Retain the Standard

2 Timothy 3:14-15 - "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

The book of Second Timothy is a letter from the apostle Paul to a younger believer, Timothy, inviting him to join him in suffering for the gospel. This was the last epistle that was written by the apostle Paul and it gives us a good example of an older believer passing the baton to a younger believer. Paul was in prison and he recognized that his time to die was drawing near. In chapter 4 and verse 6 he says - "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." He knew that his race was over and he was preparing someone to pick up where he was leaving off in order that the work of faith would not be in vain. John writes in 2 John 8 - "Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward." This is basically what the apostle Paul is preparing Timothy for. He knows that he is getting ready to die and he wants Timothy to watch himself in order that he might not lose everything that Paul has worked for. This passing on of the Lords work is something that we see throughout Scripture. Moses handed his work off to Joshua, David prepared the materials but Solomon actually carried out the work of building the Lords house,  Elijah handed his mantle to Elisha, and on it goes. One principle that we can take from this is that the Lords work is never tied to a single person. If it's truly the Lords work then it won't die with it's leader. The Lord uses us to carry out His work but it's still His work and He can accomplish it through one man as well as another.

There are several commendable qualities which Timothy had that caught Paul's eye, and he mentions some of those things in this letter, but he doesn't sugarcoat anything. Living for the Lord is hard work and Paul makes that very clear. In his initial invitation he says "Join with me in suffering for the gospel." At the beginning of chapter 2 he likens the Christian life to the life of a soldier and invites Timothy to "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." In chapter 3 we're assured that "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

Another main theme of this letter is holding fast to the Word of God, and this is primarily what I want to focus on right now. There is much that Paul says about our responsibility to the Word of God. We read in 2 Timothy 1:13-14 - "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." The Word of God is a treasure that we are to guard zealously. Even at the time that Paul was writing this letter to Timothy there were those, inside the church and out, who were seeking to undermine the Word of God or distort it to suit their own purposes. In chapter 3 he talks about those who "have a form of godliness but deny it's power." And who are "opposed to the truth." He actually goes through a rather long list of the characteristics of men in the last days, but he makes a contrast by saying of Timothy in verse 10 - "But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions and sufferings." And he continues in verses 13-17 - "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." As long as Satan continues as the god of this world he will keep on deceiving and using those he has deceived to deceive others. In view of this we need to take careful heed to ourselves and make sure that we are continuing in the Word of God, which is Gods standard of truth. The devil hates the Bible and as long as he can keep men blind to the Word of God he can deceive them. Paul recounts a little bit of Timothy's past. He says "from childhood you have known the Sacred Writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." Back in chapter 1 he said how he saw the passing on of genuine faith, first from his grandmother to his mother, and then from his mother to him. Timothy's mother was a believer who brought Timothy up knowing the Word of God, and that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. And now Paul is encouraging him to continue in the Word of God, to be faithful to it.

And just as this was true back then it is all the more so today. The need for us to know the Scriptures and hold fast to them is great. And we need to hold to them, not just in word and tongue but in deed and in truth. We should not simply give lip service to the Word of God, but the truths of the Scripture should work themselves out in our lives every day. The apostle Paul noticed the genuine faith of Timothy. How could he if what he claimed to believe didn't show itself out in the way that Timothy lived? We need to retain the standard of sound words. We need to hold firmly to the Word of God even when it's unpopular or "politically incorrect." The Word of God is the ultimate standard of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 - "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."