“Continue to Defend the Truth!”
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Announcements:
-Welcome to our Men’s Bible Study. We meet every Monday at 6:00p.m.
-Wednesday nights.
-Sunday at 10:30.
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The title of our study tonight is, “Continue to defend the truth. As believers and especially as Christian leaders we must continue to defend the truth or as we see the single focus and imperative in verse 14.
“Continue in what you have learned.” Verse 14.
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
Paul here is continuing to encourage his friend Timothy in the ministry and help him see just how important it truly is to not stop being a defender of the truth. We see here that there are some important lessons that Paul lays out to Timothy. First of all, everyone including Timothy need godly mentors who can encourage them in the faith. The second lesson that Paul wants Timothy to get is that of having some strong godly convictions that are part of his faith.
Notice here in verse 10 that Paul tells Timothy that you have followed. Now of course there are several areas that Paul describes here to us however the main point is that Paul is reminding Timothy to follow or continue to learn from him.
When we pick up God’s Word men we of course see the best example of mentorship between Jesus and His disciples, but next to that there is no greater example or mentor than what Timothy had in Paul.
When you think about your own life men, who comes to mind as someone who has been a godly mentor or example to you. Many of us today have been influenced by someone close to us like a family member or someone we work with or have served with. Sometimes influence can be really good, while at other times it can be really bad. My point here is that we should make it a huge priority in our lives men to choose godly men that we surround ourselves with. We need godly men to influence us and guide us so that we might continue to follow Jesus and defend the truth. We won’t understand truth unless we make time to study God’s Word and let godly men speak truth into our lives.
I just think that it is important tonight to address this because so many men our weak in their faith and care more about their jobs, sports, financial status than they do with their relationship with God and their family. We must make it a priority to have godly mentors in our lives. In verses 10-13 we see that Paul has in mind for Timothy to pattern his beliefs, thinking, and lifestyle after him. Listen to what Paul said to the church at Corinth many years before this.
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
As we now step into this new section Paul is addressing this to Timothy. After the major light that has been shed on the false teachers and really supposed leaders in the church who were not even saved as we have seen in the first 9 verses of chapter 3, Timothy is going to be urged in contrast to these wicked leaders to defend the truth of the gospel.
Paul is doing this for Timothy to remind his of his own example which he is very familiar with since Timothy had spent so much time already with Paul. These two men had a very close relationship, and so Paul is reminding Timothy to carry on his example and continue to teaching these thing to the church after his departure.
We now come to a list of several virtues that Paul begins to describe for Timothy. These virtues are some of the same things that we see in 2 Corinthians.
4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
These virtues stand against what we see in the first 4 verses of this chapter. Paul begins these virtues by mentioning his teaching, his conduct and then moves into his purpose or aim in life. You may say what was Paul’s aim or goal throughout his life? His aim in this life was his single-minded commitment to Christ his Lord. Do we have a single-minded focus to follow God? This is what Paul desires for Timothy to have as he leads the church there at Ephesus. Timothy be devoted to Christ and make his name famous to everyone you meet.
Paul then begins to lay out the main Christian virtues that should be evident of every true follower of Jesus. These Christian virtues are see many times throughout the New Testament. (Titus 2:2, 1 Timothy 1:11, and Galatians chapter 5. Let’s take a look.
-My Faith. Paul’s faith of course was in and too God. Faith here can be translated faithfulness as it is referring to God. This is not saving faith, but faithfully living the truth that we as believers have already professed.
-My Patience. This would mean forbearance toward others, as well as toward circumstances that we face in this life especially in difficult situations. Being patient is more about our attitude men, because it is a determined way of life which marks a Christian who lives a devotion to Christ and to serve the Bride of Christ.
-My Love. Paul’s love was shown toward all even those who disagreed with him because he desired that they would repent and turn toward Christ. This greek word was (agape) this was an unselfish love and one of the fruits of the Spirit. Love is so important to the Christian life that if we don’t have a love for our brother or sisters how can we say that we love God? Because Paul first and foremost had a love for God he then could love others and this was a great example for Timothy and even us today.
-Finally, Paul mentions My steadfastness. Paul has in mind here endurance. He is reminding Timothy to continue to persevere, continue to endure even as you go through hardships, affliction, or stressful times. As this is exactly what we see coming in the verses ahead. The point here that Paul stresses is for Timothy to continue in what he has seen and learned especially in light of the false teachers. Because of Paul’s life in Christ and Timothy to follow after what he has seen in Paul what will become clear is that Timothy would deal with persecutions and sufferings.
Paul now begins to help Timothy see what he too could face and for Paul this had been something that he faced over and over again in many different places. Paul is saying here to Timothy, you know what kind of things have happened to me in Antioch. What do we know?
50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.
Timothy you know what happened to me at Iconium. What happened to Paul???
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country,
And oh by the way Timothy, you of course know what happened to me in your own home town of Lystra right???
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
This was Paul’s way of saying, Timothy you were there in Lystra when I was stoned. You can very easily remember the persecutions that I went through because you saw these from the time you began to walk with Christ. So, don’t give up, don’t quit, don’t bail out when times get tough. Continue to endure and remember that when this life is over, we will live with Christ for all eternity which is so much better than this crummy old earth.
Something else that stands out to us about verse 11 is that Paul also reminds Timothy that the Lord rescued him from them all. Now of course this does not mean that God rescued Paul from the persecutions themselves but from the death that was so often very close at hand. It’s as if Paul is preparing Timothy and every true believer for the difficult times and even persecution in the life of a Christian.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
As we come to verse 12 we see the reminder of the sufferings for all who desire to live a godly life. This of course was what Paul is reminding Timothy about and that he would face. These persecutions were not special in regards that they were just for Paul and Timothy, but for all true believers. Men, when we stand up and say that we are followers of Jesus and make a public professions of our faith, Satan and this world will come against us because they don’t like the truth. In fact, as I said yesterday Satan and his demons know the truth and yet they despise it. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and His very Word is truth. So, my point is don’t think for a moment that when you became a Christian that your life will be smooth sailing. Don’t think that you will escape any suffering or persecution. It will come. As the Lord’s disciples we must expect to experience some of the same things that the disciples and Christ went through.
Of course Paul also mentions that this was not true for those who didn’t know Christ especially those like the false teachers who were evil and imposters. These men would not face any persecution because they would avoid it at all costs even denying Christ. In fact, this is why Paul says that they would go from bad to worse. These false teachers, these charlatans would only dive deeper and deeper into their sins deceiving others and even deceiving themselves. They ultimately turned away from a truly godly life. It may also be these very people that caused the persecution to happen.
The important thing for every believer to understand here is that for those who are in Christ and living godly lives we are in fact in Christ. Christ lives within us and we know that we are destined to live in glory with the Lord, while these false teachers go from bad to worse and one day will be destined to hell.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
Knowing this and understanding what Paul means here, now helps us see the central focus of Paul’s message. Timothy, continue on brother. Don’t stop, don’t ever give up, continue to hold onto what you have learned and truly believe it because you know from where it came. Men we must have strong convictions in our lives just like Paul and Timothy had in theirs. Clearly we see here that Timothy grew up in a home where God’s Word was taught and loved in practice and in principle. How do we know this? Go back with me to chapter 1 of 2 Timothy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
Paul is reminding Timothy unlike the evil false teachers that we have already looked at that he is fundamentally different. These false teachers were characterized by their self-love and the sinful behaviors behind that. However, Timothy’s life is known by the fact that he belongs to Jesus and his life is characterized by godly virtues. Paul finished verse 14 by explaining to Timothy, “knowing from whom you learned it.” Knowing and remembering the godly people from whom you learned these truths Timothy will help you to defend the truth and live for Christ. Men as we look to God’s Word and even the lives of other godly men may we continue to hold onto our own spiritual convictions and defend the truth of the gospel.
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