Tag Archives: 2 Timothy 4

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2024 Bible Study — Do Not Be Quarrelsome, Instead Gently Instruct Those Who Disagree

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Timothy 1-4.

Paul begins this letter to Timothy by encouraging him(and us) to not be ashamed of the gospel nor of his fellow believers who were imprisoned and/or otherwise suffering for the gospel, because Christ has saved us and called us to a holy life.  Christ did this for His own purposes, not because of anything we have done (Paul includes himself along with us among those who did nothing to obtain salvation).  Paul goes on to warn us against quarrelling and godless chatter.  He tells us that we should not be quarrelsome, instead we must be kind to everyone and not resentful.  We must gently instruct those who disagree with us, hoping that God will grant them repentance and lead them to understanding the truth.  Otherwise, they will remain captive to the devil to do his will (instead of God’s).

I was not originally going to go here, but in the middle of that Paul mentioned that a large house has articles made of gold and silver, and other articles made of wood and clay.  The former being made used for special purposes and the latter being used for common purposes.  This resembles what he wrote in  1 Corinthians 3, where he wrote that if we built on the foundation of Jesus using good materials what we built would last, but if we used poor materials what we built would be burned up.  In either case, we would be saved.  Here he seems to suggest that those who fully follow his instructions abut living a holy life will be given glory in God’s kingdom, while those who do not will serve in more menial roles, but both will still spend eternity in God’s House (as long as they built on the foundation of Jesus, to mix his metaphors).

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2023 Bible Study — Do Not Argue for the Sake of Argument

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Timothy 1-4.

Paul warns Timothy, and us, against quarreling and being argumentative, especially over foolish and stupid things.  Instead, gently instruct those whose opinions you oppose.  We should pursue righteousness, faith, peace, and love, being kind to everyone.  Paul is not telling us not to disagree with each other, but to remain loving towards those with whom we disagree so that the Holy Spirit can move in them.  It is true that when we disagree we cannot both be right.  However, it is possible that we are both wrong.  In addition, sometimes the reason we think we disagree with someone is because we misunderstand them, or they misunderstand us.  Of course Paul also warns us about another reason we sometimes have hostile disagreements in the Church.  People become boastful, proud, and without love as a result of loving only themselves and/or money.  They may display an appearance of godliness without showing its power.  The power of godliness comes from the love with which the Spirit will fill us.

I am not happy with that last sentence, but could not find a better way to conclude what I was writing.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2021 Bible Study — God Gives Us Spirit of Power, Love, And Self-Discipline

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Timothy 1-4.

There is a lot in today’s passage which I want to write about.  I am not sure I will be able to fit it all together.  Paul writes that God has given us a Spirit which does not make us timid.  Rather, it gives us power, love, and self-discipline.  Paul then says something which expands on that.  Because of the Spirit which God has given us we know the God whom we have believed and can be confident that He will guard that which we have entrusted to Him.  And because we know those things we should embrace the self-discipline to which His Spirit leads us.  The self-discipline, power, and love God’s Spirit gives us are intertwined. The love compels us to have self-discipline and the power both allows us to have that self-discipline and is only fully expressed when we exercise that self-discipline.  Paul goes on to write that love and self-discipline should keep us from godless chatter and stupid, foolish arguments.  So, while God’s Spirit does not make us timid, it also does not make us quarrelsome.  Let us be kind to everyone and neither resentful of others, nor stirring up resentment within them.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2020 Bible Study Living In The Last Days, But Knowing That The One Whom We Trust Is Able To Keep Us Safe

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Timothy 1-4

Paul writes two closely related thoughts early in this letter.  If we, like Paul, know the One in whom we have put our faith, and are sure that He is able to guard that which we have committed to Him, we will be prepared to suffer for the Gospel. There is a hymn based on that idea (chapter 1 verse 12).  That hymn echoes a theme which I see throughout the New Testament.  We may not, and often will not, know why things work out the way they do, but we can be confident that they are happening according to God’s plan.  And we know that God will take care of us and bring us home to Him.

Paul goes on to tell Timothy, and us, the importance of working hard to do God’s will, correctly explaining the word of truth.  We need to pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace, while avoiding that which stimulates youthful lust.  Especially now in the last days.  How do we know it is the last days?  Paul tells us what things will look like in those days,  Look around and tell me his description does not fit.  “For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.“

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2019 Bible Study — I Know That the One in Whom I Trust Is Able

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Timothy 1-4

There is a hymn based on what Paul says in verse 12 of the first chapter: “I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” The song, “I Know Whom I Have Believed”, is one of my favorite hymns.  There are five verse, each of which begins, “I know not…” with the verse then saying, “But I know whom I have believed…”  The point being, and Paul’s point here, that we don’t have to have all of the answers, or understand how God’s grace works to trust that doing as God directs will work out for the best.  To those who know me, it may seem strange that this statement of faith is so important to me, because I try very hard to know the answer to any question which comes up and to understand why things happen.  Yes, I try to have all of the answers, but I don’t (and I know I never will. At least, not in this life.) And I try to understand why things happen, but I often don’t.  God has gifted me with great knowledge, and I believe with above average understanding (although, others will have to say whether that last is true), but I still often find myself saying, “I don’t know, but I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able…”

Later in the letter Paul writes about the troubles of the last days.  He warns that in those days people will love only themselves and their money.  Paul commands Timothy, and us, to preach the word of God, whether the time is favorable or not, because there will be times when people refuse to listen to sound and wholesome teachings.  Instead they will seek those who will tell them what they want to hear.  Reading what Paul tells about people in the last days sounds a lot like many people today.  Of course, that makes sense since Paul considered himself to be in the last days.  I am convinced that part of the reason that Paul tells us to preach God’s word even when the time seems to be unfavorable is that we cannot know when a person will be open to the Holy Spirit changing their lives.  There will be times when we are convinced that now is not the time to speak to someone about the Gospel that will be the exact moment when God can reach through and transform them.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2018 Bible Study — Do not seek persecution, but rejoice when you receive it

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Timothy 1-4.

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that the norm for faithful followers of Christ is to experience persecution. We should not be ashamed when people make fun of us or persecute us for our beliefs. Rather we should be proud. Further, when we are made fun of or persecuted we do not need to ask what we are doing wrong. Instead, we need to ask that when we are not being persecuted or made fun of. That does not mean that we will always be persecuted or made fun of. Just that we should expect to be. It also does not mean that not being persecuted or made fun of indicates that we are doing something wrong. Just that we might be.
When Paul tells us that we should be happy to experience persecution he is not telling us to seek persecution, or to act in ways designed to elicit persecution. Rather, he is telling us that persecution is a sign that we are faithfully following Christ’s example. Let us not choose our actions so as to provoke persecution, but let us choose to follow Christ in such a way that those who persecuted Him will persecute us.

Daily Bible Study

December 14, 2017 Bible Study — I Know Whom I Have Believed

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Timothy 1-4.

    Paul encourages us to embrace suffering for the sake of the Gospel. We should seek out suffering which results from faithfully obeying God. When we have questions about whether an action is God’s will, the fact that taking that action might lead others to persecute us should be counted as one piece of evidence that said action is indeed God’s will for us. In the process of speaking of his suffering, Paul writes that he is not embarrassed by because he knows that God is able to keep what he, Paul, has entrusted to Him. Paul is referring to the fact that he has entrusted his soul, his very being and sense of self, to God’s care in the face of persecution for obeying God. This passage is the basis for a song which I love. I love that song because I am a person who is knowledgeable on many subjects. Yet, when it comes down to it, there is only one thing I really need to know: I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able.

    Paul tells Timothy that the last days will be terrible because people will love only themselves and money. The result will be that they will be boastful, proud, and abusive. Paul throws some more negative adjectives in to describe such people…descriptions which describe many in our society today. Paul writes that many such people will have what passes for godliness, but will deny that godliness has any power. They will claim that it is possible to be moral without believing in God (which is nominally true, although Paul tells us that it is not really possible for us to be moral even if we believe in God), while failing to recognize that there is meaning to the word “moral” if there is no God. Francis Schaeffer refers to such people borrowing words and terms from belief in God, but stripping those words and terms of all meaning. They appear to be discussing spiritual concepts because they are using words with spiritual connotations, but the spirituality of those words relies upon their references to God, whom these people say does not exist. As a result, they say things which people think have meaning, but do not.

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October 25, 2015 Bible Study — If Only You Would Listen To His Voice Today!

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:9-12

    The writer tells us that hiring a fool is like shooting into a crowd at random and that fools will eagerly repeat their foolish actions. Yet, he tells us that there is more hope for a fool than for someone who thinks they are wise.

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Psalm 95-96

    This psalm contains a line which makes my heart cry out for my friends, and others, who do not know the Lord. I meet and know so many people who are dealing with problems and difficulties in this life that would be solved if only they would listen to God’s voice today. They insist that there is nothing there for them, yet I look at the problems they are experiencing and see that they are the result of not listening to God and trusting in His love.
    Let us sing to the Lord and praise His name. God made the heavens and the earth. All other gods are mere idols. Each day I will proclaim the news that God saves all who turn to Him. If only those I referred to in the previous paragraph would accept this truth.

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2 Timothy 4

    Paul instructs us to be prepared to preach the word of God, whether we think the time is right or not. The time is coming, I believe that it has come, when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead of listening to the truth, they seek out teachers who tell them what they want to hear. In this setting we should be willing to suffer, if need be, to remain faithful and carry out the ministry which God has given us. Let us continue to “fight the good fight”, to fight to serve God, until the last of our life has been poured out as an offering to God. I will work at acting and speaking so as to give others the opportunity to listen to God’s voice.

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Jeremiah 48:1-49:22

    Judgment had fallen on Israel and Judah for their idolatry and sins. Now Jeremiah prophesies against the nations which surrounded them. Nations which had made idolatry and sin their national religion. This is a reminder that when the God’s judgment comes against those nations which He had formerly favored, the entire world will be thrown into turmoil. I look at the world today and I see judgment coming against the U.S. (I think there is still time for people to turn to God, but it is running short). I, also, see the people of other nations rejoicing to see that judgment coming. Those people fail to see the turmoil that will engulf the earth when God finally brings judgment against the U.S. for the sins of its people.