2 Timothy 1:3-11

Serving God while the World Collapses

I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.  Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.  I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.  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.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

I am a dinosaur.  I remember the first handheld computer to appear in our laboratory.  I dare not tell you when it was, but it was while I was in graduate studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas, Texas.  One of my professors was married to an engineer at Texas Instruments.  He was working on a top-secret project which resulted in a rectangular box which she brought to the laboratory.  Upon examination I discovered that this was a small computer which would perform four functions.  Its cost was in the range of eight hundred dollars.

Later, as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California Medical School in San Francisco, we were pleased to obtain for only $4,000 a 64K memory Hewlett Packer computer for our work in obstetrics and gynaecology.  Upon returning to postgraduate studies in Dallas I discovered that we no longer needed to store data we had generated in shoe boxes (in the form of punch cards or punch tapes) but we were connected directly to the computing centre mainframe.  My first home computer had a CPM OS and wrote to 5¼-inch floppy discs.  I gradually worked my way up in succession to a 286, a 386, a 586 and at last I again entered the realm of the dinosaur despite using a 166 MHz Pentium with a 1.58 gigabyte hard drive and 128 megabytes of RAM.  I’m in the market for my next computer, which will allow me to upgrade to Windows NT 5.0.  It will have at least a 500 MHz motherboard with 128 megabytes of RAM and at least a 10 gigabyte hard drive.  Of course, it will be Y2K compatible, in no small measure because we will have passed that particular crisis and be facing the next threat to society as we know it.

Until I built my latest computer, each alike was deficient in memory both on the hard drive and in RAM.  To address the memory problem, programmers early on had implemented shortcuts to save memory.  Since that first computer was built in the early 70s, it was not necessary to inform the chip what year it was by entering four digits; the last two digits would suffice since everything was in the twentieth century.  Nearing the twenty-first century, however, perceptive programmers and engineers realised that we were facing a potential problem of catastrophic proportions.  When the year 2000 rolled around, computers would register “00”, but the computers would think it was the year 1900.  Everyone would lose one hundred years, which might otherwise be a blessing.

About five years ago the world began to panic.  The American Congress at last heard and began to seriously weigh the concerns of computer scientists who were warning of world-wide catastrophes if the software driving our world was not upgraded.  It was not that computer experts were just then realising the problem existed, but they were being openly voiced and their concerns were at last being heard.  The term “Y2K” entered our vocabulary and a new fear entered the social consciousness.

Today, Canada is touted as the most Y2K ready nation in the world.  There are virtually no major difficulties anticipated which will arise from Y2K software deficits.  There may be minor difficulties resulting from older software, but no major systems are thought to be threatened by antiquated software in Canada.  Australia, New Zealand and the United States are the second most prepared nations for the looming date change, and Britain rounds out the nations most prepared to address the issues surrounding outdated software.  Consequently, when the year 2000 rolls around in a few days, it is unlikely that there will be major problems caused by obsolete software in Canada.

Perhaps a few isolated power outages will be experienced in Canada, though that possibility appears increasingly remote.  Such outages, should they occur, will most likely be restricted to minor power grids situated in isolated regions of the country.  There should be no phone interruption as result of software non-compliance.  Your money will be there when you need it, whether you have invested it or whether you have it in a savings account.  I would not hesitate to board a plane flying from Edmonton to Vancouver on January 1st, nor even one which was flying to Denver.  Yet experts are cautioning that we may face some problems.  The problems anticipated are not the result of software failure, however, they will be the result of the human factor.

Many people anticipate problems and they may inadvertently cause problems.  Fearful individuals drawing out large amounts of cash may deplete bank machines and create a fear that the ATMs are not working.  Worse yet, consider what temptation can be presented to the less savoury elements of society should a sizeable proportion of the populace be carrying large amounts of cash on their persons or secreting those same large amounts of cash on their property.  Large numbers of people picking up the phone at the same time to see if the system is working can easily overload the system and cause momentary disruptions.  Think of the difficulties you may have had in obtaining a dial tone on Mother’s Day at various times in the past and then think of the impact of tens of thousands of phones being picked up simultaneously as users check for a dial tone.

Add to all these potential problems the possibility of problems arising from uninformed or poorly informed individuals anticipating cataclysmic conflict and you realise that the expectation of difficulties can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  In the days immediately preceding the changeover, store shelves may well be depleted and some individuals who are nervous about what they consider to be roving gangs of armed and hungry individuals may unadvisedly choose to shoot first and ask questions later if their home is approached by strangers.  It is this human factor which concerns most scientists and civic planners.

As Christians we can surrender to the fear of the world about us and also panic at the prospect of every social change (and there will be an increasing number of changes in our common culture and societies).  We have witnessed a dramatic transformation of life as we once knew it and we will witness yet more dramatic changes as the new millennium unfolds.  How shall we live in such times?

The Faith to Endure— I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.  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.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline [vv. 5 – 7].  Faith is active, touching people from one generation to the next.  That faith which is here identified as sincere faith has an impact in lives about us.  There is no such thing as passive faith.  Faith in Christ the Lord transforms the one who exercises that faith.  Consequently, that faith will be revealed through the manner in which one lives.  Have you ever noticed how frequently this is an issue in the Word of God?

Paul made it abundantly clear that faith must result in action.  We cannot attend services in an evangelical church for long until we hear Ephesians 2:8,9: it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  Furthermore, we are all quick to learn those two verses.  Should someone challenge our salvation we will claim faith.  However, few of us go beyond those two verses to the corollary which Paul appended in the tenth verse: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do [Ephesians 2:10].

You remember that James makes this issue in an exceptionally strongly worded passage in his letter.  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that—and shudder [James 2:14-19].

When we believe the Good News of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection we are born into the Family of God.  Born of the Spirit, we increasingly reflect our divine parentage.  That parentage will not permit us to flee in fear each time the enemy roars.  So very often I hear of some Christian or another who fears what may be occurring in his or her life.  I frequently urge those believers to memorise one verse of Scripture.  God did not give us a spirit of [fear], but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline [2 Timothy 1:7].

Some years ago a man named John Todd appeared on the evangelical scene.  His was a dark message which was disseminated throughout evangelical churches across the United States and Canada.  I was astonished when I actually heard the message this man was delivering, for I judged it to be heresy and called it such without equivocation.  Why would I be so judgmental?  Why would I be so condemnatory toward a professed fellow evangelical?  What would motivate me to be so mean-spirited as to question some of the biggest names in contemporary evangelicalism?

The message John Todd was delivering was a message of fear and doom.  He claimed that witches … Illumanati, as he named them … were in control of the centres of power in the United States.  The Pentagon was controlled by these worshippers of Satan.  The Government was thoroughly infiltrated by Satan worshippers.  I suspect that many congressmen and senators are evil enough with laying any blame on Satan for their culpability.  I know that certain Presidents are sufficient driven by inner wickedness to avoid blaming the Evil One.

Because of his message, Todd taught that Christians must isolate themselves from society, leave the cities and move to defensive positions in the wilderness, arm themselves and prepare for battle against this massive network of satanic emissaries.  Frankly, I am all for leaving the cities behind.  I don’t have a problem with seeking a cabin in the wilderness, though I am certain that Lynda has something to say about that.  Likewise, I believe it is a good thing for all of us to own and to enjoy shooting arms.  However, enjoyment is one thing and fear is quite another.  John Todd’s message was a message of fear which said that Christians must forsake the very arena into which God has placed us.  A spirit of fear is incompatible with the Spirit of God.

You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship  [Romans 8:15].

Our Lord Christ came that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death [Hebrews 2:14,15].

Christian women are the daughters of Sarah if they do what is right and do not give way to fear [1 Peter 3:6].

There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love [1 John 4:18].

Have you ever noticed that whenever Jesus appears to His own His message is first of all, Do not be afraid [e.g. Revelation 1:17; 2:10]?

Todd was not a heretic because he warned of the presence of evil, though I question whether he knew whereof he spoke.  Todd was a heretic because of the conclusion drawn as result of his supposed insight.  He attempted to instil fear in the hearts of God’s people.  God fears no man and God’s people, when they walk in the Spirit, fear no man.  Let the people of God boldly face tomorrow for God has promised

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”

[Hebrews 13:5]

Now we are approaching an artificial division of time.  We speak of the new millennium arriving soon (though those in the know realise that it is a year away).  Our language is to a great degree cultural, reflecting our religious heritage.  What of other traditions?  According to Muslims we are approaching the year 1419; there is no new millennium for them.  Chinese calendars date this current year as 3952.  The Hindu lunar calendar says this is the year 5100.  By the Mayan calendar it is 5112.  It is not a new millennium for the Jewish calendar; it is rather the year 5759.  Logic alone would warn us that we dare not make too much of the division of time we employ. 

To insist that our division is correct and all others are in error is to reveal an incredible cultural arrogance.  Even were we to affirm that ours is not a cultural division but that it rather reflects our religious heritage, we would nevertheless need to exercise caution because we are quite confident that we have the date of Jesus’ birth wrong.  Scholars are reasonably confident that the Christ was born in 4 b.c. and not in 1 a.d.  This knowledge should give us pause!

Perhaps we are facing uncertain times.  Perhaps the world as we know it will end.  Perhaps Christ will come again.  However, I caution you that the uncertainty of the future was always present and not dependent upon a particular division of time.  I caution that the world will one day end, but it will end at a time according to the will of God and by His command and not because a particular division of time has arrived.  I know that the Son of God is coming again and I believe that He shall come momentarily.  That coming has no relationship to the division of time.  That coming is because He promised to come.

I recently found this article on a news service to which I subscribe.

Almost half of Americans believe the world will end in a battle.  Forty percent of all Americans and 45% of Christians believe there will be a final battle between Jesus Christ and the Anti-Christ at Armageddon, a Newsweek survey found.  The poll of 755 adults shows that 71% of evangelical Protestants, 28% of nonevangelicals, and 18% of Catholics believe the scenario will take place.  About half of those who share the belief said the Anti-Christ is living today and 45% said Jesus Christ will return before they die.  Only 6% said He will return by 2000....  Most who believe in the Second Coming of Christ say the world is experiencing the “end times,” the poll showed.  Many believe that current events signify the end is near: 83% cited the spate of natural disasters, 66% noted diseases such as AIDS and Ebola virus, and 62% said outbreaks of violence are signs of the end.  Ninety-five percent of believers in the Second Coming said it is important to have a saving relationship with God when the end comes, and 65% said it is important to evangelise others.  Of those polled, 57% said they believe in heaven and hell and 68% said they believe they are going to heaven (Religious News, 28 October, 1999).

Clearly people in this world are fearful of what may be and they create phantoms out of the slightest excuse.  Let Christians eschew such specious speculation and determine to live life to the fullest for the glory of Christ.  Let us determine that we shall endure in the strength of the Lord and not give in to fear.  Let us determine that we will reveal sincere faith, touching our families and our friends to the praise of God’s glory.

The Faith Expressed — So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace [vv. 8, 9a].  Faith which is sincere [ajnupokrivtou] is faith which is open and genuine.  It does not put on a show, for it grows spontaneously from the union of the Christian with the Risen Christ.  Christ ever stood boldly in the presence of His enemies, and those united to Him by faith will also stand boldly before His enemies.  Unfeigned faith is independent of expediency, independent of circumstances, independent of conditions surrounding the one possessing that faith.  What others do is of small moment in the life of one expressing sincere faith, for the approval of God and the smile of heaven is of greater importance than all the applause of man who must die.  Such sincere faith is dependable, always being expressed consistently. 

Perhaps you will think biblically of this faith if you again consider the Greek word underlying our English – ajnupokrivtou.  In the Greek language the way in which a word is negated is to add the prefix a.  Known as an alpha privative, this was the means by which a word was made negative.  Literally, ajnupokrivtou means unhypocritical and thus sincere, genuine, unfeigned.  Paul gives an example of such sincere faith when he urges Timothy do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

If I will reveal a faith which endures in uncertain times, I must be prepared to openly express that faith.  That faith must transform my life so that all witness the presence of Christ and know the power of God.  Even to the point of suffering for the gospel, I must be prepared to reveal the power of God.  I am increasingly convinced of one thing … we who are called by the Name of Christ shall soon be called to pass through trials such as this generation has not known heretofore.  If we will successfully weather those trials it will be because we possess sincere faith.

More people have died in this century just passing because they held to the Christian Faith than died in the preceding nineteen centuries.  The cost of confessing Christ is growing steeper and shall become dearer still in days to come.  I need not be a prophet to state this; I need but read the daily news.  I haven’t time to read the reports contained in my files from this past year alone, but a sampling of just a few indicate that Christians are singled out for torture, slavery, assault, theft and murder on almost a daily basis.  The attacks are not solely motivated by religious ideologues such as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but secularists, Communists, sodomites and post-modern philosophers alike attack Christians.

A sampling of some of the more than 100 items I gathered in this past year include the following.

January 13 tells how Nepali Christians are preparing for persecution.  At least two Christians were reported killed in police custody in Takasera Rukum district.

January 25 brought news of the burning of missionary Graham Staines and his sons Philip (10) and Timothy (8).

May 4 related an incident of Catholics burning an evangelical church in Chiapas.

May 13 brought news that Burma’s government was attempting to convert Christians to Buddhism, forcing Christians to build houses for Buddhist monks and even to pay a temple tax.

June 10 saw a story of a high school valedictorian in California prohibited from delivering a prepared speech because it contained references to God.  His brother was banned from delivering a valedictory address last year because it contained the line, “We must yield our lives to God.

July 14 saw a teacher fired for asking her sixth-graders if they wanted to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour after discussing the death of a classmate and praying for her pupils in New York City.

July 22 witnessed an attack on a Baptist Book Store in Jerusalem by orthodox Jews.

August 9 brought news that police in Turkey arrested and beat a Christian who was working at a book fair.

August 23 included an account of a U.S. Navy chaplain forced to resign his commission because his sermons were “unpluralistic” and “anti-priest”.  His superior, a Roman Catholic priest, objected to the chaplain’s assertion that no one but Christ can mediate between God and man.

September 17 saw a report of persecution in Uganda when a bishop of the Church of Uganda publicly confessed Christ and was baptised.  Anglicans felt justified in destroying the home and furnishings of the bishop and about fifty priests who also confessed Christ in baptism.

September 24 brought news that Christians in Myanmar were forced at gunpoint to recant their faith.

October 12 was a day in which Turkish Muslims were reported to have beaten and threatened with guns Christian relief workers.

November 10 saw a report that a Sri Lankan pastor had been murdered by Hindus.

I gather but a sample of the news reports on persecution and of that sampling I have gather a small sample.

Dear people, we may anticipate that the world will oppose us more and more because of our faith.  I say that we must determined that we will openly live out our faith, knowing that Christ shall at last conquer.  Perhaps you will recall the words of John.  Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  This is love for God: to obey his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [1 John 5:1-5].  Let’s determine that we will be overcomers.

The Foundation for Endurance — This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher [vv. 9b – 12].  Why should we endure?  What practical reason can I give that will assure us that we shall overcome the world?  The answer is found once more in our text where we read of grace which was given before the beginning of time, where we read of the destruction of death, and where we read of life and immortality brought to light through the Gospel.  God has provided richly for His people to endure whatever this world may bring.

We have received grace to believe … grace which was provided before ever the world began.  We now stand in grace having gained access by faith to believe the Good News of salvation [cf. Romans 5:1,2].  Having believed, to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it [cf. Ephesians 4:7].  To this very moment we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need [Hebrews 4:16].  With such rich provision as this love of God showered on us, we can stand firm in the Faith.  Such grace is the foundation for the apostolic charge to stand.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints [Ephesians 6:10-18].  Those grounded in grace will stand firm, for they will have taken their stand when they believed the message of grace.

The grace of God is revealed in Christ who destroyed death and who has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.  Who fears a conquered foe forever bound in chains which cannot be broken.  Thus do the saints have a song to sing concerning the last enemy.  Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ [1 Corinthians 15:54-57].

The essence of the message is this: changes will come, but Christ never changes.  Because our Lord is the constant point in a turning world, let our faith reflect Him whom we love and serve.  Let each of God’s people determine to so live that they exhibit sincere faith, faith which is grounded in the Ancient of Days who does not change like shifting shadows [cf. James 1:17].  Let us stand firm in the Faith knowing that we have received grace and that He has conquered death and brought life and immortality to light.  Amen.

A friend sent me the following which is worthy of consideration in these closing days of this penultimate year of the Twentieth Century.

THE TOP 10 THINGS YOU WON’T HAVE WORRY ABOUT WITH Y2K

10. If the bible still has the answers.

9. If prayer still works.

8. If the Spirit can still move.

7. If God still inhabits Praise.

6. If there is Anointed preaching.

5. If there is Anointed singing.

4. If God still pours out blessings.

3. If there’s room at the cross.

2. If Jesus loves you.

And the number one thing you won’t have to worry about with the Y2K bug

1. If Jesus still saves.  Because, people will become Y2K compliant.  They will turn to Jesus and say “(Y)es (2) the (K)ing!”

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