2 Timothy 1:1

 2 Timothy 1:1 says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,  Paul once more identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ.  Since Paul had not walked or talked with Jesus physically, some people did not consider him to be equal to those who had, but he said that he was by the calling of God.  None of us walked or talked with Jesus physically, but a Christians, we all have spiritually, and whatever we do for God should be done by His calling us to do so.  

Verse two adds, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.  Paul called Timothy his son, I believe because he had led him to Jesus Christ, but he was really Paul’s brother spiritually.  We may feel a physical closeness to someone we have led to the Lord, but we will never be their spiritual parent, since all have the same heavenly Father.  Paul asked that Timothy have grace, mercy, and peace from God since he was now one of God’s children.  We are saved by God’s grace, which always comes first in our relationship to Him, which we can only have by His mercy in providing a way to redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins.  When we accept His mercy and grace, we should be at peace spiritually, no matter what is going on in the world.  

Verse three continues, I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;  Paul said he thanked God Whom he served as his forefathers did.  I believe that Paul was identifying himself as a Jew and also saying that he still put his faith in Jesus Christ with a clear conscience.  He also said that he remembered Timothty in his prayers day and night.   As followers of Christ, we follow the same God that our ancestors did if they were also followers of Christ.  We should serve God with a clear conscience that we are doing our best under the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit to the best of our ability.  We may not have a particular fellow Christian that we are praying for day and night, but we should be in prayer for all our fellow Christians every day.  

Verse four says, Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;  Paul said that he was greatly desiring to visit Timothy once more but that didn’t mean that God would grant his wish.  We may greatly desire to do something today that we see as good, but that doesn’t mean that God will allow us to do so.  If He doesn’t, we should continue to pray that His will be done.  Paul said he was mindful of Timothy’s tears, but we aren’t told what had left him in tears.  We can pray for our fellow Christians who are in tears today without having to know why they are crying.  Paul also said that he hoped if he came to see Timothy that he would be filled with joy, not at the fact of Timothy’s tears, but so that he might bring him some comfort, I believe.  Paul’s joy would be in seeing Timothy and not in Timothy’s tears.  We should never have joy in the suffering of other Christians, but we should always desire to lift them up in prayer they would have their joy in life restored as they obediently obey God.  

Verse five adds, When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.  Paul did not question Timothy’s faith because he had been crying about something but commended his faith instead.   He also spoke of the faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother.  Followers of Christ ideally will have mothers whose faith in God is commendable.  Of course, they should also have fathers and grandfathers who are known for their faith, but Paul only mentioned Timothy’s mother and grandmother.   

1 Timothy Review

The book of 1st Timothy was written by Paul to Timothy, and also to all others who read the book, though Paul did not know that he was writing to Christians for all time.  He wrote under the inspiration of God, and it was God’s word that he wrote.

In the book, he wrote a lot to instruct Timothy in how he was to live spiritually as a preacher.  This also applies to preachers today.  Timothy was to live so that he would be a positive example to other Christians, but he was to also realize that he wasn’t better than any other Christian just because he was a preacher.  Preachers or pastors today should live so that they will be a positive example to other people and should never believe that they are spiritually superior to any other Christian.  

Paul gave Timothy the requirements for those who would be pastors and teachers, but also for those who would be deacons.  They were basically the same requirements.  Paul spoke about those who aspired to be preachers, but I believe that he had to have meant those who felt called to be preachers.  I also believe that deacons should feel called by God to serve, and that neither should believe themselves to be better than any other Christian.   This will always be true.   

Paul warned Timothy to beware of people who attempted to proclaim anything other than the gospel.  There would be some who set themselves as religious authorities who would pervert the gospel, and there are still people do this today.

Paul warned Timothy not to get caught up in vain genealogies and old wives' tales.  There are many people today who would love to have us believe that it is important who are ancestors were, but this has nothing to do with whether we are a follower of Christr or not.  As Christians, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.  Some people believe in astrology, but as believers, we know that the stars have nothing to do with controlling our life, and we should be guided by God’s word under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Paul gave Timothy God’s requirement for how Christians should treat their masters, or bosses we would say today.  They were to do their best in working for them so that God would be glorified.  Of course, the opposite was also true.  Masters, or bosses, were to treat those under them with fairness, again so that God might be glorified.  We as followers of Christ should do the same today.

Paul also instructed Timothy in how Christians were to treat widows and made distinguishments between certain widows based on age and family circumstances.  Those over sixty and those without family were to be cared for, and those under sixty and with family were to rely on family to help them.  I believe that we are to help widows today, especially those who are older and without family to help them, even though women have more rights today than they did in Paul’s day.  We should rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit to guide us in helping them and how much help we offer. 

Paul told Timothy of the danger of loving money and material things.  If a person puts more faith in money or earthly riches instead of God, they will be led astray and never find true contentment.  True contentment comes only from putting our faith in Jesus Christ and obeying the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Paul also had a warning to the rich to not put their faith in their riches, but to put their faith in God alone.  He also said God expected them to use their riches to help others and not just for their own desires.  This is still what God expects of people today.

I am sure there are more things we can learn from this book, but I will close with these, and next we will look at 2nd Timothy.

1 Timothy 6:17

1 Timothy 6:17 says, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  Timothy was to also charge the rich to not be high minded or to trust in their riches but to put their faith in God alone.  I believe this means that the rich are not to live like they are entitled to more than anyone else and are to use their riches in obedience to God's word.  Earthly riches are but a temporary thing.  

Verse eighteen adds, That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  Still continuing to speak to the rich, Timothy was to tell them that God expected them to be rich in good works, helping those in need, and speaking to all people the same way. This still applies to people today.  

Verse nineteen continues, Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.  Paul told Timothy that if the rich followed God’s commandments that they would lay up a good foundation in His kingdom.  They were not promised any more than anyone else who obeys God’s word, no matter what their status in the world might be.  Our work for God in obedience to His word will not get us to heaven, since only faith in Jesus Christ will, but we are still expected to do good works for His glory and to help all those that we can.  

Verse twenty states, O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  God then called on Timothy to keep the commandments of God and not to be pulled astray by the vain babblings of others.  We need to be just as committed to obeying God’s word today, from preachers and teachers to all Christians.  

Verse twenty-one adds, Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.  Paul warned Timothy that some people professing to believe in God’s word had erred in their understanding of what His word teaches.  They had erred in the faith.  There are still people today who profess to be Christians, but they are not obedient to God’s word.  We don’t need to be led astray by them.  Paul also asked that God's grace be with Timothy, and we as Christians are always under the grace of God.  Paul then closed his letter to Timothy with an amen, or so be it.  God’s word will always be true, so we must put our faith in it and live by its standards.