The Good Fight

Death bed narratives are when people share their innermost feelings at the most vulnerable time of their lives. It is their last words and can be secrets they have held on to for their entire lives or it can be valuable advice or instruction to those whom they love so very much. I am suggesting that this may have been the case with Paul because he says: For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

This was not going to be the end of him but his time on earth was soon coming to an end and he knew it.

Paul shares his innermost thoughts to Timothy (whom he sometimes referred to as a son). He is not bragging but he is laying out a sort of blueprint for not only a budding Pastor but for every Christian who desires to follow the Lord. There is sadness in his words to the extent that it expresses what he has been through but there is also much rejoicing because he knows for sure he has an eternal home in the Lord Jesus.

What about you my friends? What is your life story? Have you lived in such a way that you too can be sure of your eternal life with Jesus? If not, it is time to get serious about our faith and what we believe. Being a Christian is not about feeling nice at Church among friends and singing a few familiar hymns. The end goal is to stay faithful to the Lord and secure a place for ourselves in heaven.

We are also called to share the gospel story, not any other stories. Paul lays down the rules of how to do that both for a preacher and every aspiring believer like all of you as well. He begins by saying “: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and teaching. Sharing the word does not come easy. First of all one must know the word because you cannot share what you do not have yourself!

Let me ask – do you read your bibles every day? Are you familiar with the living word of God? Are you selective as to which things you are willing to obey and which you feel are not important? How often have you shared the word of God with someone? Are you proud to be a follower of Jesus or do you not mix your faith with friends or those you see on the street or grocery store?

We feed our bellies with food for the body but what about food for the soul? A lot of people aren’t too concerned about their souls. They come to Church or attend a bible study or revival somewhere and figure it is good enough. They may also love to listen to motivational speeches or a prosperity gospel or a feel good sermon but I say this lovingly, unless God’s word challenges us or draws us closer to him we are cheating ourselves.

Elsewhere the same Paul says we are to be imitators of God and no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk having a darkened understanding of his word. We are to put away lying and speak the truth and not let the sun go down on our wrath nor give place for the devil to sow his seed in our lives. He goes on to say, “those things that were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”

Never settle for a shortcut to heaven or a watered down version of the gospel. Sometimes it is hard to hear the commandments of God and do what he expects us to do. But unless we pick up our cross and follow Him we will be eternally lost. We are in the last days and have to be wary of being lured into false teaching. In vs 3 and 4 Paul says: 3 For the time will come when they (meaning all of us) will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

That time has come and false teaching and doctrines have filled the lives of many who call themselves Christians. It is possible for many Christians to turn aside from the truth and to believe many fables. Church leaders have run amok and instead of being shepherds to their flock, they have fallen from Grace and brought shame to our faith. What about same sex marriages, gender mutilations and endorsing popular life styles that is incompatible with the gospel. There are other subtle things too.