Transcripción

In our Wisdom Journey, we now set sail into Paul’s second and final letter to Timothy. Pastor Timothy was one of Paul’s closest friends, a spiritual son to Paul, as well as a fellow worker.

Chronologically, 2 Timothy is the last biblical writing of the apostle Paul. And as we learn from this letter, Paul is once again—for the second and final time—imprisoned in Rome. He evidently knows that his court appearance before Nero will end with a death sentence; so, as he writes this tender and encouraging letter, he is anticipating his imminent death.

But let me tell you ahead of time, you are not going to read a letter filled with self-pity or regrets.[1] In this very personal letter, Paul will continue instructing and encouraging young Pastor Timothy to stay the course, no matter what.

Paul begins with his typical introduction in verse 1. Remember, back in these days, letters were signed, so to speak, at the beginning, whereas we typically sign ours at the end.

In verse 2, Paul addresses the letter to “Timothy, my beloved child.” He then reassures Timothy, “I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day” (verse 3). Then he adds in verse 4, “As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.” These tears more than likely related to their last farewell, perhaps at Paul’s arrest. At that point, they both knew they might not meet again until they reached heaven.

Maybe you have shed some tears like that recently, knowing that your dear friend, or your spouse, or maybe your child, would no longer be available for fellowship and conversation—or even a quick phone call. You said farewell, knowing you might not say hello again until that grand reunion in heaven.

This is a reminder to us not to take for granted what we have today and the fellowship with others we appreciate and enjoy so much. I never end a phone call with my wife or grown children without saying, “I love you.” Those might be our last words until heaven.

Paul mentions in verse 5 Timothy’s “sincere” (literally, ‘unhypocritical’) faith.” This faith was planted in him like a seed. Paul describes it as “a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.” We know from Acts 16 that these were devout Jewish women who had accepted Christ. Timothy’s father was a Greek who had not accepted Christ. This is another reminder that God can raise up godly children, even in the absence of a godly father. God is not handicapped by your family tree. Indeed, He might be using you today to create a brand-new branch on that tree for His glory.

Paul then tells Timothy, “Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you” (verse 6). This spiritual gift no doubt related to his pastoral ministry.

This does not mean Timothy was sitting on his porch, when he should have been in his study. The tense of the Greek verb here indicates that Timothy was responsible for constantly fanning his gift into flame. Beloved, God will call you to serve Him, and He will gift you for service, but He is not going to get you out of bed in the morning. He is not going to open your Bible. He is not going to cook that meal for you to deliver to a needy family, or write that letter, or outline that Bible study lesson. You must be responsible for these things. That is what it means to fan the flame within you. As somebody told me years ago, “Even God won’t steer a parked car.”

There are many gifted people in the church today whose lives are in neutral. Do not be afraid to get moving, beloved. Paul reminds Timothy in verse 7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” So, do not hesitate. Get to work now for the Lord.

The remainder of this chapter can be outlined by Paul’s use of the word ashamed. He writes, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner” (verse 8). Is Timothy ashamed? There is no reason to believe he is, but Paul does not want that to happen.[2]

No doubt Paul sees the pressure and persecution that is coming to the church; it will be tempting to stay silent. That is a temptation for believers today as our culture grows more and more hostile toward the claims and convictions of true Christianity. It is easy to avoid trouble by just being quiet.

The problem with that, of course, is that the world needs to hear the gospel. Paul sums up the gospel in verses 8-9, as the “power of God, who saved us and called us . . . not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace.” This salvation is through Christ “who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light” (verse 10).

We cannot stay silent about the only hope our world has today. Paul has been appointed as an apostle to preach the gospel. And he is suffering because of it. But look at what he writes in verse 12:

But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

There is that word again—“ashamed.” Paul is suffering for proclaiming Christ, but he is not ashamed of the gospel because His confidence is in Christ.

He is effectively saying to Timothy, “Do not be ashamed. Do not be silent. Do not be fearful.” Paul then adds, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me” (verse 13).

What Paul has taught young Timothy is sound doctrine, and Timothy is to cling to it and teach it himself. He tells Timothy in verse 14, “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” Essentially, he is saying, “Timothy, your mother deposited a treasure in you, as did your grandmother and as I did in mentoring you. You have been entrusted with the riches of God’s grace and gospel; now guard it carefully and teach it correctly.”

With that, Paul warns Timothy by bringing up the failure of those who abandoned the gospel. He writes in verse 15, “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.” These two were prominent believers, perhaps even church leaders. Paul’s reference to Asia is important, because that is the province in which Ephesus is located, and that is where Timothy is pastoring.

Timothy was surrounded by poor examples of Christians, just as we are today. These people in the first century demonstrated it by being ashamed of Paul, the imprisoned apostle-preacher; they did not want to associate with him. They avoided him. Today we have what we call “cultural Christians.” They like the name Christian, as long as it does not bring them any embarrassment or demand for holy living.

Paul then provides Timothy with a good example by citing the testimony of Onesiphorus, a church member from Ephesus. As chapter 1 closes, Paul writes, “[Onesiphorus] often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains” (verse 16). There is that word “ashamed” again. Onesiphorus evidently had gone to Rome, found the apostle Paul, and ministered to him and stood by him. How refreshing he was to the apostle.

You can tell in this opening chapter that Paul is honest about serving Christ. He is not trying to paint a pretty picture that serving the Lord gains friends and wins popularity contests. He is telling us, as he told Timothy, to be faithful, to be open about our faith, to keep pressing on in serving Christ, until that day arrives, when we see the Lord face to face.