2tim1v1-5

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READ: 2 TIMOTHY 1:1-18 PASSAGE: v1-5 [SERIES #1]

When Paul wrote 1 Timothy, (around AD62-64) he had been released from prison – but now he is back behind bars again
In 4:6-8 he speaks re: being ready to be offered i.e. martyred
This epistle/Paul’s has the great distinction of being his last
It is dated somewhere around 67AD
It has all the ingredients of a last letter
He expresses so many emotions:
The whole is leavened with love towards his reader
He expresses a strong spirit of determination
It is full of Christian hope, even when the executioner’s cold blooded blade hangs over his head

Far from being mushy in any degree, it contains some strong doctrinal points because herein lies the strength/Christian
Paul was in prison because of his allegiance to the word/God
Paul once summarised his ministry in these words:
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: (Acts 26:22)
His teaching was intensely Biblical
Clearly he had no regrets in this regard
Left to languish in a cell – the threat of death by sword – all help to focus the mind on what was right and what was wrong
There are no retractions in this epistle or in any epistle/Paul
He does retract his attachment (when an unsaved Pharisee) to his legalistic beliefs – I count them but dung (Philippians 3:8)
But as to his preaching of Christ and salvation by grace etc.,
He had no regrets and he urges Timothy to do the same
The circumstances of the epistle therefore is used to serve the cause of the gospel even more than if he wrote from the warmth and comfort of a pastor’s study

4 things we must note in the passage here (vs1-5)

1) TIMOTHY’S FRIEND:

A/ Already spoken of him – the author/epistle i.e. Paul
Of course, he was much more than his friend
A man could have many friends and his degree of friendship cover the entire range/depth from light through to deep

B/ Paul here claims to be Timothy’s father
Previous epistle(1:2) he qualifies this: “my son in the faith”
IOW: Paul was the means God used to bring Timothy to salvation
Timothy’s earthly father (DNA) was a Gentile (Acts 16:1)
His spiritual father was a Benjaminite/and a Pharisee/Pharisees
This is a lovely term that God uses to describe those who were instrumental in leading us to Christ:
Paul made good use of it when he needed to
When there was trouble with false teachers at Corinth:
For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. (1:4:15)
That was a very powerful, emotional and spiritual appeal

C/ His friendship with Timothy was very deep
Timothy is not only his spiritual son, but his dearly beloved son
He lay very close to Paul’s heart
Doubtless such love was induced from a number/considerations

[i] The immediate circumstances of Timothy’s conversion/God
Of this we know very little – we have some background details which will help us in our next point, but the “day/hour” details elude us

[ii] The evident fruit in Timothy’s life
Some of Paul’s converts were a disappointment to him
Even Christ had to observe of some of His professing converts: From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:66)
Every preacher knows some disappointment
Paul had to write to the Galatian church and query this:
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (5:7) Elsewhere: O foolish Galatians (3:1)
But he did not have any noticeable disappointments over Timothy

[iii] The fact that Timothy became a pastor induced a great love
They shared the same responsibilities and concerns
Timothy had his sons/faith also – some good, some disappointing

[iv] The circumstances of writing (impending martyrdom) also helped up the ante – put a lot of things into perspective
What often leads to lack of love among Christians is that we get pre-occupied with lesser things
Little daft things really annoy us and get under our skin
Little foxes spoil the vines of a deep Christian fellowship
Someone looks side-ward at us and we go off in a huff!
But if we were more focused on the shortness/life and the glories that should follow – different perspective

[v] Perhaps Paul foresaw (at least the possibility) that his young convert and fellow pastor would one day likewise suffer/faith
Tradition says that Timothy also suffered martyrdom
Paul perhaps wondered how his young friend would do
Very easy saying “God gives grace for every trial”
That is undoubtedly true: Psalm 46:1
But He takes us through the pain – not away from it

D/ What a friend Paul proved to be
It is he who ministers here to Timothy in this letter
One would think that we might have Timothy ministering unto Paul in the circumstances!
I believe that he did – one way or another
However, such has not been preserved for us
The Holy Spirit has recorded this one way message
Even if Timothy could not have made any contact with Paul, yet it is evident from his life that comfort had been given
Paul certainly isn’t lamenting a wasted ministry/effort
Paul exhorted the Hebrew Christians along this line:
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
Paul had no grief when it came to the receiver/this letter

2) TIMOTHY’S FAITH:

A/ Already acknowledged it to be saving faith
His faith had justified his soul and was taking him to Heaven
Not that faith itself is the cause of salvation etc.,
The basis of salvation is God’s sovereign grace
The means/channel of salvation is man’s believing faith

B/ The word faith has two meanings/Bible

[i] Objective faith – usually rendered as “the faith” i.e. the body of doctrines that our subjective faith must lay hold upon
Used in this way in Jude 3
“Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints.”

[ii] Subjective faith: Already spoke about this
This is our trust – our decision to believe (Acts 16:30-31)
This is the way that we are taking it here

C/ Timothy’s saving faith was not inherited
No one inherits saving faith
Each one must come to the great decision themselves
Yet it must be said that Timothy’s mother and grandmother were both believers, possessing an unfeigned faith
Timothy was (at least) a third generation believer in his house

[i] His grandmother (Lois) had an unfeigned (genuine) faith
Yet she had her disappointments
Her daughter, Eunice, married an unbelieving Gentile
We know that he was unbelieving because Acts 16:3 tells us that Timothy, despite his Jewish mother, had not been circumcised
An unequal yoke had been brought into the family
Doubtless a cause of grief to Lois, just as Esau’s marrying of a pagan woman was a cause of grief to Isaac and Rebekah (26:35)

[ii] His mother, notwithstanding this serious mistake/life obviously sought to rectify it – sought the Lord for forgiveness
God delights in mercy and there is always a way back to God
We cannot bank on that in order to sin
But if we have sinned, and forsake it, then we may bank
Thankfully, Eunice also became unfeigned (true) in her faith

[iii] To the joy of both – the third generation (Timothy) had a like unfeigned and genuine faith
What power lies in a godly example
Here is unfeigned faith within the home
Home is traditionally the hardest place to live/Christ
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (Matthew 10:36)
Certainly, Eunice had made a rod for her own back/this regard
But her self inflicted wounds were overcome
Both of them were doubtless and rightly proud of Timothy
We must give God the glory…but we can still rejoice
Timothy saw something in that home that focused his attention
When Paul came along as the soul winner, much of the work had been already done years beforehand
This is something for us to aim at

Do not know whether/not Timothy’s father was ever converted
Certainly, he was without excuse in a home like this

D/ Word translated “unfeigned” is also translated:
Without dissimulation (Romans 12:9) – a bit archaic
More helpful: without hypocrisy (James 3:17)
It wasn’t all words which could bear no fruit
All three of them consistently lived out their faith
So much so, that Paul was persuaded of the genuineness
Word for persuaded is translated a few different ways:
Agreed/obeyed/trust/confidence etc.,
All bringing different angles on how real/genuine it was

E/ Let us not be guilty of having a false faith
Such was the faith of the man who had no wedding garment in the parable – he had got in alright for his faith could pass the superficial glance – but he was soon turned out /outer darkness

F/ Unfeigned though Timothy’s faith was, yet it was not perfect
At least, it was not self sufficient
Therefore Paul desires grace, mercy and peace for Timothy from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus
We might have a strong history of unfeigned faith
Such may be our current position now
But such was, is and always shall be sustainable only by these things which Paul desires
If Paul prayed for these things for Timothy, we ought to pray for them also;

[i] For ourselves
[ii] For others also

Otherwise, unfeigned faith will become an even greater rarity than it is already

3) TIMOTHY’S FEELINGS:

A/ Paul records the fact of Timothy’s tears
It seems that he found them somewhat attractive/spiritual level
He greatly desired to see Timothy again on their account (v4)

It was these tears that partly fuelled Paul’s prayers for Timothy
He thanked God that without ceasing he had prayed for Timothy
(BTW: There’s a friend indeed – not in word only but in prayer)

B/ Why did Timothy find it necessary to weep?
We are not told here, but if he modelled himself on Paul (as Paul urged him all Christians to do, and esp. pastors) then we see:

[i] He wept because of a concern for the lost souls/men:
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:1-3)
I do not think that Timothy failed to share this concern
It is good to weep for the souls of the lost without Christ
Paul was neither the first/last of people to do that

[ii] Wept because of disappointments/ministry
Already mentioned about fruit that failed to remain
That is ever a great disappointment to pastors
To see the lion/bear take away some lamb from the flock
To see someone begin well, but then be hindered
To be seen as an enemy although speaking the truth

Sometimes we weep due to our own disappointing performances
Paul could speak of a pure conscience (v3) yet elsewhere he lamented how he felt himself to be a wretched man (Romans 7:23)
What regrets we have re: what we have done/not done for God

[iii] Wept also because of the many hardships/ministry
We might divide these into three:

One: Physical anguish
Paul spoke at length about the great persecution that he endured for the gospel sake – hard, physical sufferings
Unlikely that Timothy escaped them likewise

Two: Mental anguish:
Paul found himself among false brethren
There were people on whom he simply could not depend
Sometimes they blew hot and his hopes were raised
Then they blew cold and then they blew cold and hopes/dashed
Not accusing John Mark of being a false disciple, but he proved to be an unsteady one – so much so we have the sad incident that occurs at the end of Acts 15
Did that not impact on Paul? Possibly also on Timothy
Did similar things not happen to Timothy
Church which Timothy pastored was Ephesus
Later on (Revelation 2) the Lord Jesus pointed out the doctrinal strength of that church, but exposed the devotional lack
This would have caused mental anguish to the man/God

C/ Nothing wrong in tears in the Christian life
Jesus wept (John 11:35) is a guiding star here
But let our tears be like Timothy’s faith i.e. unfeigned

4) TIMOTHY’S FRUITFULNESS:

In many ways, we have already touched on this
But let us focus in a little on one delightful piece/fruit
Paul greatly desired to see Timothy
This was so that his (Paul’s) joy might be full

Word translated filled (v4) is variously translated in: rest/NT
Usually the word translated fulfilled in regard to OT prophecy
(Matthew uses it quite a lot to convince his Jewish readers)
It is also translated as complete (Colossians 2:9 Complete/Him)
Other similar words – all denoting a finished matter
Ended – Accomplished etc.,

B/ If Timothy could have gotten to Paul and made his day i.e. ensured that his joy was complete – wouldn’t this be a lovely cluster of fruit to give to the condemned to die Apostle?

Paul didn’t talk about the messenger of Rome coming with a pardon from the Emperor so that he could go free
There were men in the condemned cell longing for such a one
But not this Spirit led Apostle
He rather wanted the company of a like minded Christian
What fellowship they could enjoy one with another

C/ If we can bring that kind of joy to another Christian, then we have gone a long way in glorifying God
It was this that made Paul greatly desire to see Timothy
Word for greatly desire is usually rendered with desire/long
In James 4:5 it is greatly translated by the word lust
Obviously, there is a wrong kind of lusting (such as is in James 4)
But there is a good kind of lusting – a great desire for good

D/ Let’s have it that people are lusting to see us
Not so that we might experience the honour and the glory
Not even that their joy might be full – as a means in itself
Paul wasn’t just looking for something to brighten the gloom
But so that God might have all the glory
Paul described himself as an Apostle/ Christ (opening words)
He wanted to honour Him and here was a good way to go about it

THE END

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