Tag: 2 Timothy

Lesson 12

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us to students, teachers, and preachers of the word. Help us be ready to share our testimony, to teach, and preach the gospel in season and out of season, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Timothy 4: 1-22, preach the gospel, come before winter, farewell

VV 1-2, 1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Greek for appearing is “epiphanes”, which refer to Christ’s second coming. The three Greeks words used for Christ’s second coming in the Bible are “parousia”, “apokalupsis”, and “epiphanes”. At His second coming, Christ will judge the living and the dead at the great white throne judgment, Rev 20:11-12. Paul charged Timothy to be ready to preach the word on any occasion, whenever and wherever an opportunity arose, to convict, correct, encourage, and teach with patience.

Rev 20:11-12, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books”.

VV 3-5, 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

In the last days, people will not listen to sound doctrine. They will listen only to false teachers who will say what they want to hear. They will turn away from the truth and turn towards heresy. Paul encouraged Timothy to be vigilant, endure hardships, and evangelize to fulfil his God-ordained ministry,

VV 6-8, 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

In his goodbye address, Paul predicted that his life would end as a drink offering for God. He had fought the spiritual battle of faith, and he had run the spiritual race of faith. There was nothing more that he could do except to wait for the crown of righteousness from Christ on the Day of His second coming.

VV 9-16, 9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica, Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Paul singled out Demas who left the faith for the world. Paul singled out Alexander the coppersmiths who had betrayed him. He mentioned those who were faithful to him by name, Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, and Tychicus. He instructed Timothy to bring along John Mark, his books, and his cloak. John Mark was the writer of the Gospel of Mark and the cousin of Barnabas. He had abandoned Paul on his first missionary journey but Paul had reconciled with him.

VV 17-18, 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

The Lord was with Paul, strengthening, protecting, preserving, and delivering him into His heavenly kingdom. Paul gave glory to Christ in a doxology.

VV 19-21, 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. 21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Paul acknowledged and mentioned Prisca, Aquila, the family of Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia by name.

V 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

In closing, Paul pronounced a blessing of grace to Timothy from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Application:

As Christians. We should be ready to preach the Word of God in season and out of season. Time is running out. The dispensation of grace will soon be over as the second coming of Christ is imminent. We should do the work of an evangelist to share the gospel whenever and wherever there is an opportunity.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us be diligent students and teachers of Your Word. Help us be ready to teach and preach Your Word in season and out of season to anyone, anywhere and at any time, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lesson 11

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the ministry of Your Word. We claim the promise that Your Word will accomplish its purpose and will not return to You void, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Timothy 3:1-17, apostasy, heresy, Word of God

VV 1-5, 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

In the last days, difficult times will come and people will fall away from the faith. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderous, defiant, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, traitorous, unfriendly, pleasure-seeking, and ungodly.

VV 6-9, 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Ungodly men would come into houses to take advantage and seduce gullible women. Jannes and Jambres were Pharaoh’s magicians who could replicate some of the miracles of Moses., Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:22, Exodus 8:7. Paul could have quoted non-biblical sources in antiquity as the names Jannes and Jambres are not found in the Old Testament. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, these ungodly men opposed the truth of the gospel.

Exodus 7:11, “Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts”.

Exodus 7:22, “But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said’’.

Exodus 8:7, “But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt”.

VV 10-11, 10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Timothy was a godly man who followed Paul’s doctrines with purpose, faith, patience, love, and perseverance. Paul remembered persecutions and afflictions under by the hostile Jews at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra and how the Lord had rescued him.

VV 12-15, 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Everyone who lived godly lives in Christ will suffer persecution by evil men and imposters. Timothy must continue to remain faithful to Holy Scriptures because it had the power to save those who believe in Christ.

VV 16-17, 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is written through God’s inspiration and is useful for teaching, convicting, correcting, encouraging, training, and equipping Godly people in righteous living and to do God’s work.

2 Peter 1:21, “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Application:

In the last days, false teachers will appear and many will fall away from the faith. Godly people will suffer persecutions in the hands of the antichrist. We must continue to remain faithful to Christ and share the gospel. The acronym for BIBLE is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. We should have a high view of scripture and study it diligently.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray for divine protection in the face of trials, tribulations, sufferings, and persecutions in the last days. We pray for divine assistance to remain strong in the faith and stay true to Your calling, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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.