Courageous and Shameless
October 27, 2020
Commentary
Not ashamed is the key idea to this chapter. In this time of mounting persecution Timothy could have been afraid to continue preaching the gospel. Paul admonishes Timothy not to be ashamed in (v. 8). Paul gives a brief summary of the gospel by saying, God loves us, called us and sent His son to die for us (vv. 9-10). We can have eternal life through faith in Him, because He broke the power of death with His resurrection. Timothy is not to be ashamed of the Lord’s testimony or of the Lord’s prisoner. Though Paul was held in a Roman prison, yet he called himself Christ’s prisoner and with this Paul exhorts Timothy to join courageously with him in suffering for the gospel.
Having already mentioned the gospel, Paul tells some of its most important details of how God saved us and has called us to Holy Living. In (v. 11-12) Paul says that this gospel is “Glorious"; It is the most important message ever told. Paul had been using his gifts for the Lord yet this brought much suffering including his present imprisonment. In the eyes of the world he was a criminal, but he was able to say that he was not ashamed. Even though he was suffering abuse and humiliation he was confident of God’s complete deliverance in the end. He was sharing his own experience to bolster Timothy’s courage. Paul was in prison, but he did not stop his ministry. He trusted God to use him regardless of his circumstances.
Application
I need to make sure that I am not ashamed to identify myself in this world as a believer in Christ. It is important that I stand for the Lord with courage, in order to influence others to stand for the Lord and not be ashamed. I may suffer in various ways, possibly the loss of friends, being by passed for a position, or made fun of. It is also very important that I stand by God’s servants who are suffering for righteousness sake.
2 Timothy 1:8– 12 (NET)
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel. 9 He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! 11 For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher. 12 Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.