2 Timothy (Part 8)

v.10. 1. At His appearing, Christ executed that which God planned before the world began. 2. Jesus Christ is designated Saviour; He is the God Who hath saved us. ISA 43:11. 3. Jesus Christ HATH abolished death. A. He overcame death Himself; it has no power over Him. ROM 6:9. B. He has removed the sting of death. 1CO 15:55-57. C. He destroyed him that had the power of death (the devil). HEB 2:14. 4. Immortality is the condition of not being subject to death. A. Being raised from the dead, Jesus Christ is no longer subject to death. ROM 6:9; ACT 13:32-34; REV 1:18. B. When the mortal bodies of the saints put on immortality, they shall never be subject to death again. 1CO 15:53-54. 5. Jesus Christ brings life and immortality to light by means of the gospel. A. To bring to light means to reveal, to make known, to publish. B. The gospel reveals life and immortality; it does not give it. ROM 1:16-17. (1) v.10 needs to be understood in light of v.9 which declares that the work of salvation for the elect has been accomplished. (2) Those who publish the good news (gospel) are but declaring the fact of eternal life perfected in Jesus Christ. 1JO 1:2. (3) To Christ's ministers is committed the word of reconciliation: the announcement that God has reconciled sinners unto Himself in Jesus Christ. 2CO 5:18-19. (4) Therefore, whatever salvation comes of receiving the gospel must be supplemental to the completed salvation for the elect unto eternal glory which the gospel declares! 2TI 2:10. C. When the gospel shines unto a redeemed soul, it assures that soul of its possession of life and the promise of immortality. 2CO 4:3-4; 1JO 5:13; ROM 8:10-11. (1) Contrarily, when the gospel shines light on the reprobate, it only manifests his enmity and destruction. JOH 3:19-20; 1CO 1:18; 2CO 2:15-16. (2) The gospel is to eternal salvation as light is to gold veins in a dark cave: it reveals what is already there awaiting discovery. (3) The gospel is to reprobation as light is to roaches: it exposes and repels. D. The working out of salvation that God has worked in the elect is the shining forth of eternal life and the gospel in the life of the believer: the gold is mined and brought to the surface where it becomes serviceable. PHIL 2:12-16. (1) The shining forth of life and immortality's light is not to be kept under a bushel. MAT 5:14-16. (2) How blessed are they who shine forth that light now---they shall shine it forth forever. MAT 13:43; ROM 6:22; 2PE 1:8-11. v.11. 1. Apostles were preachers and teachers of the gospel. A. Preachers are to be "apt to teach" (1TI 3:2). Their fitness for ministry is not measured by their skills as song leaders, social directors, fundraisers, etc., nor by their charisma. B. Preachers should be teachers of THE gospel, not social gospel, false gospels, lost gospels, gnostic gospels, philosophic gospels, phony science gospels, etc. 2. Paul's ministry was particularly to the Gentiles. ROM 11:13. A. By Paul's gospel, the elect amongst the Gentiles (2TI 2:10) were provided forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among sanctified believers. ACT 26:18 c/w EPH 2:13-18. B. By Paul's gospel, the Gentile believers were delivered from the bondage of service to non-gods. GAL 4:8-10 c/w 1CO 10:20. C. By Paul's gospel, the Gentile believers' sacrifices were made acceptable to God. ROM 15:16. 3. Other apostles were particularly ministers to the circumcision. GAL 2:7-9. A. This is helpful in understanding texts like 2PE 2:1-3, 17. B. There was only one gospel to Jew and Gentile alike (EPH 4:5; ACT 15:7-11) but specialized application of that gospel according to circumstances. (1) Paul's method of preaching to Jews who were familiar with the Scriptures was different from the method he would use in preaching to the heathen. ACT 17:1-2 c/w ACT 14:11-18. (2) There were carryovers of the O.T. law which could still apply to N.T. Jewish Christians only. ACT 18:21; 21:26 c/w COL 2:16-17. v.12. 1. Paul suffered for the cause of the gospel. 2. Paul's sufferings did not make him ashamed of the gospel. He set a good example for Timothy in light of the exhortation of v.8. A. There is cause for shame owing to ignorance of the gospel when its information is readily available. ACT 2:37-38; 3:17 c/w 1CO 15:34. B. There is cause for shame owing to lack of study of the gospel for its defense. 1PE 3:15; 2TI 2:15; HEB 5:12. C. There is cause for shame when a lack of application of the gospel is manifest in poor discernment. 1CO 6:1-5. D. There is cause for shame when one a believer walks contrary to the gospel. GAL 2:11-14. E. There is cause for shame when a believer apostatizes from the gospel. HEB 10:29. F. But sufferings for the gospel's sake are not cause for shame. They are cause for rejoicing. 1PE 4:14-16.