Day 625: Time to say good-bye - 2 Timothy 1 vs 1-2
1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Timothy 1:1-2 (English Standard Version)
An emotional classical song that's been popular in talent shows these days is titled 'Time to say Good-bye'. It probably struck a chord over the past two years which brought an increased awareness of death around the world due to the pandemic. Many have had the sorrow of saying a final good-bye. As I start this series of posts on the second of two letters the apostle Paul wrote to his dear friend Timothy, it's helpful to know the circumstances it was written in.
In Chapter 4:6-8 Paul says to Timothy: “As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
It's quite likely that it was Paul who led Timothy to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Timothy went on to accompany Paul on his missionary travels and also spent time with new Christians to strengthen them in their faith. He would've seen the opposition Paul often faced and the hard times he went through. So in this letter Paul encourages Timothy to be prepared to also endure sufferings he may encounter as he served Christ. The opening verses were a familiar form of Christian greetings and we see that Paul and Timothy had both embraced the eternal life promised in Christ Jesus. But in Chapter 4 Paul says: “the time of my departure has come.” He was writing from a Roman jail and knew he was facing martyrdom. So what were his thoughts as he faced the end?
Firstly, we see there was no self pity. He wasn't angry with God because he was going to be executed. On the contrary, he viewed dying in the cause and for the sake of Christ as a final offering. He knew Christ had laid down His life for him, so to lay his life down for Christ was not a burden. We see too that he faced his journey's end with confidence. He used two pictures of what following Christ is like. A battle to be fought, and a race that must be run. Not just a 100 metres, but a marathon. And much of Paul's confidence was because he could say as the end drew near “I've fought the battle, run the race, and kept the faith!”
That last phrase is the key. He had kept the faith! He had clung to Jesus and to the gospel Jesus had preached. He hadn't fled from the battle, nor allowed weariness to make him drop out along the way. His conscience was at peace. What light that sort of testimony will bring into the dark days when death is on our doorstep. But what was the other grounds for his confidence?
He speaks of what he refers to as 'the crown of righteousness' which God has in store for everyone who has loved the One who came into the world to save sinners. He doesn't elaborate on what the crown is but he had spoken in vs 1-2 of the 'promise of life' that is in Christ Jesus. The gospel doesn't promise us carnal rewards, it promises righteousness. A crown is a symbol of victory – and it’s given to all who keep the faith! The day will come when it's our time to say good bye. But it will be a time of great joy if our life has been built on the grace, mercy, and peace that come from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.