Thoughts on 2 Timothy – Part 2
2TIM 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
2TIM 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
2TIM 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul did nothing wrong, but he suffered the same as evil doers do. Paul was thrown in the same prison as thieves and murderers. This is the 2nd time Paul is in a prison in Rome. He was also in prison in Israel before he went to Rome.
This time things are different. This time is after the huge fire in Rome and burned much of the city and looking for a scapegoat the emperor blamed it on Christians. That is when Rome started killing Christians just for being Christians.
Paul is now in prison for the crime of being a Christian and there is no legal recourse available to Paul. When Paul writes this letter he is awaiting his death.
Paul is in bonds but the word of God is not bound. The work of the Lord and the spreading of His Word and God working in the hearts and lives of men is not bound. Man cannot stop it. The work of God is bigger than one man. It is bigger than Paul.
Paul knows that the work will continue without him. Paul knows that his time is short and he does not spend the remaining time pouting or crying about it. He accepts his situation and he endures it with the heart to still serve Christ and still see people saved.
One of the reasons that Paul is writing this letter is to encourage and strengthen Timothy to continue in the work and be a good soldier for Jesus and endure hardness so that people can hear the gospel and get saved.
2TIM 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
2TIM 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2TIM 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
2TIM 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Context if very important here. The context has been Paul telling Timothy to train faithful men to teach others also. The them in put them in remembrance is talking about those that Timothy is to train in the ministry. And he is to charge them that they strive not about words to no profit.
So don’t get involved in preaching rabbit trails that does not help anyone. And don’t get into arguments that do not help. Don’t waste a bunch of words that don’t help. Stay with simply preaching the Word of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable!
Leave the entertainment to someone else. Leave the senseless arguments to someone else. Do not waste time or words on all of that. Stick with what edifies and what is profitable for others in learning more about God. Stick with the scriptures.
Other things that Timothy was to teach those he was training is the principal of death to self. Verse 11. Paul said I die daily. It is talking about considering your old man crucified on the cross with Christ. When you voluntarily do that every day then you live with Him. You walk close to Him.
Verse 12 they are also to know that if we suffer for Him, that He sees it and there are rewards for it. Jesus taught that if you are faithful over a few things one day in the 1,000 reign He will make you ruler over many things.
Verse 13 is talking about doubt. Doubt can come in many forms and over many things. And it does not matter if we doubt that Jesus will do something he said. He must do what He promised because He cannot deny Himself. He cannot lie.
Keeping His promises is not dependent upon us. They are dependent upon His perfect character.
2TIM 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
This verse is good for more than just pastors. All Christians need to be studying the word of truth. The sad truth is that too many Christians spend more time watching TV commercials than reading the Word of God. Notice I did not say watching TV shows. They spend more time just on the commercials than they do reading God’s Word.
The result is that we have a large proportion of anemic, worldly, non-separated, non-witnessing Christians today. The Bible says that we grow by the Word. 1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: Christians do not grow as they should because they are not in the Word as they should.
The Bible says that the Word of God has a cleansing effect. Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
Christians are not as clean as they should be because they are not in the Word as they should be. If you want to grow more as a Christian, then be in God’s Word more.
If you want to live a more separated life, a life more pleasing to God, then be in God’s Word more.
2TIM 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Preachers are to study. It is a clear command here. When Timothy read this the answer to the question study what would have been real clear. Paul clearly means study the Scriptures. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament. That is it. Paul was not telling Timothy to study commentaries. He was not telling him to study the writings of other religions.
While commentaries can sometimes be helpful. And while some knowledge about other religions can be helpful when witnessing. That is not what Paul is talking about here. The focus of study needs to be the scriptures themselves.
And this study needs to lead to rightly dividing the word of truth. That means that there is a right way to understand the Bible and a wrong way.
The right way is to interpret scripture with scripture. Let the Bible define itself. It means knowing all the Bible well enough so that when looking at any text you can bring the rest of the Bible with you so you don’t make a mistake or misunderstand something.
If you rightly divide the word of truth and bring all the Bible with you, it will be clear that there are no conflicts in the word of God. You will also see errors that some fall into and you will not make the same mistake. Examples would be baptism saves, soul sleep, Calvinism, ect…
Other scriptures clearly show that those are errors. When you see what appears to be a conflict the problem is not the Bible, the problem is that you don’t know enough of the Bible to be able to see and rightly divide the word of truth.
2TIM 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2TIM 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2TIM 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
This covers many different types of people. Some people do not want to learn. Some just want to fight and argue it seems just to be that way. They like the attention and the conflict. Others can’t understand scripture at all because they are not saved. Both of those groups can just babble away and keep at it for a long time. And the root cause for them is either attitude or the inability to understand. God resists the proud.
But the two named here have another motivation and that is to on purpose teach some error with the purpose of overthrowing the faith of some. Paul is telling Timothy to shun all of that. Stick with and focus on things that edify people and focus on those who want to learn. Shun the profane and vain babblings. People like that need to be told, move along. Go find somewhere else to be. A pastor needs to protect the flock.
Even though there are vain babblers and false teachers the foundation of God stands sure and is sealed by God.
2TIM 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
The people of bad intentions and false professions and those teaching error can fool people. But they cannot fool God. God knows the hearts and He knows every person that has accepted Him as Savior and who is now His child.
And every one of us that is saved should depart from iniquity. Notice it says let every one. It is not make or force every one. You still have a free will after you are saved. The choices now are how thankful are you, how much do you want to love Jesus back and how close to Him do you want to get, and how much effort do you want to put into being a disciple of Jesus?
And a big question, how much do you want to be used by God for His glory and for the benefit of others?
The God honoring answers to all of those questions is available to every child of God. That is why the verse says let every one. That means they can if they chose to make the decision to follow Christ in a real meaningful practical way.
2TIM 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2TIM 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2TIM 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
After you are saved what you should do it depart from iniquity. You should flee youthful lusts and instead follow righteousness, faith, charity, and peace. And here is a huge one: out of a pure heart. And you are supposed to do this with others who are also following the Lord with a pure heart.
2TIM 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
In giving instructions to Timothy, Paul tells gives him some good advice. He tells him to avoid foolish questions. That is good advice to all of us. The reason is that they bring strife. The person asking the foolish question often is doing it because they want to cause trouble. They want an argument. Some people just like to try to push your buttons so to speak. They want to get a reaction out of you. Paul’s advice is to avoid the foolish question. Do not play their game.
2TIM 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
As servants of the Lord we are not to strive with men. The context here is not talking about defending yourself. The context is about teaching the Word of God. We are to not let our tempers get the best of us. Instead we are to be gentle unto all men and patient.
Keep focused when dealing with others. Don’t be led down some foolish rabbit trail and be sure to be patient in your witnessing and with the instruction that you give to others.
2TIM 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2TIM 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2TIM 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
We are living in the last days. And perilous times are coming, and in some ways are already here. Think about this list as you read it. Read it slowly and see if you don’t notice many of these things becoming more and more evident in our society.
2TIM 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Man has always been sinful. These things have always been. But sin used to be kept more in the closet. Society used to be ashamed of their sin. This has changed. The list continues in verse 3.
2TIM 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
We live in a day where more and more people are calling evil good and good evil. They will be tolerant of every kind of sin and debauchery, but they will despise those that are good, moral, and godly. They will sling false accusations against us. You see this anti-Christian sentiment more and more today. This has been quite a list so far, but it is not yet done.
2TIM 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Verse 1 says perilous times shall come. Perilous for who? Christians. The unrestrained sin of verses 2, 3, and 4 does not like to be exposed, and those involved in it will despise Christians who live for God. Christians will get attacks from the lost in these last days. But there is also another danger.
2TIM 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The danger referred to here is from false teachers. It is talking about people who have a form of godliness. They will look good at first glance. But they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They will use many of the same words of a Christian, but they will deny the power thereof. They will deny God’s power in many different areas. Some will deny that God is the creator. Some will deny the saving power of the gospel. Some will deny the deity of Jesus. Some will even have the audacity to claim that Jesus was a man first who grew into godhood and that he is the brother of Lucifer. What blasphemy. And yet in these last days you see many people falling for it.
The Bible is very clear here. “from such turn away” This does not mean that we should not tell them the truth in love. Some of them will get saved. However, we are not to condone their false beliefs. We should not have anything to do with this movement of joining all religions together. We are not to help create the false one world religion of the Anti-Christ.
As Christians we need to be strong and stand for Jesus.
For of this sort is referring to those who were just mentioned. False teachers who have a form of godliness but are traitors to the Lord’s truth and His work. They are heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
2TIM 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
These people have a way of praying on silly women who are laden with sins and those type of women seem to be suckers for their lies.
2TIM 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Notice another thing about these false teachers. They are ever learning. So they keep coming up with some new thing or some new teaching. And remember they are heady and high minded. They will often appeal to scholarship.
But as far as Bible truth goes they are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Never.
The reason is the Bible is a closed book to the lost. The Bible is spiritually discerned. The Holy Spirit is needed to illuminate it and teach us. O’ they can get some facts right. They can even at times stumble on some truth, but they can’t really ever get it.
2TIM 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Other thing that marks them is that they will accept all kinds of errors and even heresy but they will fight against and resist the truth. Their minds are corrupt and they are reprobate concerning the faith.
They might even be open to an Alphabet soup minister but have zero tolerance to a real man of God.
2TIM 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their’s also was.
In the end their folly will be made known for all to see. God will make sure of that. So we can leave it to God to deal with. Our part is to be aware that they are around and be aware of their tactics and warn our people so they know better.
2TIM 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2TIM 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
What a great example Paul was to Timothy as well as all Christians. Paul lived his life out in the open. He did not hide his doctrine. It was well known exactly what Paul believed. Not only was Paul’s beliefs out in the open but also how he lived his life. Paul lived what he preached and his purpose in life could easily be seen by others. People could see his faith in action as well as his longsuffering, his charity and his patience. And Paul lived this way even under persecution and affliction. Paul knew that if it was right to have charity, faith, longsuffering, and patience when things were going good, then it was still right to have them under persecution and affliction.
What we are to believe and how we are to live is not to be dependent upon circumstances. We are to believe right, act right, and live right simply because it is right.
See more lessons from 2 Timothy