2 Timothy: Lessons on the Word, Part 5

Today’s entry examines the 4^th problem Timothy faced and the solution the Word of God offers for that issue.

Timothy’s 4^th problem – a personal issue – was his propensity to loaf.  Apparently, Timothy constantly faced the human urge to loaf when he needed to be working.  Timothy needed to be alert to the constant need for self-discipline.  In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul’ charge to Timothy reveals much – “Be ready in season and out of season!”

The fact that Paul follows this admonition with his own testimony (2 Timothy 4:6-8) lets us know just how critical he believed it was to finish strong.  There is even convincing evidence that Paul – even in his last days, even in prison with no hope of release – continued to study. 

In 2 Timothy 4:13 Paul says, “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.”  Paul still wanted his books and parchments!  Can you imagine that?  How much more could he learn?  What else would there be to teach?  Who would he teach?  And yet, even under the harsh and isolated conditions of prison, Paul continued to study the Word of God.  He had been marked by the Word and it would not let him rest. 

Timothy, like everyone, had a tendency to want to coast.  And that desire to coast will cause the fire to go out.  So Paul challenged Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16-17) to trust the Scriptures as being “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” NOW GET THIS, “so that the man of God may be COMPLETE, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

If Timothy would continue to search and apply the God-breathed Scriptures to his life, they would be the constant rudder or guide of his life.  The scriptures would keep his fire burning brightly all the way to the very end, ushering him into the presence of God with joy.

So what has this little study taught us?  Four Truths emerge. 

§  The Word of God will mark you and change the direction of your life. 

§  The Word of God will give you confidence and authority for your ministry. 

§  The Word of God will keep you focused so you can avoid distractions. 

§  The Word of God will make it possible for you to finish well. 

And all of that will keep the fire of the Spirit burning brightly in your life.  If we do not give ourselves completely to the Word of God, we will be in danger of being the people Paul described in Ephesians 4:14 – “… children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting …”

Some people argue that God is giving new revelation and that sometimes He will change the meaning of scripture to fit our times and needs.  They say that to keep us tied so tightly to the ancient word is to keep us from soaring to new heights.  They say that God is doing a new thing and we can’t afford to be held back by old understanding and meanings in His Word.

To that I say that the scriptures are like the string on a kite.  The kite will fly high only if it is tied to the string.  When the string is cut, the kite comes crashing to the ground – it may be free, but it isn’t able to accomplish that for which it was created.  The same is true of prophecy and dreams and visions – unless they are tethered tightly to the Word, they will never soar to the heights for which they were given, and they will cause those that have the dreams, visions, and prophetic words to crash.

The entire New Testament is filled with warnings against being tricked or deceived and the only way to guard against deception is to know the Word of Truth, and how to study it corrrectly.  As students of the Word of God, we want to know how to effectively read the Bible.