2 Timothy 1:15-18

2 Timothy 1:15-18, the last four verses of chapter one.

This is the opening chapter where Paul gives Timothy several imperatives:

• to use his faith,
• to fan his gift into a flame,
• to overcome cowardice,
• to confront the opposition in power,
• to hold to the pattern of sound teaching,
• and, most of all, not to be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus, the crucified Messiah, and Paul, the Roman criminal!

In verses 1:15-18 Paul closes this section by providing Timothy with two examples:

• The first is of cowards who were too ashamed of Paul and the Gospel to confront the opposition. They were intimidated by either Roman persecution, Jewish legalism or Greek academic intellectualism.
• But, the second example is of a courageous hero who was not ashamed, but instead risked all by searching through the Roman prisons to find and refresh Paul who was on his way to his execution.

Timothy needs to step up and decide to boldly confront the opposition. Basically, Paul is commanding Timothy to get in the game and to start competing with the opposition. God has given Timothy a gift to do that very thing! And, if Timothy is going to be in the game, then he needs to be in it to win it!