REFLECT ON CHRIST
There are some who argue that the reality of Christ's promised return is of little practical benefit. Such concepts, so they contend, serve only to fuel speculation as to when it will happen and to take our eyes off the pressing concerns of life and its challenges in the here and now. Paul would take great exception to this idea. His appeal to Timothy (and to us all) to remain faithful in the proclamation and instruction of the truth of God's word is rooted in the inescapable "appearing" of Jesus at the end of history.
This is consistent with what Paul and other New Testament authors say elsewhere. The sufferings we endure now are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us when Christ returns (Rom 8:18). The reason we must "cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Rom 13:12) is that the day of Christ's appearing is "nearer to us now than when we first believed" (Rom 13:11). The strength to press on toward the goal of our calling is found in our expectant waiting for the return of Christ from heaven (Phil 3:14, 20). Numerous other texts, in addition to this one in 2 Timothy 4, remind us of the practical, sanctifying influence of our hope in the return of Jesus Christ (e.g., Col 3:1-4; 1 Thess 1:9-10; 4:13-18; 5:9-11; 2 Thess 1:9-12; Titus 2:11-14).
APPLY GOD'S WORD
This text, though instructive to all Christians, is especially suited to faithful pastor-teachers who are called to preach and teach the whole counsel of God. This being the case, we must never lose sight of the fact that the stress is on the word "preach," or "proclaim" and "teaching" (vv. 2-3), together with the fact that people will cease "listening" to the truth (v. 4). The point is that it is not our responsibility merely to hear the word, nor even to stop after believing and obeying it, as if that would fulfill our ministry obligations. There is more to gospel ministry than guarding the good deposit from the deviation of false teachers. And yes, Paul is calling on Timothy to do more than suffer for the pattern of sound words entrusted to him. The urgent exhortation is to preach it to others. God has entrusted this treasure to us so that we might communicate it with patience and clarity to a lost and dying world. Followers of Jesus must hear the sound teaching that is found in the sacred writings of holy Scripture. Notwithstanding the immature demands of many to have their ears tickled, Scripture is for teaching and training in righteousness so that God's people might grow up in the fullness of Christ Jesus.
PRAY
My prayer, O Lord, is that you would alert me to the ever-growing threat of false doctrine and the tendency of so many to wander off into baseless and unedifying myths and doctrines of demons and of men. Keep my mind, heart, and ears attentive to your word and my feet firmly planted in the rich soil of biblical truth. Amen.
STUDY IT FURTHER
1.People don't like to think of Jesus Christ as the judge of all mankind. Yet here Paul says that he will judge the living and the dead. How does this truth about a future judgment affect the way you live in the present? Is it appropriate when sharing the gospel with an unbeliever to tell them of impending judgment? If yes, why? If not, why not?
2.Read Ephesians 4:11. Not everyone has the spiritual gift of evangelism, but all believers are called on to actively and regularly share the gospel with non-Christians. How seriously do you embrace this responsibility? What are some of the obstacles that prevent you from faithfully making known the good news of what God has done in and through Jesus Christ?
3.Can you cite some examples in the present day of false teachers who cater to the passions and whims of men and women? Why do you think their "myths" and other forms of deviant doctrine find such a receptive audience among some who profess to know Christ?
Day 24
2 Timothy 4:6-8
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 race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth 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.
MEDITATE
Paul has a clear reason for his exhortation to young Timothy to be faithful in the proclamation and explanation of the truth of God's word. It is because he knows his time for this sort of ministry is coming to a close. In order to make his point, he employs two metaphors to describe his impending death.
First, he portrays his imminent death as if his life were a "drink offering" about to be poured out. Paul may well have in mind Numbers 15, which describes a drink offering of wine being poured out beside the altar whenever a lamb or other such animal was sacrificed. It is a vivid image of the gradual ebbing away of Paul's earthly life. The second metaphor is in his use of the word "departure" to describe his death. The word literally means a "loosing" and was often used of both a soldier striking his tent after a brief bivouac and the loosing of a boat from its moorings. The latter idea is most likely in mind here, as Paul envisions his death as the weighing of an anchor and the gentle drift of a boat to sea. He uses the same Greek verb in Philippians 1:23 to speak of his departure from this life into the presence of Christ ("my desire is to depart and be with Christ"). It is as if the desire to be in the immediate presence of his Lord pulls on Paul's heart like the waves and gentle breeze tug on the boat, seeking to detach it from the hold of the dock.
In three terse statements, Paul then sums up his life and ministry. It's important to note his use of the perfect tense in all three declarations. The perfect tense in Greek often speaks of a completed action in the past that has ongoing implications or results. Thus, Paul describes his life as a good (i.e., godly, Christ-exalting) fight that he has fought, a race that he has successfully run and won, and a faith that he has kept not only in the past but up through the present day.
All that awaits him in the future is the crown of righteousness that Jesus, the righteous judge, will award him on the final day (see Gal 5:5). Is this "righteousness" a life of holiness that Paul lived by the power of God's grace, or is it the "righteousness" of Christ himself imputed to him by faith? If the latter, we should translate this as "the crown which is righteousness." There may well be a contrast here between the sentence of condemnation from unrighteous Nero upon Paul and the glorious reversal when the righteous judge Jesus crowns his life and ministry.
The good news, of course, is that this is not a hope reserved solely for Paul or other apostles, but it is the confident expectation of all who "have loved" (once again, note his use of the perfect tense) the mere thought of Christ's return and our seeing him face-to-face (1 John 3:1-3).
REFLECT ON CHRIST
The "appearing" or personal, physical return of Christ Jesus to consummate his kingdom (what Paul here in verse 8 and again in Titus 2:13 will refer to as his "epiphany") is certainly the source of the apostle's resolve to fight, finish the course, and keep the faith. When we ask how a man such as Paul could endure the suffering that regularly came his way, the slander to which he was constantly exposed, and the opposition that daily threatened to undermine his work, the answer is his sincere and confident hope that Christ would return and reward the Spirit-empowered faithfulness of his servants.
But merely looking for or living with the moment-by-moment expectation of the second coming is not enough. Paul explicitly speaks of having loved his appearing. The love for the return of Christ is not so much a desire to be set free from hardship and physical pain as it is a deep and abiding affection for the person of Christ himself. Paul longs to see Jesus! His hope is fixed on being with his Lord and Savior, and it is this confident expectation that serves to sanctify Paul in the midst of his affliction while he remains alive on earth (see 1 John 3:1-3).
APPLY GOD'S WORD
This is a good time in our study of 2 Timothy to pause and ask ourselves, "Do we love the appearing of Christ Jesus? Are our hearts riveted on his return?" If the answer is yes, the question must still be asked, Why? What is it that we long for and love to see? Is it merely the promise that our bodies will be redeemed and glorified (Phil 3:20-21)? Do we love the appearing of Christ because then our enemies will be judged for their wickedness and their oppression of the church? Is our hope for life in the new heaven and new earth the driving force in this "love"?
All these things are entirely legitimate and will come to pass when Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven. But they pale in significance when compared to the prospect of seeing the splendor and beauty and majesty of Jesus himself. It is Christ first, and Christ finally, whom Paul loves to behold, whose glorious, transforming visage will make every sacrifice and all suffering more than worthwhile. Is this why you love the appearing of...
