A Study of 2 Timothy 1

A Study of 2 Timothy 1

As biblical students there are certain rules we need to adhere to. We all know that any verse has to be kept in its context to be able to rightly divide it. We also must know to whom a verse is written to be able to see how it applies to them and then see how we can get a benefit from the verses that are not written directly to us. This applies not only in the Hebrew Scriptures but also in the book of Acts as well as in the general epistles 1&2 Peter and 1, 2, &3 John. There are also books written to Groups such as Hebrews and James, there are books addressed to Timothy, Titus, Jude, and Philemon. If you don’t remember that then you will end up incorrectly dividing God’s word. The seven Church Epistles are the only books written directly to us and, the general epistles apply directly to us.

We are going to look at chapter 1 of 2 Timothy a book that was written to an individual and applies directly to his life. The scriptures need to be understood in that light or you will sooner or later have the book saying things it doesn’t say. Once we see how the information applies to Timothy then we apply those general principals to our life. I can take verses out of context and build whole religions around them.

1Timothy 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

Okay the word says to not drink water but instead we are all to switch and start drinking wine. Sounds like the base of a new religion to me. After all the word says we are suppose to do that right? 

Of course not, the word teaches no such thing. That verse is directed to an individual not the body of believers. It is like if you were to minister healing to someone and you were directed to tell them to drink more water, it applies to that person in that situation it doesn’t mean you start directing everyone to start drinking more water.

All the rules of biblical interpretation must be applied to ever verse. This is one of the most important things for any biblical students to remember.

Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God

So now we know from the word “There is no God” Does the word say there is no God? Yes it does if I pull it from its context that is exactly what I can make the word of God say. All I have to do is leave off the part about the fool having said.

There are things that we can learn from in those books not directly addressed to us. Some time read Hebrews 11. It talks about the cloud of witnesses with which we are surrounded. A testament to those who came before us and who believed God and took God at his word and because of their believing the word and the promises of God came down to us. We can read about these people and see how they believed what God had promised them. We can then find what God has promised us and believe that what God says he will do, he will do.

So bearing all of this in mind let us go to 2 Timothy 1.

2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

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

This book is written to Timothy. It applies directly to Tim not to us directly. We can find out about Tim and see how we can take what is written here and use it in our life. We look at the principals taught and see how they work in our lives.

3 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;

4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

Paul and Timothy must have had a very special relationship. He wanted to see Timothy again. As you stand you will find these sorts of relationships develop. You will get close to people in the word and then you part from each other you go left and they go right. The thing is those people will be a part of your heart for the rest of your lives. From August 1975 till August of 1977 I was with a group of believers. We worked together to move the word, we saw each other daily, we prayed together ,we believed for each other, we cried on each other’s shoulders. Those people will always be special to me. I have not seen any of them since the 1980’s and yet I still think about them and pray for them. I smile at some of those memories. That is what Paul is talking about. Timothy had a big effect on him. Don’t be surprise as you stand if you get really close to someone and then for whatever reason God wants them someplace else or he needs you someplace else.

5 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.

Okay so one of the other things we need to do as biblical students is make sure we know what words mean. If you do not know what unfeigned means then you won’t understand what Paul is saying.

Unfeigned is: not feigned; sincere; genuine.

Feigned

What is being said that faith runs in Timothy’s family his mother and his grandmother both exhibited great faith. There is a real history in his family of believing what God has said. This is often the case, my mother was the first to share God's word with me. She got me to respect the word of God long before I started to study it.

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

There is a great deal of information in these two verses but they go together. Verse seven is used by many who study the word. Far too many pull verse seven out of its context and magnify it to the hilt and forget it goes with verse six. Now there is a great principal in verse seven something people need to know. Fear does not come from God. There are words translated fear that in context mean a different kind of fear or should not be translated fear. This is the only place the Greek word deilia or deilias. It can be translated timidity, fear, or cowardice. This is not the word that means respect this means to be afraid.

1 Samule11:7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent [them] throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

In this verse the word fear means respect. Fear of the LORD should normally be translated respect for the lord.

Here are a few of more examples:

Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever.

Provebs 1:7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

In context these all mean respect.

Fear can also mean being afraid such as it does in these verses:

Matthew 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

A message that runs through the entire word of God is fear not. It was said to Mary by Gabriel. It was said to Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah and many, many more.  Getting back to 1 Timothy in verse six it talks about how Paul had laid his hands on Timothy and a gift ministry was energized in Timothy. What is being said to Timothy is to operate his gift ministry.

It is the first lesson taught at angel school.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

This is what the gift ministries are and what they are for. Now Timothy was an evangelist according to 2 Timothy 4:5. He was also not operating his ministry to its full potential. He had let some fear creep into his life according to what Paul said in verse seven and he was pointing out to Timothy that God had not given him a spirit of fear in contrast God had given him power, love, and a sound mind.

Power the Greek word is dynamis it is the word we get dynamite from. Potential power that won’t be exhibited till the fuse is lit and reaches the dynamite, it is a noun, a thing. Love is the Greek word agapē the noun form of the word that means God’s love, it is a noun, like I said there is no action; it is just a thing we have, it needs to be used, it then becomes a verb action and not just a thing. A sound mind is the Greek word sōphronismos again this is a noun a thing not activated till you take action. It is like having 3 quarters if they are sitting in your pocket they are not doing anything they are of no use till you use them to buy something then they are in action.  What action needs to be taken by Timothy look back at verse 6:

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

So this verse is talking about Timothy a believer using the gift that God gave to him. We all have been given gifts. God gave us all abilities. If nothing else there is no one who can provide what you bring to the table. It says we are members in particular of the body of Christ, and that body is fitly joined together. I believe if we are walking for God we are where we are for a reason. Remember when I mentioned those people I was with back in the 1970’s. I believe God wanted me to be there he had a reason for the others being there as well we all had things to teach each other. Every one of us was a born again believer who wanted to serve God and God’s family. It was no accident any of us were there.

We bring ourselves and our ability that was given to us by God. Have you ever thought why there is nine manifestation? Could it be that God is showing us something by these manifestations? Is it time for you to get off the I-land and start looking for ways to help others? If you have some great need that needs fulfilling try helping someone else. Many of you may have heard the statement “Born to live, Born again to serve.” We need to look for ways to do for others. When it is made available in a meeting for people to manifest do you hide in the corner and hope no one notices or do you Jump up and say I will! That is the truth it is a matter it's your will. I know when I am in a meeting that God wants his children blessed and I have an ability to make that happen. I am here today because many years ago someone manifested on a night when I was ready to give up because something had happened and I felt like an old wound had been broken open and I was heart sick about it. Someone manifested that night and God promised to bind all our old wounds if we would just stay faithful learn his word and stand for him. I heard that and was almost in tears the next person said God would wipe away all our tears and heal our hearts. What if no one had manifested that night? I do not know what would have happened that night but there were 2 believers who believed and manifested and I found the courage to keep going that night.

That is how important we are. We speak Gods word and people’s heart gets healed. So I encourage you stir up the gift God gave you and know you will have a spirit of exousia which is energized power and agapaō which is the verb form of the word love that love in action, and a sound mind anamimnēskō which is the verb form of a sound mind in action.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Paul says to Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord or of because he is a prisoner for the lord. We have been given life from Jesus Christ he was God's plan for salvation. After Adam blew it God had the back up plan,

We  have had it pretty simple herein the USA no one is trying to murder us for our belief. We have brothers ans sisters who put their lives on the line everyday  because of their beliefs.

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Paul isn't ashamed of his calling and what he has to go through because he committed himself to the lord. Now Jesus Christ will keep that which he committed unto us against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

18 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.

We are to hold fast those words and things that have been committed unto us.

2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2Timothy 2:2 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.

As we go forward let us stir that gift we have and bless many of our brothers and sisters.