us to be grounded in God's Word in these last days!

If this section of Scripture were an ad for following Christ, there probably wouldn'tbe too many takers! Paul had lived through persecution and suffering and he promises it to us as well! What would make someone be willing to endure all of this? Paul is going to answer that question for us in chapter 4! But first, Paul will share some important truth with Timothy about how he should conduct himself in the difficult days to come.

After laying out the realistic picture that persecution awaits a follower of Christ, what instructions does Paul give Timothy in verse 14? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With false teachers getting worse, Paul tells Timothy to continue believing what hehas been taught. Often we will hear things that might make us question if what we have always believed is true. Paul says, “Stick with what you know. Keep believing it and don't follow after anything else!

Who did Timothy learn the truth from? See 2 Timothy 1:5 and 3:10. The word “whom” in this verse is plural indicating that more than one person taught Timothy. _______________________________________________________________________

Timothy was aware of and had knowledge about the Scriptures from the time he was a young child. We are not told how old Timothy was when he trusted Christ, but at least he had been taught by his mother and grandmother from a young age.

52

In verse 15, what does Paul say the Scriptures do for us? _______________________________________________________________________

I have heard testimonies of people who got saved simply by picking up a Bible and reading it! God's Word is powerful and gives us understanding about how wecan be saved.

In verse 16, where does Paul say Scripture originates from? _______________________________________________________________________

In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam His own breath of life and Adam becamea living being. God gave a part of himself to impart physical life to Adam. In the same way, God breathed out his Word so that we could have spiritual life! Jesus is described in John 1 as the Word. God also gave a part of himself by sending Christ to give us eternal life.

We learn that God's Word is profitable for several things. This means it benefits us and is advantageous to us. Let's look at each one separately.

Teaching just means formal instruction. Most importantly, God's Word teaches uswho He is. We learn about His character and attributes through the pages and stories of Scripture. We also learn what we are like, how we can be made right with God and what God expects of us.

Reproof means “to state that someone has done wrong, with the implication that there is adequate proof of such wrongdoing—to rebuke, to reproach.”41 God lovesus too much to ignore our sin, and as we read His Word, our shortcomings and sinare revealed to us.

Correction is “to cause something to be or to become correct, with the implicationof a previous condition of faults or failures.”42 God does not simply point out where we have erred, but in His Word He gives us correction so that we can get back on the right course.

41 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (435). New York: United Bible Societies.42 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (673). New York: United Bible Societies.

53

Training in righteousness means “to provide instruction, with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior—to teach, to instruct, to train.”43 God's Word trains andshows us how to live lives that are right and in line with what He requires.

As we read and study God's Word and it profits us in these ways, what does verse 17 say is the practical outcome in our lives? _______________________________________________________________________

Complete has the idea of being qualified to perform a particular function. It carries with it the idea of being mature, and not lacking in anything. Did you catch what the purpose of Scripture is? God's intention for His Word in our lives is so that we will be qualified and equipped to carry out good works! God's Wordmakes us adequate for the task before us!

Are you trying to serve God apart from His Word in your life? You won't be able to do it! You may start out strong, but if you are not being fed and nourished through the pages of Scripture, eventually you will get tired and quit. If you are not regularly in the Word, you will naturally become self-focused and you will spend your time and energy on selfish pursuits.

God's Word provides the fuel in our service to Him. The Word reminds us that we have a God who is worthy of our worship and our service. We are reminded that what we do now will one day count for eternity and be rewarded. Being in the Word gives us the mind of Christ to serve and love others when they are unlovely. Our service to the Lord must first spring from our time in the Word. Only then will we be equipped and qualified to carry out the good works God hasprepared for us.


54



Mark the following words as you read this section:

any references to Christword, truthteaching, teacherssuffering endurefaith

In light of Paul's discussion on the importance of Scripture in our lives, he has some instructions for Timothy on what he should do with God's Word.

But before he gets to the instructions, how does he emphasize the importance of what he is going to say in verse 1? Who are witnesses to his words to Timothy? _______________________________________________________________________

How is Jesus Christ described? _______________________________________________________________________

The dead here could refer to the spiritually dead – those who never trusted Christ as their Savior, and the living could be referring to those who are saved and have been granted eternal life.

Read Revelation 20:11-15 for a description of the judgment of the dead. What isthe criteria for how the dead are judged in these verses? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and Revelation 22:12-14. How will the living be judged? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Both the living and the dead will be judged based on their works. The dead had

55

evil works because their names were not found in the book of life. The living have good works because their robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.So works do not affect our eternal destiny, they are merely an outflow of what we have believed and both groups of people will be judged accordingly.

When does Paul say this judgment will take place? _______________________________________________________________________

In light of these reminders, what does Paul tell Timothy in verse 2? _______________________________________________________________________

According to verse 2, when is he to preach the word? _______________________________________________________________________

In season refers to having a favorable occasion for an event. It is convenient and itis the right time. Out of season means there is not a favorable opportunity for doing something. Perhaps there is opposition or persecution. Maybe it is not a convenient time, but regardless of the circumstances, Paul says, “Preach the word!” You can sense Paul's urgency in his charge to Timothy. The time is coming when all will be judged, so now is the time to preach the word!

What three components does Paul say should be a part of Timothy's message? _______________________________________________________________________

Paul uses similar words to describe Timothy's preaching as he did to describe God's word in chapter 3 verse 16. Timothy is to reprove people. He is to point out wrongdoing. He is also to rebuke. To rebuke is to express strong disapproval for something. In his preaching, Timothy is also to exhort. This means to implore or intreat people. It is a charge and a call to action.

How is Timothy supposed to do this according to verse 2? _______________________________________________________________________

Most people don't like to be rebuked for their sin, so Paul urges Timothy to preachwith patience. There may not be a response or there may be a hostile response, but Timothy is to be patient. Patience is “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.”44 No doubt

44 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on

56

Timothy's message would not always be easy to hear, so Paul encourages him to have complete patience despite how his message is received.

What does Paul warn Timothy about in his preaching from verse 3? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There will be a time when people will not endure sound teaching. The word endure is the same word used of enduring hardship. It means “to hold oneself up against, i.e. (fig.) put up with:—bear with, endure, forbear, suffer.”45 Sometimes God's word offends us and points out our faults and our sin. Sometimes the truth hurts! Paul says there will come a time when people will be unwilling to put up with the truth and they will turn away after other teachers whose message is “less offensive.”

By doing this, what does Paul say will happen in verse 4? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In refusing to allow themselves to be confronted with the truth, these people will eventually wander down a path where they believe myths and fables - stories not based on facts.

We can't control other people's responses, but we are accountable for how we handle the truth.

So what does Paul tell Timothy in verse 5? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To be sober-minded means “to behave with restraint and moderation, thus not permitting excess—to be self- controlled, to be restrained, to be moderate in one’s behavior.” 46 When someone has had too much to drink, they are not in control of

semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (306). New York: United Bible Societies..ig. figurative, figuratively45 Strong, J. (2009). Vol. 1: A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.46 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (751). New York: United Bible Societies.

57

themselves. A sober-minded person is restrained and controlled by the Spirit. Given the difficult days that Paul was warning about, it was an appropriate instruction for Timothy to be sober and moderate in his responses to others.

This is the third time that Paul has exhorted Timothy to endure suffering (also in 2 Timothy 1:8 and 2:3) and Paul spoke at length in chapter 3 about his own suffering that he had endured. It is a reality that Paul wants Timothy to be prepared for.

To do the work of an evangelist is to preach the gospel. Paul's own ministry is coming to and end and he urges Timothy to continue carrying the torch that shines the light of the gospel to a dying world.

Finally Paul tells Timothy to fulfill his ministry. He is to accomplish the task set before him and complete it satisfactorily.

What things has Paul talked about that might tempt Timothy to quit? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul has painted a very realistic picture for Timothy of what serving the Lord will be like. It will be hard and there will be suffering. People will reject the truth andturn away after myths. But despite the difficulties, Paul urges Timothy to keep on.Don't give up! Don't quit!

Are you discouraged right now in your service to the Lord? Do you feel like throwing in the towel? Paul's words here in 2 Timothy serve as a good reminder and reality check for us. Ask God to help you be faithful to the end in your service to Him. It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it!

58




faithany references to God

Yesterday we saw how Paul urged Timothy to keep on in his service to the Lord. He reminded him of the difficulties, yet told him to continue preaching the Word because the time is short. In verses 6-8, Paul will share some reasons why Timothy should not give up.

In first 6, what is the first reason why Timothy should be faithful in his service to God? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because Paul will not always be around, he is passing the torch to Timothy. Paul clearly tells Timothy that his death is near and he uses a word picture from the Old Testament.

Read Numbers 28:4-7. What connection does a drink offering have with death?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul has left a life example for Timothy about how one should serve the Lord. What does Paul say in verse 7? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul again explains the Christian life in terms of a fight or a battle. (See also 2 Timothy 2:3). Think about a soldier who has fought well. What characteristics would describe him? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

59

Paul then likens the Christian life to a race. Read Acts 20:24. According to this verse, what does Paul say is equated with finishing the course? _______________________________________________________________________

Finally Paul says he has kept the faith. Paul has warned Timothy over and over again about people who will not keep the faith. They will wander of into error and forsake what they once believed. By God's grace, Paul has kept the faith. This could be viewed in two ways. Paul kept the faith in that he guarded or protected it from those who would try to mislead people away from the truth. It could also be understood that he kept or continued in the faith, always trusting and believing God through it all.

Because of the way Paul has lived his life, what is he looking forward to receivingaccording to verse 8? _______________________________________________________________________

This is here is the second reason why Timothy is encouraged to run well. A reward is waiting for him at the end!

Who awards the crown of righteousness? _______________________________________________________________________

Who else is it given to? _______________________________________________________________________

When will it be given? _______________________________________________________________________

There are a few different crowns that are mentioned in Scripture. Look up the following verses and note what crown is given and who it is given to.

James 1:12 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Revelation 2:8-10 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

60

1 Peter 5:1-4 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now read Philippians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19. What else in these verses is described as a crown? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul has mentioned “that Day” before (see also 1:12). Read 1 Corinthians 3:13. According to that verse, what will take place on that Day? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There will come a Day, when every Christian will be rewarded for their works andthis seems to be the Day the Paul is referencing here.

Read the following verses and note what kind of things we will be rewarded for.

Matthew 5:10-12 _______________________________________________________________________Colossians 3:23-24 _______________________________________________________________________Hebrews 10:32-35 _______________________________________________________________________Hebrews 11:6 _______________________________________________________________________

These type of things are what God values! He rewards the “big” things like enduring suffering for the sake of his name and showing confidence in the face of intimidating, difficult circumstances. But he also rewards whatever we do, no matter how small, when we do it wholeheartedly in His name! Isn't that motivating? Whatever you are doing today, remember that God notices and will give you a just reward!

61


Read chapter 4 one more time.

Paul has just shared some hard news with Timothy that he believes his time left onthis earth is short. So in verse 9 he encourages Timothy to come visit him soon.

In verses 10-12, Paul tells Timothy that only Luke is with him. He then refers to several people who have left him. Some have a legitimate reason and some do not. Let's take a look at each of these people.

Demas: What does he say about why Demas has left him? _______________________________________________________________________

What does 1 John 2:15 say about those who love the world? _______________________________________________________________________

In Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24, Demas is mentioned as one who sends his greetings. At one point, Paul viewed Demas as a fellow worker, but perhaps the persecution got too intense or perhaps he was enticed by the lure of the world. Asa result, Paul says he has been deserted by Demas.

We don't know anything about Crescens. Paul does not single him out in a negative way, only that he has gone to Galatia, perhaps on a missionary endeavor.

In Titus 1:4, Paul refers to Titus as his true child in the faith. Earlier, Paul had left him in Crete to minister (Titus 1:5). Now we see him in the Roman province of Dalmatia. Dalmatia is on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, directly east of the Italian peninsula.

Luke had travelled with Paul on some of his missionary journeys and now we learn he is still with Paul. What an encouragement it must have been to Paul to have such a faithful friend.

The second half of verse 11 is so encouraging to me. Read Acts 15:36-41. How did Paul feel about Mark in these verses? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

62

Earlier, Paul had kind of written off John Mark. He had not completed the missionary journey with them and Paul didn't want to take a chance on him again.But now, Paul says he is “very useful.” I love the reconciliation we see in this verse, and the growth of perhaps both Paul and Mark.

Is there someone you have written off and think they aren't very useful for ministry? This verse shows us that God changes people!

Tychicus is not someone we mention a lot, but he was a companion of Paul in his travels (Acts 20:3-4) and he was someone that Paul could count on to send on hisbehalf (Titus 3:12).

According to Ephesians 6:21-22 and Colossians 4:7-8, it seems likely that Tychicus delivered Paul's letters to the churches at Ephesus and Colosse. How does Paul describe him in these verses? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 13 , Paul shares some practical requests with Timothy. Since winter is coming (see verse 21), Paul asks Timothy to bring his cloak and some books. Back then, the Scriptures were carefully copied onto parchments, and Paul is mosteager to have them.

Paul gives Timothy a warning next. According to verses 14-15, what do we learnabout Alexander the coppersmith? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 16, we learn that no one stood by Paul at his trial and spoke up for him. It is easy to sit in the safety of our homes and wonder why this was the case. But read what the Bible Knowledge Commentary has to say about the political climateat that time:

“Paul’s first defense evidently refers, not to his first Roman imprisonment, about which Timothy would have already known, but to a preliminary hearing leading up to his present trial. At such trials it was common to hear advocates for the accused, but in Paul’s case no one came to his support, but everyone deserted him. The widespread desertion of the apostle may be explained by the fact that, unlike the period of his first imprisonment, it had now become dangerous to be a Christian in Rome. As early as A.D. 59–60 Roman Jews had informed Paul “that people

63

everywhere are talking against this sect” (Acts 28:22). But the situation had gotten far worse after the fire of Rome in July of A.D. 64. Nero made the Christians scapegoats and many were tortured and died. The intensity of the anti-Christian pressure must have eased somewhat by A.D.67, but the thought of identifying themselves with the fearless and outspoken apostle must have been more than the Roman Christians and even Paul’s companions could face”.47

What is Paul's attitude regarding their desertion of him in verse 16? _______________________________________________________________________

Such a gracious and forgiving spirit the apostle had! He understood the intimidating circumstances and chose to not hold on to the offense.

Even though everyone else had deserted him, Paul was strengthened and encouraged by the Lord's presence!

What did God enable Paul to do according to verse 17? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deserted and alone, Paul found the Lord's strength to be sufficient. He knew he could be executed for the testimony he was about to give, but instead he “fully proclaimed” the gospel message. As I try to put myself in Paul's place, it is easy tosee how scary the situation would have been, but the Lord stood by him. May that truth encourage us today with whatever we are facing!

In verse 18, I find it interesting that Paul does not say that he is confident that God will rescue him from imprisonment. What does he say God will rescue him from? _______________________________________________________________________

Even in prison and facing death, Paul was still concerned about holiness! He wasn't concerned about getting out of prison, he was concerned that he would sin while he was in prison! Paul wanted to live a life worthy of the Lord and accurately represent Him, regardless of the circumstances! Holiness should always take precedence over our comfort and Paul is a great example of that!

47 Litfin, A. D. (1985). 2 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (2 Ti 4:16). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

64

Paul met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth on one of his missionary journeys. This couple took Apollos aside and more fully explained the gospel to him. They were disciplers and co-workers with Paul.

Onesiphorus is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:16. What else do we learn about him from this verse? _______________________________________________________________________

In a climate where it was dangerous to be known as a Christian, Onesiphorus showed boldness in being willing to associate with Paul despite his imprisonment for Christ.

Two more people that Paul had invested in are mentioned in verse 20. Erastus was in Corinth and Trophimus, an Ephesian who often traveled with Paul, was sick in Miletus. If you look back through this last section, you can see that there were Christians all over the Romans empire who had worked with Paul. He had co-workers in Galatia, Dalmatia, Ephesus, Corinth and Miletus.

65

You can locate all these areas on the map. Dalmatia is not noted, but it is above Macedonia, across from Italy.

It looked like Paul's time left on earth was short, but because had discipled and trained others, there was a gospel witness all over the Roman empire. We can only be one place at a time, but we can multiply our efforts through discipleship.

In verse 21, Paul again urges Timothy to try and come before winter and several believers there in Rome send their greetings.

Paul ends his letter simply, but he shares two important things for us to remember.

Timothy was facing the burden of the church at Ephesus, the loss of a dear friend and mentor and a political climate where persecution for his faith was likely. How important for him to remember that the Lord was with him! Our spirit can get overwhelmed, and worries and cares can easily crowd in. But the Lord's presence is always there, offering comfort, strength and power for whatever we arefacing!

Paul closes with the simple words, “Grace be with you.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that God's grace is sufficient for us because His power is made perfect in our weakness.

In what area today do you need to appropriate God's grace? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The book of 2 Timothy is so relevant for us today! We live in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile to the truth of God's Word. Because Paul could notbe silenced and boldly proclaimed the truth, we see that he endured suffering and he encourages us to do the same.

What will enable us to finish the course and keep the faith in the face of hardship and persecution? Look back through the pages of 2 Timothy. In each chapter notesome things that Paul mentioned that helped him to be faithful or things that he tells us will equip us to serve the Lord.

66

Chapter 1: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 4: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are many obstacles to us finishing the race well, but it is God's desire that we “be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). In whatever area God has you serving right now, make it your aim “to please the one who has enlisted you.” Paul promises it will not be easy, but as we look ahead to the Day when we will meet Jesus face to face, I pray that you and I will be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

67

2 timothy · 2016-07-16 · 2 timothy day 1: background 2 timothy is the last letter that paul...

Documents