Confidence of a Christian

2 Timothy 1:8–12

I was recently asked by a friend, “what makes you so confident?” I was sort of surprised by the question, since I don’t think of myself as all that confident. I like being alone, and I need to be reminded that I NEED interaction with others.

This has become a mental/physical health crisis for many. One of the greatest deterrents from our proper interaction is our lack of confidence. We waver in our lack of confidence primarily because of sin. Whether I am the one who sinned, or someone else has, sin robs us of our needed confidence, and eventually destroys our faith in God.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: “A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact.”

Technically we are discussing self-confidence here, but we will refer to as confidence from here on out.

Paul had many sources of trauma, desperation, despair, etc. How did he have the confidence he displays in 2 Timothy?

We understand that in the context of 2 Timothy, Paul is speaking toward an evangelist, but there is of course a sense where this should be applicable to all.

2 Timothy 1:8–12 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Paul had confidence despite personal loss.

2 Timothy 1:15–18; 4:16

2 Timothy 1:15–18 NKJV

This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.

2 Timothy 4:16 NKJV

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Paul was able to share freely that some had “turned away” from him.

Not necessarily from the faith, but rather had turned away from Paul in the sense of shame concerning his chains.

What would our reaction be if one of our own members was arrested? Would we assume that “they must have done something wrong”, as Job’s friends did? Or would we try to figure out the situation and help our fellow Christian?

In contrast, Onesiphorus was a source of refreshment for Paul.

There really was nothing to “figure out” here, as they lived in a time when being a Christian meant trouble, imprisonment, and death.

Paul wants Timothy to understand the example of Onesiphorus and act as he is.

Onesiphorus helped Paul have the confidence he needed to keep going.

If one of our own is wrongly imprisoned, and being persecuted for the sake of Christ, I hope we do our best to support them and suffer with them as much as possible.

If one of our own is discouraged about the work, I hope we do our best to be there for them and make it clear that we love them.

2 Timothy 2:8–13

2 Timothy 2:8–13 NKJV

Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Paul suffered as an evildoer.

Consider how many would have looked upon Paul in chains. What would they have assumed about him?

There may be times when our name in Christ is rung through the mud. What will our attitude be about that?

He knew that the word of God is not chained.

The resurrection of Jesus proved that for Paul. Confirmed in the word of God.

The word of God does not change. It is set and established. It is our safe haven and strength in a world of chaos.

Paul believed the promises of God.

If we died with him (if we are Christians, we did),

We shall also live with him.

If we endure,

We shall also reign with Him.

If we deny Him,

He will also deny us.

If we are faithless,

He remains faithful; He cannot deny himself.

Paul believed all these things just as much before, during, and after those chains were upon him.

2 Timothy 3:10–13

2 Timothy 3:10–13 NKJV

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Timothy followed Paul not just in the good/pleasant things, but in everything.

Teaching

Way of Life

Purpose

Faith

Longsuffering (Patience)

Love

Perseverence (Steadfastness)

Persecutions

Afflictions

Paul shows a pattern of healthy boundaries.

Paul constantly brings attention to the good parts of his life and the people who properly emulate them, while still acknowledging and warning against the evil that is out there.

Do we hit this balance the way that Paul does? I hope we see that the more we think and act like Paul, the healthier we will be, and the closer to the Lord we will be!

Paul had confidence while understanding that all are at different levels of development.

2 Timothy 2:14–21

2 Timothy 2:14–21 NKJV

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

“These things” likely refers back to the promises that Paul had mentioned in 2:8-13.

Thus, remembering the promises of God concerning His faithfulness will help us to accomplish what Paul is encouraging Timothy to do here.

Timothy must charge them not to strive about words to no profit.

On the same point, shun profane and idle babblings.

LEB “avoid pointless chatter”; ESV “avoid irreverent babble”.

This is not just “idle talk”, though that certainly pertains to it.

This is speech that is vain and irreverent in the sense that it denigrates the pure word of God, and speaks against it.

Why? They will increase to more ungodliness.

Timothy must be diligent to stand approved of God.

This is his goal! What if it were ours?

Some are being overthrown, yet the solid foundation of God stands.

Paul is not despairing about this, and he doesn’t want Timothy to do so, either.

The “great house” of the Church currently includes “vessels” (souls) of all kinds. We must work to cleanse ourselves.

However, we are at different areas at any given moment. Our grace and love toward each other must motivate our every action.

Our goal is still clear: we want to be fit for the Master’s use! Prepared for EVERY good work!

Paul had confidence and wanted Timothy to have a similar confidence.

2 Timothy 2:22–26

2 Timothy 2:22–26 NKJV

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Flee the bad; pursue the good!

This is necessary in order to live in accordance with “those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.

Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes.

With the knowledge that they generate strife.

Many opinions I might have that don’t belong in this pulpit.

If I am a “servant of the Lord”, my goal is accomplish better things than quarreling.

“not to quarrel” does not mean don’t correct. You correct in humility.

My goal is to help bring about a situation wherein the sinner can be granted repentance, know the truth, come to their senses, and escape the snare of the devil.

The situation: we were taken captive by him to do his will. Satan gets nothing by merit, but everything he has is by conquest.

Paul is encouraging Timothy to have confidence in what he has learned, and that confidence can lead to positive outcomes.

Without this confidence, Timothy would be too discouraged to even attempt to be gentle, able to teach, patient, and to humbly correct.

Note: lack of confidence will breed a LACK of gentleness. We need to be confident so that we can love each other properly!

2 Timothy 3:14–17

2 Timothy 3:14–17 NKJV

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Continue in the things learned and assured of.

Continue - “remain, stay, reside”

Knowing from whom you have learned them.

This is a great source of confidence.

The Apostles ---> Jesus ---> The Father

Timothy had been taught these things from childhood.

Note, though, that these things had not ALREADY secured salvation.

Rather, the Scripture was ABLE to make him wise for salvation THROUGH faith which is IN Christ Jesus.

All Scripture (grapho) is God-breathed, useful for teaching, for exposing (reproving), for correction, for discipline in righteousness, that the man of God (primarily the evangelist, yet applies to everyone) may be COMPLETE (capable, proficient), thoroughly furnished for every good work.

Paul had confidence while knowing there would be future struggles in the Church.

2 Timothy 3:1–9

2 Timothy 3:1–9 NKJV

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

“perilous times” - how discouraging!

The people Paul describes are not “good” people. Yet often we defend such.

Lovers of themselves

“That’s nothing, here’s what happened to ME ME ME”

Lovers of money

“I gotta work to feed my family”

Boasters

“I took the time to do a charitable deed the other day. Here’s the details.”

Proud

“I have this all figured out. I got it licked.”

Blasphemers (Slanderers - LEB)

Disobedient to Parents

Unthankful

Unholy

Unloving (without natural affection - KJV)

Unforgiving (trucebreakers - KJV)

Slanderers (devilish)

Without Self-Control

Popping off at the slightest signal they won’t get their way.

Brutal

Despisers of good

Traitors

Headstrong

Haughty

Lovers of Pleasure rather than Lovers of God

Having a form of godliness but denying its power

Our excuses: “They had a rough childhood” “Give them a break”, “He’s just a hothead”.

We need to recognize and call out these unhealthy, destructive behaviors in our members and in our families. We are called to be different. We will have no confidence while making apologies for what Paul is describing here.

As the Egyptian Magicians resisted Moses, so these resist the truth. Ex. 7:11-2, 22; 8:7, 18-19; 9:11

Note the progression.

Exodus 7:11–12 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

Exodus 7:12 “For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.”

(Water turned to blood) Exodus 7:22 “Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.”

Exodus 8:7 “And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 8:18–19 Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.

Exodus 9:11 “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.”

What happened with these men will happen to those who oppose God.

They will progress no further. Rev. 20:7-10

Wickedness has a way of falling flat on its face.

Revelation 20:7-10 “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

There is no confidence for the wicked.

2 Timothy 4:1–5

2 Timothy 4:1–5 NKJV

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Serious charge concerning the Judge of the living and the dead.

Preaching is serious business!

Timothy’s “readiness” - in season and out.

Not only when it’s well-received, but when it’s not.

Not only when it’s welcomed, but when it’s hated.

Convince, rebuke, exhort.

Convince: expose, reprove, convict.

We are truth seekers who bring the truth to light.

Rebuke: reprove

We are zealous in showing others the right/wrong of a situation.

Exhort: urge, implore

We beg our audience to respond to the saving gospel before it’s too late.

In short, as the old adage says, “comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.”

Why should Timothy do this? The time would come when they would not stand for sound teaching.

We are meant to “endure sound doctrine”. This takes confidence in the teaching itself.

If I truly believe what the gospel says, I will accept it no matter the teacher.

Further, I will seek to be challenged by knowledgeable teachers of the Word.

The other option is always there: we can “heap up” teachers for ourselves.

Easy to find people who will just say what everyone wants them to say.

President Biden: “whatever you want me to say, I’ll say it.”

Duties of Timothy as evangelist

Be watchful in all things

Vigilance is always needed. We have no “safe” times in the Church. True safety comes when we get to heaven.

Endure afflictions

The evangelist must be ready to take the potshots and criticism. Whatever he suffers for the truth is worth it.

Do the work of an evangelist

This sets Timothy apart; this is a specific work that Timothy does.

Fulfill your ministry

Bear your service!

All members have a hand in completing this in the true confidence for the Gospel. Support the evangelist in his work. Do your best to be an encouragement for the work here.

Remember also that this is about the WORK, not the MAN! This will give us confidence working together for the Lord as a local church.

Paul had confidence that he had fought the good fight and that he would go to heaven.

2 Timothy 4:6–8

2 Timothy 4:6–8 NKJV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 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.

Paul is already suffering, and he knows he is going to die soon.

Most of us have no idea, but some do have some idea about our impending death.

It is a blessing to be able to see it coming, but not everyone thinks of it that way.

The worldly panic at death; the righteous are content in the face of it.

The “good fight” is the one we should all be fighting. 1 Tim. 1:18; Jude 3

“waged the good warfare”

1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare.

Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

It is sinful to allow our cowardice to keep us from fulfilling the mission God has placed upon us. In His light, we can stand for him through eternity, and fight in the way He has given us!

Paul has no doubt about where he is going. Do you?

“If in any way we might win a home in heaven” - humble thought, yet it does not strike me with the same confidence that Paul shows here.

If we know enough of God’s word, we can gain Paul’s confidence.

We apply this truth to our lives, allowing the mind of God to change us into what is pleasing to Him.

Thus, we KNOW where we will end up!