2 Timothy 2 - "The Only Way to Coast is Downhill!"

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The Appeal Renewed

2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Though grace is a gift which we specifically receive when we come to faith, Paul tells Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Being "strong in grace" means to rely on, hold on to, and lean into. When Paul faced major trials in his life he said, "Your grace is sufficient for me because your power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Paul left Timothy in charge of the church at Ephesus, but that didn't mean he expected him to do all the work. Paul had been the pastor there for 4 years, and it had been 4 years since he received Paul's first letter. By this time with the growth in church, I would suspect a lot more work needed to be done. Notice he didn't entrust this to any warm body he could find, but to those who were trustworthy and could teach others. This reminds us that we are all called to be a disciple that makes disciples. 

Paul uses three analogies to show that ministry is hard work but pays off in the end. He uses examples of a soldier, a farmer, and an athlete. What do they hold in common? If they don't work hard, they will not see success. They don't need to not "try" but to "train". But didn't train with a goal in mind.  He said he "beat his body into submission so he would not be disqualified from the prize" 

Bottom line: If soldiers, farmers, and athletes need to work hard, how much more should a servant of Christ train to be found faithful. Note to the reward for faithful service. The athlete received a crown and the hardworking farmer received the first fruits of the harvest. 

Do you invest in your walk with Christ, as much as other endeavors in your life? What do you think of the idea of training as it relates to being a Christian? Where do you need God's all sufficient grace in your life today?

 8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 

As followers of Christ, we need to constantly be reminded that our Lord also suffered. But he was also raised from the dead. This was the gospel that Paul was obedient to preach no matter what the cost. Though Paul was in chains, God's Word can never be kept under chains. Ultimately Paul was able to suffer because he kept his eyes on Chris. He also focused on those who God elected to be his sons and daughters. Though Paul did not know who those people were, it didn't matter. 

Dealing With False Teachers

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Once again Paul returns to the issue of false teachers. These teachers got caught up in the intellectual side of the faith. They created division about words rather than edifying the body with their words. 

 We can get distracted by endless discussion or strife over things that don’t have central importance. “Words, not things, have been a most fruitful source of contention in the Christian world; and among religious people, the principle cause of animosity has arisen from the different manner of apprehending the same term, while, in essence, both meant the same thing.” (Clarke)

Paul returns to the idea that as followers of Christ we are workers for him. Part of our work is to defend the truth, as even people in the church try undermine its authority and authenticity. This is what you are doing right now by studying God's Word to understand what it means. This is what Paul means to "correctly handle the truth". You cannot know how to handle the bible, if you don't know it. 

Note too Paul says to present ourselves to God as approved by Him. He doesn't say anything about the approval of men, just God. The word for 'correctly handle the truth" is always translated as "divides the truth". 

Timothy, as a faithful pastor, was to be rightly dividing God’s Word. That is, he had to know what it said and didn’t say, and how it was to be understood and how it was not to be understood. It wasn’t enough for Timothy to know some Bible stories and verses and sprinkle them through his sermons as illustrations. His teaching was to be a “right dividing” of the Word of God, correctly teaching his congregation. - Guzik

Paul mentions two other men who have already "incorrectly divided the word of truth". They came up on the wrong side of the truth. Their particular brand of false teaching was to say, "Jesus' resurrection had already taken place." This was to say the resurrection was only "spiritual" in nature. Another interpretation was that Jesus had already returned and there was no second coming. 

Both of these tenets are clearly outside of what Jesus and the other apostles taught, and we recite in our Creed every week. We confess, "Jesus died and three days after he rose from the dead. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, and he will come back to judge the living and dead."

These is why the church has always had Creeds. The word "creed" comes from the Latin word "credo", which means "I believe". The Creed does not hold the same weight or authority as the bible, but it keeps the church from veering from the truth and doctrine of the bible. 

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Paul says that there are two kinds of people in the church. Some are for a special use, some for more of a common use. What does this mean?

First of all, Paul says that those who will be used in a special way are those who have, "cleansed themselves from the latter". The "latter" are some the previous ways Paul hand commanded Timothy to avoid, as a workman approved by God. Though we are saved by grace and not by works, it doesn't mean we can just coast along being blown by the winds of a culture that is far from God.  

But there is another aspect of cleansing which God looks for us to do with the participation of our own will and effort. Not that it is our work apart from God, but it is a work that awaits our will and effort: If anyone cleanses himself. This aspect of cleansing is mostly connected with usefulness for service, and closeness to God.

Unfortunately many who are saved do not pursue the high calling they have in Christ. They are content to start with God's grace to be saved, and then live a lukewarm and mediocre Christian life.. We have all probably slipped into these phases before, but fortunately returned to the Lord and His service. It might have been someone else who brought us back to the faith.  

Paul tells Timothy to have a heart for those who have fallen away. Rather than being harsh and judgmental, he urges him to gently instruct these believers in the hope of them repenting and being restored to a right relationship with God. 

Finally, we see this is not only precipitated by laziness, but the devil is also involved. Don't think for a minute the devil will like it when you are growing in your faith and being used by God in the advancement of His kingdom. 

My Grandpa used to say, "The only way you can coast is down hill!" As you think about your Christian life, are you coasting or working out your salvation with fear and trembling? Do you know those who have strayed from the faith? How can you gently instruct them and draw them back into fellowship with Christ and the church!