The Roman Empire was very large and very diverse. So many different cultures coexisted that it seemed divided. Rome was a society in which any religion could express itself (even Christianity was allowed there in its early days). It was a very free society and the Romans enjoyed many rights. Seen from the perspective of […]
In the midst of this battle zone, Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:1-2: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to preach the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy , my beloved child: may grace, mercy and peace be given to you from God the Father and […]
Paul went through many trials, his difficulties far exceeding what contemporary believers encounter. It is quite possible that Paul felt alone in his cell, depressed, abandoned, rejected, hurt and destroyed. Paul could have been demolished, if only because his disciples left him when he needed them most.This alone can destroy anyone. (We must keep in […]
If fear settles into your thinking, you will no longer want to face anything; you will become a coward. You will be afraid to get up in the morning, afraid to go to work, to make vital decisions, afraid of everything and everyone. If you allow it to go that far, fear will take control […]
In the eighth verse, Paul says: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” According to this verse, Timothy is tempted to do two things: (1) to be ashamed of the testimony about […]
Fidelity consists of three main facets that are a “must”. There are: (1) Fidelity to God, (2) fidelity to our friends, (3) the action of this fidelity, or in other words, service. These three aspects of fidelity are essential. The first aspect is fidelity to God. Long dissertations are not needed to know that we […]
Years ago, while I was an associate pastor in a Baptist church, I worked with single adults. For a year, I led a Divorce Recovery Program for those who found themselves alone after a divorce. What an education for my wife and me! That year, I spoke with hundreds and hundreds of newly divorced people. […]
Paul isn’t talking about those kinds of ‘difficulties’. He isn’t advising on enduring cancer; he isn’t speaking to us about that type of suffering. When he says, “endure suffering,” Timothy must understand: “Timothy, you’re not the only one who’s been wounded on the battlefield. We too have been wounded. Stop believing that you’re the only […]
Paul continues his discourse on the mindset of a fighter in 2 Timothy 2:3: “Share in suffering like a good soldier…” “We come to the second important word in this verse, the term ‘good’.” In Greek, “good” is translated as “kalos” which speaks of something “good, beautiful, excellent, just, capable, or virtuous.” By using this […]
