THE Bible contains instruction and guidance for all kinds and classes of men in all their varied stations and relationships, especially respecting God and their neighbour. And, of course, the minister of the Gospel, as we might expect, will find the pages of the Scriptures full of divinely inspired instruction, guidance and exhortation, etc., having specific application to him as a Christian and in respect of his office. This is especially true of Paul’s pastoral epistles to such as Timothy. He writes as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and as a man who was deeply devoted to his Lord and Master, as one who had a deep experience of the life of grace in the soul, and who knew the needs, obligations and trials of a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His inspired mind and pen have contributed to Scripture, among other writings, two epistles to Timothy. Timothy, he declares, was his own son in the faith, being brought to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus through his instrumentality by the power of the Holy Ghost. In the second epistle to Timothy he addresses this young minister of Christ as “My dearly beloved son,” and as in the first epistle proceeds to manifest his fatherly love in the bonds of the gospel of Christ in exhorting him with regard to vital matters affecting the spiritual and faithful discharge of his ministry. We would just select several pointed counsels which Paul gives to young Timothy as these appear in the second epistle.
To Timothy he writes, “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” (II Tim. i. 8). Here is serious, solemn and sound advice. Here is a call to stand shoulder to shoulder with the suffering Church of Christ in witnessing to the truth and in love to Christ. Ministers are not to be ashamed, first of all, of the testimony of the Lord, and, secondly, nor of His suffering people. They are to be prepared to expose themselves to like trials, yet by the assistance of “the power of God.”
Again, how needful to Timothy the following counsel was: “… be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (chap. ii. v. 1). The blessed Head of the Church being “full of grace and truth,” Timothy, in order to be “a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” indeed required to receive out of that fullness. He needed strength, not his own, nor derived from Paul’s friendship or example, but from the Captain of Salvation Himself. To Him, Timothy was to come with his weakness, insufficiency, exposure to indwelling sin, to the temptations of the devil, and the frowns of an evil world, for spiritual and adequate strength. Through faith drawing upon the grace that is in Christ he was to be strong for service and suffering as a servant of the Lord.
Then Paul saw fit to offer to Timothy advice as to dividing the Word of Truth, as we read, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (chap. ii. v. 15). Timothy’s principal work was to be preaching and teaching the Word of God to his fellow sinners and the people of God. Now, let it be said at once, that although earnest prayer and reading of the Scriptures in a serious way are indeed absolutely essential to a right dividing of the Word of Truth by the Gospel minister as a workman in his own sphere, yet what the Apostle says as to “study” is vital. Such are to be greatly concerned as to what God will think of their work in seeking to rightly divide the Word of Truth. But also, they are to study the truth. Look at the blessed man in the first Psalm: “. . . In his law doth he meditate day and night.” They are to meditate upon the truth, to compare spiritual things with spiritual, to seek from the Lord that by His Spirit they may be given an understanding of and an insight into the truth, and be also enabled to open up the truth in such spiritual and scriptural order as will in some degree serve the honour of God and the gracious designs of the Gospel; all, of course, dependent upon the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore enjoined upon Timothy that he be a workman not only in the public activities of the Gospel ministry but very much so in preparation thereto.
The Apostle well knew the evil influence of evil men, and writes to Timothy words of caution, viz., “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, 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” (Tim. chap. iii. v. 13-14). As the Redeemer said to the disciples in the garden, “Watch and pray, lest ye fall into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.” How grievous it has been to children of God and dishonouring to their Lord to be turned aside, even temporarily, by the cunning craftiness of men and the snares of the devil, and on account of their own unwatchfulness as to the light, claims and guidance of the Word of God. It was needful for Timothy with regard to what he had learned from the Scriptures of the sound and holy and pure doctrines of the gospel, to value above gold and silver what he had learned by divine teaching and the assistance of, say, Paul himself. To continue therein was imperative if he was to continue to honour God, to keep a pure conscience and to be a true, faithful, and good minister of Jesus Christ and instrumental in bringing spiritual blessings to precious souls. And truly, without Christ, the minister of the gospel can do nothing. Grace for grace is needed out of Christ’s fullness to continue and persevere in spiritual and loving adherence to the things concerning Christ Jesus and His Kingdom, according to the Scriptures, in the midst of and in face of not only open but subtle departures from the doctrines of the Infallible Word of God. Paul perforce had to record, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,” and had to expose Hymenæus and Philetus, who erred concerning the truth in relation to the resurrection, and undermined and overthrew the faith of some (II Tim. ii. v. 18). And so to Timothy he says, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of” (II Tim. iii. 13). He was thus to be a standing reproof to and witness against deceivers in the visible Church, and an example, guide and encouragement to others to resist and disown false teachers. And surely this is what the true minister of Christ Jesus ought to be, having regard to the honour of his Lord.
And lastly just now, to Timothy there is given a solemn and all-important charge, viz., to “preach the word” (II Tim. iv. v. 2). As to his especial duties as a minister of the Lord, this charge lays upon him what was to be his principal concern and work, and no wonder the Apostle gives him this charge as “before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom.” What responsibility and accountability attach to such men as profess to speak for God to sinners, who are to appear at the judgment seat of Christ at last! What onerous labour they have who claim to be commissioned by the divine head of the Church to proclaim the Word of the Truth of the Gospel to never dying souls! Well, “Preach the Word” is the charge to such. They are not to preach themselves, their worldly-wise notions, the philosophies of men, science falsely so-called, or doctrines contrary to or inconsistent with the inspired Word of God. Such conduct betrays men to be but wolves in sheep’s clothing. The minister of the Gospel is to preach the Word, not to endeavour to propagate the Word by films and plays, etc., with a view to attracting the fleshly minds of such as will not otherwise hearken to the pure and plain preaching of the Word of God. “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rose from the dead.” Timothy was not to cater for those who had “itching ears” and who would not endure sound doctrine. The servant of Christ is to hold forth the Word of Life in his preaching whether men will bear or forbear, inasmuch as that it pleased the Most High by “the foolishness of preaching” to awaken sinners to a sense of their sin and guilt, to convert sinners, to bring them to believe on the suffering Saviour unto their salvation from sin, wrath and hell, and to have the hope of the glory of God. When He the Spirit of Truth comes to save, He works by means of the reading and the preaching of the Truth of God primarily. Ministers are to preach the whole counsel of God, spiritual and gracious experience, and that practice which is after godliness, and prayerfully leave the issues with God, according to His sovereign grace.
And so let every Timothy read and study constantly and prayerfully the counsels of “Paul the aged” as set forth in his inspired epistles, for therein is to be found divine instruction and guidance for the office of the ministry unto the glory of Christ.