Paul’s Epistles to Timothy give instruction to the man of God to direct his path in connection with the assembly. The first gives instruction as to how to put, and to keep things right in it, in view of evils foretold as coming in among them.
In the second epistle, the evils have come in, and are developing to such an extent, that the Apostle marks out the path for the man of God through the confusion which he cannot put right—a path in which he can, like Enoch of old, walk with God, and know, as Enoch did, that it is the path pleasing to God.
We have seen that we, as believers, are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and are members of the body of Christ. This means that we are united to Christ the Head in glory, and to each believer down here, and that we are children of God the Father, in conscious enjoyment, able to look up, and to say, “Abba Father,” and in happy, full assurance, give Him thanks that we are made fit to be partakers of the portion of the saints in light, and also that these relationships are eternal.
Our behavior may often be poor, but our relationships cannot fail. These do not depend on our behavior, but our behavior should flow from our enjoyment of what God’s grace has conferred upon us. Though there may be difficulties to meet in order to walk with God, we may rest assured that such love that did not spare His own Son, will not fail to point out the true path to us, if we are in earnest to do His will (John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)).
We notice that these epistles do not unfold these relationships, but in the second epistle we see what the believer can rely upon when everything outwardly has been corrupted, what faith can lay hold of, and see here what is God’s path for him, “A path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen.” Job 28:77There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: (Job 28:7). The Lord will make it plain to the one who seeks His face, and desires to follow in the steps of our blessed Lord, who ever did His father’s will while here on earth.
Verse 9 tells of God “who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began.”
Verse 10 speaks of the One who won the victory over Satan’s power, and has brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel, Though man has rejected this testimony, and Paul is a prisoner because of it, he is not ashamed, and says, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” He also exhorts Timothy to “hold fast the outline of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” Division in heart had begun, and all that were in Asia were spoken of as having turned away from him.
Nevertheless, Chapter 2:1, begins, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that that is in Christ Jesus, and the things thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” This teaches us that the more the failure is seen, the more we should set ourselves to go on with the truth. The Apostle exhorts the man of God to be like a true-hearted soldier that endures all manner of hardships and deprivation, that he may please the One who called him to be His soldier—that is, with purpose of heart to please the Lord; “a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
Verse 5, likens him next to an athlete, striving for the masteries, but he must strive according to the rules of the game, and will not get the laurels except he strive lawfully. This is obedience to the Word.
Verse 6 should read, “The husbandman must labor before partaking of the fruits,” exhorting him thus to go on to plow, sow, cultivate, and then wait till the harvest for his reward. Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, did not get the blessing till He had been rejected, crucified, then raised and glorified; and Paul, as: His Apostle, must also have the rejected place, an example of devotedness, and in suffering, for love to Christ, and to His saints, and in righteousness, in which we also have the privilege of suffering with Him. The Apostle said, “I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”
It is suffering in faithful ministry of the truth in love that goes through every difficulty, in afflictions, and desertion, to accomplish what God had counseled for His saints, and this was a faithful saying, If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If any deny Him, He would need to deny them. (Peter denied that he knew Him. He did not deny that He was the Son of God.) If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful (that is to the failing believer), He cannot deny Himself. He cannot deny any of His own.
Further, he was to put believers in mind not to enter into discussions to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers, but he was to study to show himself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing and applying the Word of truth. He was to shun profane and vain babblings; which only increase unto more ungodliness. These evil discussions eat as does a canker: like the two mentioned here who erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrew the faith of some.
Amid, and in spite of all the evils that had come in, “The foundation of God standeth sure.” Blessed fact! All God’s purposes will stand. The eternal life in Christ Jesus, cannot be lost. All the blessings God has given, endure to the end; yet there are two sides to this seal, First, “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” We may not be able to discern, or pronounce on the multitude of professors, nor are we called upon to try.
The second side is, “Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” This is surely a blessed privilege. We need not go on in fellowship with evil; we need not go on in unequal yokes with believers, or unbelievers. There is a clean path through all the confusion of Christendom. We cannot get out of this great profession, but we can find out the path of obedience to the Word of God, and of separation from all unrighteousness.
Verse 20 compares this profession, which takes in all baptized Christendom, to a great house, where gold and silver, wood and earthen vessels, are mixed up in confusion, some to honor and some to dishonor. Who can straighten out the tangles, and put it in order? None, but God. We cannot set up the assembly anew. To try it would only make another sect, full of pride and assumption.
Verse 21 tells how we are to act—in humility and lowly self-judgment. We are to purge ourselves from these, that is, the mixture; and in holy separation, be a vessel meet for the Master’s use.
This is seen in Verse 22 to go deeper than mere outward separation to be meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work, for we need to flee youthful lusts, and this is the application of the death of Christ to our own natural lusts and habits, as in Romans 6:1111Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11), reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Holy Spirit is dwelling in us, giving us power to keep our eye upon Christ, and to follow him. Then we are to follow, not people, but righteousness, faith, love, and peace—practical righteousness in our walk, active faith that lays hold of the Word to obey it: love in activity going out in response to His love to us, and then going out to all His saints; and peace with each other, but not at the expense of truth. This is to mark out the character of the new company, as it says, “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart,” that is, in sincerity before the Lord.
The behavior of the Lord’s servant is next seen. He was not to contend; he was to be gentle, leading others on in the truth, instructing opposers in meekness, if God might work in them, breaking down by gentle words, their stubborn opposition. What a lesson for us all!
May the Lord exercise each believer to find out this path of faith, and to seek grace to walk in it. It is only the path of obedience to God and His Word that glorifies Him.
In Chapter 3 we are told of evils still to come among those who profess the name of the Lord, and these have a form of godliness, yet denying the power thereof, and from all such we are to turn away. These work by imitation of the truth, as James and Jambres withstood Moses, and in this way resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate, or worthless, concerning the truth.
Verses 10 to 12 we have Paul’s teaching and life in simple-eyed service for the Lord: purpose, faith, long-suffering, love and patience. Then his sufferings in service, and the Lord’s deliverance out of all the dangers, and adds that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It is the path of following the One whom the world has cast out.
Verse 13 tells us of progress in evil, and exhorts Timothy to continue in the path, and in the truth given by the Apostle, and directs him to the Scriptures, known to him from a child, and which were able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture is given by inspiration of god (God breathed), and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God can, by giving attention to it, be perfectly furnished unto all good works.
Then in Chapter 4, he is charged before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead, at His appearing, and all through His kingdom, that he preach the Word, in season, out of season, that he reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.
Is it not plain that we have come to those difficult times, that men are choosing their own teachers who will tell them the things they like to hear—not sound teachings, but fables.
The path marked out for every man of God, is the path of obedience to the Word, the path of full separation from all that would dishonor the name of the Lord, or deny the holiness of His Word. The time of the Apostle’s departure was near at hand. Now, he and the rest are gone, but we that are left, have those blessed things that remain, as long as the assembly is on earth—Christ’s presence as a Center to gather to (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). The Holy Spirit dwelling with us and in us. The blessed infallible Word of God to be our guide, and His grace for each one who seeks it.