2Timothy 3:10-17, “10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering,love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me”
The motivation to be a man of God and fulfill for all these is LOVE. Love is fueled by PERSEVARANCE, you see them side by side. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Jesus demonstrated His love by dying for us, Paul demonstrated his love by living for Him. 2Corinthians 5:14-15, “14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” This love is not devoid of truth. He was showing Timothy that everything he did, be it preaching, correcting, taking men like him under his wings, confronting men like Peter, it was all motivated by love. That love was to bring unity because it all centered on the foundation of truth. To the Ephesians, he talks about how God has gifted men differently. Ephesians 4:11-16, “11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love”
Paul who also penned the love chapter, 1Corinthians 13, which outlines what love is not followed by examples of what love is, all fueled by perseverance, 1Corinthians 13:4-7, “4 Love SUFFERS long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the TRUTH; 7 bears ALL things, believes all things, hopes all things, ENDURES all things”. Paul spoke to Timothy about a life as a soldier, an athlete and a farmer. 2Timothy 2:2-6, endurance (perseverance) is what they have in common. Those who endure till the end the Lord delivers them (saves them). 2Timothy 3:17, “… what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me”. Many quit marriages, being fathers, being workers, leaders when it is tough. Biblical manhood’s perseverance is driven by love. Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win. Paul endured till the end, 2Timothy 4:7-8, “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing”
The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. When we know the afflictions of believers only in part, they tempt us to decline the cause for which they suffer. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life, often is allowed to pass, while open profession of the truth as it is in Jesus, and resolute attention to the duties of godliness, stir up the scorn and enmity of the world. As good men, by the grace of God, grow better when they heed to these words to Timothy, 2Timothy 3:14-17, “14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE COMPLETE, THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK”. May the Lord complete and thoroughly equip us as men for every good work and help us teach it to others especially our wives and children, Amen. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 