2 Timothy Pt. 1 Timothy's Family Models God's Plan For Our Family

We are starting a study of Paul's second pastoral letter to young Pastor Timothy. Often, the second of two epistles contains a warning about the kingdom of darkness and this one is no exception.

The apostolic greeting and Paul's God given authority. 

2 Timothy 1:1-2  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2)  To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Paul was an older apostle at the time he wrote to Timothy. He also knew that he would be martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ.

The apostle came to know Timothy and his godly mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. These two women communicated that the just shall live by faith and they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul either led Timothy to faith in Christ or he discipled him as a babe in Christ, so that he could grow spiritually as all Christians should. 

Paul loved Timothy like a father loves his son and his paternal affection for the young pastor comes out in his letters to him. He calls Timothy "my dearly beloved son." 

Generally, Paul begins his letters to the churches by reminding us that he is an apostle called by Jesus Christ to preach the gospel to all nations. 

He does this when writing to Timothy. The young pastor represents the next generation of church leaders and he must pass the apostolic doctrine on to the churches. 

Jesus Christ is the heart of the gospel.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Here is the heart of the gospel of Christ that Paul is upholding. Jesus is the only way to the Father in heaven. No other person or religion has access to God.

 Jesus is the fullest expression of the truth of the Father. When you see Jesus work or hear Him speak, you see the Father work or hear Him speak. 

Jesus is the life, that is, as the eternal Son of God, He created all things (John 1:1-3). All living things receive life from Jesus Christ.  

The gospel of Christ proclaims the Father's lovingkindness to all. 

2 Timothy  1:2  To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

The gospel is to be preached in all nations and all people are to be taught to obey the teachings and commands of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).

The gospel tells us that Jesus Christ is God's perfect Lamb who made a full atonement for our sins. 

Jesus' suffering, death, burial and resurrection were for us (Isaiah 53:1-12). 

He suffered the wrath of God for our sins. He died receiving the wages of our sins (Romans 6:23). 

He rose from the grave to vindicate all who turn to Jesus Christ with repentant faith (Romans 3:21-27). 

He ascended to His Father to be our eternal High Priest who is able to save us to the uttermost because He always intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:22-28). 

The Father is well pleased and satisfied with the work of His Son on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

The enmity between sinful man and holy God has been removed (Romans 5:5-11). 

The Father is now "for us" and nothing or no one can take the love of God away from us (Romans 8:31-39). 

A sinner who repents and turns to Christ for salvation will be regenerated by God's Spirit and be made alive to God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:4-6).

Thus, Paul commends the grace of God that brings salvation to the world. 

He praises the mercy of God because the Father restrains His rightful wrath for our sins because He has given us Christ's own righteousness. 

Paul praises the peace with God that passes all human understanding that we receive when we are born again.  

Paul always reminds those to whom he writes that he is praying for their needs and for them at a personal level. He communicates apostolic love and oversight of the churches.

Paul's reminder that we should pray for others without ceasing. 

2 Timothy  1:3  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; 

Paul was always mindful that he was a great rebel against the gospel of Christ. 

Jesus stopped Paul on the road to Damascus and gave him a new heart and a new spirit as the scriptures promise (Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26).

Paul always moved forward in his walk with Jesus day by day, even though he often was persecuted and suffered much. 

The apostle was amazed that God would use him to preach the gospel throughout the Roman empire. 

This is why Paul expresses thanksgiving to God for the grace, mercy and peace that he received.

Then Paul reminds young Timothy that he was praying for him. He prayed for Timothy night and day and this connects to believers praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

Timothy's tears reminds us that Christians should have tender hearts. 

2 Timothy 1:4  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 

The tears of Timothy may have been as a result of the apostle meeting the elders from the Ephesian Church where Timothy served (Acts 20:37). 

When Paul said the elders would not see him again, they wept greatly and Timothy was likely present with them.  

As Paul took Timothy under his care and carefully taught him the doctrines of our faith, such personal instruction made deep impressions on Timothy’s heart.   

The mention of Timothy's tears is proof of Paul's love for Timothy.

The benefit of living in a Christian home.

2 Timothy 1:5  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 

Paul knew Timothy's mother and grandmother. He was convinced that their faith was real, vibrant and that they were alive toward God. 

As time passed, Paul came to know that Lois was the first believer in Timothy's family, and that she faithfully led her daughter to faith in Christ. 

Timothy's family connections and godly testimony.

Acts 16:1-2  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2)  Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 

Timothy's mother and grandmother led him to faith in Christ.  We read that Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. 

There he met a certain disciple named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, who was a Jewess, that believed. 

Timothy's father was a Greek which most think means he was not converted to faith in Christ.

A child raised in a Christian home where the parents are living for God's glory and are teaching their children about Jesus, is a great gift indeed.

Timothy had given the fullest proof of the sincerity of his conversion, and of the purity of his faith. Paul heard it and saw it lived out by Timothy. 

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

As Paul begins his second letter to Timothy, he highlights the importance of Christian homes. 

God tells parents that it is our duty to train up our children in the way of God. We must model godly living according to the gospel of Christ. 

If we fail to live according to the gospel we seek to instill in our children, then they will see that we are mere hypocrites.

Thus, the whole family must seek to live as God commands us to live. We must seek to know God more each day as we read His Word. We must pursue holy living not loose living.  

Ephesians 6:1-4  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2)  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4)  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

Here is God's plan for the home. Children are to be taught to obey their parents. Ultimately, this is to teach them that they must learn to obey God. God says that it is right for a child to obey his or her parents.

Paul connects this truth with the commandment God gave for children to honor their parents. 

Fathers must learn to be loving dispensers of discipline when our children make mistakes or do wrong. 

If it is an issue of disobedience, we must show them that God commands them to obey their parents. 

If it is a moral issue like lying or stealing, then we must show them what God says about their sin. 

We must teach them about confessing and forsaking sin (Proverbs 28:13), and how repentance restores our relationship with the Father (1 John 1:7 to 2:2).

Christian parenting is not about following what some man wrote about Christian homes. It is about conforming our home to what God says about the family in His Word. 

Bob