In 2 Timothy 4, Paul gives what some have called his “Last Will and Testament.” He wants to encourage Timothy to stay faithful to the Word of God. He tells him and us that we need to be in the “Lord’s Army” for the “duration.” We need to be faithful to the end. Paul wanted to impress on Timothy that the Christian life consists, not only of privileges, but responsibilities.
In 2 Timothy 4:5-8 Paul tells Timothy he must fulfill his ministry. I think that primarily Paul is referring to Timothy’s work as a preacher of the Gospel. But we all can make application to our lives in Christ. All of us have a ministry to fulfill. The Lord has “called us out of a kingdom of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Col.1:13-14).
To fulfill our ministry means to do whatever God wants you to do. Each of our ministries for the Lord are different, though grounded in the same Lord and based upon the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 4:5 Timothy is told to “be sober in all things.” This means he must carry on his ministry with seriousness of purpose. We must do the same.
In 2 Tim. 4:6-8, Paul contrasts some of the things in his life to encourage Timothy in his responsibilities to the Lord and His Church. He gives his own personal testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness. He says that:
- He has fought the good fight.
- He has finished the course.
- He has kept the faith.
I want to take each of these and show how “An Approved Servant of the Lord” will incorporate the principles in his or her life.
One Who Reflects on His Ministry
The Apostle Paul, writing in 2 Tim. 4:6-8 reflects on his life in Christ as he seeks to encourage Timothy. He reflects on his present, past, and future with regard to living out his faith. If one seeks to be “An Approved Servant of the Lord,” he or she will do the same.
Paul is in prison in Rome, awaiting execution. Paul knows that he will be with the Lord he has loved and served. Paul says “The time of my departure has come.” (2 Tim. 4:6) The word “departure” means “the releasing of a ship from its moorings or a soldier releasing the stakes of his tent.” The believer never really dies, he just departs. Paul told the Philippians, “I have a desire to depart and be with Christ” (Phil. 1:23) He said it was “far better.”
Charles Spurgeon wrote: “To come to Thee is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labor, to come to the goal of my desire and the summit of my wishes.”
Secondly, Paul had a backward look of his ministry. We all must have this desire. We must look back and reflect on how the Lord has blessed us and used us in His Church. In 2 Tim. 4:7 he uses three words associated with victory. We can have victory in the Risen Lord.
It is heartening to look back and have no regrets. Warren Wiersbe wrote the following, “Two of the images here are athletic: like a determined wrestler or boxer, he had fought a good fight; and like a runner, he had finished his lifelong race victoriously. He had kept the rules and deserved a prize. The third image is that of a steward who had faithfully guarded his boss’s deposit.”
Thirdly, Paul had a future reflection on his life in the Lord. Paul says that he, and us today, because of faithful living, will receive “The Crown of Righteousness.” This crown (reward) is given to all faithful Christians who live their lives in expectation of the Lord’s coming. Do you love His appearing? If so, this “crown” will be yours. Unbelievers dread Christ’s coming, but as believers we long for it. Jesus is our “blessed hope.” (Titus 2:13)
If we keep on running the race, fighting the fight and living in expectation of Jesus’ return we will see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2). On that day you will not regret fighting, running and enduring for His Name’s sake.
One Who Seeks the Will of God
The Christian who seeks to be “An Approved Servant of the Lord Jesus” must be one whose aim is to always be in the will of God. In Colossians 1:9, Paul tells the Christians there that he is praying for them to “… be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
What does it mean to seek the will of God? All Christians should pray this prayer. God wants all of us to seek His will and live lives that reflect that will. First of all, he wants us to present ourselves to Him completely. Romans 12:1 reads as follows: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
It is because of what the Lord has done for us that we should want to serve Him! We need to be a people of thankfulness and gratitude. One of the reasons a Christian needs to seek God’s will is that we live in a “mindless society” permeated by Satan. We need to make sure that we base our foundations upon the Lord and His Word.
The nearer we draw to the Lord and His Word the more we will learn about His will. It is in the Word of God, the Bible, that we read and learn about God’s will for each and everyone of us. As we seek God’s will He will equip us in our pilgrimage for Him in this life and prepare us for an eternity with Him.
As we seek His will, and strive to live in that will on a day to day basis, we will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:18). We will also be better equipped to help others. First of all, we will be able to help them come out of the domain of darkness and enter the marvelous light of the Gospel. Then we will be able to help them as they seek to grow spiritually. We all have a place in taking the Gospel to those who are lost. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16)
So, let’s seek His will, and then when we find His will in the Word, live out our faith with the help of the Holy Spirit!
One Who Walks Worthy of the Lord
Is anyone ever “worthy” of the Lord? On a human standpoint, no one has been or ever will be worthy. We do not deserve salvation. We always fall short of the glory of God. All of us are sinners. The Christian is one who is a sinner saved by grace. Outside of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are doomed to a “devil’s hell.” But, praise the Lord that God so loved us that he had a plan that would redeem fallen mankind.
What does Paul mean in Colossians 1:10 where he writes: “that you may walk worthy of the Lord…?” Perhaps a better way of saying it is that we are to walk in a worthy manner. We are admonished in God’s Word to look to Jesus as our example in all things. The realization that we are “in Christ,” and therefore redeemed by the blood of the Lamb should not make us haughty and proud. We should never think we are better than anyone else.
In Col. 1:10 and in Ephesians 4:1 we get some explanation of what it means to walk worthy of the Lord. The Colossian passage says that the goal of walking worthy of the Lord is that we are to live lives that are pleasing to Him. The result of that kind of a life is one that is a fruitful and abounding life of loving service.
In Eph. 4:1 we read: “I, therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” If we just had verse 1 we would not know how to “walk worthy.” But we have Eph. 4:2-3 to give some insight on what it means for “An Approved Servant of the Lord” to walk in a worthy manner for the Lord Jesus.
We are to be a people who are not haughty; a people who do not think we are better than others. We must be those who are humble and gentle in our dealings with others. Most of all, we are to bear with others in love. We must also strive to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Remember, we are called out of a domain of darkness into the marvelous light of the Gospel. We must practice what we preach. We must live out our lives daily as we seek to draw near to the Lord Jesus.
– Larry Miles is Co-Editor of Word and Work
This is a compilation of four articles from the series ‘An Approved Servant of the Lord’ from http://larryslines.com