Hard times

We are living through the “difficult times” about which the apostle Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:1). Christianity holds the Word of God in its hands. It has the truth directly before it. This truth is the shaping power of godliness. Yet people do not use it to lead souls to the fear of God. Many have denied the power of the truth. So people keep learning, yet never come to the knowledge of the truth. Today’s Christianity is ruled by moral corruption. The apostle describes this in a sad way (2 Timothy 3:6.7). At the same time, the spiritual corruption of people increases. They resist the truth (2 Timothy 3:8).

A lit path in the darkness

In view of this dark picture of Christianity, it is even more comforting to know this. God has illuminated a path for us in the midst of this darkness. The children of God are called to walk this path personally. They are to walk it like Timothy. God shows us the path that corresponds to his heart. On this path, the Lord Jesus is honored. This path is for his glory. It is just as it was when the church began brightly on this earth.

Three marks of a faithful witness

Three things characterize the faithful witness who is surrounded by decay. The apostle introduces each one with the words “You, however …”

1. Holding to the apostle’s teaching “Now you followed my teaching” (2 Timothy 3:10): This means that Timothy had made the apostle’s teaching his own. Timothy had followed it and put it into practice. Paul always aligned his conduct (“conduct”) with the teaching. Timothy did the same. The apostle’s goal was Christ in glory. He did one thing. He forgot what lay behind him. He pressed on toward the goal in order to reach it. His “faith,” his “hope,” and his “perseverance” went hand in hand with “love.” It was the love that bears all things, believes all things, and endures all things. It does so even under suffering and persecution (v. 11). All of this could be summarized for Timothy in one “word.” Timothy lived out his faith. He had seen it in the Word, in the apostle’s teaching, and in his life.
2. Remaining in what was learned “You, however, continue in the things you have learned” (2 Timothy 3:14): Timothy was urged to be at home in these things. He was never to let them go. He was to hold fast to the divine inspiration of Scripture (v. 16). Through Scripture, the servant of God will be fully equipped. He will be equipped for every good work.
3. Fulfilling the service “But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5): Each of us is urged to “fulfill” our service. That means doing it to the end, without wavering. In this, too, Timothy was to imitate the apostle. In the end, the apostle was close to finishing his testimony. He was also close to finishing his service on this earth.

A closing wish

May the Lord grant that we too can say, as Paul once did: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

From: Courtes Méditations, No. 3, lightly revised

Bible quotation

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,”
2 Timothy 3:14