When someone wants to really, really achieve a goal in their life, they try not to let anything distract them from achieving that. They will dedicate every spare moment to do whatever it takes to reach that goal, whether it is some athletic endeavor, musical or artistic perfection, or whatever it is. Often these pursuits require wholehearted dedication, and if one isn’t willing to put forth that effort, they won’t achieve the goal. In our Scripture for today, continuing on in St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, we read of the Apostle’s encouragement of his young protegee to be dedicated to his spiritual calling in just such a way. Let’s see what we can learn for our own lives from this message.
As we read, Paul gives us the example of being a good soldier (vs. 3-4). The soldiers he had in mind, of course, were the Roman soldiers, and their life was not an easy one by any means. The discipline for a Roman soldier was quite strict and severe. A good Roman soldier endured hardship, and was well-disciplined. As Christians, we are soldiers in the army of Christ. Separation from worldly entanglements is essential for our service for Jesus (I John 2:15-17). Like those Roman soldiers, we must avoid things that hinder our obedience to God. Our warfare is not a physical one, but instead is a spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-12). The real enemy that we fight is the powers of darkness, very much in power and active in the world today. We are not called to comfort, but to combat, and like a soldier, we must be disciplined, loyal, and ready to suffer for Jesus’ sake (Philippians 1:29).
The next example Paul used was that of an athlete (vs. 5). In order to be good at any sport, one must practice. One won’t be awarded any medals unless one follows the rules and practices. The rewards that we get for our service to Jesus are conditional on obedience to His Word (I Corinthians 3:13-15). We must serve Him according to Scripture, not our personal preferences.
In the next several verses (vs. 8-10), Paul makes reference to the suffering that he is going through for the Gospel. This Epistle was written while he was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the Gospel of Jesus, possibly shortly before his execution. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day is central to the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4). He wanted Timothy to be sure to keep that central in his teachings. Christ’s victory over death is our hope and our message. Though Paul was tied in chains in a wretched dungeon prison, he knew that the Gospel message wasn’t chained. God’s Word is unstoppable. It can prosper and flourish, even when His servants are persecuted. We should not let opposition or even persecution discourage us, as God’s truth will continue on.
Paul inserted here an early Christian poem or saying. It might possibly have even been an early Christian hymn (vs. 11-13). The Apostle verified the truth of these verses about our union with Jesus. Faithfulness will lead to reward, however denial will lead to a loss of reward, though not of salvation if one is genuinely saved. Even when we falter, Jesus remains faithful. God is faithful in all that He does (Deuteronomy 7:9). No matter what happens in life, we can hold on to this truth. God will never break His promises. He will do what He says He will do. We need to be faithful to Jesus. Faithfulness to God is a fruit of the Spirit, and it increases as we draw closer to Him.
Paul wraps up this section by reminding believers to be faithful and true to God’s Word in our doctrine (vs. 14-15). He urged Timothy not to waste time in anything that would distract one from sound doctrine and edification, such as arguments over words, or for him to not waste time in getting involved in theological rabbit trails. Instead, we are to focus on Biblical truth that builds up and glorifies the Lord Jesus. We need to be a diligent student of God’s Word.
The Christian life is a battle, one that we are in against the forces of evil and darkness. As a good soldier for Christ, we must remember to avoid worldly entanglements as we live to please Him. Our sword is the Word of God, and we need to follow that, not current popular philosophical trends, and instead be a diligent, approved worker.
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