Free Bible Commentary
2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:16-21
Sunday, January 20, 2019“At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“The Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (verse 17). Paul had been imprisoned like a criminal and forsaken like a leper. But through all of the abuse and loneliness he experienced, he continued to only do what was right in the sight of the Lord. Even if the whole world should persecute you and all your friends and family should abandon you, the Lord never will. As long as you choose to do His will, He will never leave you nor forsake you, AND He will give you the spiritual and mental strength to continue the race and keep up the fight.
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (verse 18). And frankly, that is all that truly matters in the grand view of eternity. Heaven will make all the misery we may be forced to face here on earth, for being followers of Christ, more than worth it. Conversely, All the wealth and power and comfort and pleasure that this world offers could never come close to being worth abandoning Christ and giving up heaven for. Friend, Judgment is an appointment that every human being must keep, including you. Make pleasing God and going to heaven the number one priority in your life! Don’t miss heaven for anything!!!
Lord willing, we will have some introductory comments about Paul’s letter to Titus tomorrow.
“The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you”!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 4:9-15
Saturday, January 19, 2019“Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.”
---End of Scripture verses---
If we love this present world then this present world is all that we will have to take comfort in. Please heed the warning and do not be or become a Demas. He chose the passing pleasures of earthly life over the eternal glories of a heavenly crown. He set his mind on the inferior things of this lower realm and not on excellencies of heaven above (Colossians 3:2). He let Paul down at a time when the imprisoned Apostle really needed him, but much more horribly, he deserted the Lord who loved him and purchased him with His own blood.
Please brethren in Christ, “if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4) If we refuse or neglect to “KEEP SEEKING the things above,” we will not be revealed with Christ in glory. If we deny Him, He has no other choice than to deny us (2 Timothy 2:11-13). The Truth cannot deny the truth.
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
Make no mistake about it friends. “The Lord will repay” us “according to” our “deeds” (verse 14). “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)
Please read 2 Timothy 4:16-21 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Friday, January 18, 2019“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Paul was about to die for his faith and he knew it. He had spent the entirety of is life in Christ being “poured out” like a sacrificial “drink offering” on the altar of faith and duty. He had poured himself out and completely emptied himself in the service of His Father in heaven and his fellow human beings. Please notice that he does not express one ounce of regret. He does NOT say, “Man, I wish I hadn’t given my life to Christ!” He knew and was absolutely convinced that he had not wasted a minute of his life but had spent it in the most meaningful and rewarding ways that he possibly could have. He expresses some sadness in this letter, mostly because of the behavior and bad choices of some of his brethren. But he knew he had chosen the best life that a person could possibly live—the life of a faithful Christian!
What Paul “poured out” in no way compared to what was being “laid up” for him in eternity. Those who pour themselves out in service to Christ here on earth are only storing up treasures in heaven for eternity. If we fight the “good fight,” finish “the course” and keep “the faith,” we will receive “the crown of righteousness” which Jesus himself will award to us on the day when He returns to receive and deliver up His own unto His eternal, glorious, heavenly kingdom. Friends, the sum-total of all the trifles that this world offers to compensate you with is worth giving up for one second’s worth of the riches and glories and bliss of the eternal “reward” heaven. Please don’t forfeit your eternal crown for a fleeting moment of earthly pleasure.
Please read 2 Timothy 4:9-15 for tomorrow.
Have a super day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Thursday, January 17, 2019“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“Be ready in season and out of season” (verse 2). Teach people the truth whether they want to hear it or not. They desperately need it whether they realize it or not. Sometimes people will get fed up with what they consider to be continual “nagging”. But sometimes persistence pays off! You never know when the truth that you speak will hit the target and catch a person at the right time, with the right message and the right spiritual need.
“Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (verse 2). Paul had just told Timothy that “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (3:16). Now he is telling his young protégé to use the word for what God gave it to us for. Just in case you may not have noticed, reproof, rebuke and correction are “negative” commandments.
To reprove is to “reprehend severely.” To rebuke is to “admonish or charge sharply.” To correct is to take corrective action against the behavior that needs reproving and rebuking. There most certainly is a prominent place for positive and uplifting messages in pulpits of the Lord’s church. But if all you hear are cute stories, quaint anecdotes, feel-good messages and personal improvement pitches, that preacher does not “preach the word.”
The main reason that God gave us the Bible is to address our greatest problem: SIN! “Sound doctrine” (verse 3) always addresses mankind’s greatest needs and concerns. We do not need to feel better about ourselves and have our self-esteem built up. The truth is that we are all sinners and we need to change our erring ways! We do not need our “ears tickled.” We need our backsides spanked and our toes crunched!
Please do not misunderstand. Neither I nor Paul is advocating being mean to people with God’s word about their sins. We can and MUST reprove, rebuke and correct “with great patience and instruction” (verse 2). We can tell people hard truths without being hard-nosed. When all is said and done, we need to get out of the way of God’s word and let it do the toe crunching. It is more than capable of convicting people of their sins. We just have to make sure that people get the chance to hear it!
Please read 2 Timothy 4:6-8 for tomorrow.
Blessings!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Wednesday, January 16, 2019“Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (verse 12). If we are trying our best to serve the Lord in truth and righteousness, people are going to take notice, and not all of them are going to like what they see. Some people are going to view your godliness as a personal affront to their sinful lifestyle choices. Others will ridicule you because they think your faith is ridiculous. Still others will give you a hard way to go just because they are mean-spirited and you are an easy target.
This should not trouble you in the slightest because it means you are following in the footsteps of Jesus and meeting with God’s approval. What should bother us is if we try our best to live our lives in such a way as to avoid all controversy whatsoever. This means we are not living a godly life by God’s standards because ALL who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL be persecuted! Don’t go looking for trouble, but don’t avoid all trouble by sacrificing your godliness!
“All Scripture is inspired by God” (verse 16). That includes both Old Testament and New Testament Scripture, but nothing written outside of the books contained in THE BOOK that we call the Bible. Every word that is written in the Bible is “profitable”. Inspired revelation is good for teaching us God’s ways, laws and promises. It is adequate to reprove us and correct us when we choose to deviate from its teaching. It is the only work of literature that is able to perfectly train us in righteousness, even though we will fall short of its perfection.
God’s perfect word provides us “wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (verse 15). Everything recorded in the Old Testament was written in preparation for, and points the way to, God fulfilling His perfect plan of salvation by sending Jesus into the world to live and die and provide salvation for all people. Everything written in the New Testament tells us who Jesus is, what He did, and what He will do for us (in perfect accordance with Old Testament prophecy) if we live lives of faithfulness to Him. The Bible teaches us, reproves us, corrects us, trains us, saves us, gives us wisdom, equips us for every good work.
Maybe it’s time to start taking the Bible a lot more seriously! Seriously!
Please read 2 Timothy 4:1-5 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 3:1-9
Tuesday, January 15, 2019“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Friends we are in “the last days” (verse 1), and we have been since the Holy Spirit gave us the New Testament inspiration of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). But the sins of these “difficult times” seem to have increased in our generation to such a degree that you can see why many people think that Paul had us in mind when he wrote these words. Self-love and “arrogance” seem to be at an all-time high, and it appears to be the norm for people to be driven by ego satisfaction instead of love for fellowman. We live in a society of “ungrateful” people who are “lovers of pleasure” and no amount of pleasure can satisfy their lusts and feelings of entitlement. And that’s just in the secular society!
There is also a huge sector of the “religiously minded” people and “leaders” who hold “to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power” (verse 5). They flash sweet smiles and speak smooth words in order to deceive their listeners and enrich themselves, all the while professing a godliness that they do not possess. It is remarkable how loving and longsuffering our God is, not wanting any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I would have lost my patience a long time ago and wiped out the whole lot of us! We must take care to not become discouraged and embittered, however. It is at difficult and dark times such as these that we need to cling all the tighter to God for comfort and encouragement, and let our lights shine their brightest for the cause of Christ!
Let’s not be numbered among the folks who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (verse 7). A lot of people know something about the Bible, and some people know a lot about the Bible. But there is a huge difference between acquiring some knowledge and learning, loving and obeying the truth! Just as Pharaoh’s magicians, Jannes and Jambres, opposed the efforts of Moses to free the children of Israel (Exodus 7:11-13; 9:11-12), the “false teachers” of our day “oppose the truth” (verse 8). “Their folly will be obvious to all” of Jesus’ genuine disciples who “search the scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11), and “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).
Please read 2 Timothy 3:10-17 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 2:20-26
Monday, January 14, 2019“Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
---End of Scripture verses---
In such a large “house” as the church of Jesus Christ, there are bound to be some dishonorable “vessels” sitting alongside the Lord’s instruments of honor (verse 20). Unfortunately there have always been people like Hymenaeaus and Philetus who stray from the truth and upset the faith of others (2:17-18). The good news is that we can make the choice to stay sanctified regardless of how dishonorable our brethren decide to be. They can also choose to repent and turn from their wickedness, and allow the Lord to cleanse them and restore them to an honorable condition of usefulness (verse 21).
A person with a “pure heart” will have the foresight to “flee” dangerous things and situations, and “pursue” that which the Lord loves and rewards. If there is a strong weakness in your life that you are just too fragile to approach and put up a good fight against, by all means RUN AWAY! That is not cowardice it is common sense! It is also a commandment! Flee youthful lusts or whatever lusts are peculiar to your age and life condition. But don’t just run FROM the dangers of the world. “Pursue,” or run TO those things that are good and holy and blessed—“righteousness, faith, love and peace.”
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all” (verse 24). The Lord did not enlighten our minds to the truth and welcome us into His fold of safety to equip us to be good at Bible trivia and win “religious” arguments. The people who need the truth are caught in “the snare of the devil” and are being “held captive by him to do his will” (verse 26). They need the truth that we have in order to escape and be saved, but we need to teach it to them in all kindness, patience and “gentleness” (verse 25). We may be our friends’ and family’s best shot at the kingdom, but the manner in which we approach them and speak to them makes all the difference in the world.
Please read 2 Timothy 3:1-9 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 2:14-19
Sunday, January 13, 2019“Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.’”
---End of Scripture verses---
“Remind them of these things” (verse 14). One of the most important duties of a faithful Gospel preacher is to give frequent reminders to people of what the Lord expects and demands of them. If you are anything like me, you forget things that you have learned in the past. The only way that we can commit something to memory is to read it or hear it over and over again until we are fully immersed in it. “Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder.” (2 Peter 1:12-13).
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God” (verse 15). This is an expectation and a demand placed upon all of God’s people, not just Gospel preachers. The word “approved” means to be “accepted after testing”. This world and its trials and temptations are the crucible through which God tests us, refines us, purifies us. If we are “workmen” for God who diligently pursue Him and His will in all righteousness and purity, we will have no need “to be ashamed” after He has inspected us.
The standard by which we must live our lives and the prism through which we must view the world is “the word of truth”. If we mishandle God’s inspiration, if we distort His revelation, and manipulate it to suit our own selfish will and desires, we will fail the test miserably and incur His wrath. “The Lord knows those who are His” (verse 19). They are the ones who cherish and respect and take very seriously the word of truth. They carefully consider it, persistently pursue it and accurately handle it, knowing that they are currently being examined by the words of Christ, and will ultimately be judged by the Bible on the last day.
Please read 2 Timothy 2:20-26 for tomorrow.
We would love to have you come worship God with us today at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.
We assemble at 3741 Taylorsville Road in Louisville Kentucky.
9:30 AM Bible classes for all ages. 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM worship services.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Saturday, January 12, 2019“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
---End of Scripture verses---
The premier example of someone suffering and dying before arising to glory is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the prototype and the author of the salvation that faith in the Gospel brings. If we endure suffering with Him, we will also reign by His side in eternity (verse 12). If we are willing to die with Jesus—to give up our lives to Him and sacrifice our lives for Him if necessary—we will live forever with Him in heaven (verse 11). Please remember (verse 8): if the Creator, Christ and King (descendant of David) took the hard road that required a cross before a crown, we are not above our Master and the same will be required of us. But if we are faithful to death, He will give us the crown of life.
But, the converse is true as well. “If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” That is only just and practical and logical. Jesus cannot deny Himself (verse 13). Jesus is pure, unadulterated Truth. He cannot lie and He cannot contradict Himself. He keeps His promises regardless of whether we like them or not. He promises eternal life to those who are faithful and righteous and obedient. He promises eternal punishment to those who are faithless, unrighteous or disobedient (Matthew 10:32-33; 25:46). Jesus always “remains faithful” to Himself, His nature, His word and His promises.
“The word of God is not imprisoned” (verse 9). Paul gloried in the fact that the very thing that he was imprisoned for, the word of God, could never be imprisoned itself. You can arrest the messenger, but you cannot hinder the eternal, inspired message. God’s word cannot possibly be shackled or thwarted. It will always return to Him having accomplished the purposes for which He sent it into the world (Isaiah 55:11). While Paul’s physical life was being snuffed out, souls were being saved for eternity! Faithful men like Timothy and Titus and a multitude of others were out sewing the seed of the kingdom and the word was proliferating and producing fruit to everlasting salvation! This was more than enough reason for Paul to “endure” all the suffering that was thrust upon him (verse 10)!
Rejoice my brethren! The living, effective, powerful word of God will endure forever! And so will we if we cling to it in faith, hope and obedience! Let’s share it with those who are without strength and hope!
Please read 2 Timothy 2:14-19 for tomorrow.
Have a wonderful day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Friday, January 11, 2019“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
---End of Scripture verses---
If Timothy was going to maintain the course and keep the faith, unlike Phygelus and Hermogenes, he needed to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (verse 1). It is God by His grace that sustains us through the rocky roads of life. When Paul was stricken with his “thorn in the flesh,” God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). God’s unmerited favor is prevalent in the lives of His faithful children in many ways, but it has its most powerful expression in His eternal, saving grace that is found only “in Christ Jesus”. If we can keep our minds focused and our hopes locked on “the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18) when the promise of heaven is realized, that comfort can carry us and keep us in faith through all of earth’s turbulence and tribulation.
As a “good soldier of Christ Jesus” we must endure the hardships that we are bound to incur in the spiritual warfare that is being waged against us (verse 2). God will certainly keep us by His grace, but we must be careful to avoid the “entanglements” that the enemy has placed in our path. This is going to require great vigilance and determination for the soldier of Christ because Satan’s snares come in the forms of “the affairs of everyday life” (verse 4). Most of the time it is not blatant immorality that trips us up, but actually the mundane issues of daily living. If we spend way too much time working, playing, travelling, sleeping, etc., we just won’t have enough time left in our day to focus on God and His word and will for us. Soldier beware of Satan’s traps! Take time to be holy! Speak oft with thy Lord! Beware of desensitization to the world and its evil ways!
Shifting metaphors, as we run the race of faith, we will not “win the prize unless” we compete “according to the rules” (verse 5). To be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” requires vigorous training and intense spiritual exercise. God’s athlete must have his senses trained by heavy exposure to the Lord’s powerful word (Hebrews 5:14), and he must discipline himself for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7). If he works hard at this, he will “be the first to receive” the fruits from his labors (verse 6), even as he is entrusting what he has learned “to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (verse 2). These charges were given primarily to a young preacher as exhortation to fulfill his duties faithfully and diligently, but their applications concern all of Christ’s soldiers, all of Christ’s runners, all of Christ’s sowers.
Please read 2 Timothy 2:8-13 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 1:15-18
Thursday, January 10, 2019“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”
---End of Scripture verses---
While Paul was in prison, there were some men who could have helped him, but refused. There was also at least one other brother who went out of his way to seek Paul out and assist him in his time of need. This letter was likely written during the time of Emperor Nero’s reign of terror against Christians, and Paul was the subject of the wrath of that place and time. He had been imprisoned for his faith and was soon to be executed for the cause of Christ.
It seems that Phygelus and Hermogenes were ashamed of the Gospel and Paul, the Lord’s prisoner, and cowered away from the possible repercussions of associating with the word and the messenger. On the other hand, Onesiphorus proved himself to be courageous and faithful, for he was not willing to sacrifice his eternal soul in order to save his own neck (Matthew 16:25). We have our faith tested every day of our lives. But it is in times like these, when Satan really turns the heat up, that we prove the strength of our metal.
I love the fact that Paul called these brethren out by name. These were real people confronted with real-life situations and difficult decisions, and not just statistics on a piece of paper. These were brethren whose names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. I pray that the Lord had mercy on Phygelus and Hermogenes, and that they turned from the errors of their way. I thank the Lord for people like Onesiphorus, and I want to have lived my life like he did when I stand before the Lord on Judgment Day.
Onesiphorus “eagerly searched” for Paul in his time of crisis. He went out of his way to help a brother, a friend, a person in need. Let’s strive to be like that. Let’s go above and beyond in our service to the Lord and our fellowman. There is no better form of existence than that of a servant in the eyes of the Lord. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Humble yourself to be exalted!!!
Please read 2 Timothy 2:1-7 for tomorrow.
Have a super day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 1:13-14
Wednesday, January 09, 2019“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“Retain the standard of sound words” (verse 13). The word “standard” means an “outline or sketch” and was used metaphorically for a “pattern” according to Vine’s Dictionary. Friends, the inspired word of God is a blueprint to build by and not a catalogue of suggestions. The “sound” (where our word “hygiene” comes from) “words” (doctrine) that we read in our New Testament is not to be deviated from in the slightest or we will have a sickly and perverted faith. The perfect word of God is what we are to pattern our personal lives after and our local congregations after. Paul exhorted the young preachers, Timothy and Titus, of the necessity of teaching this concept and command repeatedly (1 Timothy 1:3, 10; 6:3; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1, 2, 8).
“Guard…the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (verse 14). Do you understand the value of the Bible? According to Paul, writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it is priceless wealth to be treasured. This precious word that is able to save our souls (James 1:21) is “entrusted” in a special way to all Gospel preachers, and they will be held accountable to God if they mismanaged it or tarnish it or devalue it by altering it or deviating from it. But the doctrine of Christ has been entrusted to all of us to cherish, treasure, love, respect and obey—for our own betterment and life everlasting.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
Please read 2 Timothy 1:15-18 for tomorrow.
Blessings!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 1:8-12
Tuesday, January 08, 2019“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering 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 granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”
---End of Scripture verses---
When we suffer for doing what the Lord wants us to do, we having nothing to be ashamed of (verse 8). Sometimes we will be ridiculed and made fun of for making the determination to live the holy, sanctified life. It is possible that we could even suffer violence or death, as was the case with the Apostle Paul and was a likelihood for his protégé, Timothy. Just know that God will carry you and protect you and deliver you by His power when you are unashamedly pursuing His will in faithfulness.
When we truly come to know the One whom we have believed (verse 12)—the One who “gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist” (Romans 4:17); the One who causes the light to shine forth through the darkness; the One who has “brought life and immortality” to humanity and who brings it “to light through the gospel” (verse 10)—we will have no fear or shame, but fully come to trust in Him and His Good News of salvation.
Our Savior Christ Jesus “abolished death” for us (verse 10). When Jesus died and then His Spirit returned from Hades and His body arose from the grave, He destroyed sin and death and all the works of Satan. Death’s destruction will not be finalized until “that day” (verse 12) in which Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead, but death’s termination is a guaranteed certainty that is as good as done. In the meantime, Jesus took away the terror of death from the hearts of those who have truly come to know and love and obey Him.
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Hebrews 2:14-15) When Jesus appeared the first time, He brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. When He appears the second and final time, He will destroy death and the grave in the lake that burns with fire (Revelation 20:14).
Please read 2 Timothy 1:13-14 for tomorrow.
Blessings!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 1:6-7
Monday, January 07, 2019“For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“Kindle afresh the gift of God” (verse 6). When we consider that Paul wrote this letter from a Roman prison cell and that he knew that he would be killed soon for his devotion to Christ, it is understandable why he would encourage Timothy to keep the fire of his faith lit and burning brightly. There would be a great temptation to cower and run for cover in the face of the fierce persecution that a young preacher would be confronted with in this hostile environment.
“God has not given us a spirit of timidity” (verse 7). God will empower His children to stand firmly in their faith if we will only place all of our trust and confidence in Him and His Almighty power to equip us to do all good things in Christ Jesus. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
God has given us a spirit of “power and love and discipline.” God sustains His children through life’s trials and battles through His power (dunameos). Paul wrote about God enabling him to endure his “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:9 in this manner: “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
Our “love” for God and mankind will embolden us to do His will through the thickest fight and darkest hours. When we truly love someone, we find strength within us to spring into action that we are not even aware that we possess. And our faith in Christ will enable us to do so, not in an unrestrained manner, but with “discipline” or “self-control”. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Please read 2 Timothy 1:8-12 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
2 Timothy 1:1-5
Sunday, January 06, 2019“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“The promise of life in Christ Jesus” (verse 1). There is nothing more precious than the eternal life that God promises to those who live their earthly lives faithfully “in Christ Jesus”. There is no doubt that this promise brightened Paul’s life as he penned this letter in his dreary prison cell, and that it had much greater significance to him knowing that he was about to depart from this earth and enter into “that which is life indeed” (1 Timothy 6:19). Paul wrote near the end of this letter, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (4:7). “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (4:18).
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (verse 2). While it is true that this is a typical type of greeting that Paul opens many of his letters with, there is nothing ordinary about the blessings of “grace, mercy and peace from God.” This is a reminder that God’s “promise of life” is purely a gift, given my His grace, and that we do not deserve the indescribable prize of life everlasting that He grants to His faithful children. God forgives us of the unpayable debt of our sins by the grandest act of mercy, which is an expression of His undying love for us. The peace of mind that comes from God’s saving grace and loving mercy “surpasses all understanding, and will guide” our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
“I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy” (verse 4). Life is often paradoxical. Sometimes our eyes leak when we are happy. The thoughts of the tears that Timothy shed as an expression of his love for his mentor and father in the faith brought comfort to the wearied apostle in his lonely prison cell. But what he really longed for was “to see” Timothy one more time. Friends, we can take great comfort in knowing that we will see all of our faithful brethren in Christ again. If not on this side of eternity, most certainly in the great After Awhile. There will be the grandest of reunions in heaven of the dearly departed faithful, and I want to make certain that I do not miss out on that one.
I have never attended any of my high school reunions, nor have I had the desire to do so. But no prize or pleasure that this world has to offer is worth forfeiting that great reunion in the air! “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (2 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
Please read 2 Timothy 1:6-7 for tomorrow.
We would like to invite you to worship God with us today at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.
We assemble at 3741 Taylorsville Road in Louisville Kentucky.
9:30 AM Bible classes for all ages. 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM worship services.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
- Louie Taylor
Introduction to Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy
Saturday, January 05, 2019Quoting Marshall Patton from His Truth Commentary on 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon by the Guardian of Truth Foundation:
“This epistle is altogether different from 1 Timothy. From the dungeon of the Mamertine prison in Rome, Paul writes under conditions that are in sharp contrast to those of his first imprisonment in the imperial city. He faces the sentence of death with no hope of acquittal. The tone of this epistle is one of finality, of reminiscence of a sacrificial life well spent and now to be eternally rewarded, and of farewell instructions to a beloved son to whom a torch of great responsibility is being passed. The whole epistle may be summarized from a fourfold viewpoint: 1. Paul’s concern for Timothy. 2. Paul’s concern for the church. 3. The need for strict adherence to the Gospel. 4. Paul’s farewell.”
Here are Patton’s introductory comments on chapter one:
“This chapter marks the beginning of Paul’s last letter. He is in his second imprisonment in Rome, and this time he is facing certain execution in the not too distant future. Well may one expect a greater degree of fervor and a note of finality in every line that he writes. This chapter, subject wise, may be viewed as follows: (1) Salutation (1:1-2); (2) Thanksgiving (1:3-5); (3) Paul’s concern for and encouragement to Timothy (1:6-12); (4) Paul’s charge to Timothy (1:13-14); (5) Paul’s associates (1:15-18).”
Please read 2 Timothy 1:1-5 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed and dry day!
- Louie Taylor