SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/26/2025 9:36 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 “The
Seriousness of His Commission”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
2 Timothy 4:1
Message of the
verse: “1
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is
to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:”
I mentioned in my last SD on 2 Timothy that I did
not know how I would go after taking a lot of time in quoting from John
MacArthur’s sermon, but I have decided to go back to looking at his commentary
beginning with the first verse of the fourth chapter of 2 Timothy.
Now it is good to remember that this
is the last letter that Paul would write that would go into the Bible, as he
may have written other letters after this but would not go into the Word of
God. Also remember that Paul would soon
die after writing this letter so I think that he would want to write some very
meaningful things to his son in the faith who would be doing things to further
the gospel of Jesus Christ is similar ways that Paul did. So please keep this in mind as you think
about this last chapter of the last letter by Paul that is found in the Word of
God.
As I look at this verse I can see
that Paul first points out the seriousness of Timothy’s divine commission. Solemnly charge translates a form of the verb
diamarturomai, which here carries the
idea of giving a forceful order or directive, according to John MacArthur. Paul
has twice before used the verb to admonish Timothy found in 1 Timothy 5:21; and
2 Timothy 2:14 and we can compare 1 Timothy 6:13. Paul was what could be called the aged
warrior of the faith, for whose godly life was totally committed to the service
of Christ, and this certainly can be seen as we go through the last half of the
book of Acts, and also from his other letter found in the New Testament. Paul here seeks to capture Timothy’s
undivided attention for what he is about to say to him in this letter. The devotion of Paul himself was not unlike
that of a more recent Pastor, John Knox, who prayed the following “Give me
Scotland or I die,” and yet who when later compelled to preach locked himself
in his room and wept for day because of the fearful seriousness of that
calling. Paul’s deepest desire for
Timothy was for him to share that seriousness and devotion.
John MacArthur writes “The solemnity
of Paul’s charge is drawn from the fact that it is tied directly to the awesome
majesty of the One who commissions men to divine service. Those who are called to proclaim and
interpret the Word of God have the most profound responsibility that the Lord
places on any man. It is for that reason that James warns, ‘Let not many of you
become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter
judgment. For we all stumble in many
ways. If anyone does not stumble in what
he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well’ (James
3:1-2). No human being apart from Jesus
has ever spoken perfectly, not even the prophets or apostles, except when
recording God’s revealed Word. James
readily included himself (‘for we all stumble’) among those who speak
imperfectly and who therefore must take special care to prevent their
imperfections from clouding their testimony and besmirching their Lord’s name.” The problem as to why we stumble is because
of what happened in the Garden of Eden many years ago when Eve was tempted and
fell after Satan tricked her, and then her husband followed, and this every one
born has what the Bible describes as a sin-nature.
MacArthur goes on to write “That
responsibility is especially fearsome in that it is carried out in the presence
of God and of Christ Jesus. The Greek
construction also allows the rendering ‘in the presence of God, even Christ Jesus.’ That wording seems especially appropriate in
this context because of Paul’s following reference to Christ as Judge. Jesus said, Not even the Father judges
anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son’ (John 5:22; cf. vv.
26-27). It is not, of course, that a
believer ever lives or ministers apart from the presence of the Father and the
Holy Spirit. But Paul here emphasizes
the believer’s unique accountability to the Son—not as Savior and Lord but as
Judge. The point of the first half of
the sentence is that every minister who is called by Christ Jesus, the Son,
constantly ministers under the omniscient scrutiny of His divine presence.” Now as I looked at the verse that is
mentioned above from John’s gospel my thoughts are that it was because of the
death of Jesus Christ to pay for all sins, however one has to confess that they
are a sinner, and recognize the Jesus Christ died to pay for their sins, that
He thus has the right to all judgment.
Spiritual
Meaning for My Life Today: Knowing that
Jesus Christ has paid for my sins and that the Holy Spirit has called me to His
salvation, then I desire to do what He called me to do in eternity past. As I look at what Paul is writing to Timothy
then I think that is what Paul is telling him to do, to do what the Lord called
him to do.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that the Lord through His Spirit will
guide me to do the things that He called me to do.
6/26/2025 10:15
AM
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