Grace Thoughts
The Last Words of the Apostle Paul (Part 1)
Courtesy: Thomas Nelson
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For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:6-7
The Apostle Paul was a godly man. He fought many physical and spiritual battles during the last 30 years of his life. Paul gave God the glory for all of it:
But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! 2 Timothy 4:17-18
We are blessed to have Paul’s final words recorded for us to read in his second letter to Timothy. Paul wrote his last letters to churches (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, Philemon) while under Roman guard in a rented house (Acts 28:0-31). Paul was apparently freed for a couple of years after that and he continued preaching the Gospel. It was during that time that he wrote his letters to Titus and Timothy (1 Timothy). Paul was imprisoned again in Rome and died at the hands of the Roman Empire. It was toward the last days of the imprisonment that Paul wrote his final letter and it would be to Timothy.
[Listen to a Podcast of this study by clicking this link.]
Words Of A Dying Man
Listen closely to the final words of a kind and loving person as they near death. You may learn something that will change your life. People, especially people who have lived a long life committed to helping other people, often have much wisdom to share. They are usually ready to share that wisdom with people ready to listen. As a wise person comes to the end of their life, their desire to share with others what God has taught them becomes stronger. They know their time on earth is short and they want to pass on what they’ve learned that is really important to know about life.
That’s the kind of letter Timothy received from Paul. Paul knew he had only a short time to live. He had spent many years in Roman prisons and recognized the routine of Roman soldiers prior to an execution. Paul knew the time of his death was “at hand” and he wanted to share some final thoughts with a young man who was like a son to him.
Timothy had spent many years learning from and serving with the Apostle Paul. Timothy would be one of the leaders of the young Church who would carry on the work of the Gospel after Paul was gone. Paul had a few last things he wanted to emphasize.
Words of a Godly Man
While it is true that you can hear wisdom from older people who have committed their lives to helping others, there is something very special about the last words of a godly person. Someone who has known and served God for much of their life means they have gone through the spiritual process of sanctification (hagiasmos – being set apart for sacred service, made holy). A godly person might say something like this about getting older and coming closer to time of departure (death):
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
When someone has that perspective about life, listen to what they have to say!
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Timothy 1:1-2
Paul’s greeting was of the usual sort for the 1st century AD, but we do get some insight into the very personal nature of this letter. Timothy was “a beloved son.” Paul chose Timothy to travel with him as a partner in the Gospel ministry many years earlier. You can read the beginning of their relationship in Acts 16. Timothy is mentioned multiple times in Acts and in Paul’s letter. Timothy is also mentioned in the Book of Hebrews. He was an important part of Paul’s ministry and would continue to play a vital role in the life of the Church after Paul’s death. Paul looked to Timothy, Titus and others to carry on the work of preaching, teaching, pastoring, training, counseling, selecting elders and all the other aspects of leading the Church Jesus Christ was building.
Memories
After the greeting, Paul dove into important memories that would be an encouragement to Timothy after Paul’s death. Older people nearing their death often like to talk about old times and important memories.
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:3-7
Notice that Paul quickly brought to memory Timothy’s “genuine faith.” Genuine faith is something that takes years to prove. It’s easy to “have faith” for a season, but genuine faith is unique. Paul used the Greek word anupokritou (sincere, without hypocrisy, unfeigned, not a phony) to describe Timothy’s faith. Timothy had proven himself faithful, reliable and trustworthy through many difficult challenges over a period of many years.
As we read through 2 Timothy we learn that some people who had once been close ministry companions of Paul had forsaken him (enkatelipon – abandoned, deserted, left in a condition of lack). Timothy was not one of those people. Timothy’s faith had been tested many, many times and found to be genuine. May we all have people like that in our lives, especially as we approach our time of departure.
So, what about the memories? What did Paul want Timothy to remember? Paul reminded Timothy that his genuine faith had first “dwelt” in his grandmother and mother. Because of that (“therefore”), Paul reminded Timothy to “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” Why? “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Why would that be the first memory Paul shared with Timothy? My guess is Paul knew that’s what Timothy needed to hear. As genuine a faith as Timothy had, he also had some weaknesses. We all have weaknesses, so that makes Timothy both human and courageous. It takes courage to keep going when the going gets tough. Having genuine faith doesn’t mean being superhuman or invincible. It means staying focused, on course, unwavering, even when we’d like to run in the opposite direction. We don’t give up. We keep going. That’s genuine faith.
Fear was a real thing for people who traveled with Paul. Paul was the lead apostle in reaching out to the Gentile world. He was deeply involved in a spiritual battle that probably went beyond anything we’ve ever experienced in our life and ministry. The people who partnered with Paul found themselves under similar spiritual and physical attacks. As Paul wrote, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” That’s vital in fighting and winning spiritual warfare.
Suffering
Paul, Timothy, Titus and others who ministered with the apostle suffered for their faith in Christ. That’s another part of “genuine faith.” Suffering is often what determines the sincerity of someone’s faith. It’s one thing to serve God when things are comfortable and safe. It’s quite another thing to serve God when things are uncomfortable and unsafe. I remember preaching a sermon years ago where I talked about how God has not called us to be comfortable, but to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I still believe that. I don’t like to suffer, but I do believe suffering is part of having genuine faith.
Look at the next words Paul wrote Timothy. The apostle addressed shame and suffering for Christ.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason 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 what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:8-12
It is not an easy thing for an older Christian to tell a younger Christian they will suffer for the Gospel, but it is necessary. Paul addressed the subject properly with Timothy – “share with me in the sufferings for the gospel.” Jesus suffered for the sake of the Gospel as did the apostles. Suffering is part of God’s eternal plan for His people. Many Christians find that strange and even deny it must be that way, but the Bible makes it clear we will suffer as God’s people in this life. The Bible also makes clear that following suffering on earth is glory in Heaven.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:16-18
Christians today suffer in many ways depending on their personal circumstances, but we all suffer. The promise we have from God is that the sufferings of this present time cannot be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. Here’s the next part of Romans 8 that explains that in more detail.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8:19-25
We “eagerly” wait for the “redemption” of our body and Paul says we should wait for it “with perseverance.” That’s what he was pointing out to Timothy about suffering for the Gospel. Suffering for the sake of the Gospel is not something we do alone in a dark corner. We suffer for the Gospel “according to the power of God”! That power is the same power that saves us and calls us according to God’s purpose and grace which was given to us in Jesus “before time began.”
This is an ETERNAL PLAN. God has known from eternity how we would suffer for the Gospel now and how He would reward us with glorious redemption in the future. How do we know that’s true? Because Jesus “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” We know why we suffer and when it will end because of what Jesus did through His death and resurrection. As Paul wrote – “For this reason 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 what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
Amen!
[Listen to a Podcast of this study by clicking this link.]
Next Time
Paul’s final words to Timothy (and to us) include instruction about what we should do until the time of our redemption. We’ll look at more of Paul’s wisdom in the next part of our new series, The Last Words of the Apostle Paul.
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