Timothy was the son of a mixed marriage. His mother was Jewish, but his father was a Greek. His mother must have been part of the Jewish dispersion, since they lived in the town of Lystra in the region of Galatia in what is now modern day Turkey.
Though raised to know the Scriptures, it appears that Timothy first heard the Gospel through the witness of Paul and Barnabus during Paul’s first missionary journey (see: Acts 13:5-23). Timothy would have heard the truth of the Gospel, seen the power of the Gospel, and witnessed the cost of proclaiming and living the Gospel. And by the time Paul returned on his second missionary journey, this time with Silas, Timothy was ready to join him (see: Acts 16:1-3).
We know that Timothy was young. Years after joining Paul and Silas, Paul would write to him, “don’t let anyone look down upon you because you are young,” so he must have been quite young when he joined them. We also know that Timothy was responsible and was trusted to be Paul’s representative; that he faced some difficult pastoral situations and that he was a man who was concerned about others. Paul describes him, in his letter to the Philippians (2:19-22), by stating, “I have no one else like him [Timothy], who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” Though we don’t have any recorded words of Timothy, several of Paul’s letters include Timothy in the greeting. For example, we read, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi.” So, perhaps we can hear Timothy’s voice in some of Paul’s letters.
But we don’t have a complete biography of Timothy, so how can we look to him as an example? Well, I think we can see his example by looking at some of the instructions Paul gave him in his letters and recognizing that Timothy must have lived out those instructions since Paul again and again refers to him as: “my fellow worker” and “my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord.” So, let’s consider some of those instructions Paul gave to Timothy, recognizing that they can be encouragements to us as well.
The first encouragement is to train yourself to be godly. The image that Paul uses is that of the gymnasium (the word “train” is gymnazo). Paul tells Timothy that he is not to get caught up in false teaching (godless myths and old wive’s tales), but rather he is to train and discipline himself to be godly. “Godly” refers to a manner of life characterized by reverence toward God. It is a God-ward life; a life honoring God by obeying Him, following Him, serving Him, loving Him. Just as an athelete goes into training in order to compete, so Timothy is encouraged to train himself as a disciple. As Paul explains, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The next encouragement is to take your faith and calling seriously. Too often believers don’t take their faith and calling seriously. We claim to follow after Christ, but we live like the rest of the world. We may attend church on Sunday, but the rest of the week, we push God to the margins and so called “real life” takes center stage. Well, either the God-ward life is real life (and therefore deserves our time, attention and the shaping of our lives in it) or it is nothing. Paul instructed Timothy to take his faith and calling seriously.
ÄTo put his hope in the living God. Timothy was told to trust God completely – in everything and for everything.
ÄAnd Timothy was to command and teach these things. Our hope in Christ is not private property. Our hope is to be commanded and taught among God’s people and shared with the rest of the world. We are to guard the hope that we have, impress it upon our children and encourage each other in it.
ÄTimothy was also told to set an example by the hope he had. “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” What we say and how we speak is to honor God. The way we live and treat other people is to be characterized by love. We are to exhibit faith in all things and in all circumstances. And we are to be holy. Purity is a requirement for God’s people. We can’t excuse ourselves with statements like, “Well, we’re only human!” That’s true. But we are human beings created in the image of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ and filled with His Holy Spirit. And so we must set an example in speech, life, love and purity.
ÄAnd therefore, we are to be diligent. Timothy was told, “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” We are to be diligently making progress in our walk with the Lord. For if you never go anywhere, can you really call it a walk?
We are to take our faith and calling seriously, and therefore Timothy received the encouragement: watch your life and doctrine closely. We live in a climate in the church when doctrine is being dismissed as a secondary issue. Many people cry “deeds not creeds,” suggesting that it is only the way you live that matters, not necessarily what you believe. But Paul tells Timothy to watch both his life and his doctrine. Why? Because we are not saved by works but by faith in Christ and because that faith in Christ issues forth in good works. So we guard what we believe and how we live.
We must, as Paul says, persevere in them. In the midst of false teaching, conflict, struggles and suffering Timothy was called to persevere; to not give up; to hold fast; to stand strong; to remain faithful and true. And he did so, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of others. As Paul wrote, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
Timothy honored God by walking the Way. He trained himself to be godly; he took his faith and calling seriously; he watched his life and doctrine closely and persevered in them. We are called to do the same. Timothy is a part of the great cloud of witnesses that surround us. He has set an example – not as a perfect man who always had it together, but as a man saved by the grace of God and who gave his life to follow Jesus faithfully. He has finished the race. Now it is our turn; we must run it. May we do so with our eyes fixed on Jesus and our feet following the example of our brother Timothy.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment