2 Timothy, Chapter 1
© Copyright 2001 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
2 Timothy 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the
promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the
Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is, by tradition, the last letter Paul
wrote.
I have no argument with that tradition.
However, as we shall see later it adds some
mystery to Paul's writings.
I was sitting and minding my own business in
June of 2000, when suddenly I had an urge to study this letter.
Paul's letters to Timothy have never been
among my favorites, so it seems a bit odd to me to be starting this.
Timothy was considered to be Paul's spiritual
son (1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:22; 1 Timothy 1:2).
He is listed as a "greeter" at the
opening of 2nd Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st
& 2nd Thessalonians, and Philemon.
Paul and Timothy were co-workers in evangelism.
So, why would Paul begin this letter by
proclaiming that he [Paul] is an Apostle?
Opening the first letter to Timothy in that
manner may be understandable.
It was probably done to enhance Timothy's
stock in the eyes of the Church.
The only answer to that question of why open
the second letter in the same manner is that the two letters may have been
written so close together that Paul thought it advisable to once again boost
his protégé.
Both of the "Timothy" letters were
written during the lost years between trials in
Some of Paul's letters are what I call
"rented house letters." This is a definite "prison" letter.
It my be the only true “prison” letter!
Aside from the plea to his position in Christ
as an Apostle, the one thing that is spotlighted in the first verse is the
phrase, "by the will of God."
Some seem to "assume" that it was
by the will of God.
While that may be true in Paul's case, others
proclaimed themselves to be Apostles.
They were far from being Apostles of Jesus Christ.
Second Corinthians 11:13 calls them
"false apostles, deceitful workers."
It states explicitly that they transform
themselves into what appears to be Apostles of Christ.
Things have not changes very much since
Paul's day.
In this day, some unscrupulous men "of
the cloth" go around claiming lofty titles to impress others of
"lessor" spiritual enlightenment.
Such is the shame of our generation.
Are there still Apostles?
Definitely!
Now, we call them missionaries. Missionary is
not an intimidating title.
On the other hand, the title
"Apostle" seems to be equated with great spiritual authority.
Are you just a run-of-the-mill common
barnyard variety Christian?
First, I doubt that there is such a
Christian.
Secondly, whatever role you play in the body
of Christ, you have been called and appointed "by the will of God."
If you assume the title "Christian"
without it being by the will of God, you assume the title falsely.
All Christians are called and appointed by
the will of God. God does the choosing and the calling.
All self-appointed Christians are false.
Paul was an Apostle by the will of God
"according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus."
He was not unique in that sense.
As a follower of Christ Jesus, you were
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13).
You have been impregnated with the seed of
everlasting life.
That seed shall blossom upon Christ's return.
That is why it is now called the
"promise."
This letter is written to Timothy with Paul
addressing him as "my dearly beloved son."
That type of bond between two people
indicates a very strong tie.
These two (Paul & Timothy) had shared
many hardships.
It is during the adversities of life that our
strongest bonds are forged.
Let's look at "Grace, mercy and
peace." To say that the three come from God the Father and Christ Jesus
our Lord may seem to be a "given."
Grace, mercy, and peace are given to all
Christians!
However, Paul refers to only three men as his
"sons." Timothy, Titus (Titus 1:4), and Onesimus (Philemon 10) are
the only people spoken of in that manner.
Since Paul never wrote a letter to
Onesimus the opportunity never came for him the address a letter to Onesimus in
that fashion.
You will notice that the grace, mercy and
peace are "from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
That God is our Father is a given to many
Christians.
However, to many of falsely spiritual people
Jesus Christ is not Lord.
That term is special and misunderstood.
It indicates ownership.
Jesus is Lord, He is your Proprietor.
You have been purchased through His shed
blood.
The uncalled cannot truly say that Jesus is
their Lord.
Oh, they can learn the words, and they can
verbally express Christian rhetoric, but they cannot internalize Christ Jesus.
It just does not work that way.
Intellect is not the way to understanding the
spiritual matters in Christ Jesus.
It may be difficult to understand, but we do
not "internalize" Christ. He internalizes us.
All things happen at the proper time.
If we "accept" Christ out of
season, we are just playing games.
Has Christ told of those trying to sneak into
the kingdom? Yes he has!
Matthew 22:10-14
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as
many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with
guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had
not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a
wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him
away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
What "wedding garment" was missing
or false?
Christ's righteousness!
We are clothed in His righteousness.
Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah
64:6).
We cannot appropriate His righteousness, it
must be given by Him.
Is Christ Jesus Lord of your life?
2 Timothy 1: 3-5
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that
without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be
filled with joy;
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded
that in thee also.
Paul continues with the subject of his
prayers. "I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my
forefathers did."
That may seem strange because we have been
told that Paul departed from his established religion, Judaism.
Let me be blunt.
Paul did not depart from the faith.
Judaism departed from the faith.
Today, as it was at the time of Christ,
Judaism, in far too may cases, is a dead ritualistic form of religion without
any connection to faith.
To far too many Jews, Judaism has ceased
being the Jewish faith and is now the Jewish religion.
If you suppose that what I say is too harsh,
let me go further.
Far too often the Christian faith has ceased
to be faith and is also just a religion to many Church attendees.
Just because a person attends Church he/she
may not be a Christian.
Paul goes on to remind timothy that he
constantly remembers him in prayer.
How often do you pray?
How sincerely do you pray?
The answers are vital to your well being.
Many are born into Judaism.
None is born into Christianity!
All that are in Christ are "born
again" into that relationship.
Some denominations teach that you may be
baptized without being called to a conscience decision to follow Christ Jesus.
Such is a lie---pure and simple.
Being a Christian is a response to a personal
call from Almighty God.
It cannot be attained through the good graces
of your mama or papa.
Paul said that he longed to see Timothy, and
recalled his tears (at their parting).
Paul's personal recollections are in keeping
with the human desire to be near our loved ones.
Paul was not immune from those desires.
Such personal communion would have indeed
brought him great joy.
Paul kept in mind the things that were dear
to him.
One of those things was the sincerity of
Timothy, his mother, and grandmother.
They were sincere in their faithful walk with
Christ.
Have you ever watched a football game on TV?
As the camera pans around the respective
benches, most of those big 200-300 pound players will wave at the camera and
say, "Hi, mom!"
Mothers and grandmothers have a great sway
over the hearts on the most macho men.
Hearts are not measured in the same way we
measure human strength and athletic ability.
2 Timothy 1: 6-7
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God,
which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.
It was because of Timothy's faithfulness to
Christ that Paul took what may have been his last time to try to "stir
up" the gift of God resident within Timothy.
Do you know that a gift from God is resident
within you?
The gift within Timothy may have been his
ordination to the ministry.
I say that because this particular gift was
imparted by the putting on of hands.
But, even without the human ceremony you have
a gift from God that is yours to exercise and use for the benefit of the body
of Christ.
Then, Paul quickly seems to switch subjects.
He, very quickly, goes from gifts to a spirit
of fear.
It is a spirit of fear, timidity, or whatever
word you happen to use that prevents us from using our God-given gifts to their
full extent.
If God has not given us a
spirit of fear, who did?
Satan did!
Many folks say the Satan is a bad devil.
Actually he is pretty good at his job.
He has "deviling" down pat.
With him it is an art form.
God did not give us or impart to us a spirit
of fear.
He has given us the Spirit of power (ability,
strength, and authority), (godly) love, and a sound mind.
The last of that three must be explained. It
is not like the first two.
God gives us power to overcome his adversary
and His infinite love as a matter of course.
However, the third in that list is a calling
and not a gift in the same manner as the others.
God calls us to live in soundness of mind, in
moderation, self-control, and teachableness.
That can only be realized by the immersion in
the faith of Christ.
Without that Spiritual immersion your gift
(whatever it might be) will wither from lack of use.
Your gift from God may not be in line with
your personal ability or training.
Peter was very good fisherman.
He had very little theological training, yet
he became the spokesman for the twelve.
2 Timothy 1: 8-12
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his
prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to
the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to
our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the
Gentiles.
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
This section begins in a strange way.
I do not believe that Paul himself knew why
he wrote this in the manner he did.
Paul begins by admonishing Timothy [and us]
not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ.
What is the testimony of Jesus?
We find the answer in Revelation 19:10 "for
the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The Greek word translated “ashamed” speaks of
disfigurement!
Those who are ashamed of Christ and His testimony
are spiritually disfigured!
Many in the Christian community are afraid,
ashamed of the prophetic and the interpretation of prophecy.
Frankly, I doubt their sincere faith in
Christ or the Bible.
Then, Paul says something that goes right
past most theologians.
He says, "nor of me his prisoner."
Why would anybody be ashamed of Paul?
If you are ashamed of Christ, you are ashamed
of His message.
If you are ashamed of Paul, you are ashamed
of his message.
What was Paul's message?
Paul was entrusted with the gospel of grace.
His message was simple. Our salvation is by
grace alone!
No personal works of any kind can accomplish
or maintain salvation!
That message is an embarrassment to many
denominations and Church attendees.
Absolution is a gift of God through His
grace.
It is independent of any
earthly representative's intervention or any human endeavors to achieve freedom
from the spiritual effects of sin.
The gospel of grace is the least taught and
the most needed message in the Church today.
Salvation is by grace through faith
plus nothing!
At that point, Paul asks Timothy (and us) to
join with him in the afflictions of the gospel.
Many want salvation without afflictions.
In the year 2000, a presidential candidate
was asked about his most admired philosopher.
He answered that to him it was Jesus Christ.
Agnostic and atheistic News reporters had a
great time deriding his choice.
Some false Christians also joined in the
ridicule.
The lost shall not judge the saved!
The ignorant cannot judge, or understand the
enlightened.
The vast majority of network TV and major
newspaper reporters are admittedly agnostic (meaning ignorant), or atheistic.
They have no business speaking in judgment
concerning things of the Spirit because whatever they say is born of hatred for
God and for His Christ.
If you are called to salvation, you are also
called to suffer, to one degree or another, the negative deriding of those that
have no knowledge of salvation or Christ.
2 Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution."
Suffering comes with the territory.
Our suffering is not suffering for
suffering's sake.
It is according to the power of God.
The same God that saves us has called us with
a holy calling.
His salvation is not according to our works.
But, it is in agreement with His purpose and
grace that was granted us in Christ Jesus from the beginning.
I will take time to tell you something that I
hope you grasp.
In September of 2000 a Baptist Sunday School
lesson came out that said, "eternity begins."
The writer and editors apparently did not
understand the English word "eternity."
The word "eternity" is the
theological equivalent of infinity.
Eternity has no beginning or ending.
Apparently the writer and editors failed to
consult a dictionary.
As a child of God you have been chosen form
the very beginning of creation.
You were not chosen from the beginning of
eternity.
As a matter of fact, eternity has been going
on for an eternity!
It has been during the Church age that the
truth of God's grace was revealed through the appearing and revelation of our
Savior Christ Jesus.
It is Christ Jesus who, in His resurrection,
abolished our second death.
In His life, death, and resurrection Christ
also brought life and immortality to light through His gospel.
It was for the purposes of spreading the
gospel of Christ that Paul was appointed a preacher and an Apostle and a
Teacher.
To that end Paul suffered many things.
To that end we shall suffer many things.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The Greek text indicates that we must deny
our selfishness, take up our cross daily, and walk the same path Christ Jesus
walked.
We should not feel any shame as we walk along
the path Christ took.
Indeed. it is an honor to be chosen to follow
Him.
In telling us that he is not ashamed, Paul
makes one of the greater statements in the history of written language.
Paul wrote, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him against that day."
Do you know The Master that well?
Verse 10 perhaps the most controversial in
this section.
That verse tells us, without apology, Christ
Jesus, our Savior---has abolished (Gr. katargeesantos-katarghsantoV) death!
The Greek text tells is that Christ rendered
death completely and utterly useless!
Do you actually believe that?
We must ask, “What death has been abolished?”
Could it be that we have misnamed physical
death?
Is what we call physical death simple the
wearing out of the human body?
Verse ten states that “the death” (Gr. ) has
been abolished.
“The death” is not physical death, because it
goes on.
1 Corinthians 15:26, Paul tells us that the
last enemy that will be destroyed is death (NKJ).
And, here is 2 Timothy 1:10 Paul tells us
that death has been destroyed.
The same Greek root word (Gr. kataregoo-katargew) is used in both 1
Cor 15:26 and 2 Tim 1:10.
That Greek word means rendered completely
idle or useless.
Again, I ask---Do you actually believe that?
Verse 12 is extremely powerful.
That verse tells us that Paul had complete
confidence that Christ is able to keep that which we have committed to
him.
Have you committed your very being to
Him?
Do you completely and fully believe that
Christ Jesus is able to raise you up on that day?
John
6:44 No man can come to me, except the
Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
(KJV)
2 Timothy 1: 13-14
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost
which dwelleth in us.
Although human vulgarities will not prevent
us from receiving salvation we should make every effort to use "sound
words."
Many folks use us as the standard. Christ is
the only standard.
We receive salvation only through Jesus.
The faith and love we exhibit are only found
in Christ Jesus.
Through the Holy Spirit who dwells in you,
guard the treasure, which has been entrusted to you.
The KJV speaks of "that good thing which
was committed unto thee." What is that?
Some believe that the good thing refers to
sound words.
I am not one that does.
To me, "the good thing" is a direct reference to the gospel of grace.
All the days of his Christian life, Paul told
of God's grace.
Aside from Christ Himself nothing was more
precious to Paul.
The gospel of grace is kept within us by the
power of the Holy Spirit. He abides in us!
2 Timothy 1: 15-18
15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in
16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed
me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day:
and in how many things he ministered unto me at
Has a friend ever been betrayed you?
What did it feel like?
Paul was not betrayed by a few.
He was betrayed by all of those
"in" the area of modern
They had deserted Paul and the gospel of
grace to return to what they supposed to be the safety of
Paul only mentions two that betrayed him,
Phygellus and Hermogenes.
"
Some of them had left their "first
love" (Revelation 2:4).
They had turned away from Paul, and perhaps
perverted the message of grace.
If that is accurate, they could have lived in
The deserting of Paul happened immediately
prior to his first trial.
2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men
forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
As with Christ Jesus when the majority
forsook Him, Paul also asked god's mercy on those that deserted him.
That is the manner of Christians
In his darkest hour, Paul remembered those
that stood fast with him in other times of trial.
He asked God to grant mercy to the household
of a man named Onesiphorus.
While the others deserted him in Rome
Onesiphorus stood by Paul.
The text says that Onesiphorus because he
"oft refreshed"
Paul.
The Greek text may indicate that during times
of spiritual depression Onesiphorus was used by God to encourage Paul.
Men and women of God need others of like mind
around them to give positive interaction during tough times.
Then, Paul says something that is difficult
for us to fathom.
He says that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of
his chains.
We sometimes forget that Paul was taken to
As such, he was treated with the respect due
a Roman citizen.
Paul's second trial was completely different.
He was tried as a "no-account
Christian" during times of persecution.
That will separate the boys from the men in
short order.
When Onesiphorus was in
Instead, he diligently searched for Paul and
ministered to Paul's needs.
The name "Onesiphorus" means
bringing profit.
Both Onesiphorus and Onesimus were named for
their profitability, and both were profitable to Paul.
Onesiphorus was from
That balance is shown in Revelation.
Chapter two (v. 2) of Revelation begins with
Christ saying, "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and
how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say
they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars."
In Chapter four, He says, "Nevertheless
I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."
Onesiphorus represents the good that men do
in times of trial.
Phygellus and Hermogenes represent the bad.
Both came from the same local body of Christ.
It is that way today good and evil mixed
together within each local Church.
Wheat and tares, pretenders and the real
thing are growing together.
Paul offers a personal prayer for
Onesiphorus.
He asks that the Lord grant him mercy on the
day of the Lord. Would that Paul could do the same for us, and for the same
reasons.