2 Timothy 2:1-5
Here Paul exhorts Timothy to entrust these truths which he has taught to Timothy to other faithful men. Timothy knows these truths that Paul taught were not in some hidden room or corner somewhere in secret, where what Paul spoke could not be tested through the discernment and testimony of others. No, it was open and in public view. In verse 3 Paul explains to Timothy that he is a soldier, a soldier for Christ. But, he says something that would seem at total odds with today's evangelical landscape, he exhorts timothy to "suffer hardship". Paul knows the mark of a true soldier. A good soldier will experience hardship. Too many Christians today do not necessarily resemble this metaphor of a soldier that Paul uses here in 2 Timothy. There is an idea that we can just coast through this life as a christian and not even get as much as a blister. An effortless type of Christianity. A "glued to the pew" mentality. When one is in service, in the military sense he no longer is considered a civilian. He becomes the sole property of the enlist er. The enlistee looses his rights to the enlist er.
In verse 4 Paul equates the christian to being an "active soldier". How many of us are inactive for Christ, as if we are on the injured list and can't perform our prescribed duty by our commanding officer? You may be injured or persecuted and even unto death. That is what it means to be active. This is what a good soldier does. He suffers the hardship of verse 3. That is the genuine experience of the christian life. Not "your best life now". Paul goes on to say that no active soldier entangles himself or gets distracted by the daily grind of everyday life. No, that is sinful self centerdness. This world is not our home. We have been bought with a price. We have bought into this idea of the "American Dream". Christianity for the most part today has bought into the "American lie". We live in debt up to our necks. We have become in bondage to the lender. This need for more stuff and then equating it often times as a blessing from the Lord is sometimes, I believe a judgement from God instead of a blessing. More stuff has becomes the idol of our lives. The bigger house, the better job, the better car, better husband, the better wife, etc... Where has the striving to be Holy unto the Lord gone? Where has the loving, longing and wanting more of Christ gone? Where is the trusting in God gone? Where has the running from sin gone? Instead we sprint headlong toward poor teaching and poor doctrine. Oh, and what a distaste for theology most have today! The U.S. is the main exporter of this garbage on the mission field. No doctrine, no theology," let's just go and get some converts boys!" The people are left there untrained and often times incapable of fighting off the next heresey coming down the pike. And so it goes....
We are to please the one who has enlisted us for service. We are to live lives of holiness and abstain from the things of the flesh that keep us from being on the front lines of battle. Not many battles are ever won when your back is turned and you are running from your enemies as he constantly pelts you with relentless and on going attacks. In verse 5 Paul again gives a metaphor, that of an athlete competing for a prize. But, unless the christian obeys the rules he does not win the prize. This is a call for the christian to obey the word of God. How flippant we are with god's word. As we come to certain text , we may think, "that doesn't apply to me, must be talking about someone else". Most of the time when we come to a particular verse we don't care for, because it gnaws at our conscience till we can't stand it so, we find some other teaching, commentary or someone else who will agree with our evil unbiblical desire. So, we accumulate for ourselves teachers in accordance with their own desires (2 Timothy 4:3). Is that playing by the rules?
This article by J.r. Miller below shows these verses in 2 Timothy 2:1-5 in action in the life of Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego.
"As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music--you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up! Whoever does not fall down and worship--will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace!" Daniel 3:5-6Every child knows this story. It is one of the classics of Christian households. We will never have to meet precisely the same trial of faith, that these three Hebrew children had to meet; but we need just as heroic a spirit--in order to be faithful. Imposing images are set up even now in many a place--and all are expected to bow down to them--and woe to him who does not kneel! We all have opportunity enough to be heroic. The popular religion of today, is inclined to limpness of the knees. We have grown wonderfully tolerant in these modern days! We bow to almost anything--if it happens to be fashionable."Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music--all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up!"But there were some whose knees did not bend!"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king: O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king--that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up!" Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all young men who were in peculiar circumstances. They were away from home, out from under parental influence and restraints, and exposed to very strong temptation. They had now their choice between duty--and the fiery furnace! We should study this lesson for its example of heroic devotion to duty, regardless of consequences. Even yet, the world's promotion is obtainable ofttimes--only at the price of a trampled conscience!There are several things to note in these young men. Note their calmness; they displayed no excitement, no heat of passion. The peace of God ruled in their hearts. Note also, their sublime courage. They had a contempt of death. They feared only one thing--sin! Note also, their trust in God. They committed the matter utterly into His hands. They did not know what He would do--but they were sure it would be the right thing. The king wanted to give them another chance, as he preferred not to burn such useful servants; but they told him there was no need for a second opportunity. They would have no other answer to give. They could make no possible change in their decision. The thing that was demanded of them was contrary to the plain law of their God--and that settled it forever. There was no room for discussion or for deliberation or for persuasion--when it was the law of God that was concerned. They could burn--but they could not turn!
It would save many people a great deal of weighing, balancing, and discussing of fine points--if they would act always on this principle--that the Word of God is final in all matters of duty. When a thing is forbidden in the Word--that should be the end of it.
But too many people parley with such matters--and usually end in yielding to sin. It is never safe to parley with temptation!
It would be well if all our modern Christians had the sublime moral courage of these three Hebrew children.
J.R. Miller
Nolan
Here Paul exhorts Timothy to entrust these truths which he has taught to Timothy to other faithful men. Timothy knows these truths that Paul taught were not in some hidden room or corner somewhere in secret, where what Paul spoke could not be tested through the discernment and testimony of others. No, it was open and in public view. In verse 3 Paul explains to Timothy that he is a soldier, a soldier for Christ. But, he says something that would seem at total odds with today's evangelical landscape, he exhorts timothy to "suffer hardship". Paul knows the mark of a true soldier. A good soldier will experience hardship. Too many Christians today do not necessarily resemble this metaphor of a soldier that Paul uses here in 2 Timothy. There is an idea that we can just coast through this life as a christian and not even get as much as a blister. An effortless type of Christianity. A "glued to the pew" mentality. When one is in service, in the military sense he no longer is considered a civilian. He becomes the sole property of the enlist er. The enlistee looses his rights to the enlist er.
In verse 4 Paul equates the christian to being an "active soldier". How many of us are inactive for Christ, as if we are on the injured list and can't perform our prescribed duty by our commanding officer? You may be injured or persecuted and even unto death. That is what it means to be active. This is what a good soldier does. He suffers the hardship of verse 3. That is the genuine experience of the christian life. Not "your best life now". Paul goes on to say that no active soldier entangles himself or gets distracted by the daily grind of everyday life. No, that is sinful self centerdness. This world is not our home. We have been bought with a price. We have bought into this idea of the "American Dream". Christianity for the most part today has bought into the "American lie". We live in debt up to our necks. We have become in bondage to the lender. This need for more stuff and then equating it often times as a blessing from the Lord is sometimes, I believe a judgement from God instead of a blessing. More stuff has becomes the idol of our lives. The bigger house, the better job, the better car, better husband, the better wife, etc... Where has the striving to be Holy unto the Lord gone? Where has the loving, longing and wanting more of Christ gone? Where is the trusting in God gone? Where has the running from sin gone? Instead we sprint headlong toward poor teaching and poor doctrine. Oh, and what a distaste for theology most have today! The U.S. is the main exporter of this garbage on the mission field. No doctrine, no theology," let's just go and get some converts boys!" The people are left there untrained and often times incapable of fighting off the next heresey coming down the pike. And so it goes....
We are to please the one who has enlisted us for service. We are to live lives of holiness and abstain from the things of the flesh that keep us from being on the front lines of battle. Not many battles are ever won when your back is turned and you are running from your enemies as he constantly pelts you with relentless and on going attacks. In verse 5 Paul again gives a metaphor, that of an athlete competing for a prize. But, unless the christian obeys the rules he does not win the prize. This is a call for the christian to obey the word of God. How flippant we are with god's word. As we come to certain text , we may think, "that doesn't apply to me, must be talking about someone else". Most of the time when we come to a particular verse we don't care for, because it gnaws at our conscience till we can't stand it so, we find some other teaching, commentary or someone else who will agree with our evil unbiblical desire. So, we accumulate for ourselves teachers in accordance with their own desires (2 Timothy 4:3). Is that playing by the rules?
This article by J.r. Miller below shows these verses in 2 Timothy 2:1-5 in action in the life of Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego.
"As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music--you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up! Whoever does not fall down and worship--will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace!" Daniel 3:5-6Every child knows this story. It is one of the classics of Christian households. We will never have to meet precisely the same trial of faith, that these three Hebrew children had to meet; but we need just as heroic a spirit--in order to be faithful. Imposing images are set up even now in many a place--and all are expected to bow down to them--and woe to him who does not kneel! We all have opportunity enough to be heroic. The popular religion of today, is inclined to limpness of the knees. We have grown wonderfully tolerant in these modern days! We bow to almost anything--if it happens to be fashionable."Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music--all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up!"But there were some whose knees did not bend!"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king: O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king--that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up!" Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all young men who were in peculiar circumstances. They were away from home, out from under parental influence and restraints, and exposed to very strong temptation. They had now their choice between duty--and the fiery furnace! We should study this lesson for its example of heroic devotion to duty, regardless of consequences. Even yet, the world's promotion is obtainable ofttimes--only at the price of a trampled conscience!There are several things to note in these young men. Note their calmness; they displayed no excitement, no heat of passion. The peace of God ruled in their hearts. Note also, their sublime courage. They had a contempt of death. They feared only one thing--sin! Note also, their trust in God. They committed the matter utterly into His hands. They did not know what He would do--but they were sure it would be the right thing. The king wanted to give them another chance, as he preferred not to burn such useful servants; but they told him there was no need for a second opportunity. They would have no other answer to give. They could make no possible change in their decision. The thing that was demanded of them was contrary to the plain law of their God--and that settled it forever. There was no room for discussion or for deliberation or for persuasion--when it was the law of God that was concerned. They could burn--but they could not turn!
It would save many people a great deal of weighing, balancing, and discussing of fine points--if they would act always on this principle--that the Word of God is final in all matters of duty. When a thing is forbidden in the Word--that should be the end of it.
But too many people parley with such matters--and usually end in yielding to sin. It is never safe to parley with temptation!
It would be well if all our modern Christians had the sublime moral courage of these three Hebrew children.
J.R. Miller
Nolan
Very good commentary....we need so many more men that are willing to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ...not the idolatry of add to Jesus to your life because He will _____________. To offer the gospel as come to Christ for anything other than for Christ Himself, is to offer an idolatrous message.
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