“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”
(2Ti 1:8-14 ESV)
This passage of Scripture starts a couple of theme that will be played throughout the rest of 2nd Timothy. This themes are suffering and following doctrine. The section starts with a “therefore,” therefore before I start with this section I will summarize the last section to help start understanding this section. Verses 3-7 talk about faith of Timothy. In verses 3-4, Paul mentions that he never forgets Timothy or his faith, Verse 5, Paul mentions Timothy’s grandmother and mothers and a claim that Timothy has the same faith. Verse 6 Paul tells Timothy to grow the gift that God has given to him because of his faith. Finally in verse 7, Paul mentions that God has given a spirit of power, love, and self-control to Paul and Timothy instead a spirit of fear.
With that now in our minds, it is the spirit of power, love, and self-control that in mind when Paul writes “therefore” in verse 8. So when Paul mentions to Timothy that he should “not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner,” it is based on these spirits that Paul mentions in verse 7. Not only is not to be ashamed of these testimonies, Paul instructs Timothy to share in the sufferings for the gospel. Both Jesus suffered and Paul is suffering for the gospel. Jesus’ suffering was to ransom sinners to God, which is what makes the gospels. Paul is suffering for the spread of the gospel.
This suffering is according to the power or ability of God. In the Greek text, the word translating “by” is “kata” meaning according to. This means that God is actively involved with the suffering. It also shows that the suffering for the gospel is done with the ability of God. So God gives the spirit of power, love, and self-control in order for Paul to suffer on the strength of God and now Paul is instruction Timothy to do the same.
I am going to stop here and lets think about how this knowledge can impact our lives. Now here in American, we do not have to worry to much about suffer to the point of dying but there are other suffering that Americans do have. I have a friend who suffers because he is standing for the gospel at a church that has watered it down. He suffers at home because he wants to go street witnessing but his wife is also caught in the modern day evangelical nonsense of people can only be saved in a church. Even though my friend is suffering and at this time I can not think of a time i suffered for the gospel, this passage hits both of us. It tells me not be ashamed of God. Jesus talks about this when he tells His disciples that they should not fear man but fear God. This is the play out of that understanding. God has given us Christians the power to overcome suffering and to overcome being ashamed.
I can tell you right now, that I am ashamed of the gospel currently in my work place. I work with a guy who walked away from Christianity because he was taught the gospel. He sees people with zeal and with no knowledge preaching at him yet they commit grieves sins. I have yet to preach the gospel to him. He needs it just like I needed and still need today. So I am ashamed to give the gospel because I feel that it will ruin a relationship. My pride here is what stops the gospel from spread (which means I have sinned). So in this little verse, there is some much that I need to change because God is in control. I should be willing to suffer a lost of a relationship and have tensions at work. It will this suffering that will put on display God’s power. So it is when I trust in God for his power, that I will not be ashamed of the testimony of Christ. The theological point here: Suffer for the gospel because God has given to the Christian His power to be with them.
