Day 198 – Friday, October 3, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

2 Timothy 2

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Be Strong in Grace

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

¹¹ This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.

¹² If we endure,

We shall also reign with Him.

If we deny Him,

He also will deny us.

¹³ If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

He cannot deny Himself. 

(2 Timothy 2:1–13, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul continued his instructions to Timothy with a call to be strong in the grace of Christ. He told him to raise up other leaders and work hard as a soldier of Christ. He could do that by not becoming tangled up with worldly things.
• Paul used a sports analogy to explain. The competitor must play by the rules and apply himself to his sport.
• Paul then spoke of the farmer, who would be the first to eat from this crops.
• Paul also reminded Timothy of the example of Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead, and that Paul had spoken of him at peril of his life, but that the gospel message of Christ would not be stopped.
• Paul quoted his own writings in saying that if a Christian died with Christ, he or she would also live with Him. If one endured, one should reign with Him. However, if we deny Him, He will deny us. God is always faithful.

Approved and Disapproved Workers

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶ But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. ¹⁷ And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, ¹⁸ who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. ²² Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 

(2 Timothy 2:14–26, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Finally, Paul instructed Timothy to remind the others to keep their minds on God and not on disputes. He called on Timothy to diligently present himself approved unto God, knowing the word of God and the truth of the gospel.
• Paul encouraged Timothy not to stray from the truth, as some had done. He must keep his message true.
• Paul then spoke of vessels of honor and of dishonor. Those who keep faith in the true gospel would be vessels of honor to God, while those who strayed would be like those lesser vessels that have no honor.
• Finally Paul described how to be an honorable vessel, and prayed for the repentance of those who dishonored the gospel, that they could be restored and blessed by God.
• Be a vessel of honor. Do not allow Satan or false teachers to pull you away from the truth of the Word of God in the gospel. We are fighting for an eternal reward. Do not let the enemy take it from you before you reach the finish line.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.