2 Timothy 2:5

 2 Timothy 2:5 says, And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.  This would seem to refer to winning a competition.  If a person strives to be the best at something, he is not crowned unless he achieves his success lawfully.  We may strive for salvation by some method other than faith in Jesus Christ, but it will not be lawful, so we will not be crowned with everlasting life.  

Verse six adds, The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Paul said that the husbandman that labors must be the first partaker of his labor.  If we would be victorious, we must do the labor or run the race.  I don’t believe this means that we can attain salvation by works, but that once we are saved, we should do whatever God calls us to do to the best of our ability.  

Verse seven continues, Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.  Paul told Timothy to consider what he said and to ask God for the ability to understand it. We as Christians are to consider what the Bible says, but we are also to ask God for the ability to understand it.  

Verse eight states, Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:  Paul asked Timothy to first remember that Jesus Christ, the descendant of David as the Messiah was to be, Who was also the only begotten Son of God though Paul doesn’t state that here, was raised from the dead after dying for the sins of mankind.  Though Paul said according to his gospel, I believe that he meant according to the gospel he preached, which was the gospel of Christ.  We as Christians must always keep our salvation as the most important thing that we remember as we proclaim the gospel of Christ.  

Verse nine adds, Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.  Paul said that because he proclaimed the gospel, he suffered trouble as an evildoer to the point of being bound.  Then, he said that even when he was bound, that the word of God was not bound.  Even if we end up imprisoned for our faith, we need to continue to proclaim God’s word to those around us, and we also need to remember that even if we are bound, God’s word never will be.    

Verse ten continues, Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  Paul said that he was willing to endure all things so that others might come to God through salvation by Jesus Christ.  Even if Paul was imprisoned, he still put his faith in Jesus Christ so that by his example of faithfulness he might help others to put their faith in Jesus Christ as well.  We too often want to call people to Christ for the opposite reason.  We proclaim that faith will lead to happiness and success, and when people put their faith in this type of gospel and don’t gain success, they turn away.  We need to proclaim the gospel with the truth that it will often lead us to suffering under the authorities of the world, but like Paul, we must endure whatever the world throws at us as we continue to live by faith. 

2 Timothy 2:1

 2 Timothy 2:1 says, Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  Paul called on Timothy to be strong in the grace of God which came by His sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins.  We are still under the grace of God today if we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord and we need to be strong under that grace.  The grace of God that saved us will also sustain us if we only live by faith.  

Verse two adds, And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  Paul said that Timothy was to commit the things that he had heard from Paul, concerning salvation through faith in Jesus Christ I believe and obedience to God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and from others, to faithful men.  He was to do this so that they would be able to teach others.  As followers of Christ, we are to know that God’s word is the truth and teach it to other Christians so that they might teach it to others as well.  This is the way the truth of God has always spread.  If we don’t share the gospel with others, it will one day no longer be known.  

Verse three continues, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  aul calls on Timothy to endure hardness like a good soldier.  Paul does not promise Timothy wealth and pleasure in life, but hardship and suffering for the gospel's sake instead.  This should be our understanding of living the Chrisitan life today.  We are called to battle against the forces of evil as a part of the army of God.  

Verse four concludes, No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  Paul said that a good soldier didn’t entangle himself in the affairs of life so that he could please the one who had called him to be a soldier.   I don’t believe that Paul meant that Timothy wasn’t to at all be involved in the affairs of this life, but that he wasn’t to allow them to keep him from doing what God had called him to do.  Some people believe that this means we aren't to be involved with the affairs of the government while they are still entangled with other material things in life, but I believe that it means we aren’t to allow anything in the world to entangle us so much that we are not faithful to God.  We are to live to please the One Who has called us, Jesus Christ, but we have to be aware of what is going on in the world around us to do so.  

2 Timothy 1:15

2 Timothy 1:15 says, This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.  Paul said that all the people of Asia had turned against him, which means they would have turned against his preaching the gospel.  He named two people in particular who had turned against him and were leading others away from the truth.  There are still many false teachers today and we must lead people to the truth of God so they will know when someone is preaching a false gospel.  We may or may not be led to call them out by name, but if the Holy Spirit leads us to do so, then we should.  We should never let false doctrine stand.  

Verse sixteen adds, The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:  Paul then singled out a man whose house Timothy was to show mercy to because he had helped Paul and was not ashamed of Paul’s chains.  Mercy comes from God, but as followers of Christ we are to show His mercy to people.  Like Onesiphorus, we should help those who are proclaiming God’s word and never turn away from them if they are in trouble because of their faith.  

Verse seventeen continues, But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.  Paul then gives an example of how Onesiphorus had refreshed him.  While Paul was in prison in Rome, Onesiphorus had diligently sought for him, even though this might have caused him problems because he was identifying with Paul, who was in prison because of his faith.  If other believers are falsely imprisoned, we should never be ashamed to be identified with them and must do all that we can to help them.  

Verse eighteen concludes, The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.  Paul asked that Onesiphorus have God grant him mercy when judgement came.  Paul said this was because of what he had done for him, but I believe that Paul knew that this was done in obedience to God.  People will not find God’s gift of salvation simply by being good to preachers in their time of trouble if they have not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.