Page 82 - Pastoral Epistles student textbook

There were many reasons that he could have been discouraged. But instead of giving up he is
encouraging others.

If there was ever a prime candidate for discouragement, it was Paul. And yet we find him sprinting
across the finish line and then jogging back to Timothy, saying, “Come on, Timothy, keep going! You
can make it! Don’t quit!”

We live in a culture where current pastors are quitting faster than new pastors are beginning. In
America – only one pastor out of every eight pastors that begin – is still pastoring later in life. Most
pastors quit.
All pastors need to read and reread 2 Timothy.

We need to lay a solid foundation so that you will not burn out or drop out of the race.
2 Timothy 2:1-26.

2 Timothy 1:15. You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me.

Chapter one ended with Paul telling Timothy that everyone in Asia has deserted him. In 1:16 Paul says
that someone named Onesiphorus and his family remained faithful but everyone else is gone. Now,
Paul is urging young Timothy, that he must be strong 2:1. But this is difficult to do when you begin to
realize that everyone around you has given up. It is as if Paul is saying … never mind what other
people may be thinking or saying … or doing. Never mind that you yourself may feel weak or shy or in
danger. I need you to be strong and do the work God has called you to do.

How can we be strong in grace? We are strong in grace when we trust in Jesus and His power instead
of trying to live for Christ in our strength.

Paul reminds Timothy and us that suffering hardships is just a normal part of what it means to be a
soldier for Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:8-13. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from
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David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained
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like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the
sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with
eternal glory.
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11 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we
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endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we
are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Let’s look at a phrase Paul uses in 10.

10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the
salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Paul means that through his sufferings in preaching the gospel, many people would
come to salvation and inherit the eternal glory that is in Christ Jesus.

Many Christians get nervous when they hear the word “elect” and try to minimize or
explain away its meaning. Paul easily could have said, “I do all things for the sake of
those who will believe,” but that is not what he said. If we believe that the very words
of Scripture are inspired, we must deal with why he said, “the elect.”
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