The Fuel For Fighting Faith (3:10-17)
Neal Pollard
What can help a Christian cope with “times of difficulty” (1)? How can one who desires to live a godly life in Christ deal with the reality that he “will be persecuted” (12)? How do we survive when surrounded by “evil people and impostors” proceeding “from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (13)? Paul gives at least three weapons to wage this spiritual warfare.
Follow the right role models (10-11). Contrasted with the “lovers of self” who give in to just about any sin imaginable, Paul tells Timothy, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me….” While Paul headlines this list with his teaching, equally important was how he put that teaching into practice. It was on display for Timothy to see and imitate. This includes his behavior, his goals, the source of his confidence, his character, and his endurance. Every aspect of Paul’s life was open for inspection, and Paul is not afraid for it to be examined. He had earlier encouraged Paul to be an example (1 Tim. 4:12), and he exemplified the exemplary life to this young man (cf. 2:2). When surrounded by so many worldly examples, we need a living pattern of righteous individuals set on serving God however difficult. My life has been blessed by godly men and women who have taught me that you don’t have to conform to worldly thinking and living, who are faithful even when faced with personal trials, obvious temptations, and even persecution. My aim should be to be that for those watching my own life.
Trust the Lord’s power to rescue (11-13). Incredibly, this chained dungeon dweller who likely was swept up as part of a reprisal by Nero for the catastrophic fire on July 18, 64 AD, could look back at the past and say, “from them all the Lord rescued me” (11). That’s the past, but what about this grim future? Some of his last words are, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (4:18). History suggests that Paul, Peter, and as many as 900 other Christians were rounded up and summarily executed as scapegoats for the fire. It seems Paul senses the imminence of that action as we read chapter four. So, the rescue he had experienced was physical and spiritual, and the rescue he anticipated was spiritual and eternal. The longer we live in Christ, the more aware we are that the spiritual and eternal rescues are the only ones that ultimately matter. Persecution may stand between us and that (12), but we can trust the Lord’s power to rescue.
Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed (14-17). Note the contrastive conjunction. Your translation has “but” (14), and here it serves an adversative function. In other words, it is setting a dramatic contrast between these evil impostors and Timothy. We see what fate awaits them due to their rejection of truth, “but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (14). Unlike the lovers of self, the always learning and never able to come to the truth, the evil men who deceive and are deceived, Timothy had a rock-solid spiritual foundation. It began with the biblical home training Timothy had since childhood (15), producing a wisdom leading to salvation in Christ. It was the God-breathed Scripture itself, profiting him, making him complete, and equipping him for every good work (16-17). If he remained ensconced and growing in that, his faith would survive every trial.
Knowing about Paul’s chains and having seen Paul abused, Timothy was naturally afraid and potentially ashamed (ch. 1). So, Paul helps him focus on resources that would help him conquer both. Look at God, His ambassadors, and His perfect Word. These are formidable enough to overcome any challenge we face!
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