Our Hope

Timothy

Paul greets Timothy with “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord”.

Three unfathomable gifts from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace: Favor rendered by one who need not do so. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” Ephesians 2v8+9. Grace allows us to stand cleansed of our sins before our totally holy God.

Mercy: Compassionate treatment of or attitude towards an offender, adversary, etc., who is in one’s power or care. Paul is an example of God’s incredible mercy, taking a man who had ravaged the church and remaking him into a model for all believers.

Peace: Inner contentment, serenity.We have a battle going on that takes away the peace of God. A desire for anything that contradicts our obedience to God will put our hearts in turmoil. Obedience to God only will result in a heart  at peace.

These are free gifts that God is holding out to you. He is a forgiving, compassionate God who extends his peace to whoever will submit to His will. Amazing.

Timothy

One little verse can have so much to say to me today.

Verse 2 of the 1st chapter of 1 Timothy says “To Timothy, a true son of faith”.

Paul warns Timothy to flee from youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2v22). One of the commandments is not to commit adultery and Jesus said to look on someone with lust, you have committed adultery in your own heart (Matt 5v28). So we know what lust is, and every person is prone to wander from God and give in to lust no matter what their age but Paul specifically warns Timothy to flee from youthful lusts. This was directed to Timothy, a young man. I’m not sure exactly what would have been going on back then and in what way these lusts presented themselves to Timothy but I know the sort of modern day youthful lusts that are placed before me everyday. It’s just a music video or a song or a TV programme but the more we watch them the less we notice how much they contradict a life God desires.  We tell ourselves there is no harm in it and to lighten up. Sometimes I’ll be watching a good film and laughing my socks off then it hits me that if this was my life, God would be so disappointed in me for disobeying and rejecting his word. In Matthew 5 it says “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”. It’s difficult to keep a pure heart when we open it up daily to these displays immoral living. What is most amazing about that promise from Matthew 5 is that we “shall see God”. What would you prefer? For me it’s an easy decision but one I often make the wrong choice on…spending hours in front of a screen when I could be gazing in my Saviour’s face at the throne of prayer or through reading His word. 

It’s easy to categorize Timothy as an old fashioned Bible character but he was just a young man in the same world we live on today. He would have faced all the trials we face. So Paul warned Timothy and what did Timothy do? Well scripture says he was “a true son of faith”.  I desire that people could say of me that I am a true daughter of faith but to start with I need to be able to be as obedient and conscious as Timothy was and then I will be truly blessed and see God.

Well I hadn’t planned writing this much on that one little sentence because Paul had other warnings for Timothy e.g. to not let anyone despise his youth and told him that God had not given him a spirit of fear (so he must have been fearful at times) so I can hopefully take a look at the rest of 1 Timothy 1v2 the next time. Back to studies…

Timothy

I have recently started a study on Timothy just taking one line at a time and it has been a real blessing.

Paul writing his greeting to Timothy declares “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Saviour and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope”. Hope for what? He is our hope for everything! For today, tomorrow, our hope for eternal life, forgiveness, happiness, peace, provision, for our country, for family and friends…OUR HOPE. Sometimes we get so discouraged. Today it seems what’s wrong is right and what’s right is wrong. Timothy was young and at times fearful and despised but he carried on teaching Jesus death and resurrection. No matter how far gone we think our world is…the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope. Let’s be hopeful, not discouraged and downhearted. Let’s continue Timothy work by telling everyone the Saviour of the world has come.

I think one of the most challenging verses in Scripture is Phil 2v20+21 “I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus”. We are human and often selfish. If we sincerely cared for the state of the people around us we would proclaim our Saviour and our Hope. Sometime we think “I’ll leave the teaching to the preachers and missionaries” but we should take the approach that everything we do should be for God’s honour and glory, after all, we are carrying His name. So at this point, I better return to my studies! Because through my university thesis, even though it is not on theology, I can glorify God.