Day: 29 July 2021

Lesson 10

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we worship You in Spirit and in truth, giving You all the power, glory, honor, and praise. We bowed at Your feet in reverence and awe, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Timothy 2: 1-26, pass the baton of faith, endure hardship, be a man of God

VV 1-2, 1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Paul instructed Timothy to be strong in grace and teach all that he learned from Paul to faithful men and women in the church who will in turn teach it to others. Timothy’s task was to pass the baton of faith through discipleship and training of faithful Christians.

V 3-6, 3 You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

Paul encouraged Timothy to endure the hardship and suffering of the gospel as a soldier, run the spiritual race of faith as an athlete, work diligently in evangelism as a farmer. Timothy was to be as tough as a soldier, as disciplined as an athlete, and as hard-working as a farmer.

VV 8-10, 8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

The gospel message is about the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David. Paul was chained to the prison but the gospel was not chained to anything, anyone, or anywhere. Even the prison could not stop the preaching and evangelism of the gospel. Paul endured all things so that whoever believed in Christ will be saved.

VV 11-13, 11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

This could be a poem from antiquity. If we die with Christ, we will live with Him, if we endure hardship with Him, we will reign with Him, if we deny Him. He will deny us, if we are faithless, He will still be faithful.

VV 14-15, 14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Paul charged Timothy to present himself as an approved workman of God by teaching, preaching, and interpreting scripture correctly and truthfully to convict, correct, encourage, and train his audience.

VV 16-19, 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Paul instructed Timothy to run away from the worldly, empty, and ungodly talk which could spread like wildfire if left unchecked. Paul singled out two heretic teachers in the Ephesian church, by names, Hymenaeus and Philetus, who claimed that the second coming of Christ had already come.

VV 20-21, 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

In a house are vessels of gold and silver and vessels of wood and clay. The vessels of gold and silver speak of those who are sanctified, useful, and honorable to Christ. The vessels of wood and clay are those who are not sanctified, useless and dishonorable to Christ.

VV 22-26, 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Paul instructed Timothy to flee from youthful lust, pursue righteousness with faith, love, and peace with a pure heart, to avoid quarreling over foolish and doubtful matters, to be gentle, patient, and humble in teaching the gospel of truth.

Application:

Paul’s instructions to Timothy also apply to us. We are to avoid youthful lusts, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with a pure heart, avoid foolish disputes, be gentle, patient, humble, convict, correct, and teach the gospel of truth.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray for divine empowerment to live our lives worthy of Your divine calling and election. Help us to pursue righteousness with faith, love, and peace with a pure heart. Help us be gentle, patient, humble, convict, correct, encourage, and teach the gospel of truth.