Courageous and Shameless

II Timothy 1:8–12
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Not ashamed is the key idea to this chapter. In this time of mounting persecution Timothy could have been afraid to continue preaching the gospel. Paul admonishes Timothy not to be ashamed in (v. 8). Paul gives a brief summary of the gospel by saying, God loves us, called us and sent His son to die for us (vv. 9-10). We can have eternal life through faith in Him, because He broke the power of death with His resurrection. Timothy is not to be ashamed of the Lord’s testimony or of the Lord’s prisoner. Though Paul was held in a Roman prison, yet he called himself Christ’s prisoner and with this Paul exhorts Timothy to join courageously with him in suffering for the gospel.

Having already mentioned the gospel, Paul tells some of its most important details of how God saved us and has called us to Holy Living. In (v. 11-12) Paul says that this gospel is “Glorious"; It  is the most important message ever told. Paul had been using his gifts for the Lord yet this brought much suffering including his present imprisonment. In the eyes of the world he was a criminal, but he was able to say that he was not ashamed. Even though he was suffering abuse and humiliation he was confident of God’s complete deliverance in the end. He was sharing his own experience to bolster Timothy’s courage. Paul was in prison, but he did not stop his ministry. He trusted God to use him regardless of his circumstances.

Application

I need to make sure that I am not ashamed to identify myself in this world as a believer in Christ. It is important that I stand for the Lord with courage, in order to influence others to stand for the Lord and not be ashamed. I may suffer in various ways, possibly the loss of friends, being by passed for a position, or made fun of. It is also very important that I stand by God’s servants who are suffering for righteousness sake.