Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God;
Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
But hath now been manifested by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, Who abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel,
Whereunto I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.
For which cause I also suffer these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know Him Whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit Which dwelleth in us.
Lord, we thank You and praise You that this evening You have brought us once again to Yourself.
Lord, we thank You and praise You because we can read Your own Word. We ask the Holy Spirit to quicken Your words in us. You have told us that Your Word is spirit and life; therefore, we look to Your own Spirit and Your own life to minister to us.
Lord, we ask You to take away all the hindrances within us. We ask You to cover us with Your blood and to cleanse us by Your cross. Lord, we put ourselves completely in Your hand.
We put ourselves before Your Word. We are willing for Your Word to conquer us. We are willing that Your Word would change us so that You can be glorified. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
We know that today we are in a very unusual time. Not only do the various things in the world tell us that the end of all things is at hand, but the church of God itself is also in a condition of disorder.
We have already seen what the Bible has prophesied: apostasy and deviation. Things that we could not have imagined are happening among God’s children. Therefore, we are in such an environment, and there is a calling.
Why are we in such circumstances? Is there a word from God for us? If we do not hear God’s Word, we do not know what task lies before us or how we should walk.
We know that we must move forward, but we may not know whether the path before us is the right one. We can become paralyzed because we are afraid of making mistakes.
At this moment, I believe there is a calling in the hearts of many brothers and sisters. Often, although we do not know how to express it, there is this searching within: do we really have a timely word from our Lord? We are not able to live on without His Word.
We thank and praise our Lord, because He knows everything. He knows the things that will happen to us, and His Word has prepared us for them.
The Lord told His disciples beforehand so that, when the time came, they would know that He had already told them. He truly loves us. He knows the things that will happen to us, and He has told us in advance so that we will not be unprepared.
Brothers and sisters, we believe that God, in His own Word, has already spoken to us. Now we have to find those words. All the words of God are spoken to us, and all God’s words are precious.
In the Bible, there are several books particularly related to such a time: Hebrews, 2 Timothy, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation. They have a very intimate relation to us in these days.
This time, we would like to focus on 2 Timothy. We will have four meetings on this subject, and in every meeting we shall study one chapter.
Brothers and sisters, I hope that when you have time, you will read 2 Timothy. Then it will be easier for us to share this book together.
Before we come to 2 Timothy, we need to know something of the background, because we can be helped to understand the words within the letter if we know its background.
According to what we know today, Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment about A.D. 63. He had been imprisoned in Rome for about two years because of the gospel.
After he was released, he apparently visited churches where he had labored before. Very possibly, he traveled through Crete and left Titus there. He also came to Ephesus and then went on to Macedonia, expecting to return to Ephesus soon.
For some reason, Paul was not able to return. He wrote 1 Timothy and also wrote Titus. In Titus, he asked Titus to meet him at Nicopolis, where he intended to spend the winter before going on toward Spain.
We do not know whether Paul returned to Ephesus, nor do we know all the details of his later travels. But by the time of his second imprisonment, conditions had changed completely.
In A.D. 64, probably in July, Nero set fire to Rome. The city was burned, and the people were very angry. According to history, Nero was playing his harp while the city was on fire and was actually enjoying the sight.
Some have said that Nero set fire to Rome in order to build a new city. Whether this is so or not, the people were angry, and Nero needed someone to blame.
Very easily, he blamed the Christians throughout the city. Christians lived differently from the world, so Nero charged them with setting the fire. From that point on, to be a Christian was to be treated as a criminal, and persecution began everywhere.
Paul was imprisoned again. This time, when he was brought to Rome, the circumstances were completely different from the first imprisonment.
During his first imprisonment, Paul had considerable freedom. Though he was guarded by a soldier, he was able to live in his own hired dwelling, receive visitors, and preach Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God without hindrance.
But during this second imprisonment, the condition was altogether different. According to tradition, he was put in a dungeon, underground, dark, and damp. Many people did not even know where he was.
When Onesiphorus arrived in Rome, he spent considerable effort seeking Paul until he found him. At Paul’s first defense, no one stood with him to testify. All in Asia had turned away from him.
Paul knew that the end of his days was near. At the beginning of winter in A.D. 67, he wrote a letter to his beloved child Timothy, asking him to come to Rome before winter because he greatly desired to see him once more.
We know that Paul was martyred in A.D. 68. This is the background of 2 Timothy.
At the beginning of the letter, Paul says, “I thank God, Whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience.” When Paul mentioned his forefathers, he was probably referring to those closest to him.
His forefathers did not know the Lord Jesus, but they served God with a pure conscience according to the light they had received.
Paul used to be called Saul. He was born in Tarsus, but when he was young, he came to Jerusalem. He studied under Gamaliel and was a Pharisee according to the traditions of his forefathers.
He was in the darkness of tradition. He regarded our Lord Jesus as a rebel against Judaism, and he rose up to persecute those who believed in the Way. This was how he thought he served God.
But on the way to Damascus, the Lord met him. From that point on, he served God with a pure conscience in the new life that he had received.
We need a pure conscience to serve our God. A pure conscience is not merely an uncondemning conscience. It is a conscience that is single and pure toward God.
Not only should we have no condemnation in our conscience, but our motive toward God must be pure. There should be no other motive when we serve God. We serve God because we serve Him.
Paul served God with such a pure conscience. When he referred to Timothy, his son in the faith, he spoke of the genuine faith that was in him.
Paul said that this genuine faith had first dwelt in Timothy’s grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice. Some Bible scholars believe that Lois and Eunice may have been among the early believers at Pentecost.
On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were saved. Very possibly, Timothy’s grandmother and mother received the Lord at that time, and they raised Timothy in the will of God.
When Paul came to Lystra, he saw this young man Timothy. His faith was right, and his heart of faith was genuine.
Brothers and sisters, this is very important. We must know the object of our faith. Not only must our faith be accurate, but the heart of faith itself must be genuine.
Here we find two things: a pure conscience and a genuine faith.
The Bible tells us that one who has rejected conscience is like a boat that has suffered shipwreck concerning the faith. Faith is very important for us as Christians.
Before we believed in the Lord, our conscience may have been defiled. But the Lord Jesus cleanses our conscience with His blood. Then God speaks to us through our conscience.
Therefore, we must walk before God with a pure conscience. This has particularly to do with our attitude toward God. We should not be blamed by our conscience, and we should have no improper motive in serving God.
If we serve God in this way, it is pleasing to Him. We must also have sincere faith. We need to know Whom we believe.
If we believe in men or in traditions, we do not really know the One in Whom we believe. Then we will not be able to serve God faithfully. We need an accurate and complete faith, and this faith must be genuine.
At this point, the pure conscience and genuine faith of the believers were tested, because the conditions of that time had changed. Paul was put in prison, and all Asia turned away from him.
This does not mean that the believers in Asia denied the Lord. They deserted Paul because Paul was in danger. They were afraid that, if they were connected with Paul, they would also be in trouble.
Although they did not deny the Lord, they kept a great distance from Paul in order to preserve their own lives. They hid themselves and did not openly acknowledge him.
Timothy had a weak body and, naturally speaking, was withdrawn and timid. In the past, he had been in the shadow of Paul. But now Paul was in prison.
You can imagine the condition in Timothy’s heart. According to his natural disposition, he might not deny the Lord, but he could hide himself. He could preserve his faith privately, yet fail to testify openly.
But Timothy was the one who received the letter. Because Paul was in prison, the second generation had to rise up for the testimony of the Lord. If Timothy also hid himself or compromised, the testimony of the Lord would be discontinued.
Paul wrote this letter to Timothy because Timothy had a foundation in faith, but he was now facing a very serious test. He could not withdraw. He had to be strengthened by God.
For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.
— 2 Timothy 1:7
Brothers and sisters, the conditions in which we are today have many similarities to the conditions in which Paul and Timothy found themselves. Outwardly, we may not seem to be in serious circumstances, but in the spiritual realm and atmosphere, there are great similarities.
Many people have been dispersed. They have not denied the Lord, but they have preserved themselves. How should we be? The Lord is looking for faithful people who can rise up to continue His testimony.
When we come to 2 Timothy 1:8, there is a very important word: “therefore.” This word connects what follows with what precedes it.
Paul has already mentioned the pure conscience and genuine faith. Now, under great testing and affliction, Timothy must not withdraw; he must be strong. Therefore, he must not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.
This is very important. The issue is not Paul, Timothy, you, or me. The issue has to do with the testimony of our Lord.
In such an environment, is there anyone who will rise up to maintain the testimony of the Lord? We must put ourselves forward for the testimony of our Lord.
What is the testimony of our Lord? In the book of Revelation, the phrase “the testimony of Jesus” is a very important term.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
— Revelation 19:10
There are many prophecies in the Bible, particularly in Revelation. But what is the spirit of prophecy? The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
If we read prophecy merely for its outward details, we may lose its real purpose. The purpose of prophecy is to bring us into the testimony of Jesus.
John was exiled to Patmos for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. In Revelation 6, we see souls under the altar—those who were martyred for the testimony of Jesus.
The testimony of Jesus is tremendous. The enemy uses every means to abolish this testimony. Those who hold it may have to suffer, and some have been imprisoned or martyred because of it.
What is the testimony of Jesus? It is the testimony of Who Jesus is.
I am the first and the last,
And the Living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore,
And I have the keys of death and of Hades.
— Revelation 1:17-18
The testimony of Jesus is that Jesus is Lord. God has established Him to be Lord and Christ.
Today, this testimony is entrusted to the church. The church does not testify to itself. The testimony of the church is that Jesus is Lord.
We must stand up and testify that Jesus is indeed the Lord. For this testimony to be expressed, the Lord Jesus must truly be Lord in our lives and in the church. He is the only Lord in the universe.
This is our testimony. Satan is afraid of such a testimony because, through it, Satan is completely defeated.
The world persecutes Christians because there is a great conflict concerning this testimony. Paul was put in prison for this reason, yet he said, “I am not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.”
Dear brothers and sisters, this must be our attitude today toward the testimony of our Lord. The testimony is persecuted in many ways. Not only does the enemy oppose it from outside, but he also seeks to confuse and distort it from within.
If we cannot discern what the testimony of our Lord is, we may think that we are testifying for the Lord when we are not. Therefore, we must be clear concerning this matter.
Under these conditions, should we withdraw? Should we merely preserve ourselves? Paul says, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.”
This testimony is accurate, and it must continue. Although we may have to suffer for this testimony, such suffering is worthwhile.
Paul tells us that God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal.
Every one of us who has been saved has been called by God. He did not call us because we are good. He called us according to His own purpose and grace.
God has called us according to His eternal purpose. According to that purpose, He calls us, and then He gives us grace so that we can answer His call.
What is that purpose? Simply put, it is to give testimony to the Lord.
This is the gospel. The Lord Jesus has abolished death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel. Today, on earth, there is an incorruptible life.
If we know the gospel and know this calling, then although we may be surrounded by many things, we will not be devoured by them. This incorruptible life can be expressed through the power of God.
What does Paul say? “I know Whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
This gave Paul inward strength to keep the testimony of the Lord. Brothers and sisters, do we know Whom we have believed?
What we have believed is not merely a set of truths. What we have believed is not merely a system. We are not believing in any person—not Paul, not Peter, not Apollos. What we believe is our Lord Jesus.
Men can be wrong. Systems can be wrong. Teachings can be wrong. But the Lord Whom we believe cannot be wrong. If we believe in a man, sooner or later we will stumble.
God has never told us to believe in a man. Nor has He told us to put our faith in a system of teaching. These things may be useful in some ways, but they are not the object of our faith.
Do you know Whom you have believed? Many are shaken today because they have forgotten Whom they have believed. Our Lord is credible. He is faithful and reliable.
I know Whom I have believed. He is the Lord of all. I believe in Him, and I follow Him until the end.
Paul was persuaded that the Lord was able to keep what he had entrusted to Him until that day. It is like placing a deposit in a bank. Can we be faithful until that day?
History tells us that a word of God may arise, and that word may indeed be God’s word for a particular time. Yet after twenty or thirty years, those who rose up may fall away.
At a certain point, people may ask themselves, “What should I do? Can I really be faithful to the end?” The further people walk, the more they may fall.
But there is the perseverance of the saints. We must remember that the saints are not kept by themselves. The Lord preserves us.
If you put your money under your bed, perhaps one day a thief will come and take it. But if you put your money in the bank, it is deposited there for safekeeping.
In the same way, we need to entrust all things to our Lord—everything that we know, everything that God has given us, and all the path in which He has led us.
The Lord shall preserve us until that day. That day is the day when we meet the Lord. This is the security of the saints.
Paul knew Whom he had believed, and he entrusted himself and all that God had given him to the Lord. He did not keep anything in his own hand.
Therefore, Paul was deeply persuaded that the Lord could preserve him and all that he had entrusted to the Lord until that day.
Brothers and sisters, in this day of great shaking, we may not be able to be faithful until the end in ourselves. But we can put everything into the hand of the Lord, and the Lord will keep it until that day.
This is my daily prayer before God: “Lord, I can only entrust myself to You. Only You can keep me until that day when I see You.”
On the one hand, we entrust all to the Lord. On the other hand, what the Lord has entrusted to us, we must guard through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us.
We cannot keep it in ourselves, but the Holy Spirit dwells in us. He is able to guard what God has entrusted to us so that we do not lose the testimony of the Lord.
The testimony of the Lord must continue. The question is: who is willing to be faithful to the end?
In our present condition, the question is not how to reconstruct the church. The question is how we maintain the testimony of our Lord. This is the main issue.
Today, God is looking for a group of people who will not withdraw because of outward circumstances, but who, by the grace and power of the Lord, will rise up and continue the testimony of the Lord.
This is the hope of Paul at the end of the first chapter.
Paul tells us, “All that are in Asia turned away from me.” He specifically mentions Phygelus and Hermogenes. We do not know who these people were. Perhaps they were well-known brothers or fellow workers among the churches in Asia.
When danger came and Paul was put in prison, they turned away from him. They not only turned away from Paul, but likely influenced other brothers and sisters in Asia to do the same.
They wanted to preserve their own lives. In this sense, they were ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.
But on the other side, Paul mentions Onesiphorus. This person was altogether different.
Not only did Onesiphorus serve the Lord and help Paul in Ephesus, but when he went to Rome, he sought Paul diligently and found him.
This was very dangerous for him. While he was looking for Paul, there was every possibility that he himself could have been put in prison.
Remember when our Lord was captured: the disciples dispersed, and Peter denied the Lord three times. But Onesiphorus stood together with Paul in such circumstances.
Brothers and sisters, even today there are two kinds of people among God’s children. One kind is like Phygelus and Hermogenes: they are ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.
They are not willing to stand on the same side. They are not willing to suffer for the Lord.
The other kind is like Onesiphorus. He was faithful to the Lord. He was willing to give testimony to the Lord and willing to suffer for the testimony of the Lord.
God is calling for faithful people—people who will be faithful to the testimony of the Lord.
We must be faithful, not merely to other things, but to the testimony of the Lord. We must keep the testimony of the Lord.
We must testify that Jesus is Lord. He is the Lord in our lives. He is the Lord among us. He is the Lord of the universe.
This is what our Lord hopes to obtain at this time.
Lord, we thank You and praise You because You know all things. Before things happen to us, You speak to us through Your Word.
Our Lord, as we read Your Word, we truly thank You and praise You. We need You because You are our way. You are all to us.
Lord, we ask You that in this end time, You would raise up many of Your children—many who would testify for You and be faithful until the end.
We know that the One Who is to come will come. May we not withdraw. Lord, we look to You once again, and we dedicate ourselves to You. Keep us until that day, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.