AN ANALYSIS OF THE EPISTLES TO TIMOTHY
The apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy give us a picture of the tremendous impact of the early apostolic company. Paul incited them to spiritual acts of aggression. In his exhortations to Timothy, Paul gives us one of the most unusual approaches to faith that is found in the Scriptures. His words are filled with “forward-charge” commands. Although Paul was reverent in exalting Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, he demanded of Timothy acts of aggression toward God. He called upon Timothy to aggressively act. He demanded that something within him be triggered off to the maximum efforts of faith.
Faith is an effort! Faith is an action! Faith is an action that is sometimes positive and sometimes rather passive; nevertheless, it is still an act. Moses told the children of Israel, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13). Does it seem that this was not an act, because they had to stand still? On the contrary, having to stand still is a very aggressive act, especially if you are being pursued by an army! In all of the commands that Paul gave, he required acts of aggression on the part of Timothy and those who heard him.
The following beautiful passage could well be titled, “Nice going if you can get it!” Paul said, First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:1–4.
This passage seems to indicate that we should pray for a nice tranquil life, that everything will be quiet and peaceful for us. Yet Paul wrote also about the lions he had faced and the bitter battles he had to fight. In II Timothy 3:1 he wrote, But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Paul was saying, “Now Timothy, let us remember that the Holy Spirit is talking about the difficult days that are going to come. Let us be sure that we are ready for them.”
If those were difficult days, what should we expect now? By many standards, we would say that those days were more difficult than our days. In I Timothy 4:1 we read that the Spirit expressly spoke about “the falling away in latter times,” because of the “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” Doesn’t this seem to point to the days in which we are living? We are aware that we are entering into the difficult days of persecution with its efforts to brainwash and deprogram any who think differently. Who is really authorized by the Scriptures to judge who shall be subjected to this form of sophisticated torture, to determine whether the victim is right or very wrong? This is a decision that I know of no one spiritually qualified to make—or legally, either. Persecution in the days of the early Church was approached from the realm of the physical: if a man was tortured and died without recanting, he became a martyr; if he recanted, he became apostate. Today there are many subtle ways that Satan comes against the minds of the people who would walk with God. It is happening as Paul said it would.
As we face the difficult days ahead, we must move into the aggressive action that Paul was demanding of Timothy. If we have anything short of that, our love will wax cold, and we will become more vulnerable because of our passivity.
I Timothy 4:1–5: But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
Paul made a general prophetic statement, and then he emphasized specifics. In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables… (Now note the dynamic phrases that Paul emphasizes.) On the other hand, discipline yourself (discipline yourself!) for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things.… It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive (we labor and strive!), because we have fixed our hope on the living God (we have fixed our hope on the living God!), who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Verses 6–10.
Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery (or, the elders). Take pains with these things (take pains with these things!); be absorbed in them (be absorbed in them!), so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention (pay close attention!) to yourself and to your teaching; persevere (persevere!) in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. Verses 13–16.
Constantly and aggressively go after these points of emphasis. You will not survive if you hold back. Those whom we would call Timothys will trigger off the great aggressive explosive charges of the Kingdom. They will move like a tidal wave over the land, and they may even be the coming martyrs. But those whom we would call old wineskins, who want to settle into ruts, may never survive. They will fall away, not because they have not heard the truth, but because they are inflexible and passive. This is a disturbing thought.
There are times when an act of disobedience has been committed that may have been allowed in the mercy and sovereign plan of God. God was with Moses, and no man stood before him all the days of his life (Deuteronomy 7:24). The same promise was given to Joshua (Joshua 1:5). Perhaps we dwell upon the fact that Moses’ one act of disobedience caused him to miss entering into Canaan. Nevertheless, I suppose that it may explain why God prevented Moses from entering Canaan.
Still, we must wonder—could Moses have entered in as Joshua did? Moses was excellent for what he was called to do, but could he have been the Joshua ministry? That ministry required another frame of mind, another application which was more intense and aggressive than that found in Moses. Moses, who was very meek, was exactly what was needed for a generation of rebels in the wilderness, but not for the stalwart sons of Israel who were to conquer Canaan. It is one thing to herd people along, to nurse them, to exhort them once in a while, to put them under a little pressure, and to love them; but it is quite another thing to demand an aggressive initiative.
The eighth chapter of Romans speaks of our inheritance as sons of God. To come into this manifestation, we must aggressively seek God. It is sometimes difficult for the older generation to move into this aggressiveness, but it is important that they act as aggressively as Joshua, who was certainly one of the “older generation.” The old will “dream dreams” with faith.
Paul told Timothy, And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. II Timothy 1:6. Any experience or endowment of God will tend to flicker out like a fire, if it is neglected. God gives the gift of the fire, but we have the responsibility of throwing fuel on it. A wise ministry today must have not only the power to impart a gift, but he must have that unique ministry of feeding the flame when it is going out. Feeding the flame is an act of aggression in the realm of the Spirit. Paul was saying to Timothy, “Let’s have a fire, not just a little flicker. Kindle it afresh, aggressively!”
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Verse 7. Pastoring can be done with timidity rather than with aggressiveness. Consequently, many congregations have not been trained to be aggressive. They have to be motivated into moving. They may agree to move, but the next service sees them sitting back, needing to be exhorted again.
Passivity is natural to us, even as children of God. If we like to be very quiet in our worship, we may think we are being very reverent and “religious.” We may give passivity all kinds of pleasant names. We may become so spoiled, demanding what pleases us in a service, that we are like a family of ten for whom mama has to prepare ten different breakfasts. Instead of constantly having to be fed according to our taste, let us learn to desire change and encourage others to desire change too. Passivity has to go, “for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (II Timothy 1:7).
Paul continued, Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel… II Timothy 1:8. Let us always join in suffering with the channel of today’s Living Word, even when vicious things are said during times of persecution. There are those who receive the Living Word, yet are ashamed of being associated with those who speak it. Paul said not to do that. He said, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner.”
There is such a parallel between our day and Paul’s day, in that we are contending for the release of the channel of the Living Word. I wonder how many churches in New Testament times were praying, “Set Paul free, Lord; turn him loose.” Though Paul suffered in chains as a criminal, he said, “The Word of God is not bound” (II Timothy 2:9). Even though the persecutions were coming against him, he was still the channel through whom the Word went forth. He made this appeal to Timothy: “Join me in suffering. Let us drink the cup of suffering together.”
This Word is not meant to produce a martyr complex.
Rather, we stand up to be counted. We deliberately get into the action. If one suffers, we all choose to suffer too. Let us all join in suffering for Christ. Let us join in suffering for the Living Word—this audacious Word of the Kingdom that is coming forth.
Paul instructed Timothy, Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. II Timothy 1:14. What an active way to tell you to guard what God has given you. Pull out your spiritual sword and defend it. Though others may talk against it and persecute it, do not let them take it away from you. Keep what God has given you! Guard it!
Paul had told Timothy about people who believe that being a Christian is an open door for God to give them a lot of money. In I Timothy 6:9–11 we read, But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare.… For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee from these things… Paul told Timothy what his attitude should be toward money and prosperity and all the things of this world. He told him the way he should think.
Today we see a breed of Timothys coming up who think this way too. They do not esteem a large bank account as an evident sign of God’s blessing; instead, they look to Him for “sufficiency in all things, that they may abound to every good work” (II Corinthians 9:8). They will not be limited by a lack of money, but they also will not refuse God’s blessing of abundance.
Concerning the desires of this world, Paul wrote, But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Verse 11. These are aggressive words of action. We are to pursue, to chase after these things.
In America, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are supposed to be our inalienable rights. With some prophetic foresight, the fathers of our country guaranteed our right to pursue happiness, although we never were guaranteed that we would “catch” it. At least we do not have to sit back and be passive; we can chase it, we can pursue it, we can try to be happy.
According to Paul, we have something else to pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Although gentleness is mentioned last, it is a quality we need. May God give us spiritual muscles of steel, like those of the “village smithy” with his brawny arms and sinewy hands, that we be giants of strength for God, yet with a gentleness which picks up the little lambs and carries them. This aggressiveness coupled with gentleness is a wonderful godly combination.
Paul further instructed Timothy, Fight the good fight of faith. I Timothy 6:12a. This Scripture is contrary to most people’s concept of faith. Many think, “I have faith, that quiet, tranquil peace in my spirit. I can look at the troubled waters and have faith.” This is not what Paul was talking about. He was saying, in effect, “War on the doubts within; war on the unmoving, lying spirits round about.” Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I Timothy 6:12b. Grab onto eternal life; use Jacob’s wrestling tactics, and do not let go.
Paul often said to Timothy, “I charge you…” In I Timothy 5:21 we read, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. In II Timothy 4:1–2 Paul said, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. In these Epistles, Paul was giving Timothy a new charge. Something was reaching into his heart.
Paul gave another charge in I Timothy 6:13–16: I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach (Paul was commanding Timothy to act aggressively and persistently, with all his heart), until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Do you like Paul’s eloquence? It seems that once in a while he could not resist a little glorious eloquence.
Then in verse 20a, Paul said, O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you (guard it, defend it; whatever you have, hold onto it). This command is similar to the one in Revelation 3:11, when the Lord said, “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.” Others will take it away from you if you let them, and then they will laugh at you. They may ridicule you because of what you have, yet nothing would delight them more than if you gave it all up.
Paul’s exhortation to Timothy continues, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you. I Timothy 6:20b–21. Paul was referring to the times when many people were withdrawing from following the Lord.
Near the end of Paul’s letters to Timothy, he wrote, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. II Timothy 4:7–8. This passage is quoted often, but do we really understand the spirit in which it was spoken? Was this Paul’s attitude? “I have done the best I could. I didn’t compromise or lay down the truth. I hope I have done all right. I hope the Lord will bless me.” No, there were no doubts in his mind. This is what he was actually saying: “I’ve got it! I have something waiting for me. I have fought the fight! I have finished the course! I have kept the faith! A crown is laid up there for me—not only for me, but for every one of you who will love His appearing and pursue after it.” I like the positiveness with which Paul exhorted them to give their all in faith, and by that faith they would know full well what they were to receive in the future; there was no question about that.
II Timothy 4:9: Make every effort to come to me soon. In this verse Paul was saying, “I hope you can come and see me. Make every effort. Move heaven and earth if you have to, but move, son, and come to me.” Paul’s aggressiveness might seem like domination to some. But we all tend to need prodding at times. We flourish when someone says, “Come on, let’s get at it.” When we have a challenge set before us, we reach and strain with faith, anticipating what must happen.
The following verses sound like a news report which Paul added to the end of this Epistle, but actually they help to explain its background. II Timothy 4:10–14: For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Paul’s constant faith was saying, “It is in the good hands of God.” He knew that he did not have to avenge himself, for in Romans 12:19 he quoted this verse from Deuteronomy: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
God has done this again and again on behalf of His leaders. What deep waters of dealings people have gone through when they murmured, criticized, and complained against a leader, even if he was at fault according to their standards. Moses was criticized by his own sister, Miriam. Although she had danced on the banks of the Red Sea and led the women in mighty worship and praise because of what God had done for them, she could have walked in a great deal more than she did. Both Miriam and her brother Aaron were bold to criticize Moses; and when she complained about him, she was smitten with leprosy. Only the faith of Moses cured her leprosy. Yet I have wondered if she ever sang and danced again.
God has a way of bringing justice, so that you do not have to defend yourself. He will give you the opportunity and the responsibility to pray others out of the hole that their rebellion put them into.
Paul warned Timothy about Alexander, Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. II Timothy 4:15. In other words, “Watch out for him, Timothy. Don’t trust that old snake. He will bite you, too, if he can.”
At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. Verse 16. Even Paul saw that his ministry was sinned against when people did not back it up. Christians today are impressed by the tremendous ministry Paul had, especially as they read the many books of the New Testament which were written by him. However, some of them were written when he was a lonely man in prison, with the majority of the Christian world afraid to associate with him.
After Paul told Timothy how everyone had deserted him, he said, But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. II Timothy 4:17–18.
How aggressively we should pursue after the will of the Lord! He will not gloss over rebellion or criticism; nor will He gloss over those who persecute the Living Word that is being spoken in this time. Let us praise the Lord for the high level of revelation that we have received from Him. Let us rejoice in the deep sense of His presence. Let us press into the great potentials in God. Nothing within us can draw back. These are days for aggressively seeking the face of the Lord.
Are you aggressive enough? Has it been a pattern that your problems were preceded by a long period of passivity? In contrast, have you known what it was to be aggressive and then to go immediately into a pattern of the problems of appropriation? Then you had to confront and deal with satanic forces because you were the one who stirred them up. The dog growled because you refused to let him sleep; you gave him a kick first, and when he rose up you ran him off.
Remember—you will always have victory when your problems are a result of aggression; you will always have defeat when problems come upon you because you are passive.
There is also a combination of passivity and presumption which assumes, “Yes, God has blessed me; I am chosen of the Lord. Because I am in His inner circle, I will take it easy now and everything will be all right. Nothing but wisdom will come from my lips. My path will not go in any direction except where the Lord would lead me into real victories.” This is not so! To make this trip, you must keep moving—with one eye on the road map and the other on the road. You will encounter many problems along the way. If you drift along, you will find yourself taking a turnoff, thinking it is a shortcut! Then you will discover yourself in the middle of the wilderness—lost!
Be diligent! Guard what you have. Give thought to these things. Give attention to them. Do not neglect them. Be alert; be aggressive. Kindle that fire; keep it going! Keep an eye on the gas tank, to see that it is full, and an eye on the traffic ahead, to see that there are no road blocks. Finally, keep an eye on the road map. You need “eyes before and behind” like the four creatures who give glory to God in Revelation 4:6–9. May the Lord give you a spiritual “CB radio setup,” so that you can say, “Here is a Kingdom traveler; how are we doing, brothers?” They will answer, “Oh, we are exhorting one another. Ten-four, Kingdom brother.”
Paul exhorted Timothy, “Be a faithful servant of the Lord! Keep reminding the people of these things! Lay it to them continually, and they will make it into His Kingdom.” God grant that we are given to these aggressive actions that belong to the Kingdom. It is not very likely that we will become passive if we prod one another and work diligently concerning the Kingdom of God.
Keep the intensity in your spirit that Paul demanded to be in Timothy. Believe and act on your faith aggressively!