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make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

There is, I think, some confusion among some who are under the mistaken impression our faith shouldn’t involve any effort. While true, Jesus is the one who did the work of salvation, we are told to do our best to live rightly. We need to try hard to supplement our faith. Virtue is important. Knowing the truth and being able to think rightly is something we need to strive to do. What we do matters, we are able to control our reactions, and to remain steadfast in those actions and attitudes. Then we’ll be more like God, loving fellow Christians and caring for those around us. It’s not just a ticket to heaven, it’s a life committed to do good.

“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

As Christians we’re meant to be unified. We can’t allow the world to get under our skin. We’ve been warned that there will be those who would seek to normalize sexual sin, like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. These folks are the grumblers and malcontents who are hoping to follow their own sinful desires, and irritated at anyone who points out (like Paul did) Christians don’t act like that. They’re loud-mouth boasters, actually drawing attention to themselves by posting on Facebook and writing ridiculous blogs telling people “God is now ok with Homosexuality” or broadcasting that they are living with one who is not their spouse and they think it’s a great thing. These people are masquerading as Christians, yet they are “causing divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” For us, we love God, we show mercy to those who doubt God, and by our kindness show them the way… but don’t get sucked in. Hate even the hint of those who would follow their own passions rather than the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

We don’t get to choose when we will speak the gospel. When the moment comes, we need to be ready. “Preaching” isn’t just Sunday morning, and it’s not just for “Preachers.” We are all meant to proclaim God’s Word, that’s Preaching. Most people think of the Sunday morning message as something that should attract people, be engaging, exciting, interesting, funny, etc… but listen to how Paul describes preaching… “reprove, rebuke, and exhort.” It’s all those things. Preachers need to stand for the truth, regardless of popularity. Preaching is and exercise in “the long game.” One of the most frustrating things about teaching people God’s Word is there is no way to get it all in. Most of the time, we are only given 30-40 minutes a week. That’s impossible. But we are patient, we preach the Bible to the people, week in and week out. Sure, people want to say “wow, that was a good message” but what matters more is, was the Word faithfully delivered. People want to hear that what they already believe, what they feel, is right. It’s harder to tell people the truth they don’t want to hear.

the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Where would we be without the Bible? God’s Word is sacred. It’s able to enlighten you so that you can receive Jesus for salvation. It is God’s very breath. It is useful for teaching, for confronting sin, for setting us right, and to train us to do what we should do. Without God’s Word, we are incomplete. With it, there’s nothing we’re meant to do that we can’t do. Have you spent time in God’s Word today?

*We’re almost done for the year, you can still catchup Here is our NT reading schedule

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Here is the Great Commission in action. Timothy was Paul’s protege. He is encouraging him to pass on the faith Paul had entrusted to him. In this, Paul is a model for us, how we are to make disciples in all the earth. The gospel is intended to be communicated personally. Not just by the preacher, but by the friend. God’s plan for the world has to do with personal relationships. Yet, it’s also not simply a “one on one” individual endeavor. It always involves community. Paul taught Timothy “in the presence of many witnesses.” This wasn’t an isolated event of one random encounter with a stranger, it is personal, it is the church. Just as Paul taught Timothy, so too, Timothy should entrust this same gospel to faithful men. Not one, but many. As a Christian, our goal isn’t to pick one person and work and work and work on them in hopes that one day they will accept. Also, it is not to throw the net so broad as to not target anyone. We need to find those who are willing to listen, the faithful, and entrust this truth to them within the context of the church, the community of the faithful. We are intentionally meant to focus on those who will be able to teach others also. That’s how God is building His church, with the church. What’s your part? Who are your Timothies?