The Heart of Paul!

By the time Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, Timothy had been ministering to the church at Ephesus for some years.  Timothy had been a faithful co-worker to Paul and "a true son in the faith" (1 Tim 1:2).  They shared a unique bond.  Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a dark and damp Roman prison cell, just before he died in AD 67. Paul understood that ministry would only become more difficult for Timothy with Nero in power and without Paul to encourage him. Sometime after this letter from Paul, Timothy was indeed imprisoned for his faith (Hebrews 13:23). Paul knew that Timothy's task as a Pastor of teaching sound doctrine and encouraging believers to live their lives well for the sake of Christ would often be thankless and difficult. We can feel the heart of Paul as he encourages young Timothy to stand firm and persevere for the cause of Christ. This is not just a letter to Timothy but each one of us too!

Paul has used many metaphors to help us understand what living for Christ is like.  Here Paul writes about the good fight! In his first letter to Timothy, Paul encourages Timothy to "fight the good fight" (1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12). But in his second letter, Paul made it his confession of faith.  He declared to the young Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-7). Paul was confident of the treasures laid up for him.  It must have been a great encouragement to Timothy to know that his mentor boldly modeled his perseverance in the faith, even to the point of death. Jesus said, " … he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).  Paul is encouraging us today to stand firm and fight the good fight even in the face of adversity.

My friend, what are the challenges you are facing today in living for Christ? Living for Christ is not an option for a believer but a mandate.  The call of Elijah is still true today, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."There is no middle path and the choice is ours!

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