2Ti 1:13 | KingComments | STEP | . In the previous verses Paul spoke out his absolute confidence in the Lord Jesus. That is for Timothy, and also for you, of course a great encouragement to do the same. But still there is another reliable hold in a time of decay. That hold you have in the “sound words”. Paul points Timothy out that he should “retain” the ‘sound words’ he heard from him as “the standard”. The word ‘standard’ is a ‘concept’ or ‘model’ or ‘draft’ of a set-up, composition, design. Paul speaks about the inspired Word of God. That ought to be kept completely. You are not to neglect or drop anything of it. Not only the content of the message is important, but also the words and their ranking are given by God with the purpose for us to hold on to that. With creeds people may try to explain God’s Word in human words, but they still remain to be words of men and therefore imperfect. They also cannot protect us against the most trivial false doctrine. Only God’s Word is perfect and gives a full guarantee against deviation if we keep it as the standard. Each word of it stands on the right place where God purposed it to be. God’s Word cannot to be improved. Don’t let yourself to be confused by sayings as: ‘It not about the word choice, but about the message.’ It is certainly about the word choice too. Here a warning against modern translations of the Bible is justified. I do not mean that a translation in the most possible old English language is the most faithful. The use of nowadays English certainly doesn’t exclude a good translation from the original text. No, the point is that only people with a living faith in the Lord Jesus and with great esteem for God’s Word are able to faithfully translate the Bible. The making of a faithful translation is not dependent on technology or science, but on skills connected with the right approach of God’s Word. That right approach consists of the deep awareness of the holiness and authority of each word that God had let write down in His Word. If that is the mind you also have of reading God’s Word you will experience the saving power the Word has. The chance that you fall prey to false teachings is then excluded. The original word for ‘sound’ has to do with hygiene and can therefore also be translated with ‘healthy making’. The words of Paul that were inspired have therefore the purpose to improve the spiritual health. Paul adds something to it, namely, that the example of the sound words has to be retained “in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus”. If God’s Word is not connected to the Person of Christ, faith in the letter of the Scripture becomes a dead form. You can only retain the truth if you approach the word in faith and love. These are the two aspects or activities of the new life of which Christ is the source. It is about faith and love that are present and to be found in Him. It is only to be received from Him. From Him you learn how the daily confidence of faith focuses on God. You see that in His life on earth. From Him you also learn how the love of God focuses on men. This addition is important because otherwise the standard would have become a template that causes the living faith life to sink and to become a dead orthodoxy. If faith and love in Christ are the active elements to retain the standard you will experience the support of the Word. Even if you couldn’t find any support in the church as a whole, due to the decay that has entered, you will, even if you’re alone, surely find help in God’s Word. . There is still another encouragement. After having pointed to the Lord Jesus and the Word of God, Paul speaks about “the Holy Spirit who dwells in us”. Paul is about to die the martyr’s death and to go to his Lord. Timothy still has to remain here and you also are still here. The circumstances will not become easier and you will surely agree with that. The decay has become even worse. The attacks on the ministry of Timothy will become tougher. If you want to serve the Lord you will experience that too. Everything will cause such an increasing pressure on him, and on you, that you may want to give up "the treasure which has been entrusted to [you]". But listen: you are urges to guard what has been entrusted to you. Paul calls it a ‘treasure’, which means something beautiful, of Divine value. Also to you all the sound words of the Scripture have been entrusted as something of Divine value. That you must guard and not give up anything of it. You don’t have to do that in your own strength. It even is impossible to do that. It is being pointed out to you that the Holy Spirit dwells in you. He gives you the necessary power to guard what has been entrusted to you. Each part of the truth that you have learnt to see and for which you have thanked God will be criticized by the enemy. But He Who dwells in you is greater than he who is in the world ( ). He enables you to resist any enemy attack on the truth. The important thing is that you make sure that in no way you hinder the Holy Spirit to have complete control over your life. . You shouldn’t count much on the support of others in your fight “for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” ( ). Paul points Timothy to the believers in Asia. Timothy knew that all in Asia have turned away from the apostle, while he has intensively preached the gospel in that area. It was he who taught God’s thoughts to the many who had come to faith there. You can for example read in the letters to the Thessalonians and in the letter to the Ephesians how he served the believers there. The elders of Ephesus were all in tears when he left them. What made them most sad was that they wouldn’t see him ever again ( ). Now some years have passed. And how is the situation there? The good memories of Paul have faded. They have even turned away from him! The man to whom they owe a lot is rejected by all of them and not only by an individual or a few. Why? They are possibly ashamed of him, the poor prisoner who fell into disgrace with the government. Of course they haven’t given up Christendom, but as far as they are concerned, Paul’s emphasis on being a Christian is too strong. You shouldn’t make efforts to create enemies, should you? That is true, but a faithful witness cannot help but make enemies. He doesn’t do that purposely, but being faithful to the Lord and His truth exposes hostility. Paul is imprisoned for testifying to the truth. Therefore turning away from Paul is in fact turning away from the truth that Paul preaches. That has made his imprisonment much heavier. He mentions two of those who have turned away from him by their names. It must have been necessary to mention these names. It is not unlikely that these are leading brothers with great influence who are misusing their influence and the exclusion of Paul to deceive the church. By mentioning their names Paul exposes them. . He also mentions another name, but with joy. The faithfulness of Onesiphorus and his house has been a blessing to him in the midst of all the unfaithfulness that he had experienced. This faithful believer has not been ashamed of God’s faithful servant. Onesiphorus has “refreshed”, a word that literally means ‘to cool’, the apostle in the heat of the persecution. This refreshment Paul experienced when in his imprisonment he unexpectedly saw the face of Onesiphorus appear. . It must have done the lonesome prisoner good to be visited by someone who made an effort to come to him. It was not easy to find Paul, but it must have made Onesiphorus tremendously grateful to the Lord when he could finally embrace Paul. His efforts were not in vain. And how enormously grateful Paul must have been to the Lord. Have you also ever experienced refreshment when believers told you that they were praying for you or supporting you when you were in trouble? Onesiphorus had no address of where to find Paul, but he must have prayed to the Lord Who could lead him to Paul. And the Lord did it, yet, not by bringing him through the shortest and quickest way to Paul. No, Onesiphorus had to ask the Lord time after time if he was on the right track. If you ask the guidance of the Lord to achieve something of which you know that He wants it, it doesn’t mean that you will easily accomplish that goal. The Lord wants you to commit yourself to it. In that way He wants to teach you to depend on Him at every step you make. . Paul wishes that the Lord will reward Onesiphorus because of the mercy he received from him ( ). His ‘house’ ( ) – it seems that he was married and had children and probably even his own domestic workers – fully supported the actions of Onesiphorus. They let him go and they must have sent their greetings and probably goods for Paul. What a great blessing it is if there are also houses today of which all the family members want to remain faithful to the truth and make efforts for those who preach it. Then Paul also wishes that the Lord will grant to Onesiphorus that he may find mercy from the Lord “on that day” (cf. ). In this way Paul adds to his earlier wishes that the Lord will reward Onesiphorus for his efforts before the judgment seat. ‘That day’ is also the day that the Lord will appear with His reward ( ; ). Onesiphorus is not a stranger to Timothy. He made the acquaintance of him at Ephesus and could tell, even better than Paul, how this man has made it a habit to serve the Lord and His matters. It is wonderful when there are people in a local church of whom can be said that they have performed many services. Wouldn’t it be a joy for the Lord and the church when this can also be said of you after some time? Now read 2 Timothy 1:13-18 again. Reflection: How do you manage to retain the standard of the sound words?

‏ 2 Timothy 1:13

Word, Spirit and Mercy

2Tim 1:13. In the previous verses Paul spoke out his absolute confidence in the Lord Jesus. That is for Timothy, and also for you, of course a great encouragement to do the same. But still there is another reliable hold in a time of decay. That hold you have in the “sound words”. Paul points Timothy out that he should “retain” the ‘sound words’ he heard from him as “the standard”.

The word ‘standard’ is a ‘concept’ or ‘model’ or ‘draft’ of a set-up, composition, design. Paul speaks about the inspired Word of God. That ought to be kept completely. You are not to neglect or drop anything of it. Not only the content of the message is important, but also the words and their ranking are given by God with the purpose for us to hold on to that.

With creeds people may try to explain God’s Word in human words, but they still remain to be words of men and therefore imperfect. They also cannot protect us against the most trivial false doctrine. Only God’s Word is perfect and gives a full guarantee against deviation if we keep it as the standard. Each word of it stands on the right place where God purposed it to be. God’s Word cannot to be improved. Don’t let yourself to be confused by sayings as: ‘It not about the word choice, but about the message.’ It is certainly about the word choice too.

Here a warning against modern translations of the Bible is justified. I do not mean that a translation in the most possible old English language is the most faithful. The use of nowadays English certainly doesn’t exclude a good translation from the original text. No, the point is that only people with a living faith in the Lord Jesus and with great esteem for God’s Word are able to faithfully translate the Bible.

The making of a faithful translation is not dependent on technology or science, but on skills connected with the right approach of God’s Word. That right approach consists of the deep awareness of the holiness and authority of each word that God had let write down in His Word. If that is the mind you also have of reading God’s Word you will experience the saving power the Word has. The chance that you fall prey to false teachings is then excluded.

The original word for ‘sound’ has to do with hygiene and can therefore also be translated with ‘healthy making’. The words of Paul that were inspired have therefore the purpose to improve the spiritual health. Paul adds something to it, namely, that the example of the sound words has to be retained “in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus”. If God’s Word is not connected to the Person of Christ, faith in the letter of the Scripture becomes a dead form. You can only retain the truth if you approach the word in faith and love. These are the two aspects or activities of the new life of which Christ is the source.

It is about faith and love that are present and to be found in Him. It is only to be received from Him. From Him you learn how the daily confidence of faith focuses on God. You see that in His life on earth. From Him you also learn how the love of God focuses on men.

This addition is important because otherwise the standard would have become a template that causes the living faith life to sink and to become a dead orthodoxy. If faith and love in Christ are the active elements to retain the standard you will experience the support of the Word. Even if you couldn’t find any support in the church as a whole, due to the decay that has entered, you will, even if you’re alone, surely find help in God’s Word.

2Tim 1:14. There is still another encouragement. After having pointed to the Lord Jesus and the Word of God, Paul speaks about “the Holy Spirit who dwells in us”. Paul is about to die the martyr’s death and to go to his Lord. Timothy still has to remain here and you also are still here. The circumstances will not become easier and you will surely agree with that. The decay has become even worse. The attacks on the ministry of Timothy will become tougher. If you want to serve the Lord you will experience that too. Everything will cause such an increasing pressure on him, and on you, that you may want to give up "the treasure which has been entrusted to [you]". But listen: you are urges to guard what has been entrusted to you.

Paul calls it a ‘treasure’, which means something beautiful, of Divine value. Also to you all the sound words of the Scripture have been entrusted as something of Divine value. That you must guard and not give up anything of it. You don’t have to do that in your own strength. It even is impossible to do that. It is being pointed out to you that the Holy Spirit dwells in you. He gives you the necessary power to guard what has been entrusted to you.

Each part of the truth that you have learnt to see and for which you have thanked God will be criticized by the enemy. But He Who dwells in you is greater than he who is in the world (1Jn 4:4). He enables you to resist any enemy attack on the truth. The important thing is that you make sure that in no way you hinder the Holy Spirit to have complete control over your life.

2Tim 1:15. You shouldn’t count much on the support of others in your fight “for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Paul points Timothy to the believers in Asia. Timothy knew that all in Asia have turned away from the apostle, while he has intensively preached the gospel in that area. It was he who taught God’s thoughts to the many who had come to faith there.

You can for example read in the letters to the Thessalonians and in the letter to the Ephesians how he served the believers there. The elders of Ephesus were all in tears when he left them. What made them most sad was that they wouldn’t see him ever again (Acts 20:37-38). Now some years have passed. And how is the situation there? The good memories of Paul have faded. They have even turned away from him!

The man to whom they owe a lot is rejected by all of them and not only by an individual or a few. Why? They are possibly ashamed of him, the poor prisoner who fell into disgrace with the government. Of course they haven’t given up Christendom, but as far as they are concerned, Paul’s emphasis on being a Christian is too strong. You shouldn’t make efforts to create enemies, should you? That is true, but a faithful witness cannot help but make enemies. He doesn’t do that purposely, but being faithful to the Lord and His truth exposes hostility.

Paul is imprisoned for testifying to the truth. Therefore turning away from Paul is in fact turning away from the truth that Paul preaches. That has made his imprisonment much heavier. He mentions two of those who have turned away from him by their names. It must have been necessary to mention these names. It is not unlikely that these are leading brothers with great influence who are misusing their influence and the exclusion of Paul to deceive the church. By mentioning their names Paul exposes them.

2Tim 1:16. He also mentions another name, but with joy. The faithfulness of Onesiphorus and his house has been a blessing to him in the midst of all the unfaithfulness that he had experienced. This faithful believer has not been ashamed of God’s faithful servant. Onesiphorus has “refreshed”, a word that literally means ‘to cool’, the apostle in the heat of the persecution. This refreshment Paul experienced when in his imprisonment he unexpectedly saw the face of Onesiphorus appear.

2Tim 1:17. It must have done the lonesome prisoner good to be visited by someone who made an effort to come to him. It was not easy to find Paul, but it must have made Onesiphorus tremendously grateful to the Lord when he could finally embrace Paul. His efforts were not in vain. And how enormously grateful Paul must have been to the Lord. Have you also ever experienced refreshment when believers told you that they were praying for you or supporting you when you were in trouble?

Onesiphorus had no address of where to find Paul, but he must have prayed to the Lord Who could lead him to Paul. And the Lord did it, yet, not by bringing him through the shortest and quickest way to Paul. No, Onesiphorus had to ask the Lord time after time if he was on the right track. If you ask the guidance of the Lord to achieve something of which you know that He wants it, it doesn’t mean that you will easily accomplish that goal. The Lord wants you to commit yourself to it. In that way He wants to teach you to depend on Him at every step you make.

2Tim 1:18. Paul wishes that the Lord will reward Onesiphorus because of the mercy he received from him (Mt 5:7). His ‘house’ (2Tim 1:16) – it seems that he was married and had children and probably even his own domestic workers – fully supported the actions of Onesiphorus. They let him go and they must have sent their greetings and probably goods for Paul. What a great blessing it is if there are also houses today of which all the family members want to remain faithful to the truth and make efforts for those who preach it.

Then Paul also wishes that the Lord will grant to Onesiphorus that he may find mercy from the Lord “on that day” (cf. Jude 1:21). In this way Paul adds to his earlier wishes that the Lord will reward Onesiphorus for his efforts before the judgment seat. ‘That day’ is also the day that the Lord will appear with His reward (2Tim 1:12; Rev 22:12).

Onesiphorus is not a stranger to Timothy. He made the acquaintance of him at Ephesus and could tell, even better than Paul, how this man has made it a habit to serve the Lord and His matters. It is wonderful when there are people in a local church of whom can be said that they have performed many services. Wouldn’t it be a joy for the Lord and the church when this can also be said of you after some time?

Now read 2 Timothy 1:13-18 again.

Reflection: How do you manage to retain the standard of the sound words?