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Jim Dalrymple serves as OCC’s vice president of advancement and professor of New Testament and church leadership.
PAUL’S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT Jim Dalrymple When the apostle Paul knew his time was short, he did what anyone would do in his situation: he made sure his affairs were in order. According to scholars, Paul’s second letter to Timothy had many attributes of a last will and testament. What did Paul leave behind? Paul left Timothy his greatest treasure—the gospel! But before his departure, Paul encouraged Timothy to be faithful with all that Paul was leaving in his care. Paul did this in three ways:
An Encouragement to Remember
Paul reminded Timothy of the legacy of this faith that was being passed on to him. Like a grandfather telling familiar family stories, Paul beckoned Timothy to remember the sincere faith of his predecessors. Just a few simple names would have kindled this reminder in Timothy’s young mind. We, too, should remember those who passed their faith to us. Paul encouraged Timothy, “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (3:14). Paul’s reminder encouraged Timothy to remain faithful.
An Encouragement to Remain
Paul did not shelter Timothy from the difficulties that would come with this
legacy of faith. Instead, Paul encouraged him to share in suffering (2:3). Paul warned Timothy that some would oppose the truth (3:8). Three times Paul said, “But you, Timothy…” (3:10, 14; 4:5). Some loved self, loved money, loved pleasure, but Timothy was called to love God (3:2-4). Demas loved this present world (4:10), but Timothy was called to love Jesus’ appearing (4:8). Timothy was to carry on the faith of Paul, who said in protest while facing death, “I know whom I have believed and am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (1:12). It is in this spirit that Paul entrusted to Timothy this task of sharing the gospel with others.
An Encouragement to Remind
Paul’s legacy would continue through Timothy. Paul encouraged him, saying, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2:1). Paul’s ministry was coming to its finish line (4:6-7), but Timothy was yet to fulfill his (4:5). So Paul encouraged him to be a worker who “rightly handled the word of truth” (2:15) and who would “preach the word” (4:2). Timothy was a living extension of Paul’s teaching, conduct, aim in life, and faith (3:10). In this way, Paul believed that the
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TO CONNECT
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gospel would continue to be passed down through Timothy to future generations. Paul strategically entrusted his greatest treasure to his son in the faith. Today, sociologists and statisticians tell us that we are undergoing one of the greatest generational transitions in history. Like Paul, now is our chance to be strategic about passing on the gospel and our ministry task to the next generation. Who are you encouraging? Who are you entrusting? What legacy will you leave? At Ozark Christian College, for over 75 years we have stayed focused on one mission: training men and women for Christian service. Today, we continue this ministry of preparing students who will rightly handle the truth and preach the word. Thank you for giving generously to OCC! Your gift to OCC is multiplied through the hundreds of kingdom workers we train each year.
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