Recently, I have been teaching middle school boys through the book of Proverbs. While dealing with some of their immaturity, I have been convicted how I can respond to situations in my life as a Christian that could be considered juvenile. I can grumble when things do not go my way. I can respond in fear when life is uncertain. I can seek to compete with another brother rather than consider how I may serve him. That is what makes 2 Timothy 2:22-26 so hard hitting. It shows us how to grow in maturity by pursuing purtiy. We do that by first admitting we do not do it. That is why verse 22 features the warning of a command, “So flee youthful passions”. Unless we first confess to God our sinful passions, that is passions that are against God’s Word or are strong enough we pursue it over our relationship with God, we will not be prepared to turn from what we should flee from in orfer to pursue what we need to turn to. If we rightly respond with fleeing such youthful and foolish passions, then we are ready to receive the next step in the Lord’s instruction: “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace”. God’s Word shows us how to live right, and we can have a right relationship with God only through the righteousness of Christ. God’s Word points us to place our faith in Jesus Christ and trust the Lord, not leaning in our own understanding and giving way to fear (Proverbs 3:5-6). God’s Word empowers us to be compelled and controlled by the love of Christ to love God and others and to live peacably with them as Jesus has given us peace with God through the cross. But the only way to experience and live out the truth of God’s Word in these ways is by calling on the Lord from a pure heart. This is how we can have this right relationship with God. There is no amount of fleeing from and turning to these qualities that will save us. It is only through the Lord Jesus Christ who lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and rose again that we can be saved. Those who call upon Him are those who respond from a pure heart by the way of repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Only then will they have the power of the Holy Spirit to pursue the qualities Paul lists. In pursuing those things in purity, things will become clearer: they will not engage in foolish, ignorant controversies that distract and demean gospel testimony (verse 23), they will not be argumentative and harsh in their manner of life but patient in the face of evil but not without correction in gentleness (verse 24). This pursuit of purity is not only for the good of that individual Christian; it is good for the unbelievers around them so that they may themselves see the witness and respond in repentance that leads to a knowledge of the truth (verse 25), fleeing from the snare of the devil and turning to life with God.

Reflection Questions:

1. What specific sins do you need to confess to God as you seek to flee from them?
2. What is one step you can take this week to pursue purity in your life?

By Steve Sering

The Reverend Billy Graham was perhaps the greatest evangelist of the modern era and reached millions upon millions of people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. One lesser known fact about Graham was his dogged pursuit of being “above reproach” in his ministry. He would have hotel rooms searched by an accountability group and would turn off the cable, with one time yanking the cable out of the wall! Furthermore, he adopted what would later be known as the “Billy Graham Rule,” which required that he never be alone with a women other than his wife. Many thought of this as extreme but Billy knew that Satan was just waiting to pounce on his revolutionary ministry. By God’s grace he never once had a moral failure or scandal during his six decades long ministry. This is amazing (https://jdgreear.com/billy-grahams-ministry-in-four-words/)!

The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2 lays the groundwork for usefulness in ministry, employing such extreme measures. To start, Paul writes that servants of God must not get entangled by useless quarrels. It only “ruins the hearers” (v. 14). Every Christian, not just pastors, are to present himself or herself as one approved, unashamed and one who rightly handles God’s Word of truth (v. 15). We are to avoid useless debates about secondary issues and keep the focus on the main thing, the gospel. Paul mentions two men who were leading astray the churches and “upsetting the faith of some” with false doctrine (v. 18.)

Next, the Apostle shares a very encouraging and convicting verse: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity” (v. 19). To know Jesus is to live forJesus. Every believer has times when he or she backslides into sin. I have certainly been there before. The difference between a false believer (a lost person) and a true believer is the trajectory of his or her life. Every believer crashes in sin at times, but then recovers to pursue holiness until reaching heaven. This is the process of sanctification. As the passage states, the Lord knows intimately those who are his. In fact, he has planned their salvation from all eternity! This is the doctrine of election and it is one of the greatest comforts in holy Scripture. Furthermore, the ones chosen by God live for the glory of God and consequently flee from sin.

Finally, Paul gives a real life example to illustrate his point in verses 20-21. During that time, some earthly vessels like pots were made with clay and others with gold and silver. The Bible says that God is the Master Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8). This means that he is in charge of our lives. If we are living consistently sinful, rebellious, lustful, pride-infested lives, will God use us to advance his kingdom? In one sense, we are all cracked, broken, hole-laced vessels. However, we should always pursue purity and holiness in order that God will use us most fully in the furthering of his kingdom. Just like Billy Graham, we should seek holiness at the greatest cost!

Reflection Questions:

1. Are you living your life to be used by God must fully to further his kingdom? What areas of your life can improve so that you can be a better witness for Christ?
2. How can you help members of your church be better vessels in the hands of the Lord and be “above reproach”?

You have heard the adage, “You can kill the messenger, but you cannot kill the message.” The truth of 2 Timothy 2:8-13 says something similar: You can imprison and bound the messenger but you cannot bound the message. In this passage, the Apostle Paul shares he is suffering. His context is he in chains, bound in prison for preaching the gospel. And how does he describe the gospel? He describes it as a call to remember Jesus Christ, His person and work. He is the Son of David who came to live the sinless life, die a sacrificial death, and rise from the dead. The command Paul gives here reminds us even today that nothing can stop the Word of God. What is clear from the message of the gospel in the Word of God is its power and promise. Because of the gospel’s power, we can endure in sharing the gospel in the face of suffering. We endure because we know the gospel saves those who trust in Christ through repentance of sin and faith in His person and work. We can be sure of this gospel because it is based on the promises of God. The Apostle Paul gives believers promises to encourage them to endure (with a warning too):

-“salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (v. 10)

-“if we have died with him, we will also live with him” (v. 11)

-“if we endure, we will also reign with him” (v. 12a)

-“if we deny him, he will also deny us” (v. 12b)

-“if we are faithless, he remains faithful” (v. 13)

What encouragement is it that when we are faithless at times to trust these promises, God is still faithful to His promises! A faithful God with an unbound Word.

Reflection Questions:

1. How does the power of the gospel encourage you do endure in sharing the gospel?
2. Which promise listed in verses 10-13 do you find most encouraging right now?