II Timothy 1:1-14 (NRSV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the
Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I am grateful to God—whom I
worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you
constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I
long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of
your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your
mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I
remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on
of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but
rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the
testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering
for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and
called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his
own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the
ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of
our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a
herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer
as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust,
and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to
him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard
from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard
the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in
us.
Year C
October 2-8
October 2, 2016
Cross~Wind UMC
Title: Securing the Faith
Introduction
Security is a big deal these days.
National security will be a major
concern as voters go to the voting booth.[1]
Personal security is also a big
deal these days. If you let yourself think about it, the information that we
post online could cause much damage if hacked by some criminal. Not only that, most
of us have so much to guard. We have homes, possessions, money, data, and our
identities. It seems as if troublemakers abound, ready to exploit any holes in
our defenses, weakness in firewalls, lag in virus programs, failure to back up
documents, or laxness with personal information.
At the same time, some impressive
new tools are now available to help us fend off these attacks.[2]
Have you ever thought of the
Christian faith as being under attack?
II Timothy 1:14 urges Timothy to
"guard the good treasure"
that has been entrusted to him. By "the good treasure," Paul
apparently means the Christian faith.
If the apostolic faith was under
attack in the first century, one can be quite certain it will be in this
century. We can all have gratitude for the value of liberty in the West. However,
at least since the end of WWII in America, the secular culture has increasingly
distanced itself from the obvious Christian influences on American history. The
temptation will be great to close the gap by surrendering Christian beliefs and
values in favor of the secular.[3]
What sort of actions should the idea
of guarding the faith bring to mind?[4]
At least some Christians interpret
certain actions as attacks on our faith. As I offer this list, I would remind
you that nothing we experience in America is anything like the extermination of
Christians from the Middle East by Islamic militants.
+ Authorities removing the Ten Commandment monuments from
government properties;
+ Prayer prohibited at school board meetings;
+ The rise of outspoken atheism;
+ Christian business people being sued for refusing services
to those whose lifestyles they disapprove of;
+ School sporting events scheduled on Sunday mornings;
+ Businesses wishing shoppers a generic "Happy
Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas";
+ Churches' tax-exempt status periodically under fire;
+ The influx of secularity into our worship practices and
social positions;
+ Certain movies and artwork that present a disrespectful or
fallen image of Jesus, the church, or Christians;
+ And, there are groups calling themselves
"Christian" that advocate some distinctly un-Christian behavior and
cults that distort Christian doctrine.
Moreover, what about those
divisions that exist within the church itself which result in labeling some
members as "not real Christians" or "deceived by this
world"? Christians fighting Christians. Should we be spending our energy
protecting Christianity against the threat posed by Christians?
Application
I invite you to reflect with me
upon four ways to guard the faith.
First, it seems likely that
defending the faith is a spiritual gift.
This means that God does not give
this gift to every Christian. If you examine the list of spiritual gifts, one
of them is teaching. One function of teaching is to explain and defend the
faith.
One of the best-known and
oft-quoted writers about our faith, C.S. Lewis, was teaching, in fact, when he
wrote about Christianity. Some would call him "Christian apologist,"
that is, one who presents a reasoned defense of Christianity against objections
to it. Indeed, there is a whole field of study called Christian apologetics.
Therefore, if your gift is teaching about Christianity or explaining it, you
are, in a significant way, defending the faith. Teachers guard the faith by
seeing that they help pass along knowledge of it, and that this knowledge is an
accurate and faithful interpretation of the faith.
Second, we are defending the faith
when we respectfully explain how it
affects us personally.
In I Peter, the writer advises
Christians,
"Always
be ready to make your defense [apologia]
to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet
do it with gentleness and reverence" (I Peter 3:15-16).
Making such a defense is not a matter of grabbing the person
by the throat and asking them how they dare not to believe. We are to give an
answer for the faith we have, yes, and with gentleness and respect.
Here is the paraphrase of that line
from The Message:
"Be
ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are,
and always with the utmost courtesy."
Even here, not every Christian has the gift for doing that.
Some genuinely say, "I believe in Jesus" but cannot articulate why.
It is sort of like the spouse who
asks, "So, honey, why do you love me?" He says -- after an
uncomfortable delay: "Uh, I don't know. Why do you ask me these questions?
I just do!"
Trying to explain why you love
Jesus, why you believe in Jesus or why you try to follow Jesus can be something
like this. You are not sure why. You just do.
Nevertheless, for those who can
explain the faith, speaking up about what Christ means to you personally is a
defense of the faith.
Third, we are guarding the faith
when we make new disciples.
This has been challenging for the
United Methodist Church, but also for Christianity in the West. Churches have
the constant challenge of new intellectual and ethical environments within
which to minister. If we are not able to convince and persuade people to accept
“the faith” and live in accord with it, then Christianity will die. When we
witness about what Christ has done for us and invite others to receive Christ
for themselves, we are helping to ensure the continuation of the faith. The old
saying that Christianity is always only one generation away from extinction
applies.
Fourth, the advice to Timothy to "guard the good treasure entrusted to you,
with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us" is instructive.
It suggests that when it comes to defending
the faith, we ought to listen for the Spirit of God within us, rather than
responding in unthinking fashion to every new wrinkle in the so-called culture
wars "against" Christianity. No one is stopping you as a teacher or
student in school from reading your Bible and praying in the moments you can
during the day. No one is stopping you as a customer from saying Merry
Christmas. Some businesses may put limits on what you can say, but many do not.
You can offer your witness in your way and in your time. You can offer that
witness in a sincere, loving, and gracious way. When you do, you are helping to
show an increasingly secular culture that Christians are not the bigoted and
hateful group of people many in the culture suggest and that they might
imagine. By using the gift of discernment offered by the Holy Spirit, we can
avoid getting worked up over stuff that has little impact in the long run, and can,
instead, devote our energy to stuff that really matters.
Conclusion
If, indeed, God is Lord of the
universe, God's intentions are not going to be stymied by even the strongest
attacks on the faith mere humans can muster. Recall what Jesus said when,
during his Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem, some Pharisees told him to order
his disciples to stop praising God. Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out"
(Luke 19:40).
The purposes of God will come under
attack. My reading of the trends in the increasing secularity of our culture is
that it would be quite willing to place in jail Christians who are faithful to
the doctrine and values of the church rather than conform to the world around
them. We do not have to conform at that point. God is God, Jesus is Lord, and
we do not need to fear for them or the faith to which they call us.
Your gift may not be that of
guarding the faith. However, you can live it, share it, testify about it, and
let the faith motivate your actions.
Going deeper
The message
of the letter shows the unwavering strength and commitment of the apostle's
faith, and the emotional appeals of a man who realizes his time on Earth is
swiftly ending. His faith in the eternal nature of the life he had gained
"in Christ" was unshaken by all his suffering. In II Timothy there
is, however, an emotional urgency evident, a heartfelt appeal present that
testifies to Paul's increasing need to connect with his beloved disciple.
Although his faith assured him of his future, Paul's human heart still ached
for those he loved and longed to be with again. He still has a concern for the
faith for which he is in prison. He will begin this letter as he usually does. He
offers his greeting. He offers a thanksgiving, in which he mentions the
faithfulness of the grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. He then offers a
charge to Timothy. His concern is that Timothy seems a bit timid in a time when
he will need courage. Timothy has had the call of God on his life, but it seems
to be dying out. He needs this gift rekindled. He did not simply inherit the
faith. It had to come to life within him. The times call for courage to suffer
for the faith and to have no shame in this suffering. Verses 9-10 are a hymn or
confession of faith. To suffer by placing personal trust in Christ is worthy of
honor rather than shame. He is to hold fast to the teaching he heard from the
apostle and he is to rely upon the Holy Spirit to help him to guard this
teaching and transmit it to others.
II Timothy 1:1-14 (NRSV)
II Timothy 1:1-2 is a salutation or
address to the readers. Some would argue that the formal opening seems rather
stilted when it is to his closest associate.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God, [reveals consciousness of divine
purpose and is a firm declaration of his apostolic mission] for the sake of the promise of life that
is in Christ Jesus
[We need to note the theological certainty of his testimony. Clearly, the
author has authority over other clergy to whom he addresses this letter. We
begin with the standard Pauline salutation, very similar to that found in both
I Timothy and Titus. So standardized is this salutation form that II Timothy
1:1 is a verbatim declaration of that which opens II Corinthians, Ephesians and
Colossians.]
2 To Timothy, my beloved child: [The author has a heartfelt
connection to the reader.]
Grace,
mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
[II Timothy 1:3-5 is a thanksgiving. In verses 3-4, Paul is the pattern for a Christian minister. The
verses contain seven syntactical units making up Pauline thanksgivings, and six
occur here.]
3 I am grateful to God [The thanksgiving reflects the dual interests of love and concern.
This thanksgiving section foreshadows much of the content of the rest of Paul's
letter - a literary device used also in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 and Philippians
1:3-8. The focus throughout this letter is on encouraging Timothy's loyalty,
urging him to persevere in the gospel and to stand up to the testing that is to
come.] —whom I worship with a clear
conscience, [Paul's
Hellenistic background shows here as he appeals to his "conscience"
instead of to a "pure heart" - which would be a more biblical
reference. Conscience was the seat of a moral consciousness in Greek thought.
Paul's conscience is "clear" because Christ has "cleaned"
or "purified" it. Paul's "clear conscience" suggests that
he sees genuine continuity between his ancestor's Old Testament faith and his
own preaching of the good-news gospel that now makes up the New Testament.] as my ancestors did [First, Paul recalls with
thanks his own faith heritage. Instead of berating his early persecution of
Christians (as he did in I Timothy 1:13), Paul here comes in touch with the
continuity between his life as a faithful Jew and his new life as one "in
Christ."]—when
I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. [Note the constancy of prayer and
intercession. He demonstrates practical evidence of his faithfulness by Paul's
simple assertion that he remembers Timothy. He begins by referring to the
Jewish tradition of praying at regular intervals. Note that loyalty to the
faith is loyalty to the family. Here is
a worthy successor to the aging apostle.
The issue of loyalty, which will recur throughout this letter, may be
what prompts Paul to declare here at the outset that he worships with a
"clear conscience" in full light of his "ancestors" or
"forefathers." "Fathers" implies more than one
generation.] 4
Recalling your tears, [Note that Timothy also had great
devotion to Paul.] I long
to see you so that I may be filled with joy. [He breaks the flow of thanksgiving
with his personal recollection of Timothy at his last meeting, which shows the
emotional connection between them.] 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith [refers to the unquestioning
acceptance of Pauline Christianity], a
faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois [is not mentioned elsewhere. Acts 16:1 refers to Timothy's mother as a
convert from Judaism. Probably the
father was not a Christian.] and
your mother Eunice [It supposes that both Lois and Eunice were Christian. Acts 16:1
mentions the faith of "Eunice," who is a Jewish-Christian with a
Gentile husband. Her gift of faith to Timothy is twofold. It includes her
ancestry in the Jewish faith - which she now maintains and continues, as it now
must be, through faith in Jesus Christ.] and
now, I am sure, lives in you. [Paul returns to the formal thanksgiving theme, offering
thankfulness for God's work in Timothy's life. Just as Paul cited his ancestral
lineage of faith, he now lists Timothy's heritage -- reminding this disciple
that he is in good company. Unlike many first-century Christians, Timothy was
able to reach out and touch the foundations of his faith: the persons of his
own grandmother and mother. The bulk of Paul's letter will focus on an appeal
to Timothy to stay loyal - and here Paul reminds Timothy that by abiding in his
faith, remaining loyal to it, he not only honors God, but he also upholds the
gift of faith that was passed down to him by his mother and his grandmother.
Timothy's faith is not just his own - it is part inheritance as well - and he
must be careful to safeguard such a precious gift.]
[II Timothy 1:6-14 is a charge to Timothy.]
6 For
this reason I remind [The fact that Paul feels the need to "remind"
Timothy of this suggests that the apostle had some evidence that his friend was
slipping back into old habits, or allowing the reins of church leadership and
spiritual enthusiasm to slip from his grasp.] you
to rekindle [a
metaphor for building up a dying fire.] the
gift of God [could
be the gift of the Holy Spirit. Though Timothy's faith is not specifically
accused of "dying," Paul does urge him now to fan up his special
"gift" into strong, unquenchable flames. This "gift" is not
faith itself, but the "gift of God" Timothy received when God called
him to ministry.] that
is within you through the laying on of my hands; [This gift, Paul further reminds
him, was recognized and confirmed through a service of laying on of hands. The
scene recalled is described in 1 Timothy 4:14 as the laying on of hands by the
elders - but here Paul is anxious to affirm his own role in Timothy's call and
mentions only his own hands. If this is a reprimand, it is given with a light
touch. On the heels of Paul's thankfulness for Timothy's faith, the apostle
attaches an uncharacteristically gentle reprimand. Timothy's faith is securely
grounded in an assured line of transmission, from grandmother, to mother, and
to himself. Yet, no one simply inherits
faith. God strikes the fire in the
soul. Ordination conferred this fire in
the soul. The family transmitted the
faith and the church mediated God. Paul first "reminds" his coworker
in ministry of the empowering touch, the laying on of hands, that transformed
this young man into a church leader, administrator and spiritual mentor for new
fragile Christians. Pannenberg reminds us that the apostolic gospel functioned
as a given norm in the process of developing the episcopal office, a norm that
alone could give validity to the office, and to which bishops were tied in the
discharge of their office. He also notes that in spite of the biblical
attestation for laying on of hands as we see here, the church in medieval times
did not regard the laying on of hands as the specific ordination rite because
it used laying of hands in various sacraments. Only in 1947 did Pius XII
conclude from liturgical inquiries into the history of ordination that laying
on of hands is the proper sign of ordination and state expressly that the
handing over of the chalice and paten is not an essential part of the sacrament
according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. The benefit of this statement
is that it opened a new situation in ecumenical discussion of ordination. He
also points out that the Council of Trent said that ordination confers a gift,
and referred to this passage. However, Vatican II related the imparting of
grace and abiding character to the empowering of ordained ministers to act in
the person of Christ as teachers, pastors, and priests. Thus, the gift
conferred on ministers by their ordination relates to their function, not to
their personal standing in grace. As Pannenberg sees it, this is the crucial
point in the controversy between Catholic and Protestant views of ordination.
Within the Lutheran Church, he points out, this is no repetition of ordination
for two reasons. First, calling to ministry in the church takes place in
connection with the instituting of ministry for the whole church, not just for
ministry to a specific local congregation. Second, ministry on the Lutheran
view is for life, not just for a limited period. Today we regard once-for-all
ordination that rules out repetition as the true meaning f the Roman Catholic
doctrine of indelible character. Of course, they may still cease to exercise
their ministry or be inhibited from its exercise.[5]] 7
for God did not give us a spirit
of cowardice, [Paul
even includes himself in his admonishment. The term Paul uses often occurs in
battle contexts to describe unmasked terror in the face of difficulties.] but rather a spirit [The attributes of this
"spirit" would be ones Paul routinely assigns to the Holy Spirit,
though some think they are inner qualities and character.] of power and of love and of
self-discipline.
8 Do not be ashamed, [The "shame" he rebukes
might be related to the fact that in order to "testify" about the
Lord, Timothy must proclaim Jesus' ignominious death on the cross. Paul denies
there is any "shame" in being imprisoned, for he is a prisoner of Christ
only, not of any civil authorities. Do not become ashamed of Paul, either of
boldly preaching the gospel or of the fact that Paul is now sitting in a prison
cell, condemned by the Roman government.] then,
of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in
suffering for the gospel, [The reader may continue the apostolic sufferings of Paul.
The possibility of suffering ought not to daunt him. The timid and fearful
Timothy is urged to join Paul in his suffering -- an ordeal that may include
not only imprisonment but abandonment by those who had earlier claimed
friendship and alliance (see v. 15).] relying
on the power of God,
[Paul now strengthens his appeal to Timothy's loyalty despite approaching
hardship. Paul identifies two potential threats to Timothy's steadfastness. (1)
One threat to the steadfastness of Timothy is the growth in power and
persuasiveness of the "false teachers" and their deceitful messages.
Paul will deal with this threat later in the letter. (2) A second threat to the
steadfastness of Timothy is the fallout that may occur in the Christian
community due to Paul's imprisonment and thus absence. He starts to deal with
this threat now.
[Verses
9-10 could be a citation, hymn, or confession of faith, given its poetic
structure.]
9 who saved us and called us with a
holy calling,
not
according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace.
This
grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
10 but it has now been revealed through the
appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,
who
abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
[Paul offers a creed-like formula as a defense for what he
is calling Timothy to do. Thankfully, neither Paul nor Timothy nor any other
Christian need manufacture some super-human skills in order to survive and
scale this turmoil and these betrayals. Pannenberg notes that the apocalyptic
term mystery came to form a complex whole in combination with the concept of
revelation. The preaching of Christ discloses in it the mystery of the divine
plan of salvation that God had hidden through eternal ages but God now reveals
through Jesus Christ. The point of the plan of salvation that God fulfilled in
Jesus Christ and his atoning death is the bringing of all people into
participation in salvation by faith.[6]]
[The author tailors the "creedal" confession found
in verses 9-10 to fit Timothy - a hesitant Christian who has been reminded to
"fan the flame" and not be ashamed. The apostle expounds a typically
Pauline account of the miraculous gift of grace believers have received from
Christ. Verse 9 testifies to the constant activity and presence of God in
Timothy's call. God's activity has a dual nature - both purpose and grace.
These two divine reasons God has established forever and acted out in history
with the arrival of Jesus on earth. The decisive saving has already
happened. He can depend upon God to
complete the task. "Holy
calling" may mean Christian ministry. Only here and Titus 3:5 do the
Pastorals speak against salvation by works, also traditional material for
baptism. Salvation is not due to
anything the individual does. In verse 10, Paul's creedal confession seems to
fit Timothy perfectly - to give encouragement to one who is facing the
possibility of suffering for the sake of his faith. Paul's words remind Timothy
that with his appearance, with the incarnation, Christ has broken the power of
death and brought "life and immortality." The phrase suggests pre-existence.
Christ has destroyed death itself, by the gospel among us. The transforming
power of God's grace is accessible to all here and now, freeing us from sin's
hold, making it possible for us to embody a genuinely "holy calling."
Jesus Christ's life and death have brought about a "realized
eschatology." Those "in Christ" need have no fear of suffering,
no shame of failure, since God has already abolished death and brought life.]
11 For this gospel I was appointed a
herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason [his
appointment as herald, apostle, and teacher has led to this!] I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, [referring not to the gospel
itself, but to the fact that he is imprisoned.]
for I know the one in whom I
have put my trust, [or literally "my deposit." Note that this is a
person-based declaration. Paul is not ashamed because he knows "in
whom" not "in what" he has "entrusted" or
"committed" himself. Because Paul is so personally in touch with his
Savior, he confidently entrusts the "deposit" of his life, his very
soul, to Jesus Christ. Grammatical quirks make it possible to read verse 12 in
two ways. If a subjective genitive, it could refer to a declaration of
"what I have entrusted to him." It expresses the sense of
responsibility in the preservation and transmission of the Pauline gospel.
Faith should not grow weak because of suffering. Personal faith has not given way to a formal
creed, as some have charged. The focus
is God's ability to guard.
Alternatively, it could be an objective genitive, "what has been
entrusted to me." Instead of confusing the meaning, however, this double
entendre helps to remind contemporary readers -- even as Paul sought to remind
Timothy -- that both gift and duty are part of discipleship. Appointment to
preach is an appointment to suffer. To
suffer for this reason is honor, not shame.
God is trustworthy, so one can rely on God.] and
I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.
13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching [here
is the caution] that you have heard from
me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the
good treasure entrusted to you, [Timothy has a responsibility to transmit the Pauline
faith. This recalls the language found
in verse 13. In this case, however, it seems likely that what Paul has
entrusted to Timothy, the "good treasure," is the "sound
teaching" that will now see him through these challenging times.] with the help of the Holy Spirit living
in us. [The
Holy Spirit is the only way Timothy will guard this treasure. Paul is the model
for Christian ministry. The author encourages the reader to follow the example
of Paul. Paul makes this manifest, telling Timothy to: "Guard the good
treasure entrusted to you." The Roman Catholic Church will go to this
passage as a biblical basis for its view of the transmission of tradition.]
[1] I think that any proper reading of the world
situation today is that the values we hold in common in America of freedom,
tolerance, pluralism, rational discussion of differing ideas, is under attack
from an ideology that wants to bring down what we know as Western Civilization.
Christianity has been an important part of building such values over the
centuries.
[2] Guarding our homes, for example, is now easier than
ever, especially if we are comfortable with technology and are willing to spend
top dollar for a state-of-the-art security system. With such systems, we can
arm our home-security alarm with our smartphones even if we are not nearby at
the time. We can receive email alerts every time our front door opens, even if
we are miles away. If we want to know who opened it, we can summon a 30-second
video clip from a camera that monitors the door.
We
can also install electronic walls around our information, bank accounts and
investments that allow us to control who has access to them. We can have
retinal scanners, thumb and fingerprint readers, passcodes, barcodes, motion
sensors and more. Yet, it seems as if security is an ongoing struggle, and bad
people keep figuring out clever new ways to take advantage of us.
[3] At an institutional level, in political, economic,
entertainment, and media, people have worked quite hard to separate the culture
from Christian influence. Many within the church have reciprocated by offering
stinging critiques of American civilization. In fact, the temptation within the
church would be to avoid a negative image. The temptation might be to adopt
secular beliefs and values in an effort to avoid a negative image.
[4] Is the
faith a sort of Hope Diamond around which we should erect some kind of security
wall? I recall the scene in Mission: Impossible where Tom Cruse comes down from
the ceiling of a vault and almost trips the alarm, suspended inches from the
floor that would have tripped the alarm. Maybe a Pink Panther scene comes to
mind as well. Should we be monitoring potential threats to Christianity to
prevent anything from disappearing from it? I have read enough of Christian theology
to know that we can be grateful that some things have fallen away. The anti-Semitism
of Christian history is shameful. The right of women to preach is steadily
gaining recognition throughout Christianity. The church gave too much latitude
in the colonial period to Western leaders who wanted to colonize whole
continents in order to extract their wealth. While many Christians attacked
slavery and racism, far too many supported it and participated in it. Has God
called Christians to stack sandbags on our theological borders as a precaution
against the relentless and encroaching tides of secularism, moral relativism
and cultural decline?
[5] Systematic Theology Volume 3, 380,
394-5, 397
[6] Systematic Theology Volume 1, 211.
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