2 Tim. 2 - Seven commands to Timothy

[Michael Parnell]

Paul gives at least seven commands to young Timothy in this second
epistle that he wrote to him.

1. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ (2 Tim. 2:1).
Strong in the Greek, endunamoo means to empower, enable, (increase
in) strength (-en), be (make) strong. There are many people who are
strong in many different areas and in many ways. Some are strong in
body, in natural strength. Some have great strength mentally.
Sometimes people are referred to as being strong emotionally.
Often, people are referred to as being strong in a particular field
or occupation. Paul tells Timothy to begin with, to be strong,
inwardly, in the inner-man, in his spirit. He tells Timothy to be
strong in the grace that is found in Christ Jesus. There are several
reasons that we, as Christians, should be strong in grace, among
which are:

A. We are saved by the grace of God. Christianity was initiated
solely by God's grace and His grace alone. 1 John 4:19 says, "We
love him, because he first loved us."

B. We are disciplined by the grace of God. The words disciplined
and disciple come from the same root word. There can be no
discipleship without discipline. There is no conflict between grace
and discipline. Paul writes in Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;"

C. We are enriched by the grace of God. This same Paul tells us in
2 Cor. 8:9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,
though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye
through his poverty might be rich."

D. We are empowered by the grace of God. Again, Paul says in 2
Cor. 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for
my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me."

E. We are sustained by the grace of God. God gives us strength for
each day. He keeps us from falling. When Martin Niemoeller was a
prisoner of Hitler during World War II, he wrote a friend, "In the
old days I used to be a bearer of the Gospel; now that Gospel is
bearing me."

2. Commit truth to faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2). The Amplified Version
of this verse reads, "And the [instructions] which you have heard
from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a
deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and
qualified to teach others also." In other words, Paul is telling
Timothy "the doctrines you heard me outline for you before many
witnesses when you were ordained (1 Tim. 4:14; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim.
1:6; 2 Tim. 2:2), commit to faithful men the same way they were
committed to you."

3. Endure hardness as a good soldier (2 Tim. 2:3).
Good = worthy. Just as a good soldier lives up to certain standards,
we as soldiers of the Cross have a certain standard to live up to:
it's called the Word of God! Good soldiers don't whine, complain,
gripe or moan. The follow orders. The Word of God is our mandate
from our great Commander and Chief, Jesus Christ! The Amplified
Version says, "Take [with me] your share of the hardships and
suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class)
soldier of Christ Jesus."

4. Be not entangled with the affairs of this life, so as to please
God. In lieu of being a good soldier, Paul goes on to tell Timothy
in verse 4, "No soldier when in service gets entangled in the
enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the
one who enlisted him." (Amp.)

In the KJV it says, "No man that warreth...". That word, "warreth"
means: to serve in a military campaign; to contend with carnal
inclinations. He goes on to use the word, "entangleth" which
means: gets involved with . Of course, Paul is making it clear
that just as a natural soldier, a good soldier, knows that when he is
in warfare or conflict or in military service, he belongs to the
military; he is not his own. Even more so, when we are a soldier of
Christ, the Bible tells us in 1 Cor. 6:19-20 "What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which
are God's." Then in 1Cor. 7:23 "Ye are bought with a price; be not
ye the servants of men." I am a soldier. I do not get involved
with anything that is not the business of the Kingdom of my Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ! I refuse to become entangled by the trappings
of this world!

5. Strive lawfully for the crown (2 Tim. 2:5). Again, the Amplified
reads: "And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned
unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid
down)." Then in verse 6, he says, "[It is] the hard-working farmer
[who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the
fruits." Just as a good soldier lives up to certain standards, an
athlete obeys the rules of the game to win, and a farmer tills
according to natural laws of agriculture to get a crop, so we as
Christians, must live up to the rules if we expect a crown and
eternal fruit.

6. Consider what I say-the truth (2 Tim. 2:7). "Think over these
things I m saying [understand them and grasp their applications], for
the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in
everything." (Amp.)

7. Remember, make Christ's resurrection a chief theme of the gospel
(2 Tim. 2:8).(Amp.)"Whatever we suffer, remember Jesus and His
sufferings. If God raised Him up, He will also do the same for us."

In Conclusion, verses 9-13 "I suffer as a criminal and gladly endure
it for the elect's sake that they may be saved eternally." (v.13) If
we deny the faith and apostatize, He is as true to His threatenings
as He is to His promises. He cannot lie and act contrary to His Word
or to Himself, so He is as much under obligation to curse for sin as
to bless for righteousness. Therefore, let us "...seek ...first the
kingdom of God, and His righteousness;" (Matthew 6:33) Let us seek
the King Himself, to please Him, so that "...all these things
[blessings] shall be added unto you."

Michael Parnell, A.Th.