Monthly Archives: July 2017

Putting Timothy in Remembrance – 2 Timothy 1:6-8

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Summary:

We know the spiritual gifts had begun to fade away by the time Paul wrote this epistle for he left a man behind “sick” (IITim.4:20) instead of healing him. So Paul tells Timothy to “stir up” his gift that was fading.

His gift had to do with the “tears” (1:4) that came naturally to him as a timid man. It was the gift of apostle (Eph.4:8-11), a gift that we know made Paul bold, for once it faded this bold apostle had to ask for prayer that he might be bold (Eph.6:18,19). Paul was “the” apostle of the Gentiles (Rom.11:13) but Barnabas was an apostle (Acts 14:14) as was Silvanus and Timothy (ITh.1:1; 2:6).

I pause to add that when I say that Paul’s gift of apostle faded, he was still our apostle, just as when the gifts of pastor and teacher faded we still had pastors and teachers (Eph.4:8-11). We just didn’t have men with those gifts. And we still don’t, but we still have Paul as our apostle.

How’d Paul expect Timothy to stir up his gift? With God’s Word, just as God stirred up Cyrus (Ezra 1:1,2) by predicting his name and the fact that he’d rebuild Israel’s temple a hundred years earlier (Isa.44:28).Once king, Cyrus figured that meant Israel’s God was God and he should do what He predicted he’d do. So Paul expected Timothy to use the Word to stir up the boldness his departed gift took.

Remember, the “profit” of the gifts (ICor.12:7) was replaced with the profit of the Word (IITim.3:16). So if you want boldness, you too have to look to the word to “stir” it up (II Peter 1:12,13; 3:1,2).

Why did Paul have to say God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear (1:7)? Who would think He did? Some might, for we know that He gave the suffering that caused the spirit of fear (Phil.1:29). Suffering for the Lord is a gift, a privilege (Acts 5:40,41), something that comes along with the gift of being able to serve Him. But the fear that often goes along with suffering is not a gift from God (Phil.1:27-29), it was a gift from Satan, who doesn’t want us to be bold.

It is called “the spirit” of fear because a spirit can take you over completely (cf.Mt.17:15), and fear can do that too. To counter this, God gave the spirit “of power” (1:7). How do we get that? Well, in time past God pointed to the Red Sea as an example of His power (Job 26:12; Isa.50:2). If you knew your God could part the Red Sea, wouldn’t it have given you a spirit of power if you lived back then?

In the New Testament, God points to the resurrection of Christ to exemplify His power (Rom.1:3,4). If you know your God can raise the dead, it should give you the spirit of power! The Red Sea miracle can’t give us the spirit of power, for we know God’s not saving His people from death like that in this age. But the resurrection of Christ can, for we know God plans to raise us in power as well (ICor.6:14; 15:43). His resurrection should give us the same spirit of power it gave the apostles. They forsook the Lord in fear when He was arrested, but preached boldly at Pentecost after He rose from the dead.

But to not be ashamed to testify for the Lord you’ll also need the motivation of the spirit “of love” (1:7). You have to love people to testify to them! The problem is, most people are unlovable. So you need the spirit of love Christ showed when He died for the unlovable (Rom.5:6,10).

You’re also going to need the spirit of “a sound mind” to testify to people. Wisdom makes a mind sound (Pr.2:7; 3:21; 8:14), and the wisdom that comes from being sound in God’s word makes a man not “ashamed” (Ps.119:80). Of course! People fear to testify for fear they’ll be asked a question they can’t answer, and wisdom and knowledge can dispel this fear. The gifts of wisdom and knowledge used to dispel it (ICor.12:8), but now “sound doctrine” does (Tit.1:9), “the form of sound words” we learn from Paul (IITim.1:13).

Sound doctrine will make you unashamed of “the testimony of our Lord” through Paul, that Christ died for all (ITim.2: 5,6) and that we are not under the law (Gal.5:3). We should also not be ashamed of Paul. Onesiphorus wasn’t (IITim.1: 16), but Timothy was, for he feared dying as he had.

To Have and To Hold

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

“Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Timothy 1:19).

Those who teach that salvation can be lost use this verse to say that unless we maintain a tight grip on the faith that saved us, we will make shipwreck of the faith and lose our eternal life. But when we compare Paul’s use of the word hold here to how he told Titus to be “holding fast the faithful word” (Titus 1:9), we understand “the faith” here to refer to the body of truth committed to the Apostle Paul. The context here is not salvation, it is warring a good warfare (I Tim. 1:18) against men who teach false doctrine (cf. v. 20). The way to war a good warfare in the dispensation of grace is, as Paul later told Timothy, to “hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me” (II Tim. 1:13).

We must maintain this tight grip on Pauline truth in “good conscience.” People say to “let your conscience be your guide,” but Paul “lived in all good conscience” (Acts 23:1) from his forefathers (II Tim. 1:3). That means that even while persecuting God’s people “unto the death” as Saul of Tarsus, his conscience was clear! That’s because he “did it ignorantly” (I Tim. 1:13). That is, he didn’t know he was persecuting God’s people. He thought His people were heretics and that he was serving God in killing them (John 16:2). Does that tell you how dangerous it is to let your conscience be your guide? A conscience is only good if the light of God’s truth is shining on it!

A conscience is like a sundial in that respect. A sundial only gives the correct time when the right light is shining on it. If you check a sundial under the light of the moon, you are going to get a faulty reading. And if you go out at night with a flashlight, you can make it any time you like. The terrorists who flew those planes into the Twin Towers did so in all good conscience. People are born with a conscience that tells them that murder like that is wrong, but a conscience can “seared with a hot iron” by “doctrines of devils” (I Tim. 4:1,2). When that happens, people become “past feeling” (Eph. 4:19), and no longer feel the pricks of a conscience enlightened by God’s Word.

Many people say that doctrine isn’t important, but the people killed by Saul of Tarsus know better, as do the victims of 9/11. The mistakes you make in life may be nowhere near as heinous, but unless your conscience is enlightened by “the faith” committed to the Apostle Paul, the light from some other source will cause your conscience to give a faulty reading, and you won’t be able to “war a good warfare” for the Lord in the dispensation of grace.

Some in Paul’s day had “put away” the faith, a Bible phrase for divorce (Mt. 5:31). But God has given us the body of Pauline truth to have and to hold. Let’s hold it for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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If Paul Wrote a Letter to Your Church

Posted on by Pastor Kevin Sadler

“Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes. 1:1).

In 2 Thessalonians 1:1, it’s interesting to note that unlike other letters of Paul, he adds nothing to his name. He doesn’t say, “Paul, called to be an apostle”; “Paul, an apostle…by the will of God”; “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.” Those familiar things by which he designates himself are omitted here.

By this he’s showing that his apostleship, his call, role, title, leadership and office were not in question among the Thessalonian church, so he didn’t need to make any reference to it. But Paul’s apostleship is constantly in question today, despite his words in Romans 11:13:

“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.”

Paul is the apostle of the nations, the Gentiles. Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, magnifies his office. We are to do the same. Paul was called by the will of God for this dispensation of grace. He was called to be an apostle for Christ to reveal to him the revelation of the mystery, the body of truth for this age, and for God to reveal His Son in him according to Christ’s heavenly ministry today.

Paul is the one apostle of this dispensation. He is our apostle. Christ has revealed His will through Paul’s thirteen letters for us to know what is Christ’s mind, will, and heart for His Church, the Body of Christ, under grace. Is there confusion about Paul’s role in your church? Perhaps your church knows Paul is our apostle, but makes no mention of it? If Paul wrote a letter to your church, how would he address it?

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Thanks For The Memories – 2 Timothy 1:3-5

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Summary:

Paul was on death row (IITim.4:6) yet after his introduction in this epistle his opening words are “I thank God” (1:3). Is that how you’d open an epistle if you were facing imminent death? This shows that even in the direst of straits you can always find something for which to be thankful. After a horrendous two-week storm, Paul thanked God for food (Acts 27:14-35). And despite Paul’s dire situation on death row, he thanked God for Timothy. He was especially thankful for him since all in Asia had just left him! (1:15).

This marks a dispensational difference. In the psalmist’s dire situation, he encouraged himself with memories of the miracles the Lord had done for his people in the past (Ps.77:2-11). But by the time Paul wrote this epistle, God had ceased delivering His people as He did when He broke Paul out of jail miraculously (Acts 16:26). So Paul didn’t comfort himself with memories of that, but with memories of Timothy instead. You too should comfort yourself with God’s sufficient grace and with His people, just as Paul did!

Paul also thanked God he’d served God from his forefathers, a comforting thought when facing death. The only other time “forefather” is found in Scripture is a verse that shows that Paul came from a long line of forefathers that didn’t obey God (Jer.11:10), and Paul used to be standing in that long line (Acts 23:6). I believe Paul mentions this because he hoped to start a new line of men who would serve God in obedience to His Word instead of in defiance of it, starting with Timothy, his son in the faith, whom he later told to have sons of his own (IITim.2:1).

Paul thanked God that he had served Him from his forefathers with “a pure conscience” (1:3), another thing that can comfort you as you face death. But this means Paul had a pure conscience when killing Christians (Acts 23:1) because he believed he was doing the right thing. This means it is not enough to serve God with a pure conscience, you also need the pure Word of God (Ps.119:140). A conscience is only as good as the truth it is enforcing. Paul thought he “ought” to kill God’s people (Acts 26:9cf. John 16:2).It’s vital to know the Word of God.

But Paul knew the Word (Acts 22:3)! He just didn’t know it rightly divided. Persecuting the Lord and His followers was right according to the law, for He had claimed He was God (John 19:7). If a man claimed he was God in Daniel’s day, Jews would have been right to execute him, for according to Daniel’s timetable in Daniel 9, it was not time for Messiah to appear. But when the Lord appeared when Daniel said He would, His execution was wrong dispensationally. So it’s not enough to have a pure conscience, or even a conscience illuminated by the Word. It has to be illuminated by the rightly divided Word!

Paul “greatly” desired to see Timothy (1:4 cf. 4:9,21), “mindful” of his tears rather than of his own. If the great apostle Paul longed for fellowship (cf.Phil.1:8) and had others pray that he might have it (Rom.15:30-32), you should seek it too. Of course, while Paul rejoiced in all fellowship, to fill him with joy, you had to obey him, as Timothy did (1:4; Phil.2:19-22) and as others did (Phil.2:2).

“Feign” (1:5) means to pretend (cf. Lu.20:20). The word “faith” though means faithfulness (cf.Rom.3:3). God is always looking for unfeigned faithfulness (ITim.1:5), and Timothy’s faithfulness was legit, unlike Phygellus and Hermogones (IITim.1:15). They were probably faithful, but “feignedly,” not with their “whole heart” (cf. Jer.3:10).

Timothy’s faith started when his mom and grandmother taught him the Scriptures (1:5 cf. IITim.3:15). Perhaps the reason David mentions his mom a couple of times (Ps.86:10; 116:16) is because she taught him the Scriptures.

It is interesting that Paul said he had to be “persuaded” that the faith that first dwelt in Timothy’s mother and grandmother now dwelt in him. I’m sure Timothy’s natural timidity made Paul wonder if he could be someone God could use, but Timothy’s faithfulness eventually persuaded him. Would Paul be persuaded by your faithfulness?

Will There Be Recognition in Heaven?

Posted on by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

There are two notable distinctions between the two programs of God regarding the hereafter, both of which have to do with the hope of believers. In the twenty-third Psalm, David, whose hope was earthly, was willing to go, but wanting to stay. Contrariwise, the Apostle Paul taught that believers today have a heavenly hope, and as a result, he was willing to stay for the sake of the Church, but longing to go, which he knew would be much better (Phil. 1:23,24).

A book could be written on misconceptions about heaven. The majority of these have been handed down from generation to generation, but they have absolutely no Scriptural basis. Here are some common examples: we will one day become angels in heaven; Peter stands at the pearly gates to determine who will enter; we will float on clouds, playing harps for eternity; there will not be recognition in heaven. These are well-known folklores that Satan uses to divert attention away from the Word of God.

In the eyes of the world, most everyone who dies goes to heaven. But the fact of the matter is that only those who place their faith in Christ will be the eternal residents of this glorious realm. But will we know one another there?

Recognition in the hereafter is a principle that transcends all the ages and dispensations, whether we’re talking about the disembodied state or after the resurrection. For example, Saul knew Samuel when God allowed the prophet to return from paradise years after his death. The rich man of Luke 16 recognized Lazarus, who appeared with Abraham, and requested that the patriarch send Lazarus with some water to cool his tongue.

Paul also makes a strong case that we will know one another in the hereafter. The apostle says to the saints at Philippi,

“For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body” (Phil. 3:20,21).

This particular passage substantiates that our identity will be preserved in the resurrection. After our Lord was resurrected from the dead, He appeared to His disciples in the upper room. When He entered the room, He first calmed their fears with words with which they were very familiar: “Peace be unto you!” They immediately recognized the Lord and rejoiced when they saw Him (John 20:19-21).

Afterward the disciples shared the good news with Thomas, who was not present that day, that they had seen the Lord. Thomas, however, refused to believe it until he saw the nail prints in His hands. Eight days later, the Lord appeared again to His disciples, but this time Thomas was present. When he saw the Lord, he was so overwhelmed by the visitation that he declared, “My Lord and my God!” There was no question whatsoever in Thomas’ mind that he had seen the Savior and undoubtedly touched the nail prints in His hands, prints that will forever be a reminder of His death at Calvary (John 20:24-29).

Now, if our Lord’s identity was preserved in the resurrection and the brethren recognized Him, then the same will be true of us. This conclusion is based on the fact that our vile bodies will be “fashioned like unto His glorious body” in the coming resurrection. If the Lord’s followers recognized Him, there is no doubt that we will recognize one another in the hereafter. Further evidence is presented by Paul a little later in the epistle:

“And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life” (Phil. 4:3).

What’s in a name? The importance of this question cannot be overstated. Of course, we use names to distinguish one person from another. In biblical times, names had specific meanings attached to them, some of which were in fulfillment of prophecy. Today, as in time past, our names are set in stone; they will be with us for time and eternity. If there isn’t recognition in heaven, as some teach, why would there need to be names in eternity? Clearly the names of Euodias, Syntyche, Clement, and the other fellow workers of Paul, are all recorded in the Book of Life. The reason our names are recorded there is that we will be known in the resurrection by name and appearance, even as we are known here.

I look forward to seeing those with whom I’ve had the privilege of ministering the Word, along with all my family members and friends who believed the gospel. You won’t have trouble finding me at that day; I’ll be the tall one in the background. Yes, even our stature, voice, personality and mannerisms will all be preserved. See you there!

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Our Loved Ones in Heaven

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

“Do our loved ones in Heaven remember us?”

Yes, they do. To begin with, when Samuel was called up from Paradise by the witch of Endor, Samuel remembered David and Saul and his sons (1 Sam. 28:15-19).

Also, we know that there will be recognition in Heaven because our resurrection bodies will be fashioned like the Lord’s (Phil. 3:21), and His resurrection body was recognizable by His loved ones (John 20:16; 21:7). Well, if people in Heaven don’t remember people on earth, what happens when their loved ones on earth die and go to Heaven? If the people in Heaven have no memory of their loved ones on earth prior to that, do they suddenly recognize and remember their loved ones when they arrive in Heaven? This doesn’t seem likely.

In addition, Revelation 6:10 describes martyred Tribulation saints in Heaven who cry out to the Lord for vengeance. This means that these people remember how they died, and at whose hand. It would be difficult to believe that God allows people in Heaven to remember people like this, people who murdered them, and not the people that they love.

Finally, it would also be difficult to believe that God would allow people in Heaven to feel an emotion like vengeance, and not allow them to feel an emotion like love. So it is safe to extrapolate that people in heaven not only remember us, they still love us.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.