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responsibility had been entrusted； and while urging him to come without
delay； he dictated the dying testimony that he might not be spared to utter。
His soul filled with loving solicitude for his son in the gospel and for the
church under his care； Paul sought to impress Timothy with the importance of
fidelity to his sacred trust。
Paul began his letter with the salutation： 〃To Timothy； my dearly beloved
son： Grace； mercy； and peace； from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord。
I thank God； whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience； that
without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day。〃
The apostle then urged upon Timothy the necessity of steadfastness in the
faith。 〃I put thee in remembrance；〃 he wrote； 〃that thou stir up the gift of
God； which is in thee by the putting on of my hands。 For God hath not given
us the spirit of fear； but of power； and of love； and
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of a sound mind。 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord；
nor of me His prisoner： but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the
gospel according to the power of God。〃 Paul entreated Timothy to remember
that he had been called 〃with a holy calling〃 to proclaim the power of Him
who had 〃brought life and immortality to light through the gospel：
whereunto；〃 he declared； 〃I am appointed a preacher； and an apostle； and a
teacher of the Gentiles。 For the which cause I also suffer these things：
nevertheless I am not ashamed： for I know whom I have believed； and am
persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him
against that day。〃
Through his long term of service； Paul had never faltered in his allegiance
to his Saviour。 Wherever he waswhether before scowling Pharisees； or Roman
authorities； before the furious mob at Lystra； or the convicted sinners in
the Macedonian dungeon； whether reasoning with the panic…stricken sailors on
the shipwrecked vessel； or standing alone before Nero to plead for his
lifehe had never been ashamed of the cause he was advocating。 The one
great purpose of his Christian life had been to serve Him whose name had
once filled him with contempt； and from this purpose no opposition or
persecution had been able to turn him aside。 His faith； made strong by
effort and pure by sacrifice； upheld and strengthened him。
〃Thou therefore； my son；〃 Paul continued； 〃be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus。 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses； the same commit
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thou to faithful men； who shall be able to teach others also。 Thou therefore
endure hardness； as a good soldier of Jesus Christ。〃
The true minister of God will not shun hardship or responsibility。 From the
Source that never fails those who sincerely seek for divine power； he draws
strength that enables him to meet and overcome temptation； and to perform
the duties that God places upon him。 The nature of the grace that he
receives； enlarges his capacity to know God and His Son。 His soul goes out
in longing desire to do acceptable service for the Master。 And as he
advances in the Christian pathway he becomes 〃strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus。〃 This grace enables him to be a faithful witness of the things
that he has heard。 He does not despise or neglect the knowledge that he has
received from God； but commits this knowledge to faithful men； who in their
turn teach others。
In this his last letter to Timothy； Paul held up before the younger worker a
high ideal； pointing out the duties devolving on him as a minister of
Christ。 〃Study to show thyself approved unto God；〃 the apostle wrote； 〃a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed； rightly dividing the word of truth。〃
〃Flee also youthful lusts： but follow righteousness； faith； charity； peace；
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart。 But foolish and
unlearned questions avoid； knowing that they do gender strifes。 And the
servant of the Lord must not strive； but be gentle unto all men； apt to
teach； patient； in meekness instructing those that oppose
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themselves； if God peradventure will give them repentance to the
acknowledging of the truth。〃
The apostle warned Timothy against the false teachers who would seek to gain
entrance into the church。 〃This know also；〃 he declared； 〃that in the last
days perilous times shall come。 For men shall be lovers of their own selves；
covetous； boasters； proud； blasphemers； disobedient to parents； unthankful；
unholy； 。 。 。 having a form of godliness； but denying the power thereof：
from such turn away。〃
〃Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse；〃 he continued； 〃deceiving；
and being deceived。 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned
and hast been assured of； knowing of whom thou hast learned them； and that
from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures； which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation。 。 。 。 All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God； and is profitable for doctrine； for reproof； for correction； for
instruction in righteousness： that the man of God may be perfect； throughly
furnished unto all good works。〃 God has provided abundant means for
successful warfare against the evil that is in the world。 The Bible is the
armory where we may equip for the struggle。 Our loins must be girt about
with truth。 Our breastplate must be righteousness。 The shield of faith must
be in our hand； the helmet of salvation on our brow； and with the sword of
the Spirit； which is the word of God； we are to cut our way through the
obstructions and entanglements of sin。
Paul knew that there was before the church a time of great peril。 He knew
that faithful； earnest work would
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have to be done by those left in charge of the churches； and he wrote to
Timothy； 〃I charge thee therefore before God； and the Lord Jesus Christ； who
shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom； Preach
the word； be instant in season； out of season； reprove； rebuke； exhort with
all long…suffering and doctrine。〃
This solemn charge to one so zealous and faithful as was Timothy is a strong
testimony to the importance and responsibility of the work of the gospel
minister。 Summoning Timothy before the bar of God； Paul bids him preach the
word； not the sayings and customs of men； to be ready to witness for God
whenever opportunity should present itselfbefore large congregations and
private circles； by the way and at the fireside； to friends and to enemies；
whether in safety or exposed to hardship and peril； reproach and loss。
Fearing that Timothy's mild； yielding disposition might lead him to shun an
essential part of his work； Paul exhorted him to be faithful in reproving
sin and even to rebuke with sharpness those who were guilty of gross evils。
Yet he was to do this 〃with all long…suffering and doctrine。〃 He was to
reveal the patience and love of Christ； explaining and enforcing his
reproofs by the truths of the word。
To hate and reprove sin； and at the same time to show pity and tenderness
for the sinner； is a difficult attainment。 The more earnest our own efforts
to attain to holiness of heart and life； the more acute will be our
perception of sin and the more decided our disapproval of any deviation from
the right。 We must guard against undue severity toward
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the wrongdoer； but we must also be careful not to lose sight of the
exceeding sinfulness of sin。 There is need of showing Christlike patience
and love for the erring one； but there is also danger of showing so great
toleration for his error that he will look upon himself as undeserving of
reproof； and will reject it as uncalled for and unjust。
Ministers of the gospel sometimes do great harm by allowing their
forbearance toward the erring to degenerate into toleration of sins and even
participation in them。 Thus they are led to excuse and palliate that which
God condemns； and after a time they become so blinded as to commend the very
ones whom God commands them to reprove。 He who has blunted his spiritual
perceptions by sinful leniency toward those whom God condemns； will erelong
commit a greater sin by severity and harshness toward those whom God
approves。
By the pride of human wisdom； by contempt for the influence of the Holy
Spirit； and by disrelish for the truths of God's word； many who profess to
be Christians； and who feel competent to teach others； will be led to turn
away from the requirements of God。 Paul declared to Timothy； 〃The time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine； but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers； having itching ears； and they shall
turn away their ears from the truth； and shall be turned unto fables。〃
The apostle does not here refer to the openly irreligious； but to the
professing Christians who make inclination their guide； and thus become
enslaved by self。 Such are willing to listen to those doctrines only that do
not rebuke their sins
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or condemn their pleasure…loving course。 They a