The Book Of Second Timothy

Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
5/4/97 pm

The Book Of Second Timothy

Reading — 2 Timothy 2.3-6, 11-13, 3.14-17 & 4.7-8

Go with me now to a dark, damp, cold, prison cell. In the dim light, we can see an older man bent over a scroll writing in large strokes. It is the beloved Apostle Paul. He struggles to write one last letter to his favorite convert, his son Timothy. As we read this letter, we can almost sense Paul struggling between writing that which is prompted by the Holy Spirit and his own memories. There is so much evidence of this, phrases like
- My dear son.
- I thank God for you.
- I remember you in my prayers.
- I recall your tears.
- I long to see you.
- Do your best to come quickly.
- Come before winter.
- May God’s spirit be with you.
Tender touching last words from the heart of father to his son in the gospel.

ANOTHER LOOK AT PAUL.
The book of Acts ends with Paul, in what is known as house arrest. He is chained to a Roman guard, but he is free to entertain visitors and communicate freely with the outside world. After all that imprisonment was brought about by a Jewish charge that didn’t amount to much, a dispute over the Law of Moses, a law that the Romans were not really interested in anyway. Paul was in Rome because he, as a Roman citizen, had asked to make his appeal to Caesar.

As far as we can determine, Paul was released and was able to resume his missionary activities. When we consult Scripture closely, we might very well conclude that he made that missionary journey to Spain that he had mentioned in his writings to the Roman church in Romans chapter 15. However, within three years after his release from his former imprisonment, Paul is again arrested and returned to Rome. We do not know for sure the exact cause of this second imprisonment. But we can make a good guess. In July of A. D. 64 almost half the city of Rome was burn. The city fathers blamed Nero. Caesar Nero needed a scapegoat. So, he chose the Christians. After all, they were just a sect of the Jews. And besides, Claudius had already expelled the Jews from the city of Rome once. So, it seemed reasonable to use the already unpopular Christians as his scapegoat. Christianity thus became a REILGIO ILLICTO... An illegal religion in the Empire. Persecution of all who claimed to be Christian was sever. Christians were hunted down and made to confess Caesar or Jesus as Lord.

When Paul returned from Spain in A.D. 66, he was quickly arrest as a leader in this community of believers called Christians. Fearing for their lives many Asian believers went underground, fearing for their lives, and did not support Paul after his arrest. We don’t know where the arrest occurs, but I believe, we can surmise that it was at Troas. Probably, due to the suddenness of the arrest, Paul left his coat, his books and parchments behind and, in this letter, asked Timothy to bring them when he comes.

Paul finds himself in circumstances very different from those of his first imprisonment. Instead of being under house arrest and able to have visitors and carry on his work in relative comfort and freedom... He find himself in a small, cold, dark, damp cell. Now he is alone, regarded as an evildoer, and his hope of acquittal is nil.

It’s hard to believe that from such a prison environment would comes a letter of encouragement, but this is what 2 Timothy is.... Encouragement for Paul’s favorite son dear friend and companion.

ANOTHER LOOK AT TIMOTHY.
Timothy, you remember, was probably converted by Paul on his first missionary effort in the towns of Lystra and Derby. In Lystra was a family of mixed marriage. The father was Greek, the mother, Eunice and grandmother, Lois were Jewish. Their son and grandson was named Timothy. He had been raised in the knowledge of Hebrew Scripture. On the second journey, Paul asked Timothy to accompany the mission team. The name Timothy is found more in the writings of Paul than any other. He and Paul were close. Timothy has been left in Ephesus to help the church there. We don’t know a lot more about Timothy, other than in Hebrews 13.23, we find that he was arrested in the persecution and released. We do know that:
- He was young, probably no more than a teenager, when he joined the journeys of Paul.
- He was sickly, a stomach problem, which Paul address in his first letter when he told Timothy to take a little wine for this stomach’s sake.
- He is timid, backward. He does not normally have an extraverted personality.
- However, he is a gifted teacher... Trustworthy and diligent.
- He has been ordained as an evangelist. Ordained in two ways: One, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.... The Elders at Lystra. Two, by the laying on of the Apostle Paul’s hands. This probably should be understood in the context of a miraculous gift.

This letter was probably written in the fall of 67 A.D. Paul’s hope was, that perhaps, Timothy could visit him before winter. His instructions were to bring his coat, books and parchments. We don’t know if Timothy made it to Rome before Paul’s death or not. We don’t have the coat, we don’t have the books. We may have some of parchment scrolls, they may be some other of Paul’s writings that are in our Bibles. However, for sure, we do have the letter by God’s divine providence.

Second Timothy is, in effect Paul’s last will and testament, and in it Paul reviews the past, analyzes the present and anticipates his future deliverance into God’s heavenly kingdom. Paul seemed to know that this was it, his last letter, because he mentions over 20 other people, a number of whom are mentioned nowhere else in Scripture.

THE THEME AND PURPOSE OF SECOND TIMOTHY IS SIMPLE.
Paul commissions Timothy to faithfully carry on the work that the condemned apostle must now relinquish. So, Paul:
- Encourages Timothy.
- He exhorts him to discharge his ministry unashamedly.
- He admonishes Timothy to stand up under the coming suffering and persecution.
- He requested that Timothy charge the Ephesian congregation not to be divisive.
- He warned of the coming apostasy.
- He challenges Timothy to be a steadfast example.
- He charges him to preach the word.
--He urged him to complete his ministry.
- He warned Timothy about Alexander the coppersmith.
- He requested that he come before winter with his books, parchment and coat.
- And he sent greeting to some of his friends at Ephesus.

In this letter, we see Paul’s plea for Timothy and us to be true to sound doctrine. With that phrase, SOUND DOCTRINE, in mind, let’s survey the material in Second Timothy .

FIRST PAUL SAYS, HOLD TO SOUND DOCTRINE.
Do you think Paul had any trouble holding to sound doctrine? Of course not... Why? Because of what happened on the Damascus road. Church, when we see Jesus for who he really is, we won’t have any problem holding to sound doctrine either. Paul says, I am an Apostle by the will of God. Do we see ourselves Christians by the will of God? Folk, we can’t be Christians by any other will. That’s what sound doctrine is, the will of God. The will of man is not sound doctrine.

Paul says, Timothy I wish I could see you, but I do see you in my mind. I see the faith that was in your grand mother... And in your mother. And I am persuaded that it now lives in your. Fan the flame, fan your faith, fan the gift that God has given your. Do not let your timidity overcome you. Timothy your nature is toward timidity, but God has given you the ability to overcome this through self-discipline.

Church, holding on to sound doctrine is more than just standing in the truth... Having our membership in a church that holds to truth... Teaches truth.

It means applying that truth to our own life in self-discipline. In verses 8-14, Paul says, cleaving to sound doctrine means not being ashamed of it and preaching, teaching, exemplifying it to and before others. Look at verse 13 and we find a definition of SOUND DOCTRINE. Do you see it? In the King James, Hold fast to the form of sound words. In the NIV Keep the pattern of sound teaching. One translation says, hold to the standard of sound words. These phrases indicates to us that, an inspired body of teaching, had already begin to be accepted, proclaimed and defended as SOUND DOCTRINE. Paul says this includes the truth about Jesus being the Christ, who has destroyed death and brought immortality to light through the Gospel.

Then in verses 15-18 Paul says holding to sound doctrine means sometime you have to be faithful to, even when you are forsaken by others. There were a lot of fair weather Christians in Asia Minor. They stood by Paul as he preached his great sermons, as he travelled about the Empire known to all as the Apostle to the Gentiles. But, when he is arrested and is about to be put to death, because he is practicing an illegal religion, they all disappear.

Holding to sound doctrine means doing so even in persecution. John tells us in Revelation 2.10, it means being faithful unto and until death. Then he mentions ONESIPHORUS. He says he was not afraid, where everybody else ran for cover, but he was not ashamed of my chains.

This leads us directly into chapter two where Paul says, hold to sound doctrine ever if you are called to suffer for it.

Listen as I read from chapter 2, You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No-one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hard working farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. What are you saying Paul?

- One, Faithfulness to sound doctrine means being like a soldier. No one serving as a soldier dabbles in civilian affairs. He is interested in only one thing, pleasing his commander-and-chief. Being faithful to sound doctrine for us tonight, is not dabbling in the things of this world, but being faithful to our commander-and-chief. John put it in these words, He that loves the world can’t love God, because love of the world is enmity with God. Some of us need to make up our mind, are we gong to fallow Jesus or the world. Scripture tells us, we can’t have it both ways.

- Two faithfulness is like an athlete. If he wants to win the victors crown, he must compete according to the rules. Jesus put it this way, If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

- Number 3, faithfulness is like the farmer. Those who are faithful will share in the rewards, in the crops produced.

In verses 8-13 of chapter 2, Paul tells us how to endure suffering in sound doctrine. REMEMBER JESUS. REMEMBER JESUS. Here is a faithful saying, If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. In 1 Corinthians 2.9 Paul says, Eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. Regardless of what we are called to suffer because of our faithfulness here, heaven will be worth it all.

Then in verses 14-19 Paul says suffering for truth means being good students of the word, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Then he says, Avoid godless, endless, vain, worldly chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. I fear too many of us spend too much time arguing over things that have no answer:
- Vain chatter,
- Endless questions,
- Worldly arguing.

Folk, churches are not divided over what the Bible says, we divide over what the Bible doesn’t say. Being faithful to sound doctrine is to give a thus saith the Lord. And if we can’t find a plain thus saith the Lord, then let the question alone and leave it to each man’s understanding. Stop arguing over empty words. Church, look at verse 23. Verse 23 tells us what foolish and stupid arguments do.... What does Paul say? They produce quarrels, so don’t have anything to do with them. Elders, Bible teachers, Preachers, this is Godly advice. Being faithful to sound doctrine is shunning foolish and empty, non-answerable questions.

In verses 19 through 21 Paul make a plea for Timothy and us to be faith to doctrine by maintaining our moral purity. Listen as I read beginning with the middle of verse 19. Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth.

In verses 24 and the end of verse 22 Paul give us the positive side of what it means to be a servant of the Lord. Lets me read verse 24 first, then the end of verse 22, The Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

NOW INTO CHAPTER 3, ABIDING IN SOUND DOCTRINE.
First Paul said, Timothy perilous times, difficult times will come, you can count on it, but you be faithful. Listen to Paul’s list of attitudes that will exist in these difficult times of the last days. As I read, see if you can detect attitudes that may be prevalent today. Ready? People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Then Paul gives Timothy and us the proper Christian response when these times come. Note verse 12 beginning. Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. WHY? Because, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All scripture is inspired of God is the English translation of only three words in the Greek, pasa graphe theopneustos. (THEO NEW-STOS) Literally, all scripture is thos winded, God breathed. This does not mean that God breathed into the writing of men and they became Scripture. It does mean at the moment of writing, the words composed by men were the actual words of God. This makes them, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. No wonder we are to be faithful to sound doctrine, sound words, and are to let go of foolish questions and empty arguments.

CHAPTER 4, PAUL MAKES HIS FINAL APPEAL TO TIMOTHY AND US... PREACH SOUND DOCTRINE.
I read, beginning with the verse numbered one, In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you Timothy don’t tickle their ears, but rather, do the work of an evangelist. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Then, Paul give us his departing statement, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The rest of the chapter contains Paul’s personal greeting and his final wish that Timothy come before winter. And his benediction that the LORD, and God’s grace be with him.

As we close, I want to focus on the phrase, come before winter. I want to spiritualize these three words. Most of us in this audience are in or approaching the winter of our life. We, like Paul we’ve come to the point where we find easy and enjoyable to look back to the past and recall memories. Truth is, we just don’t have a lot more time on this earth. RIGHT? So, the question tonight is this... Are we living within sound doctrine? Are we right with God? The end is near. Perhaps you find yourself saying, well I’m young yet. Truth is, sometimes while we wait for the old and ill to die, the young continue to die. Not one of us have any guarantee of tomorrow. So, the question is still, are we living in SOUND DOCTRINE?

You are not, if you’re not a child of God by Faith, Repentance, and New Testament baptism, immersion in water for the forgiveness of your sins.

We, as baptized believers, are not faithful in sound doctrine if we are not:
- Holding to it,
- Willing to suffer for it,
- Abiding in it, living daily by it,
- And sharing it with others.

Let’s take this opportunity to get within the boundaries of sound doctrine.