What Is Perseverance Part 3

The final words of Paul’s last words before his execution are recorded in II Timothy 4. He gave a solemn charge to Timothy to be faithful to the truth (vv. 1-5). Paul was an example of faithfulness (vv. 6-8). He was the suffering servant for the cause of Christ. As a soldier, Paul compared the Christian life to a fight. He had fought the good fight of faith (v. 7). As an athlete, Paul compared the Christian life to a race (II Tim. 2:5). He had finished his course (v. 7). As a trustee, he likened the Christian life to a sacred trust. He had kept the faith (v. 7).

There are three perfect tense Greek verbs in these verses: “I have fought” (perfect middle indicative), “I have finished” (perfect active indicative), and “I have kept the faith” (perfect active indicative). The perfect tense, whether of the middle or active voice, means completed action with continuing results. Also, there are fourteen imperatives in this chapter. The imperative verb is a command. God has commanded us as He commanded Paul. Paul had finished his work. He was waiting for the reward as he sat on the finish line waiting for the executioner to come and put him to death.

The characteristics of Paul the man are revealed in his valedictory address. He sighed in loneliness, desired bodily comfort, suffered from his enemies, and sorrowfully lamented the lack of legal aid. Paul the saint (consecrated or holy) was revealed in his exulting in his testimony for the Lord, boldly witnessing for Him, and having confidence in Him. God remains faithful to His own in adversity.

On the eve of his death, Paul exhorted Timothy to be faithful to the truth. This message is for us today. The exhortation was a solemn and emphatic entreaty to “preach the word; be ready in season out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (II Tim. 4:2 NASB). Five commands pertaining to public ministry are recorded: (1) Timothy was commanded to preach (aorist active imperative of kerusso, to preach, proclaim, or propagate). The Greek aorist tense is point action. That literally means to “get with it and don’t make excuses.” He was instructed to do it, be continually doing it, and waste no time. (2) He must be ready (aorist active imperative of ephistemi, to be pressing, urgent, earnest, or busy at one’s job). (3) Timothy should reprove (aorist active imperative of elegcho, not be afraid to refute or expose, reprehend, rebuke, or bring forth confession of guilt). (4) He was commanded to rebuke (aorist active imperative of epitimao, to reprove, censure, or reprimand with a suggestion of impending penalty). (5) Timothy was charged to exhort (aorist active imperative of parakaleo, to entreat, implore, request, or urge). These are commands that Paul spoke from the depths of his heart in his last words to his companion in the ministry. All of these commands are to be exercised with careful instruction for the spiritual benefit of the assembly. Most professing Christians want harmony at any cost. However, there can be no unity at the expense of disobedience to any of these commands.

Paul gave the reasons for these five commands: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (II Tim. 4:3, 4 NASB). When the word of God is given to most people, they will not give patient attention to wholesome teaching. Therefore, they will procure in abundance their own desires or personal cravings, having ears that desire their own gratification. They will refuse what they need, receive what they like, wander into counterfeits, and believe what is false.

There are four imperatives in II Timothy 4:5. In contrast to those who refuse wholesome teaching, the man of God is commanded to continually “be sober” (present active imperative of nepho; metaphorically, it means being diligent or watchful). The man of God cannot fluctuate from diligence today to lethargy tomorrow. The second command is “endure” (aorist active imperative of kakopatheo, to undergo). The man of God patiently undergoes hardship for the cause of Jesus Christ. Every Christian will have hardship when contending for the truth in this apostate age in which we live. The third command is “do the work” (aorist active imperative of poieo). The man of God should do the work of an evangelist. The fourth command in this verse is “fulfill” (aorist active imperative of plerophoreo, to accomplish, carry out fully, or discharge completely). The man of God should fulfill his ministry in every detail.

Paul was already being “poured out” (present passive indicative of spendo, to give one’s life in sacrifice). The apostle was in the process of being poured out in the cause of Christ. The four perfect tense verbs in II Timothy 4:6-7 signify that the actions had begun and were continuing. (1) The time of his departure was at hand (perfect active indicative of ephistemi). (2) He fought (perfect middle indicative of agonidzomai) the good fight. His struggle was against spiritual opposition. (3) He finished (perfect active indicative of teleo) his course. Since he had concluded his course, he was resting victoriously on the finish line. (4) Paul kept (perfect active indicative of tereo) the faith. He was not referring to the God-given faith in regeneration but to the system of truth, the deposit that God is keeping. (II Tim. 1:12). Paul had not failed to keep what had been entrusted to him, and he had delivered it back to the Captain of his salvation.

The first word in II Timothy 4:8 is a pronominal adjective, loipos, which may be translated “beyond that.” It points back to Paul’s already being poured out, his already having finished his course, and his already having kept the faith. Beyond this, the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, on that day, will give Paul and the ones having loved and who continue to love Christ’s appearing. The perfect active participle of the Greek word for “love” signifies a present state of fixation on Christ’s coming. The result of one’s loving Christ’s appearing is that his love is fixed on it.

We have observed Paul as the suffering servant and his dying words with his hope in the coming of Jesus Christ and the crown of righteousness he will receive. Now, the human element is revealed in II Timothy 4:9-22; therefore, we observe Paul the man. This man was in a Roman dungeon, and he desired Timothy’s presence. Demas had departed from him because of his love for the present age. Crescens and Titus also had departed. Paul had sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Luke alone remained with this man of God. He requested that Timothy bring Mark with him, bring his coat to warm his cold body in the dungeon cell, bring the books to feed his mind, and especially, bring the parchments to feed his soul.

Paul warned Timothy about Alexander the coppersmith who had shown to him many evils by withstanding his words (II Tim. 4:14, 15). He then assured Timothy that Alexander the coppersmith could do no more to Paul than God allowed. God has made a way of escape out of every trial that comes to the Christian’s way (I Cor. 10:13). The Lord did not remove Paul’s thorn in the flesh, but He gave him grace to endure it (II Cor. 12:7).

Paul sorrowfully lamented the lack of confidence in his character by those who knew him. He said, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them” (II Tim. 4:16 NASB). His own comrades did not stand in his defense. The apostle could speak from experience that refusal to lean on the flesh of anyone is imperative. The duty of the Christian is to lean on the Lord, as the bride in the Song of Solomon came leaning on her beloved, Jesus Christ. The saintly characteristics of the apostle were manifested in his attitude toward his companions who had forsaken him. His holy nature revealed itself in his praying to God that their behavior might not be charged to them. Although these had forsaken him, the Lord stood with Paul. “But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth” (II Tim. 4:17 NASB). The Lord’s presence is more assuring and comforting than the presence of thousands of saints.

Paul was assured that the Lord would rescue him from every wicked work and preserve him for His heavenly kingdom (II Tim. 4:18). The kingdom was greatly anticipated by Paul. We are heirs who are being prepared for the kingdom. If anticipation led to such sweet music of praise in Paul, to what can we liken the reality when we stand before Jesus Christ who is the King of kings and Lord of lords? As he faced execution, Paul knew Jesus Christ would preserve him and present him faultless before the Father. Although the apostle was in the act of being poured out (II Tim. 4:6), he was being preserved for the kingdom. Some say Paul used the word “kingdom” to describe the present dispensation, but believers do not enter what they have already entered. Prophecy does not predict a kingdom to exist between the first and second advents of Jesus Christ as a prelude to the eternal kingdom. A so-called spiritual kingdom is not a prelude to the eternal visible kingdom in which Jesus Christ will rule and reign. This would not harmonize with II Peter 1:10-11. If we make our calling and election sure, we will have an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom.

History has a goal. Paul’s praise sprang from his confidence in the faithfulness of God, not the faithfulness of his comrades. His praise arose from his anticipation, not his realization, of deliverance.

The chosen by God have a threefold preservation: (1) preservation of the deposit—the truth for the elect, (2) the preservation of the elect for the kingdom, and (3) the preservation of the kingdom for the elect. The knowledge of this preservation enables us to persevere during increasing apostasy by having a good conscience before God, correctly using the Scriptures, and fighting a good battle for truth. We go to the Lord in prayer to receive strength for opposing expanding apostasy. In the course of growing abandonment, with sanctified minds, we learn in silence while submitting to God’s will in providence and remaining true to the faith once-delivered to the saints. Gaining increased wisdom in the word of God enables us to distinguish true ministers from apostate ministers and prepare for opposition in the assembly. We discern deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons by testing the spirits and overcoming seduction by false prophets. In view of accelerated apostasy, elders are responsible to give themselves to reading, exhortation, and teaching. Crescendoing apostasy necessitates being faithful in the requirements for assembly worship and struggling for truth. It leaves no option for perseverance in rekindled faith, faithfulness to God, His word, His assembly, and the realization that God stands with us when all men desert us. Our perseverance in these is possible because God preserves us (I Peter 1:1-5).