2 Timothy 2:1-7
Ps Paul Cheng
“…but rather he should be strong…”
~6 min read
Dear Bethelites,
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1). Do you desire to be a strong believer? Do you desire your children to be strong in the faith? This second epistle of Timothy was written by Paul to his spiritual son in the faith who was at that time leading the church at Ephesus. The church at Ephesus was founded by the Apostle Paul but it had fallen into doctrinal error and sin. There were leaders in the church who were teaching errors and they were living ungodly lives.
After being released from his first imprisonment, Paul wanted to pass the baton to Timothy whom he had placed in Ephesus to set things in order in the church. But it was not easy for young Timothy because there were tremendous oppositions, not to mention the persecution from the Roman government. Thus, Paul wanted to encourage the young Timothy that he should not be weakened by the adversities but rather he should be strong. He must be faithful to the Word of God and be an effective leader in the church.
Though these words were intended to strengthen Christian leaders, nonetheless it is also applicable to all who are serving God in the different areas of ministry, including parents who are ministering to their children. Paul was a systematic writer; firstly he issued the command to be strong and then he gave the illustrations of how and what it means to be strong.
I. The Command
Be strong is a command, it is an order that must be obeyed. When God gives a command, He will also provide the means and help to keep the command. It is not being strong in one’s own strength but to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The term be strong is a present passive which means keep on being strong or empowered. When one applies God’s means of grace in his life, through the study of God’s Word, prayer, relying on the working of the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ, he is being strengthened daily. The believer needs God’s grace in every aspect of his life; he is saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8), he is sustained by grace (Romans 5:2) and he is strengthened by grace (Zechariah 4:6). Does your life show that you need God’s grace? Is the need for grace manifested in your prayer life, or in your love for God’s Word and in your devotions for Him?
II. The Illustrations
Paul gave four illustrations on how one ought to be strong as: a teacher, a soldier, an athlete and a farmer.
- A Teacher
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). Based on this one verse, there are four groups of people being mentioned about teaching the Word; from Paul to Timothy, to faithful men and to others also. And who is the One who taught Paul? The Lord Jesus Christ who appeared to him on the road to Damascus! Every Bible teacher is a living link in a chain that goes all the way back to Jesus Christ. Christ taught the twelve disciples, who taught the next generation and the teaching chain has gone on for the last two thousand years and today we are continuing this work of teaching someone else.
The word commit means to deposit for safe keeping. What has been deposited to us for safekeeping is the Word of God. We have to guard the truth of God’s Word with all faithfulness. Among many witnesses refers to the many believers who have confirmed it as the Word of God. Our spiritual forefathers had run a good race, they had fought a good fight of faith and passed the baton to us and we must repeat the same process and then pass the baton to someone else, not just anyone but faithful men. As a church, a family or an individual, we must be anxiously looking out for faithful men to continue the race. May God be merciful that we will not be the broken link where there is no continuation of faithful men!
- A Soldier
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangeth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier (1 Timothy 2:3-4). A strong believer has to see himself not only as a soldier, but a good one as well. In the army, the soldiers are enlisted to fight the physical battle, likewise in the Lord’s army, the believers are engaged to fight the spiritual battle (cf. Ephesians 6:10-12). The moment a person was converted, the spiritual battle was engaged. No Christian is to be a spectator but a soldier. A soldier for Christ is a soldier at all times; he is on active duty always, so he had better not entangle himself with the things of the world that will occupy his heart and render him ineffective as a soldier. The Christian soldier is single-minded and he will do his best so that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
- An Athlete
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully (2 Timothy 2:5). The term masteries (athleo) can mean to strive, or to contend in the competitive games. It is where we get our English word for “athlete.” No athlete would run in a race without a desire to win, and every competitor would strive very hard. Thus, it is a picture of self-discipline, self-denial, self-sacrifice and tremendous effort put forth into the race. To be an athlete, one has to be dedicated to rigorous training (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27). The very essence of athletics is effort. What separates the winners from the losers is not always talent but it is always effort. There is a tremendous price to pay in terms of discipline, training and preparation. Similarly, the strong believer will put in his utmost efforts as he serves the Lord. He will work hard, sacrifice his time, resources and give himself over to spiritual training. He serves as one who is eager to compete and he is motivated by the heavenly reward that awaits him (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7).
- A Farmer
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits (2 Timothy 2:6). Finally, the strong believer is to be a hardworking husbandman or farmer. A farmer is one who ploughs and sows, tends and reaps, to the point of exhaustion. Oftentimes, our ministry is like the work of the husbandman; it can be very monotonous, laborious and at times we may even need to toil alone. But God promises that the husbandman must be the first partaker of the fruits; that is the reward. He will be the first to receive his share of the crops. In other words, the one who works the hardest will get in line first to receive the fruit.
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things (2 Timothy 2:7). Consider the command to be strong and the illustrations of a teacher, a soldier, an athlete and a husbandman. The teacher spends his life to produce other teachers. The soldier gives his life in the battlefield. The athlete disciplines his life in training and faithfully running the race. The farmer patiently works hard to produce the crop. Ultimately, the Almighty God knows your efforts and He will reward you for your spiritual service. The faithful teacher is rewarded in discipleship, the faithful soldier is rewarded in victory, the faithful athlete is rewarded in winning the race and the faithful farmer is rewarded in tasting the fruit. Isn’t it wonderful? That is why God says to you, “Be strong, my son!”
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul
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