Introduction: Passing the Baton

As the metaphorical page turns from Chapter One, where we have remembered the call to rekindle Gospel boldness, the blessing of gospel friendship, into Chapter 2, we see a great change in the thrust of Paul’s writing here. Timothy has been encouraged to rekindle the flame of his faith, stand firm in the gospel, and not be ashamed of either the message or messenger (Paul in chains suffering).

Now, in Chapter 2, Paul shifts to perhaps the most essential task in the ontological essence of Gospel ministry: ensuring the Gospel and mission of God are carried forward – In both the physical/geographical//contextual and generational means – That the gospel moves forward in a place and is handed on to new people. At the start of the summer, the world’s eyes were drawn to Paris as a city! Why? The global Olympics were being held as athletes from all the nations of the world gathered to compete for gold. From there, bring your mind to the athletic stadium and the track and field, as well as the many running races, sprints, and distances. There are one or two events that stand unique in all the races because they involve more than one athlete, they require a team. Particularly, Paul has in mind the technical race that involves the Baton. As the French would say at the Olympics: Le Baton!

Le baton race is one where the runner runs his distance and then, for a few moments, has off the baton to another who heads off to cover their distance before passing it on. This is Chapter 2 summed up in an image in our heads: running a difficult course well over a long time, and then running alongside someone to be able to hand over the baton at the right time so they can run on ahead, to hand on to the next person; Paul wants to show Timothy his role in this running-team, and the importance of passing the baton of the gospel, and, its’ ministry to the next generation. Why? Because the image of running mirrors the essentiality of preserving, and the handing on of the baton is the integrity of the Gospel message, especially amid difficulty and trial, not despite such things.

A relay race is a simple concept and thing to watch – the baton is passed from one runner to another. Yet, even after a few seconds, there comes a vital moment because The race’s success doesn’t just depend on how well each individual runs but on how smoothly the baton is handed over.

Paul has been running the race with the gospel baton in hand, and if we are being honest, he has not been running on a track; it is more like he has been running an assault course the length of a marathon, and for a season Timothy has run alongside him, yet, now Timothy must begin to ready himself to take the baton on and start to run the course forward himself. Not alone, but empowered by the Holy Spirit. In many ways, this is what Paul is getting at here – the handover of the gospel from Paul to Timothy and from Timothy to others who will continue the race of faith.

Passing on the Baton & Building a Team

This shapes so much of Paul’s writing and thinking here. He reminds Timothy to be strong – but not in his strength; it is about the Gospel-baton. Why? The strength Timothy needs comes from the grace of Christ Jesus (v. 1). This strength isn’t just for himself. Timothy is also to entrust the gospel to reliable people who will, in turn, teach others (v. 2). This is a reminder of the multi-generational nature of gospel ministry: we’re all part of a longer story, carrying forward a truth that has been handed down through faithful witnesses. Two things jump out: We are never meant to be alone in ministry, and the Church and the Gospel do not belong to one context or Culture, nor do they conform to it. Rather, they transform as the Baton is handed down.

To help Timothy understand what is at stake and what faithfulness looks like, Paul uses some powerful images to show what we might call Gospel plodding. What it looks to persevere, take one step at a time when it seems pointless, and above all, trust God:

• He speaks of the soldier who stays focused on his mission,
• the athlete who competes according to the rules,
• and the farmer who works hard for his share of the harvest.

These metaphors remind us that gospel ministry requires endurance, discipline, patience, and hard work.

As we explore Chapter 2, we’ll reflect on what it means for us to carry the baton today. How do we pass on the faith to others? How do we remain firm in grace amidst suffering? And how do we stay faithful to the mission we’ve been given? We’ll consider These critical questions as we look at Paul’s words of encouragement and challenge to Timothy.

1 Be Strong in Grace and Entrust to Others (2:1-2)

It is a beautiful moment; we have already seen Paul’s care for Timothy through the first letter and how much he appreciates his friendship, presence and continued support as the course that Paul was running got more complicated. Yet, even here, we see the depth of their Philo as Paul encourages Timothy, his son, to be strong in the Grace that is in Christ. Notice the language; he does not say to be strong in Christ or because of the grace of Christ. There is no imperative for Timothy’s human strength because of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. Instead, there is an imperative to be strong (Endunamoō – being empowered with strength) in this Grace that is in Christ.

Continuing Grace in Christ

What a powerful image about the ongoing efficacious reality of Grace in the life of the believer and our access to Christ. Timothy can have strength not because Jesus died for him long ago but because Jesus is with him, and by the Spirit, he has access (relationship) with Jesus. Grace is not just what saves us.

Instead, it sustains us because God’s grace is power to those who have experienced it, and as it strengthens, it changes us more into the image of Christ for the sake of Christ. Grace is more than something we receive; it is the essence of God’s ongoing work in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The sustaining work of the Spirit is an everyday act of Grace, and the transforming sanctifying work of the Spirit is an everyday act of Grace. So, let us never think of Grace as something passive, received, or still to come. Grace is the power that we live in. This was a concept that Paul was all too familiar with; as he wrote to Titus, he reminded him:

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age… Titus 2:11-13

Grace is the work of God in us that will strengthen us for the race that God has called us to run and will teach us what it means to live as Christ in this world. This is the strength that Paul is calling Timothy to. Consider 2 Corinthians 8:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Efficacious grace is the enabling power of God for the work he calls his children to, the running of the race, and the mission of God.

Grace will enable Timothy to be strong in his life of faith and in the work that God has called him to do. The wonders Timothy has heard from Paul’s truths are freeing, powerful, and authentic. Truths that are the Gospels and sound doctrines of the Christian faith, Paul referring the many witnesses perhaps to attest to the soundness of these things; maybe it is even a contrast to the false teachers who claim to know things in secret truths of God. These are publicly available and authentically Gospel truths; Timothy is to commit to faithful people, who will then be able to commit them to others – to “teach others also.”People who are Competent, (Hikanos) which we would better hear today as qualified.

Know Who You Are Passing the Baton onto (2:2)

In short, Paul says to Timothy the baton of the Christian faith that I have proclaimed openly and everywhere consistently and have instructed you in, now it is your turn to hand it on to others, who can help you hand it on again. Please pass it on to a generation rising, not to be kept by them, but to transform them so they can hand it on to the generations yet to come. Timothy is to pass on the baton not to the stars or leaders of their culture or context but to the people who get it. He is to entrust the gospel message to reliable men who will teach others, ensuring that the truth continues through generations.

This was Timothy’s call, and everything flows across the rest of this Chapter. It is by this call that we have received the Gospel today, and by this call, we will grow God’s Kingdom, build God’s Church and see our world transformed until Christ comes again. Not by subduing the Gospel, altering it, or lessening it, but by handing on what we have received – the Gospel of Christ crucified for sinners to be saved. Paul wanted Timothy to contend for this and what we must contend for in every generation of the Church: the timeless, unchanging truths of the Gospel because they are the hope of the world. This contending is what Paul unfolds in the following four verses.

2 Endurance in Ministry: Soldier, Athlete, Farmer (2:3-7)

The commission has been given the following: “Remember and content for the public truths I taught you, entrust them to reliable people so that they can teach and train people in the Gospel.” Now, the commission is grounded in some examples to help Timothy to understand. The three images Paul uses here have appeared elsewhere in his writings, yet the emphasis is different here. Emphasis that flows out of the imperative that begins their usage: join me in suffering.” Thus, the image of the soldier is not one of spiritual warfare but of discipline. The athlete is used not to the rewards of finishing a race but to understand the game’s rules. Finally, the farming image stresses the difficulty of the road ahead.

Soildering On in the Faith (2:3-4)

When you join the Military, you are moving into a completely different sphere of life. A world that is radically different from Civilian or school life. Freedoms are gone, and routine, structure, discipline, and hierarchy have become the norm. It can be a different adjustment for anyone not used to it. Thus, the first part of joining the military is basic training, which aims to get people militarised. Basically, to untrained people from a civilian way of understanding the world and grounding them to see, think, and understand themselves and the world through the lens of their role in the Military and their place in its structures.

Through arduous physical exercise, strict routines, learning Drill, Marching. Stress & Resilience training, Teamwork and cohesion training, the giving and taking of instructions, and much more! All of these are done in basic military training not just for the sake of it but to help the new soldier understand that what they have signed up for will not be easy, requires great discipline, and is no longer about being an individual but about being part of a unit/team in which you fulfil a role both vertically and horizontal, and finally that you are not free.

You are under the authority and must act when told. Military life is not about the individual but about functioning as part of a unit and under constant instruction and discipline. Military life is hard and often lived out in uncomfortable situations. In the US, they see about 14% of recruits drop out of basic training because they realise life is not for them.

Military life is non-individual, arduous and requires constant discipline. This is why it is the perfect description of what life in service of the King of Kings often looks like. See the Flow of Paul’a writing: Join me in suffering/enduring hardship, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Suffering is not an optional choice when you serve in an armed force, nor is it an individual reality. If one soldier is suffering, then the reality will be that the entire unit is suffering because they are in together. Paul’s invitation to Timothy is not a command from a senior officer; instead, it is a reminder to a fellow soldier about the reality of their context. It is as if Paul is saying to Timothy, you will be in the trenches soon enough because that is where our Commanders want us to be. Good soldiers of Christ are not surprised when difficulty comes because they remember how their commander hung on a cross.

Additionally, good soldiers should be free from distraction. Verse four clearly states one point: good soldiers are devoted to their duty, unit, and commanding officer and resist anything that might distract them from their unit and duty. Here is the simple truth that we might not want to admit about this illustration – it is not about us! Military service restricts the person liberty of the one who enlists and changes the focus of their life. So it is in the Kingdom that when we come to know the wonder of life in Christ, we are freed from the curse of sin and free to live however we want.

Yet, we are transformed from the world’s selfishness to a Christian-centric perspective of life and living. Thus, the primary interest of the disciple becomes Jesus and the cause of building his Kingdom. It does not mean we abandon our ordinary; our life in Christ refines and redefines how we engage in every sphere. Especially for those of us who have been called to full-time service of Christ, our concern must not be for the everyday things; we live in response to our Saviour and delight in bringing Glory to him – our commanding officer.

Competing Well and Fairly (5)

As a soldier, he knows that he has signed up for something that will be difficult and, at times, require endurance of hardships for the sake of something greater. So, athletes participate in a competition knowing that they need to understand and follow the rules if they want to win or succeed. Paul was obliviously a big sports fan; we see this imagery employed throughout his writings, especially in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

(24) Do you not know that all the runners run in a race, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
(25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get one that will last forever.
(26) Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
(27) No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I will not be disqualified for the prize.

The imagery is similar here, but the perspective is different. In 1 Corinthians, the focus is on the discipline needed to become a winning athlete; here, the focus is on competing well by keeping the rules of the competition. You train and practice to win, and you keep the rules of the competition to win. Not maintaining the regulations will mean disqualification because your mistakes will be apparent. Paul is not writing about modern Sports where, in secret, people are taking performance-enhancing substances; he has in mind the Grecco-roman world where competitions were highly favoured as an honour, so honour in the competition was expected. If verse four is about single-minded devotion unto God’s cause, verse 5 reminds Timothy that true success and victory will come by following God’s instructions for life and living.

The Reality of the Soil (6)

Life in the Kingdom and for the King is lived to the full, with the combined blessing of receiving fully now, yet knowing there is still more to come. This is the duality and tensions of the Christian life as we live between the now and the not yet; as we live in a broken world, there are hints of the Glory to come, a Glory that we await. A Glory that we work towards as we await the return of our Lord in Glory.

I grew up on a farm and have many fond memories of watching my Grandfather and Father work it. They tended the animals yearly as we raised cattle for milk and meat. My Granddad’s side hobby was growing crops on his vegetable patch. He planted seeds, then tended to them and the soil they were in throughout the year as the seasons changed. Why? Not for exercise, not for the simple joy of it, nor because of some strange interest in soil. Granddad planted and then laboured throughout the year in anticipation of the harvest that would come from the seeds, which would be refined by his effort throughout the Year. The Christian life is like the farmer’s labour in anticipation of the harvest. When we come to faith, we are empowered by the Spirit to join in the work in the world that God is already doing, and that work is inspired by the promise of a harvest to come. The disciple/minister works for Jesus as the farmer labours in the field, yet the hope of the harvest is sure because God has said so. Thus, verse 6 encourages hard work by holding out for the coming blessing.

Consider these things (7)

As Paul calls Timothy, the Call to Suffering as a Good Soldier is to endure hardship like a soldier who focuses on pleasing his commanding officer – Christ. The call to Discipline and Hard Work through the imagery of the Athele (The athlete competes according to the rules) and farmer ( the farmer works hard for a future harvest). Both metaphors illustrate the gospel ministry’s discipline, patience, and commitment, brought together in verse 7 as Paul calls Timothy to contemplate what he has just said in the gospel. These analogies motivate the work God called Timothy to and remind us that anything in this world that is worthwhile will require hard work. The call to consider with the assurance of understanding from God, verse 7, does not mean that God will grant Timothy complete knowledge, but that God will help him understand the reality of Kingdom work in a broken world through the Scriptures and Holy Spirit at work in him. Contemplation is grounded in remembering who Jesus is and what he has done. This is summarised simply in verse 8; it is as if Paul is saying this is why we labour (past tense) and what we labour towards in confident hope (future tense.)

3 Remember Christ and Endure Suffering for the Gospel (2:8-10)

This is hard-hitting stuff, isn’t it? It is not something you would think would encourage someone who needs to rekindle the flame of their faith. If we were writing for today’s world, we would probably try to be more inspirational and less dramatic – to be nicer. Why all this writing about hardship and difficulty, Paul, we might ask him. How might he respond? Well, we see it in two words here: Remember Jesus.

A Short Gospel Summary: A Suffering Saviour (8)

Does Paul need to say anything else? If Timothy needed any motivation or reason to join Paul in the trenches of spiritual life, is there any other line that is required other than remembering Jesus? This should be enough to rekindle the flames of any tiring faith. It should be those words. Remember Jesus means remembering what he endured on the cross and, by his endurance, what we made possible for all who turn to him. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. It summarises the Gospel and all the motivation needed for the worker to join in the work so that the servant can delight in suffering and their saviour.

A Comparative Situation (9-10)

David’s description reminds us of how Paul sees Jesus, not as some maverick guru who suffered and inspired a generational movement to do the same because political salvation might come by it. No! Paul sees Jesus as Jesus presented himself always – God in every way. The good news of Jesus is that he has risen, and it is this good news that Paul presses that has him in Chains. Jesus has risen from the dead because death could not contain God’s power, majesty and Glory. Nor will any power of man include the Gospel of Christ.

As Christ Suffers so Does Paul – Rejoice

It is almost as if Paul sees some humour and irony in his circumstances when compared to Christ: Jesus suffered and had his freedom limited to the point of death, and now Paul is suffering and awaiting death. Chains have bound him, and yet he is joyful in this situation. Why? Because the world might chain up faithful men to limit their freedom, they can do nothing to bind or restrict the word of God! The Gospel will go forth regardless of what the world might attempt, and for this reason, Paul continues to subject himself to his deplorable situation. As Eugene Peterson phrases it: “That is why I am sticking it out here – so that everyone God calls will get in on the Salvation of Christ in all its Glory.”

The messenger may be bound, but the message never will, and when bound, Paul, as one who has indeed met Jesus, will endure anything for the sake of Jesus here so that those whom God has called his own will know salvation and eternal Glory in Christ! Paul suffers so that those whom God has called – the elect – will receive the Gospel coming to them. In the why of the suffering, we are also reminded of something more beautiful. Still, Paul suffers for Christ because he grasps that he has received fully from Christ. Thus, nothing in this world can take from him what he has received by faith or will surpass what is awaiting him in Glory. In a moment, we are reminded of all the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ, which Paul summed up so beautifully in Philippians: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

God, in his Sovereignty, ordains us with Responsibility

In his short quip here, Paul also displays a beautiful Gospel balance between God’s Sovereignty over the world and his evangelicalistic responsibility and endeavours. Endeavours that call Timothy to continue in and equip other people to do so. A call that does not undermine his confidence in God’s supreme authority over all things, from creation to the Cross, and until Christ comes again, the Lord is in control. Yet, Paul maintains this tension of faith and living in expectation of what will come, even though he realises that those predestined for salvation still need to hear the Gospel to be saved.

What is the means that God ordained for this to happen? The witness of believers in word and deed in the Church is the primary means by which God has chosen for non-believers to hear and see the good news of Jesus so that they might be saved. The Focus here is not a discussion around the Soverenity of God but rather the disciple’s responsibility to facilitate the Salvation of the elect by faithfully enduring for the sake of the Gospel. Plodding where we are in the way of Christ, for the sake of Christ, is the call of every minister because the conversion of one person to Christ at some point will require the faithful ministry of a saved person. Paul displays Gospel tension elsewhere in his writing. Think of the tension between Romans 10:14 & Romans 9:18 as the same here.

• “How can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” – Romans 10:14
  
• “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” Romans 9:18
  

The God we serve is Sovereign over all things. Yet, in the mystery of his work in the world, he gives us part of his responsibility to make known his Glory and Salvation, not because he needs us but because he delights in doing so to show his Glory all the more. Paul understood this and wanted Timothy to be reminded to encourage his enduring for the Sake of the Glory of Christ and the Gospel.

4 The Trustworthy Saying: A Call to Endurance and Glory (2:11-13)

Paul has clearly stated his reasoning and the why behind his what. He delights in suffering not because he enjoys pain or has some strange obsessions with experiencing the worst of places and the worst of people. No, he finds joy in suffering because the Joy he has experienced in Christ has transformed him and his perspective; he knows that what he has experienced now is but a whisper of the fullness of experiences to come in Christ. Thus, it is a Joy to suffer a little today in light of what is to come, and still, all the more, it is a Joy to suffer so that others might come to experience the same ends, that the elect might encounter their salvation – their Joy.. As Paul has laid out his Kingdom logic for his contentedness in his current situation, he also lays out the foundation on which it is all built: The is a trustworthy saying.

It is a beautiful statement that places great emphasis (and clarity around ) the individual’s full union with Christ. Paul could be quoting an ancient Hymn of the church or referencing a statement of belief that was common in the early Church. Whatever the source, its reminders are beautiful. We come to know Christ by faith; it is not just knowledge in some abstract sense of the word. Rather, it is a deep, almost intangible union of the persons. First, verse 11 paints a picture of the comfort of the union, which must have been of great assurance for Paula as he awaited death – if we die with him, we will also live with him. Our union with Christ is all we need for enduring suffering and even death – because, by it, we know we shall live eternally with him. There is nothing this world can do to us or take from us that will affect our eternal standing with the Father by the Son.

The comfort of dwelling with Christ eternally is paired with the challenge of persevering in verse 12. This trustworthy saying uses words and images that are close to Jesus’ teachings, which are recorded in some of the Gospels. If we endure with him and for him in this world today, we will know the joy of reining with him at the restoration of all things. That is the assurance of living with Christ and trusting in his saving work; that is what the scriptures mean when they speak of being Coheirs with Christ. Yet, in the same breath, there is also a stark reality for those who fail to endure, “if we deny him, he will also deny us.” Now, let’s be clear in reminding ourselves of the simple truth – Paul is not saying we can do something to lose our faith. This is not one of those strange hypothetical examples where someone bursts into a building and threatens our life if we are Christian. No, the denial that Paul is speaking of here is more than momentary; it is greater than a fleeting mistake or trip. Matthew 10:22 speaks of the same things when Jesus said only those who endure to the end will be saved as they face the world’s hate. Genuine Christian enduring comes from genuine Christian dwelling; those who dwell with Christ fully will endure for Christ because the Spirit of God empowers the work in us. We cannot endure by our strength; thus, if we become those who truly deny God, then God will deny us because he never knew us. Thus, verse 13 brings us more comfort because we are reminded about the goodness of God even in the worst of our situations. There may be moments when we stumble and fall and become faithless, but we need not worry because our God is faithful. God is faithful and good in every situation, so in sin, we can know Grace again because what God commits to, he sticks to eternally. Think of the story of the nation of Israel, when Yahweh rescued them from Egypt and made a covenant with them. The entire nation was committed to living it out and dwelling with God, yet not sooner had they declared in unison – amen Did they fall in worship of a Golden calf. Time and time again, they sinned far beyond what we would think would be possible; time and time again, they denied the Lord and looked to other things for the things they were already getting from God. What did the Lord do? Did he reject them and say, “Well, if you can’t stick to your end of the deal, then I am going to find another people group!?” No! He was faithful, even as they were wretchedly faithless. Verse 13 is a reminder about the persevering power of God and the grace displayed every second of our life. Living in our faithlessness, his faithfulness is displayed all the more.

In this context, we also see the difference between denial and faithlessness. To deny here is to turn to Apasty, to reject the existence of God or his saving work in Christ, and in a sense, to become an enemy of the one you claimed to be a follower of. Being Fiathless refers to a lack of trust in a moment, which is something that we will do at some time and perhaps at many times. This trustworthy saying reminds Timothy and all of us that if we die with Christ, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will reign: and that despite our human failings, God remains faithful, encouraging Timothy and the church to persevere in adversity because the one who calls us perseveres with us.

5 A Worker Approved by God: Handling the Word (2:14-19)

All that has been said in Chapter 2 already builds to this point because all that has been an instruction for Timothy in the personal sense of his ministry also has direct implications for those he leads. The basic command in verse 14 to “remind the church of these things” is the summary of all that Paul has instructed Timothy about being strong in the Grace of Christ, committing the faith to reliable people, sharing in the suffering of God, the discipline of a solider, and the remembrance of Christ died and raised for sinners as the source of joy and confidence in Gospel-enduring. Remind them of these things, Timothy! Then, because of the things, command them to stop fighting over words! Why “Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.” (NLT).

Timothy is to remind them of the reality of following Jesus and then, because of this, warn them of their conduct; they must avoid falling into obscure disputes about things that have no Gospel importance or relevance because it is a waste of time and only leads to the ruin of the mind of those who find themselves being subjected to such a conversation. Part of Timothy’s enduring and contending for the faith and passing it onto reliable people is the need to deal with distractions and distortions of the Gospel. This was one of the reasons he was sent to this church (1 Timothy 1:3-11), and even though we do not know how much time has passed since Paul said, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wise tales; rather, train yourself to be godly,” (1 Tim 4:7) we know this issue remains. Why? Because people are people, correction is ongoing, and pride and stubbornness around what is right or true often come down to one’s own perception of themselves and their desire to be heard or have influence rather than Gospel humility. False teachers claim knowledge that is hidden or can only be revealed in a certain way or is about a certain thing – yet you will not find it in the Scriptures. Yet, they will claim to hear directly from God about a thing that is so minute or bespoke that it bears no relevance to the life of the church, and scripture makes no fleeting glance towards the topic!

“The Lord has said that it is unbiblical for the Church door to be green and the seats to be blue! We must paint everything white!!”

When we hear these sorts of statements or topics, we are to avoid them and keep people from them because they distract from Christ and often distort the Gospel because they begin to subtly add to what God requires from us in response.

Accountable Before God (2:15)

Paul then contrasts obscure arguments over words by promoting the right use of words by means of accountability before God. No, the faithful one, who is enduring for God in the power of the Holy Spirit, does not get lost in obscure arguments over words and myths because they are grounded in the Word of God and using it rightly. The right use of the word in Gospel ministry means that we know we can stand before God one day with confidence and not shame. The Labourer’s work here is the handing of the word of truth. Right handling of God’s word avoids wrong understanding. Thus, there is a correlation between the call to help people avoid obscure arguments over words and myths and the right use of the Word of truth.

What does it mean to handle the word rightly? It means correctly teaching the word of God to the people of God. This is not a gentle command here; “Do your best” (Gk. Spoudazō) could quite literally be translated as Be zealous to present yourself well before God by handling God’s word well. Zealous in the sense of devoting much energy and passion to such a cause. The labourer’s great work and priority of defence is correctly teaching the word of truth, that is, the Gospel. The Gospel that Christ proclaimed about his life and work, and handed to the Apostles who shaped the early Church by it as people came to saving faith in Christ and to know what it meant to live in his Kingdom; the Gospel that Paul taught publicly along with all the Apostles, this Gospel that 11 of the Apostles would die to protect in their trust of Christ was the word of truth that Timothy and all faithful labourers must be zealous about and handle well.

Watch out for Infection (16-18)

After reminding Timothy of what faithful labouring looks like and will be judged by – the right handling and teaching of the word of truth – he goes back to unfold the warning of verse 14. We see here Paul’s willingness to confront people when the Gospel is at stake. We know that this is something he has done in the past; think about the time he confronted Peter (Galitains 2:11), and even here, at the end of his life in chains, he will stand for the Gospel. These arguments might be useless in their aims or objectives, but (as we have already seen) they are dangerous in their outcomes for the life of the church and in the life of the believer. They lead to the ruin of those who listen, not listening in the sense of just hearing but that get taken in by them and lead onto non-gospel roads. Thus, Paul fleshes out this imperative in verse 16 by calling Timothy to avoid irreverent and empty speech (babble) because those who take part in such things only produce more ungodliness. Paul called Timothy to avoid profane and empty words that False teachers promote because they only advance people away from God and the Gospel and into the realms of ungodliness and distraction. Paul taught in public and with accountability because his words had value and could be tested; the false teacher’s words are in secret often because they are unless and do not stand up, so those who end up listening get sucked in. False teaching is not a neutral negative, and it is dangerous to think that we can leave these things untended, even if they are not necessarily heretical or anti-gospel. If there are fights around words and myths about angles on pinheads, which are left unattended, then the one who is causing division grows in confidence and influence, and if what they are pushing is something that is anti-gospel, then it must be dealt with. Sickness must be dealt with at its core because if it is left to fester, it spreads! Hence, Paul talks about it producing more ungodliness because that is the only advance that can be made to those who teach something contrary to God. Worse, it is something that is almost like a corrosive effect; as it spreads, it causes root and weakens structures that the Holy Spirit has put in place. It distracts people from the main thing as they become obsessed with pointless tales. Thus, the image of Gangrene, we would say today – is spreading like cancer!

What do we do with cancer? We blast it with radiation and kill it where it is to protect the health of the body that is yet unaffected and to try and restore the health of what is left. Paul names two of these people who have been spreading sickness and causing corrosive distraction – Hymenaues (mentioned previously in 1 Tim 1:20) and the unknown Philetus. Their error was telling people that the resurrection had already occurred, not in that of Christ; rather, they were teaching falseness about the resurrection that was to come. By their false teaching, they were denying a future bodily resurrection when Jesus would return and deal with the curse of sin once and for all. In denying the future bodily resurrection, they were denying the eternality of Grace and life in Christ and the fulfilment of the redemption of God inaugurated in Christ. Paul names them to deal with them and their effect – they were running the same of some.

Our Sure Foundation (2:19)

Yet, even when heresies abound, when idols become more important than the Gospel and Christ, or when the things of faith become disrupted and distorted. The truth of God in its beauty stands firm and stands true. No assault of humankind can hinder what the Gospel has done or will do. Thus, here, Paul both points to the sovereign act of God, which is that in spite of the work of evil-doers and men aligned with the devil, God enables his church to stand firm. False teaching is an insecure foundation, but the truth of God is built to last and last eternally. The inscription that Paul describes has a duel emphasis: Divine Sovereignty, the Lord knows those who are his; and our responsibility, let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness – basically what Paul has called Timothy to do, to persevere. We preserve in the work God has called us to, as good soldiers, knowing that part of perceiving is not just the sharing of truth but the confronting of ungodliness and lies built on the sure foundation of our hope – The Lord knows those who are his.

6 Flee Sin and Pursue Righteousness (2:20-22)

In any house, there are many utensils that, across their lifetime, can be used for a number of different purposes. Yet, the utensils in most people’s houses will be made of normal material and will find their use constant over the years. They serve the purpose they are made for. Yet, if you go to a fancy house, where they have a little more money and a little more class about them – they have more than one set of utensils, more than one lot of dishes and plates.

Where are the Dishes (20)

Today, we might talk about bringing out the fine china, the plates that only get used when we have guests over for a Sunday dinner, the plates that children were terrified to use in case they broke them. Paul uses the image of a household with vessels made of wood and clay, as well as goods and silver. The image illustrates the contrasting use of vessels. The NLT captures this as it translates the second part of 2:20 as “the expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are used for everyday use. Additionally, Eugene Peterson’s phrasing puts it even more drastically:

” In a well-furnished kitchen, there are not only Crystal goblets and silver platters but waste cans and compost buckets – some containers used to serve fine meals, others used to take out the garbage.

It is a start analogy that turns back to the end of verse 19’s “flee from wickedness.” Those who are within the family of faith and know the truth of the Gospel, especially after having heard the lies of false teaching, remain constant in Christ—these people are the vessels of silver and gold. Those who bring dishonour and rubbish are the vessels that take out the rubbish. Those who get taken in by their lies and deceptions become like a container that can only be used to take out the rubbish. It’s not something that anyone would ever use a container made from gold for. Yet, Paul hints that a vessel can find renewal of purpose.

False Teachers are as useful as the Bin (21)

As the letter goes on, Paul seems to imply that there is a way back from false teaching! Yes, people may get taken in, they may get distracted by the lies of the enemy and all that they promise – but as quickly as they go down a dangerous road, they can return up it. Often, people are drawn to the allure of lies and the freedom to do as they please and still have “the benefits” of the faith. Yet, as they spend time in the falseness, there are those who will begin to see the light and walk back along the road they have taken. Thus, Paul seems to be hinting at this by suggesting that those who have been tempted can commit themselves again to the truth – purifying themselves – and, in so doing, become honourable vessels. In all that we do, say, think and are called to our point, it is to be of use for good. Think of the imagery of verse 19, about those who call upon the name of the Lord “turning away from wickedness,” in verse 21; we see that in turning away from wickedness, we turn towards something, specifically in verse 21 we turn towards being “useful to the master, prepared for every good work.”

Flee towards the Lord (22)

An image of turning from and towards something that Paul grounds in the practical advice of the young Timothy. Here is his son in the faith, who, while he made be an elder in the Spiritual sense, is still young, and with his house comes desires that the world around will seek to pull at. Timothy is a Spiritual giant, but he is still a man, and we have seen that already. He is a servant of God limited by his human nature and the broken world he has been contending in; in his service, he has grown tired, and his confidence has been somewhat beaten – and that is okay. As Paul has reminded him when we are faithless, he is faithful because we do not minister on our own strength, nor is the success of the Kingdom and gospel dependant on our morality or consistency in the cause. God is the one who does the work; we get to delight in doing it with him. And, in it all, we can be honest about our human state, that even as save Children of God, sin still haunts us, and our silliness gets in the way of our Gospel intent sometimes.

We need to be honest, and in our honesty with one another, we should be able to say – I mucked up! Paul knows Timothy and perhaps knows those areas where he might stumble or lose sight; it is why he has already told him to be bold in the power of the Spirit of God and to rekindle the flame of his faith, and it is why here he builds on the imagery of being useful to God by reminding Timothy that this readiness is not a natural state. It is an active state of moving towards God and away from the temptations of this world. In this case, Timothy is reminded to run from Youthful passions – anything that stimulates youthful lust, and in his fleeing form, he makes an intentional choice about what he runs toward. He must choose those things which are good in the Kingdom of God:

• Righteousness, conformity to the will of God; faith, in an active sense
• belief, trust and confidence in God;
• love, in the Agape love that we see modelled in Christ (Romans 8:35);
• peace, as in the peace of Christ’s Kingdom in a world of conflict,
  

These are not natural things in the human heart, but become active things in the Kingdom of God as we flee from the trials of this world and pursue Christ and his work in us, and in so doing, surround ourselves with good company by “enjoying the companionship of those who call on the Lord with a pure heart (22), because Iron sharpens Iron.

7 The Lord’s Servant: Avoiding Quarrels and Showing Kindness (2:23-26)

Paul returns to the false teachers again, and this time, his focus is not on their content but on their conduct. The reality is that the type of people who give themselves over to falseness and its promotion will never be passive people. Timothy has been called to boldness in rekindling his faith and call because those who oppose the Gospel and truth that Christ has taught are, in their very nature bold or confident.

A Wisdom to Avoid (23)

You will never meet a neutral, false teacher who says I disagree with this, but I support you in your teaching of it; they want to draw people in, so by their nature, they become combative as they seek to undermine and convince and draw people to themselves, knowledge and influence. They tend to be people obsessed with their platform and own opinion, so they will naturally want to draw people in, and one of the ways they will do this is by confronting – specifically, they will want to argue with you and trap orthodox teachers in pointless discussion’s – it becomes about point scoring.

That is why, as the ethical instructions continue for Timothy, he is given the wisdom to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes because they will only break more arguments. Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing, yes we confront the heart of these mistruths, but we must speak in a way that glorifies God, and often, the best remedy to heresy is to proclaim the beauty of Jesus and the hope of the gospel all the more. We keep proclaiming Christ, and when someone tries to draw us into something pointless, we delight in saying nothing because we know there is no benefit to it.

Confronting by Kindness (24)

The wise teacher does not get trapped in the pointless discussion; relatively even in their boldness, they aim to be positive and humble as they content from the truth. As Timothy avoids quarrels and reflects on the goodness of God, he reflects those same attributes in how he handles those who reject God. Timothy is to disarm the enemies of the Gospel by displaying the way of God and not the way of the world – kindness, gentleness, and patience, all with a willingness to engage by teaching the truths of the Kingdom again. As the NLT puts it, “Be able to teach and be patient with difficult people.” (24)

When we consider the teaching ministry of Jesus and the many confrontations he had with the religious authorities, people possessed, and those opposed, we see that Paul is asking Timothy to model how Jesus is always engaged. In his teaching, Jesus never got lost in pointless discussions after silly questions; rather, he always brought it back to the truths of God and his teachings about the Kingdom, and as he engaged, he showed patience and gentleness even as he was direct and sometimes blunt. Why? In the simple hope that those he was engaging with might have their hearts softened and their eyes opened, they begin to see the error and danger of their misbelief. That is why Paul, at this point, calls Timothy to continue to contend for the truth with difficult people and false teachers rather than just kicking them out. “Being able to teach” and “instructing with gentleness” is not about skill but our disposition. It might be hard to hear for us but we can say all the right things in all the wrong ways. We must always consider the “how” of our communication as much as the “what” of our message because it is possible to teach the right things in the wrong way, a way that limits people’s hearing of them. Perhaps we become too aggressive, personal, too direct, or even too timid – the Lord’s servant avoids quarrelling and going down the wrong roads by being wise to keep the main thing the main thing. Why? Simple because God can always work a miracle in the human heart. We are content with the right disposition even with those who are difficult towards us and cause frustrations in the Church, as long as they are willing to be engaged in the Hope that God might change them and open their eyes to see the error of their ways. Paul knew he was the pinnacle example of this and knew God could transform anyone. We contend because we trust that “Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then, they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”( ‭2‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Conclusion: Perseverance and Gospel Integrity

As we conclude this chapter and look forward to the challenges of Chapter 3, we recognise that Paul’s call to Timothy was not just to endure but to do so with grace, strength, and the assurance of the gospel’s power. This chapter has laid a foundation of perseverance, teaching Timothy—and us—what it means to pass on the gospel faithfully, to endure suffering like a good soldier, to labour diligently like a farmer, and to run the race with integrity like an athlete. However, as we move into Chapter 3, Paul warns of the increasing challenges Timothy will face as the world grows darker and opposition to the truth intensifies. Yet, in the midst of such difficulty, Timothy is reminded that the foundation of his strength is unshakable in Christ. The same grace that has empowered him to endure will equip him to stand firm in the truth, even as the times grow perilous.