Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times, Part 7
In our message, COME BEFORE WINTER (2 Tim. 4:9-22), Paul concludes the last letter God wrote through him in the Bible. The book of Second Timothy is all about keeping the faith in difficult times. While all Christians go to heaven because of grace, whether a Christian will finish out the race well- faithfully as Paul did at the end of his life is in play (1 Cor. 9:24-27; 10:12; 2 Tim. 2:12 vs. 2 Tim. 2:6-8; Heb. 12:1-2). God wants us to be strong in His grace (our identity in Christ- i.e. ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful…’) having confidence in Him when He comes (2 Tim. 2:1, 13; 4:1-5; 1 John 2:28; Eph. 2:10; 5:18; 1 Cor. 15:58; Gal. 6:9, etc.).
Paul knowing he was going to be martyred for his faith shortly urged Timothy to hurry up and come (2 Tim. 4:7, 9). He dispatched Tychicus apparently with the book of Second Timothy that he wrote to his friend and explained he needed Timothy to come immediately after receiving this correspondence or travel conditions in winter most likely would prevent him from seeing Paul before he died (2 Cor. 4:12, 21a).
Paul then explained how he was alone and largely forsaken as he waited in the Roman prison. His ‘fellow laborer’ in the work of God “Demas” had “forsaken” him (2 Tim. 4:10; Phil. 1:24, Col. 4:14). Instead of loving Jesus’ appearing like Paul did, Demas fell in love with “this present world” (2 Tim. 4:8, 10). “It must have broken Paul’s heart to see Demas fall so shamefully, yet it can happen to any believer” -Dr. Wiersbe (1 Cor. 10:12, etc.). Demas deserted the apostle to embrace the safety, freedom, comfort he found away from the battle in Thessalonica (2 Tim. 4:10; 1 Tim 6:10-11; 2 John 2:15-17; Luke 16:13; 1 Cor. 10:14, etc.). Dr. Constable explains, “Demas had succumbed to the allurements of the world- instead of loving Christ’s appearing… He, like Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17), Alexander (1 Tim. 1:20), and others had not continued to follow Christ faithfully.” [Note- I accidentally misquoted this in my message adding Timothy to the list here (I misread one of the citations for the book of Timothy adding his name in there). Timothy was not among those men and Paul wanted to keep it that way.]
We also see here ‘Crescens’ left for ‘Galatia’ (motive unknown) and ‘Titus’ was probably dispatched earlier by Paul to ‘Dalmatia’ (AKA Illyricum which is also where Yugoslavia existed before it splintered into several nations- e.g. Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, etc., 2 Tim. 4:10b; Rom. 15:19). Only the beloved physician Luke was with the apostle Paul helping him in prison at that time (2 Tim. 4:11a; Col. 4:14, etc.).
Paul urged Timothy as he traveled back to him from Ephesus with haste to pick up Mark along the way (2 Tim. 4:11). Paul’s friends who were willing to stand with him in this dark time were few, and even though he had a sharp disagreement with Mark after his first missionary journey, he realized at the end of his life Mark was faithful and “useful… for [the] ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11b). Also, Paul told Timothy to bring his ‘cloak’ that he left in ‘Troas’ (a thick upper garment) to help protect him from the cold he faced in the small Roman prison he was now in, and Paul wanted especially God’s Word- ‘the books [and]… the parchments’ brought to him because he loved Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15-17; 4:2, 8, 13; Isa. 66:2b; Heb. 11:6b; John 1:1-5, 14, etc.).
Paul then warned Timothy about ‘Alexander’ who had ‘greatly resisted’ the Bible and done the apostle much harm through this opposition (2 Tim. 4:14-15). Timothy was to be on guard to keep Alexander’s teaching from spreading, but also to be kept from deception himself (2 Tim. 3:5; 4:15). Such a man could be given over to God knowing ‘The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds.’ (2 Tim. 4:14 NET; 1 Tim. 1:18-20). After listening to my message, I realized I did not read all of verse 15 when I was explaining that passage. It is important to note, we do not repay- God does, and it is God who will one day make everything right (Rom. 12:19; Eph. 4:26-27; Heb. 10:26-31, etc.).
When Paul was taken before Rome for his initial hearing this time, unlike his first Roman imprisonment at the end of the book of Acts, ‘no one stood’ with him and ‘all forsook him’ (2 Tim. 4:16). Paul had written the book of Romans to the churches in Rome (e.g. ‘Share with the Lord’s people who are in need…’ Rom. 12:13a NIV), but not a single brother from all of Rome came to his aid at that time! Widespread desertion of the apostle happened because, unlike Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, it had now become dangerous to be a Christian in Rome. Paul was not bitter or angry toward them but prayed for his brothers and sisters in Christ: ‘May it not be charged against them’ (2 Tim. 4:16b; Rom. 10:17; 2 Tim. 4:12-13; 1 John 2:28, etc.). But Paul was not really alone because God stood with him and strengthened him as well as kept him from the enemy’s snares (2 Tim. 4:17; Acts 18:9-11; 23:11; 27:22f; 1 Pet. 5:8). It is important to note for a Christian there are things more dangerous than suffering and death: namely unconfessed sin (2 Tim. 4:18 ‘the Lord will deliver me from every evil work’). All Christians will be delivered ultimately from the effects of sin one day when glorified by God, but He wants us today also to be delivered ‘from every evil work’ ready for and loving Jesus’ appearing (2 Tim. 4:1, 8, 18; Gal. 5:1; 1 Cor. 11:31-32; 1 John 1:9; 2:28, etc.).
Even though this was a very dark time, Paul ends mentioning several other brothers and sisters who were keeping the faith and standing strong from other cities and locations in this time (2 Tim. 4:19-21). The Holy Spirit then wishes ‘grace’ upon us (i.e. the ‘you’ in verse 22 is plural) to encourage us to remain faithful, especially in the light of Jesus’ return (2 Tim. 2:1, 13; 3:1-5; 4:22; Rev. 22:21; Rom. 6:11; Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 4:1-5; Titus 2:11-14, etc.).
*For more information on this message from the Bible please see SBFC’s October 19, 2025 message above.