2 Timothy 4:6

 2 Timothy 4:6 says, For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  Paul said that he was ready to be offered or killed, and that the time of his departure from this world was at hand.  He didn’t ask Timothy to try and rescue him but was still only offering Timothy advice on how to live for Christ.  We should be the same today if we are in Paul’s situation if we are a follower of Christ, but we often falter in our faith if things are just going wrong for us financially or health wise without any real persecution for our faith.  

Verse seven adds, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  As Paul looked at his life as he faced his death, he said he had fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith.  This would be a good thing for any Chrisitan to be able to honestly say as they come to the end of their life.  Paul was calling on Timothy to continue the work that he had been doing so that he could say the same thing one day.

Verse eight continues, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  Paul said a crown of righteousness was laid up for him that the Lord, the judge of righteousness, would give him.  He said this was true not only for himself but for all who had loved the Lord, which would be shown by putting their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord.  It was not Paul’s works that saved him, but his relationship with Jesus Christ, just as it is for all people.       

2 Timothy 4:1

2 Timothy 4:1 says, I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;  Paul said that what he was going to charge Timothy with, or ask him to be committed to do, was done before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  This did not signify two God’s, but one Who had revealed Himself in two different ways. Of course, there are three, the other being Jesus Christ, but Paul only specified two here. As preachers, or even just Christians in general, we are to proclaim the truth of God as though we are in His presence, and since we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we always will be.  

Verse two adds, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.  Paul then told Timothy that under God’s leadership he was to preach the word of God in season and out of season.  Timothy was to preach God’s word at all times to correct false teachings, rebuke false doctrine and exhort people to believe in Jesus Christ with longsuffering.  The truths of God’s word might not be fulfilled immediately, but they were to continue to put their faith in them no matter what was happening in the world.  Preachers today should be guided by these same principals, but I believe that all Christians should be as well.  

Verse three adds, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  Paul warned Timothy that there would come a time when people would not follow sound doctrine but would listen to anything that tickled their ears.  Paul warned that this was going to happen in Timothy’s lifetime, and it continues to happen today.  It will happen on an even greater scale as we get closer to the return of Christ.  There are many people who profess to be Christians today who chase after the newest trends in life while deserting God’s word.  

Verse four states, And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  Paul continued to warn Timothy that people would turn away from God’s truth and turn to fables.  Anything that we put our faith in other than what God’s word is a fable, or something invented by man instead of by God.  I don’t believe those who are truly a follower of Christ will ever turn away from His truth, but they still might get caught up in ideas that are manmade.  We need to be careful that we don’t also.   

Verse five adds, But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.  Paul then called on Timothy to watch what he did at all times, to endure afflictions, to do the work of an evangelist, and to fully prove his ministry by being obedient to God's word.  This should apply to all Christians today and not just to preachers.   We are all to serve as evangelist, maybe not as one who is set aside for this purpose in the eyes of the world, but because we are all called on to share God’s word with everyone we meet.

2 Timothy 3:14

2 Timothy 3:14 says, But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  Paul told Timothy that he was to continue in the things that he had learned knowing whom he had learned them from.  Though Paul may have referred to the fact that Timothy had learned from him, ultimately, he would have learned things from God by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  We may be taught by people today who teach God’s word faithfully but understanding comes from the Holy Spirit giving us knowledge to understand God’s word, and we should always remember this.  

Verse fifteen adds, And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  Paul said that Timothy had been taught God’s word since he was a child.  We should teach God’s word to our children as well so that they might know what God says to us.  Paul said knowing God’s word helped Timothy to understand the way to salvation.  Just knowing God’s word is not enough.  It must lead us to salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  

Verse sixteen continues, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  Paul said that all scripture and not just certain parts was profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.  I believe for us this means the whole Bible, both the Old and New Testaments.  We must understand the parts of the Bible in context of the whole Bible.  

Verse seventeen concludes, That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.  Paul said that understanding God’s word could make the man of God perfect by being thoroughly furnished to all good works.  I don’t believe that this means anyone who considers themselves to be a preacher or even just a Christian will ever be perfect, but God’s word will show us how to be perfect in our faith. Then, we will be equipped to do all the good works God calls us to do, not for salvation, but to spread God's good news to others and to help other believers grow spiritually.

2 Timothy 3:8

2 Timothy 3:8 says, Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.  Paul gave the example of two men who stood against Moses, who had received and shared the word of God with the people. These two were said to be men of corrupt minds who were reprobate in their faith.  There are many people today who stand against God’s word, and they have corrupt minds and are reprobate in their faith.  They deny God and put their faith in worldly things.  

Verse nine adds, But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.  Paul said those who stood against God’s word in his day would go no farther, just as these two men in the past didn’t.  There will never be a time when those who stand against God and His word will ever go any farther in doing so than in this lifetime.  When they die, or when Jesus Christ returns, they will know the truth.  

Verse ten continues, But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,  Paul said that Timothy knew his doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity and patience, which he displayed by his belief in God's word.  These were not just beliefs that Paul came up with on his own but were things that God revealed to him.  If we are going to call on people to look to us for an example of what it means to be a Christian, then all that we say and do needs to be in accordance with God’s word and will and not just our own ideas and beliefs.  

Verse eleven continues, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.  Paul continued to list things that he had suffered for his faith but then said that the Lord had delivered him out of them all.  He wasn’t bragging about his ability but was giving God the credit for delivering him from all these sufferings.  Ultimately, Paul did die, and then he was forever delivered from all his sufferings.  We are not promised a life of ease as followers of Christ but may suffer for our faith.  Still, God will deliver us, at times from worldly suffering today but ultimately to everlasting deliverance from suffering in heaven.  

Verse twelve states, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  Paul said that everyone who lived Godly by faith in Jesus Christ would suffer persecution.  This is the opposite of what many preachers proclaim today.  

Verse thirteen adds, But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  Paul said that evil men were going to become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  We just have to look at what is going on in the world today to realize the truth of this.