2 Timothy 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You
3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
I. This is Leadership
What we have here is a very useful display of Godly leadership. If you pay attention, not only to what is said, but how it is said — you’ll learn something about leadership.
Three elements I would encourage you to think about when leading someone:
Affection
Reflection
Direction
The direction starts in vs. 6
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. — 2 Timothy 1:6–7
II. Sincere Faith is not Static
Now to make much progress in understanding, we’re going to need to identity the nature of the gift Paul is referring to. But before we do that, we can make one important generality. Namely that sincere faith is not static.
Let’s differentiate between sincere faith and insincere faith. The word for sincere is ‘anoupokritos’ — which related to our word hypocrite. This is what an actor was called in Ancient Greece. That is what hypocrisy means. It means someone who is playing a part. It doesn’t mean someone who has a standard and then fails to live up to it. That’s just a regular person. A hypocrite is someone pretending to be something they are not.
Paul is saying, “you aren’t just playing a part — you have a sincere faith.”
Now one key differentiator between someone who is playing a part (even to themselves) and someone who is really Christ’s is that they keep growing. We all have lulls. But overall, the sincere faith is not static. It grows. It expands. This is what Paul is getting at generally when he speaks of fanning the gift of God into flame.
Writing on a similar verse in 2 Peter, commentator Micheal Green puts it well…
“…because of our new birth and the precious promises and the divine power offered us in Christ we cannot sit back and rest content with ‘faith’ (cf. Jas 2:20). The grace of God demands, as it enables, effort in man. We are to bring into this relationship alongside what God has done every ounce of determination we can muster.”
III. What is the Gift?
So there’s a general truth worth considering. And now to go any further into the text, we need to know more about the gift Paul is referring to. See that in verse 6,
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
What gift is he to fan into flames? We can look back to Paul’s first letter to see. Look back at 1 Timothy 4:12-15
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”
The gift is his teaching ministry. Paul wants to ensure that Timothy is pressing into his teaching ministry.
God has given him a gift — a teaching gift. There are several lists in the New Testament of spiritual gifts — capacities enhanced or all together bestowed by the Spirit. And teaching is one of the gifts. Timothy has the gift of teaching or preaching or something along those lines.
And really the entire letter of 2 Timothy is aimed at getting Timothy to fan this gift into flame. What threatens the expansion and full of expression of this gift?
Paul is Suffering For Doing Exactly What He’s Telling Timothy to Do
Well, the great elephant in the room is simply this — Paul is writing this letter as someone who has put his all into his teaching ministry and it has landed him in prison awaiting execution.
Look back at the text and see if my explanation makes sense… (vs. 3)
“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,”
Do you see? This kind of language continues throughout the entire book.
Look back at vs. 8
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through 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 apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. 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.
And again in chapter 2 —
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. — 2 Timothy 2:1-3
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! — 2 Timothy 2:8
Do you see the idea? Paul is Timothy’s mentor, his father, he has followed in his footsteps, all the way down to his vocation. Paul was a preacher. Timothy is a preacher. But… there’s an elephant in the room. This line of work leads to suffering.
Illustration: Me sledding as a boy
Paul is writing this from prison — awaiting execution.
And he’s doing it virtually alone.
“Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.” — 2 Timothy 4:9–10
“At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!” — 2 Timothy 4:16
And Paul is telling Timothy, follow my example. Teach with boldness (power), love (agape), and self-control (wisdom). Don’t be afraid.
“…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”
There are many ways to apply this insight to our lives.
When C-Grade Obedience Keeps The Heart Off
There’s a way to do kind of “C-grade” obedience that does not draw the enemy’s fire. But you know full well that if you went hard and fanned the gift of God into a flame, you’d draw the eye of Sauron. Why are there so many lukewarm Christians? Why not more earnestness, zeal, relentless obedience, etc? Maybe because we know that C-grade Christian life can satisfy our conscience without drawing the ire of the enemy? Well anyway, that’d be something to think about.
Cowardice is Always a Temptation
I’m not sure there’s any accusation going on here. It isn’t clear to me that Timothy is wimping out. It seems very possible that Paul is simply anticipating the temptation to be cowardly. That’d be another point of application. Cowardice is a real temptation. When we foolishly presume we are above this or that temptation — we do so to our own peril. I was just reading Peter’s confident assertion to Jesus — “I will die for you.” Etc… Paul on the other hand asked his brothers and sisters to pray for him that he would have boldness.
Love & Hard Labor
But I think the main application probably involves reconciling two ideas which our culture continually holds as dichotomous.
I love you
Join me in suffering
Paul is confident that if Timothy preaches the word like he ought to preach it — he will suffer. And yet, to one he loves, his beloved child — he is clear —
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3)
Yes Timothy, I am suffering. Yes I am imprisoned awaiting execution. Yes I have been abandoned. Join me!
Now on this basis, there are plenty of people who draw a big X through vs. 2 — “Timothy my beloved child.” This isn’t love. This certainly isn’t fatherly love. Love doesn’t look at its object and say, “join me in my entirely voluntary misery.”
Love doesn’t call, let alone charge and command someone to live a life of danger, hardship, loneliness.
You might’ve been listening to the first part thinking, “well, I’m not a preacher.” I’m not sure how relevant this is.
But hopefully you can now see how the entire idea of this little letter is speaking into one of the most pressing ideas in our culture. Namely, the tendency to use comfort at a compass.
Comfort As A Compass
Here’s what I mean.
Compasses are used to help you figure out which way you should go. They tell you which way is north. Because of indwelling sin, we all struggle with using comfort as a compass. When things are uncomfortable, we tend to assume we’re walking in the wrong direction. When things are comfortable, we tend to assume we’re walking in the right direction.
And this is something we all need to watch out for. But there’s another layer. We get married. We have children. We make close friends. We are, even as peers, put into position of helping others figure out their lives. And we tend to use their comfort as our compass. If they are comfortable, we tend to think we’re loving them well. If they are uncomfortable, we tend to think we are loving them poorly.
We tend to assume that loving them well will make them comfortable.
If they are uncomfortable, we are not loving them well.
But that’s not what Paul is doing with his beloved Timothy. He is leading him into discomfort. Even kind’a pushing him.
“I 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, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” — 2 Timothy 4:4-5
What gives?
Paul knows that disobedience to God is far worse for a person than discomfort. Sinning is worse than suffering. And that in the rarified air of suffering for the gospel — there is great joy to be found.
He isn’t a sadist. He is wanting Timothy to bring him his coat.
13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. — 2 Timothy 4:13
He might be executed soon. But he would like to be warm in the mean time.
He isn’t calling Timothy into pure Kamikaze mode.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. — 2 Timothy 4:14–15
But as he sits in his cell, he is filled with great assurance…
2 Timothy 1:12 — “…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.”
2 Timothy 4:8 — “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.”
Paul isn’t using his comfort or his son’s comfort as his compass. He’s using the Christ as his compass.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. 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. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
Conclusion/Communion:
Illustration from the Spanish Civil War: On 23 July, Communist forces captured Moscardó's 24-year-old son, Luis. They called the Alcázar on the telephone and Moscardó himself picked up the receiver. The political officer of the Republican force informed him that unless he surrendered the Alcázar, Luis would be shot. Moscardó asked to speak to his son. He then told Luis, "Commend your soul to God and die like a patriot, shouting 'Long live Christ the King' and 'Long live Spain.'" "That," answered his son, "I can do.
Timothy died as an 80 year old man interrupting a festival for the local Ephesian goddess. He was beaten to death.
We are dealing with the deep end of the pool right now. I’m not sure any of us are anywhere near martyrdom. But the principle holds. It is indeed loving to call those you love to follow Christ with you. Even if it is hard.
Firstly, if you encourage someone to follow Jesus — you’ll be loving them rightly. Obedience is always the best option.
Would that require them to break up with their girlfriend?
Switch to a flip phone?
Give generously?
Confess a sin?
Leave a group of friends?
Keep a baby that threatens their career?
Forgive?
Or a million other uncomfortable choices…
We are just doing gospel here.
What kind of father would ask his son to suffer?
This is of course the very foundation of our faith.
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. — 1 John 4:14