Suffering for the Gospel

2 Timothy 1:1-18

Key Verse 1:8

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 

 2To Timothy, my dear son:
      Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Encouragement to Be Faithful 

 3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 

 8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 

 13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 

 15You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 

 16May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Read verses 1-2. What does “the promise of life” refer to? What does Paul mean by “grace, mercy, and peace”?   

*the promise of life refers to the promise of eternal life, God’s life that came through Christ.  Jesus came to give us life to the full, a new life in his kingdom.  

*Grace, mercy, and peace refers to the content of the life Jesus came to bring.  In this life we have grace which helps us to overcome our weaknesses and sin problems.  We have mercy which saves us from God’s judgment.  We also have peace in our relationship with God and with others.  Apart from this life, there is only death and misery.  

Read verses 3-5. What does “lived” or “lives” (in you) indicate about the work of faith (in Christ Jesus)?

*There is living faith and dead faith.  Living faith is faith that produces obedience and action to serve God.  Dead faith is lipservice, and is to doubt.

Read verses 6-7. The phrase “For this reason” suggests that there is a connection between the [sincere] “faith” [described in the previous passage] and the “gift” [of God] mentioned in verses 6-7. How are the two related? What does the expression “fan into flame” indicate about the gift that is already in a believer? 

*The 2 are related in that when one puts faith in God, then God gives that person the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

*We need to fan into flame the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This means we need to obey God and then we will experience God’s almighty power working through us each day.

Read verses 8-12. The gospel offers the promise of life that is in the Lord. Yet why would anyone be ashamed to testify about the Lord?  Why should we not be ashamed of the gospel or afraid of suffering for it? 

*Some people are ashamed to testify to the Lord because of a fear problem or because of not living a life of obedience to the gospel.  The gospel will bring us a lot of suffering since it convicts evil people of their evil deeds.  So we’ll be persecuted by them for our bold witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  

*We should not be ashamed because it is true and real.  The gospel is not a joke.  It looks like a joke to worldly people, but it is God’s way to save sinners.  Also, because if we are not ashamed then we’ll be rewarded in heaven.

Read verse 13. What is a “doctrine”? Why is it important to keep sound doctrine “with faith and love in Christ Jesus”?

*Sound doctrine refers to what we believe as true.  Doctrine refers to the principles that the Bible lays out.

*If our doctrine goes bad, then our Christian living goes bad also.  Faith and love in Christ Jesus are the necessary keys to living according to right doctrine.  If we just have doctrine but we don’t believe in Jesus or love him, then we only know about Christ in our head, not in our heart.

Read verse 14. Why should one “guard” the good deposit? Who is helping us to guard it? 

*We should guard it because its valuable and it can be lost easily.  The devil came to steal what God has given us.  We must be on guard always and fight the good fight of faith.

*the Holy Spirit is helping us

Read verses 15-18. What does this passage tell us about the practical meaning of joining [with others such as the Apostle Paul] in the suffering for the gospel? 

*It encourages us when we go through the same sufferings together with our fellow coworkers in Christ

Suffering for the Gospel

2 Timothy 1:1-18

Key Verse 1:8

This passage shows us the blessedness of the life that suffers for the sake of the gospel. Many endure pains and sufferings for the sake of making a lot of money, building a good career, or to please ones’ parents or oneself. But, Paul says that suffering for the gospel is truly worthwhile for it results in not only one’s own salvation but also the salvation of all who hear the gospel. 

Read verses 1-2. What does “the promise of life” refer to? How is the promise of life related to the “grace, mercy, and peace” which is mentioned in verse 2?

** It refers to eternal life in the eternal presence of God. Jesus described it in two steps: the saved life while in a physical body in the present age and the life which is to the full as it is lived in a resurrected body in a world which has been perfected by the Lord. Read John 5:25; 10:10; 14:19; Matthew 22:29-32; Rev 21:5.

Notice that this is a promise which means that on our part we need to meet a certain condition [that is to have faith in the Lord], whereupon Jesus will do his part, that is, delivery of the result, that is [eternal] life. This is why Paul says that this promise is found “in” the Lord.   

** It is related in that: 

A man is saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus; 

not because of our own merit but out of God’s mercy; 

so that for all who believe in Jesus God forgives them of their sins that they can enjoy a peaceful relationship with God the Father without being condemned. This peace (that comes from God through Jesus is the key to maintaining a joyful life.) 

Read verses 3-5. What does “lived” or “lives” (in you) indicate about the work of faith (in Christ Jesus)?

** Faith makes a difference to a man’s life. It is just like a man punching into an ATM machine his personal identification number to secure cash. Faith itself is not a living entity like a person or an animal or any animated beings, and yet Paul uses the word “lived” or “lives” to indicate that faith has the power to “work” causing a certain result. So as long as one has faith inside of him, this faith keeps working, bringing about the results desired by God. Speaking of the same effect of faith, Martin Luther says in his preface to Romans, “Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God (cf. John 1). It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. What a living, creative, active powerful thing is faith! It is impossible that faith ever stops doing good. Faith doesn't ask whether good works are to be done, but, before it is asked, it has them done…”

Functionally speaking it is God who works in a man for faith is faith in God who keeps his promise with all who put trust in Jesus. 

Read verses 6-7. The phrase “For this reason” suggests that there is a connection between the [sincere] “faith” [described in the previous passage] and the “gift” [of God] mentioned in verses 6-7. How are the two related? What does the expression “fan into flame” indicate about the gift that is already in a believer? 

** Faith in Jesus Christ results in Jesus becoming the Lord and Savior in the life of a man who believes in Jesus. Then as Jesus resides in a man, so does the Holy Spirit because for those who repent and turn the Lord through faith in Him, Jesus gives him the gift that is the Holy Spirit. 

** It is possible that like all other good things (like a knife or computer or any piece of knowledge) this gift (of the Spirit of love and power) can also go idling, making that person largely unfruitful. 

The practical results of a man not using the gift positively include such symptoms as timidity, nervous breakdown, insomnia, etc.  

Read verses 8-12. The gospel offers the promise of life that is in the Lord. Yet why would anyone be ashamed to testify about the Lord? Yet why should we not be ashamed of the gospel or be afraid of suffering for it?

** Reasons may vary. Mainly however it is due to man loving the world and people of this world more than the truth of God. It is more a love problem than a character flaw or the problem of intellect. Read 1Jo 2:15; Matthew 6:21

Read verse 13. What is a “doctrine”? Why is it important to keep sound doctrine “with faith and love in Christ Jesus”?

** Doctrine – from Latin ‘doctrina’, means a code of beliefs, a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge.

** Doctrine is a set of knowledge on Jesus. Knowing the doctrine and teaching it without personal faith and knowledge of Jesus is like a man who asks people to buy a product which he himself is not willing to buy. 

 Read verse 14. What should one “guard” the good deposit? Who is helping us to guard it? 

** Two things: first, it makes you to be a good Bible teacher, just as Jesus mentions in Matthew 13:52. Secondly, one must guard it for like anything that is valuable like a diamond there are many thieves out there and even robbers who are looking for the opportunity to take it away, so he would lose the good deposit. Practically the enemy the devil raises a lot of false prophets and false messiahs and false teachers making people confused. In addition, you may be enticed by the people or things or UnBiblical ideas or philosophies.  Then, as the love of the world gets inside, you will end up believing in what is evil, so you may throw away the good deposit while retaining an evil deposit. 

Note: good deposit refers to what Timothy might have heard from Paul. It is a collective term of all the good teachings we find in the Bible like the ones we see in Paul’s epistles. There are many evil false teachers teaching something strange like those who teach Judaism. 

Read verses 15-18. What does this passage tell us about practical meaning of joining [with others such as the Apostle Paul] in the suffering for the gospel? 

** One bad example – desertion; in a military campaign, nothing is more disheartening than a solider who is deserting fellow soldiers. Another bad example is to say or do what discourages fellow soldiers. Remember what happened to the spies who made a bad report in Num 13:33-14:4. 

Good example – a servant like the household of Onesiphoros. They did not do much for Paul, but they became a great source of encouragement for Paul. 

The end 

 Suffering for the Gospel

2 Timothy 1:1-18

Key Verse 1:8

“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God…”

Today we would like to think about the Apostle Paul's exhortation to Timothy to participate in the suffering for the gospel. Suffering is something which every one wants to avoid as much as possible. But everyone knows that we cannot avoid suffering altogether. In order to achieve one thing or another, necessarily, we will have to go through difficulties and hardships. Thus we say, "No pain, no gain." 

For this reason the next question we need to ask is, “For what do I suffer?” Or “What do I gain out of it?” In the passage the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy to join with him to suffer for the gospel. What then is the gain? In the passage the Apostle Paul addresses these questions.   

First, the promise of life

Look at verse 1. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus." Paul suffers for the gospel for it comes with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. When the Apostle Paul talked about the promise of life, he meant it in the sense that it is found only in Jesus. Nowhere in the whole world other than in Jesus Christ can this promise of life be found. The Apostle Peter confirms this same truth when he declared, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 

This then gives rise to a question: "Why is it that the promise of life is found only in Christ Jesus? Aren’t there many other sources that promise life—and not just any life, but good, long, fun-filled life, sources such as modern technology, isms, ideas, philosophies, or religions?" 

We find an answer to this question in verse 2. "To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." This passage, especially the three words "grace,” “mercy,” and “peace” indicate that it is only in Jesus that one can find all that gives life to men, that is, grace, mercy and peace that comes from God the Father through Jesus Christ. Other religions or philosophies talk about grace, mercy and peace at least to a certain extent, but not in the way Christ offers. 

What then does Paul mean by grace? According to Paul, grace is the grace of God that sent Jesus the Son to forgive sinners of their sins and grant them a place in his presence. In the Bible sin is often called a debt. A sinner is likened to a debtor who has gone bankrupt. For example, after borrowing money from a bank, a man bought a house but ended up defaulting on the loan. So the bank forecloses on the property. Jesus is likened to a man with a lot of money, so he pays off the debt, satisfying the bank. The bank then gives the house back to the debtor. The Bible says that this is what God has done for all sinners, for John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Speaking of the same truth, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and said, "Look! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" God did not have to do this. But in love he did it. The Bible calls this act of love demonstrated through Jesus Christ the Son as "grace." 

"My dear son Timothy: Grace mercy and peace from the Father and the Christ Jesus our Lord." Again no other religion or philosophy offer the grace of sin-forgiveness in the way God does in and through Jesus Christ. As used in the Bible the word “mercy” has the same root as the word "softness" or [a mother's] "womb". Hence the word mercy denotes motherly compassion. We see the meaning and effect of God's mercy in the way the Lord God commanded Moses to prepare an atonement cover in Exodus 25-26. This atonement cover (or in Hebrew simply “cover,” for in Hebrew the words “atonement” and “cover” mean one thing: cover) is called a "mercy seat." In Leviticus 16 we see the way in which the high priest enters God’s presence (called the holy of holies) on the Day of Atonement and sprinkles the blood of the atoning sacrifices on and in front of the mercy seat. As he sprinkles the blood seven times, God is pleased with it, and the blood flies up to heaven, keeping the area clean all the time. In this way, once a year, the high priest works to get all of the sins of Israel wiped out. This mercy seat represents the cross of Jesus where Jesus the Lamb of God shed his blood to atone for (or simply, cover) our sins. Speaking of the same effect of God’s act of mercy in sending Jesus the Apostle Peter said, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1Pe 4:8).

“To my dear son Timothy: Grace, mercy, and peace from the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Here “peace” is the peace between God and men, and among men. Jesus came to make peace between God and men. This peace is not make-believe. It has been said that peace is never without price. This is true. Jesus purchased our peace by his blood sacrifice. In the past Paul did not know the sacrifice Jesus made for his sins. So he was not at peace with God. He was not at peace with himself. And he was not at peace with anyone. The truth is that he always felt condemned. So he condemned others as much as he condemned himself. But in Jesus he found God's love and mercy. He no longer felt condemned. Thus he proclaimed, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!” 

Second, sincere faith 

So in Jesus we have the promise of life - the life that is full of God's grace, mercy, and peace. Practically then how can we avail ourselves to the promise of life found in Jesus Christ? Look at verses 3-5. “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

In this passage we see the word "lived" and "lives" associated with faith. Obviously, faith is not a living entity. Yet, Paul says, “…sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother…and now lives in you also.” Paul did this in order to stress that faith that lives in a man performs the good work God desires to fulfill. In the preface to his exposition on the book of Romans, Martin Luther expressed the work of faith in this way: "Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God. It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers…What a living, creative, active powerful thing is faith!”

Third, the gift of God

Next Paul says that faith brings in God’s gift so the man of faith would be on fire for Christ.  Look at verses 6-7. "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 did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." Immediately after talking about the sincere faith that is living in Timothy, the Apostle Paul talks about the gift of God, that is, the Holy Spirit.  

The Apostle Paul links faith with the gift of God, because when one believes in Jesus, and accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior, Jesus blesses that person with the gift of God, that is, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Figuratively speaking, the Holy Spirit is like a seed of fire. The expression “fan into flame,” indicates that this seed of fire put into a believer can be fanned into flame, so that the Holy Spirit can change that person to be on fire for Christ. When this happens he can overcome the spirit of timidity, and live as a powerful witness of Jesus Christ.

Fourth, do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord

How then can we see this gift fanned into flame? Look at verses 8-12. “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 

This passage indicates that God gives us the Holy Spirit so that we might preach the gospel with God’s power. And the more we preach the gospel the greater the flame of the Spirit’s fire we will see arising in us. Then, powered by the power of the Spirit, without fear, we can testify about our Lord Jesus Christ who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. So we should not be ashamed to testify about Jesus Christ. 

However it is more easily said than done. Think about the word 'ashamed.' Why did he use this word? He did it because he knew that many people of his day generated an environment that was hostile to Christians. Due to an oppressive environment, Christians were pressured not to talk about the gospel; they were forced to even renounce their faith in Jesus. In order to survive or fit in, many Christians went “underground.” Some of them even renounced their faith. Paul knew that Timothy, in his timidity, could fall victim to the hostile environments of his generation. 

In our own generation, environments are getting increasingly hostile to Christianity. In our desire to just get along with others we so easily get caught up in the spirit of timidity that we end up living as “undercover Christians” rather than as active soldiers of Jesus Christ. But we must remember that God has already given us the power to overcome hostile environments. 

Last spring, after finishing the world mission report in Seoul, Korea, I had a chance to visit my family members. I asked all of my siblings, their husbands and children to gather at my eldest sister's house in the country side, for my eldest sister has remained a widow for over a decade and yet in her sixties has had to do all the farm work by herself. Because we have not seen each other for a long period of time, we had a lot to talk about. But time was limited and we only had one evening to have a talking fellowship. But I knew that it might be the last chance for me to share the gospel with them. But I found a lot of pressures built up in the air. My eldest sister is a Buddhist. On the threshold of the house and in the kitchen area she has posted voodoo signs brought from a Buddhist temple. My youngest sister is also a Buddhist. In her car I saw another voodoo sign from a Buddhist temple. And another sister of mine is a Catholic. After much prayer, I asked all of them to come to a room and sit in a circle. Then I opened the Bible and shared John 3:16. I also shared how the Lord saved me from the power of darkness. After the Bible study I prayed for all of my siblings and for the twenty-seven children that came out of them. The next morning Rebekah and I left the village and came back to Seoul. And we were about to leave Korea for LA. Yet, I still felt so sorry because I did not share the gospel fully to my family members, especially to my two sisters who believe in Buddhism. So after much prayer, I visited a Christian book store. I bought two sets of Christian books (five of them each: the Bible, a Christian tract, a book teaching the basic tenets of the gospel, a book on key sermons on salvation, and a book on Christian theology on salvation). Then, using an express service called Taebae, I had the package delivered to my sisters, and I left a note on each package encouraging them to read all the books step by step. 

“Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord Jesus,” says the Apostle Paul. And we need to overcome the peer pressure found in our fellowships with unbelieving friends, on college campuses, at home, and even at the church. And let us not be ashamed of sharing the gospel. Each time the opportunity arises, as we pray, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will strengthen us to testify about Jesus Christ! 

Fifth, the pattern of sound teaching

In verse 13 the Apostle Paul shows Timothy the way in which to testify about the Lord. Look at verse 13. "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus." Here the word "sound" and the phrase "with faith and love," give us a good guide, that is, first of all, there must be soundness - soundness in the contents of what we teach and soundness in the manner in which we share what we share. The phrase "with faith in Christ Jesus," indicates then that it is possible that one preaches the gospel without "faith" in Jesus. This is just like a man selling a product which he himself is unwilling to buy. Another meaning of this expression “with faith in Jesus,” is that when we preach the gospel we must leave the result in the hands of God, for it is God the Father who opens the hearts of people. The phrase “with love,” tells us that it is also possible that one preaches the gospel without love in Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the essence of the gospel is God's love demonstrated through Jesus Christ. So the gospel and the love of Christ should not be separated.  

Sixth, guard the good deposit

Look at verse 14. "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." Here the “good deposit” refers to the knowledge of salvation which the Risen Jesus revealed to the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote down this body of knowledge in many of his epistles. The revelation Jesus revealed to Paul is called the “good” deposit, for when Timothy guards it and serves the flock out of it, his flock would receive the full life found in Jesus.  By the time the Apostle Paul wrote this epistle to Timothy, he knew that the time for his departure was drawing near. In this epistle then he asks Timothy to guard the deposit with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Risen Jesus revealed it through the Holy Spirit, so he is asking Timothy to preserve it through the help of the Holy Spirit.

Seventh, the household of Onesiphorus

In verses 15-18 the Apostle Paul gives us examples of what it is to suffer for the gospel. Look at verses 15. “You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.” Here Paul used the word "deserted." The word “desertion” is a military term. In a military campaign, fellow soldiers fighting together encourage each other the most by participating in the battle together. By the same token a man who deserts fellow soldiers becomes a source of great discouragement. 

Look at verses 16-18. “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.” Here Onesiphorus set a good example of what it is for a man to join in the sufferings for the gospel. Most likely, he was a lay person. As such he himself could not go out to preach the gospel as much as Paul did. But he supported Paul as a fellow soldier, by praying for him, and perhaps by supplying Paul what is needed, financially or otherwise. 

In conclusion let us look at verse 8 again. “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God…” Thank God that Jesus has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Thank God for giving us the gift of the Spirit. Using this powerful gift, may the Lord bless us to bravely share the gospel with many. 

One word: Suffering for the gospel