the acts of the apostles-第84节

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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