2 Timothy 4:1-2. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
THE CHARGE. Duty’s tasks are rightly given by Him who rules in earth and heaven; Who knows the needs of men and women can best be met by those who’ve proven – They can be trusted.
A charge that’s made is not ignored, when by the saints who love their Lord;
To daily, faithfully preach the Word; they go in haste around the world – And make Christ known.
It is our God who hears the same; the challenge is clear, we must proclaim, The saving power and glorious fame of life and light through His great name – Who is the Lord!
He is the judge of quick and dead; it’s only right that what He’s said; Be preached, that He, the Living Head, will see all those for which He bled – Have a chance to hear.
The charge to do this important work is given to those who will not shirk; Nor fail to speak or watch the clock; and follow Him who walked the walk – He intends for us.
The time is coming and is nearly here, when those from far and even near; Will not listen to those who the Gospel bear; they will walk away and close their ear – To God’s good news.
The time to speak is now and then; the place is where there are women and men; The “what” is the message clear and plain; the “how” is so your heart is seen – To really care.
To reprove is not very often done, because correction is needed by everyone; You can be sure there will always be some who think you’re meddling when you come – To tell the truth.
Rebuke is hard because you must tell the truth; a friendly smile you’ll be sure to lose; People would rather the words you choose; their feelings hurt, your words will smooth – But you must be true.
Exhort them well that they might be saved and sure for eternity; And life and light they then will see; and realize that Christ sets them free – To live for Him.
The charge God gave through the apostle Paul, not just to Timothy but to us all; That neither saint nor sinner shall fall; but each one answers to God’s clear call – To follow Christ.
“O righteous Father, it is without question an important charge we have received through the Word of God to preach the word. The power of God alone can make truth happen. We do know what is expected and commanded, so we will trust Thee to use what is said in the way that will bring the most glory to God. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
In view of this coming kingdom, we have been given the authority as official representatives of the Highest Power, to publicly proclaim as a herald, the message our Lord has given us and wants delivered. When authority has been given to us to speak in His name, then we can speak with authority when we "preach the word." When the Gospel is preached, and people are saved, we still have to proclaim the "word of faith" to those who have received the message of salvation and are to grow in grace and faith. Timothy had to preach the Gospel then, and it has been preached since then until now, so people can hear it and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved from hell, the power of sin, and soon from the presence of sin. It is vital that we preach the Gospel. It may be inconvenient for us to stand up alone and tell others about God's love, grace, and mercy, but it is imperative for their eternal salvation. Preaching the word of God is the most important responsibility the body of Christ has today. Yet many have watered down its message to make it "seeker-friendly," and others never preach it at all.
We need to be prepared for each opportunity that arises to preach the Gospel, either publicly or privately. We need to be courageous in our labor and effort, not letting our own fear or intimidation from others stop us from speaking. We need to be sensitive to any opportunity God gives us to tell the Gospel in a way most suited to the place, the people, and the lives of those with whom we come in contact. We need to seize every opportunity to pass on the truth of God in a Christ-like way. Sometimes it will be convenient to do this because there will have been arrangements made ahead of time for a place to preach and a time when people gather for that reason. Other times, "out of season," are those teaching moments that arise unexpectedly, that are open to bring conviction of sin to those who have been awakened in some way. There will be times when we have to make corrections that will awaken people to their guilt of sin. That "rebuke" needs to be clearly explained, so that a person knows what the problem is and what is wrong in his or her attitudes and actions. We must tell the truth about sin even though it hurts. If we need to exhort, we must explain truth in a way that is clear and easily understood.
The way to present truth is with longsuffering, not impatience or anger against a person. The appeal to one's conscience that has been awakened will hopefully open their mind to reason. Reason and common sense will encourage people to honestly face themselves, admit their guilt before God in repentance, and submit their will to God's will, "who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." In doing one's duty in preaching, we must preach biblically. The teaching of doctrine indicates the truth is to be applied to the hearers in a way they understand, and in a way that suits their needs. In some cases, it will be in a public venue, and at other times it will be in a private conversation. There is a time when this can be done, and there will be other times when it cannot be preached.
2nd Timothy 4:2, 5, 9. “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine…But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry…Do thy diligence to come unto me.” LAST WORDS. "He reads through eyes perhaps made dim by flowing tears – Last words from one who knows the last chapter of life is here. It is nearing conclusion – all has been said and done. The reader is challenged – is charged- is commanded by this one To preach the Word: in public, in private – preach it clear – Cover all the basics and all the bases – let others hear. Meet needs with unreserved commitment – make truth known To those who must hear and believe and hold and carry on. Stand by your duty, never quit, nor ever hesitate. Rise to the challenge of your times – these are the last days.”
“Keep a sharp watch, because others with hands out are teaching too Teachers with itching ears – false doctrines – saying what to do To earn salvation – foreign to all you’ve learned from me And I from God Himself – and now tell you, in your ministry, Keep at the work – prove to those who are led astray, That's what you teach in Gospel messages – what you say – Has divine proof easily able to be known and seen By any who, as honest seekers and faithful men – Will claim such truth as you proclaim, their own – And from your honorable, faithful leadership, we will keep on.”
“If you can come, I would dearly love to see your face – And perhaps in this prison cell, together we can trace The ways of God together, and through such fellowship be strengthened, I know my days of service and my time here will not be lengthened. Other brothers have gone to work for God, which is legitimate. Another loved this present world system, hoping to find joy in it. But I am cold, I need that warm and comfortable cloak – Even more than that, I really need those letters and the books. You are truly my spiritual son – this final letter to you that I write May be my last exhortation until, together, we see our Lord in timeless light.
“I too, am getting older Father God: should I be considering writing letters to those men who have labored with me in the Gospel? Would it interfere with what they are doing or make them think I am meddling? Should I put some of these thoughts I have written in a book form to send to them, or would it be presumptuous of me to think they would be interested in such things? I will wait for some kind of answer or assurance, one way or another. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Many of the religious people of our day will not measure up to the word of God because they do not want to. They will not listen to "sound doctrine." They do not want what is right because it interferes with their way of life. They want the power to determine who and what they listen to. Healthful doctrine teaches what is wrong as well as what is right. These people will not "endure", stand up to, sound doctrine. The people of God will endure sound doctrine, even though many around will reject that because they have cravings of their own and do not want to be subject to the revealed will of God. So, they turn from the truth to myths. Many churches today no longer preach the Gospel. Many preachers do not preach the word of God. They only use it as a springboard to promote their own ideas. Many teachers and professors claim to have more understanding of right and wrong than is taught in the scriptures. They claim to know what God meant better than God Himself.
The result of all of this is that they gather, "heap," to themselves the kind of teachers they want, who will tell them what they want to hear. They pay them to do this, and because they have "itching ears," they, in turn, will want to gratify those who will flatter them. They deliberately turn away from the truth even though they know it, and pay attention to those who twist the Gospel into no more than a fable or fictional story. They do not tolerate the truth and do not want absolute truth or any standard for judgment that cannot be adapted to their own desire. They reject truth in exchange for drama that suits them and makes them feel good and entertained. What they feel, what they want, and what they claim is their truth is what they believe. More than that, they do not want to be told any different. They call those who don't agree with them "intolerant," "unfeeling," "bigots" who won't agree with their viewpoints. They want others' opinions to suit theirs. This is the characteristic of people living in the last days.
False teaching is not all outside the so-called church. We need to seek God and commit ourselves to preaching only His word to make sure what we say is the truth. Don't react too quickly when challenges come. Keep a clear mind open to the guidance of the Spirit of God. Be alert to the temptation that will come to please the people by adapting to what they want. Resist what we know is wrong. Commit to doing what is right. Be vigilant when under pressure and carry out our responsibility to the truth.
Timothy was charged to do this by the apostle Paul when he wrote this final epistle. We too need to keep our heads clear of all such false teaching. To do so means there will be some suffering and affliction because of our commitment to the truth. There will be some hardship imposed because of our responsibility to promote the word of God without seeking to make it popular to those who do not want God's truth to cramp their style in any way. Like Timothy's ministry, we need to preach, teach, rebuke when necessary, correct when correcting is needed, and train those who are younger. We need to provide leadership and be equipped to bear the burdens of others. We must enthusiastically do the work of an evangelist even though we have other responsibilities that we have been gifted to accomplish. One may be a teacher but evangelism is the work of all the saints of God. We dare not leave things undone that we are able to do. This is our responsibility to the people of our generation and the one following us.