1Tim 1: And Others
More Observations:
Christ and the Pattern of our Faith
We
have looked a little at suffering and its place in the Christian life. It is an
important reality to consider and a part of life we ought to be prepared for.
As we read, "All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer…" at one
time or another in their lives. This reality alone contradicts the health and
wealth advocates of radical material prosperity in the lives of professing
Christians. We are called to suffering.
Why
does God allow is?
The
basic answer is to make us more like Jesus and to make us more like those who
show us Jesus in the ways they endure difficulties. Suffering is for our good
and it is endured by God's grace working in us according to his purpose for us.
We saw this already in 2Tim 1.
2Tim 1:8-13 to a holy calling, not because of
our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ
Jesus before the ages began,
10 and which now has been manifested
through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for
which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which
is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have
believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what
has been entrusted to me.
13 Follow the pattern of the
sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that
are in Christ Jesus.
These words have
primary application to Timothy as one ministering for the Lord and ordained by
Paul to be in Ephesus. But, there is a general application from the scriptures
to all who will live godly in Christ Jesus. That is what all believers are
called to. That is the standard by which we ought to live. We are no longer our
own, we have been bought with a price. Therefore we are to glorify God with our
entire body--nothing excluded.
Some of Paul's final
words to the Roman Church also bear this out: 16:19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you,
but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is
evil.
What a
great verse to commit to memory: be wise as to what is ultimately good and
innocent as to the evil. The good reflects God's character and his Law; the evil
is contrary to the same. That means a life well-lived is lived in a deliberate
way of obedience towards God that knows God's revealed will uses is as the path
to guide the way through life. So much of the ways of God are what makes sense
and reflects the Law of God: Do not bear false witness, do not kill, don't
steal; don't commit sexual sin, don't covet the stuff other people have, honor
your parents, love God and worship Him alone. A basic reading of the Gospels is enough to
give a basic understanding of what God requires. Not many will seek to follow
what they read unless God should help them to understand and do what the
scriptures say.
1Cor 4
finds Paul telling the Corinthians to imitate him. It is said that imitation is
a form of flattery. Paul doesn't tell the Corinthians to imitate him in order
to flatter him, but in order for them to do what is right. Paul understands
that though he is a sinner, the grace of God has worked in him powerfully
enough, that he can set himself as an example for others who profess faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though we
are still sinners, we should live in such a way that the less mature could
examine our lives and get an idea of how they ought to live. This is a great
responsibility of which many fall far short, I am afraid with all of the
immaturity and superficiality we find in churches all around us.
Paul wrote: 1 Cor 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in
Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in
disrepute.
11 To the present hour we hunger and
thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and
we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when
persecuted, we endure; 13when slandered, we entreat. We have
become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all
things.
14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but
to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though
you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I
became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of
me.
17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and
faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,as I teach them
everywhere in every church.
18 Some are arrogant, as though I were
not coming to you.
19 But I will come to you soon, if the
Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their
power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but
in power. [Remember the mention of POWER in 2 Tim 1? It is the power to do what
we ought to do by God's standard]
Col 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for
your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in
Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of
which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was
given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the
mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
27 To them God chose to make known how great among the
Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone
with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For
this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully
works within me.
Suffering is for our good: Rom
8:28-29 28 And we know that for those who love God
all things work together for good, for those who are called according
to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he
might be the firstborn among many brothers.
What is coming and because of the promise of God, what do we
expect? 2Thess 3:5 May the Lord direct
your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness {or perseverance} of
Christ.
Heb 12:1-2 1 Therefore,
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside
every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking
to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated
at the right hand of the throne of God.
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