Here is another verse that appears at first glance to be a contradiction and many antichrists (anyone opposed to Christ) will certainly point it out. Or comments like if Jesus was God why could he only work in the day? What about the millions who work the night shift are they condemned?
As a believer and an Apologist (defender of the Faith), my first reaction is always CONTEXT! I can take almost any scripture and twist it to my own perversion, the Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, the name it and claim it crowd, and many other so-called “christians” do it all the time. The challenge for us is to do what Paul encouraged those in Berea and Timothy to do.
The first instance of digging into the Word of God should not be a burden. We should love to explore it and be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The charge to Timothy is somewhat different, here Paul is describing what his protege Timothy can expect. Yet anyone (true believer), who foolishly dismisses this and similar passages as applying only to pastors, elders, etc. is doing the opposite of Biblical Work. We can glean many truths from Paul’s final instructions to Timothy:
- If I were to pick an overall theme for Chapter 4 the word that comes to mind is Truth, Paul is telling Timothy and us to be steadfast in the Truth.
- Why must Timothy and we always stick to and preach and teach the truth? Verse 3-4 tells us the time is coming when those in the pews and crowds will hate the truth.
- In verse 5 Paul instructs Timothy and us that when the going gets tough we must endure. God has given each of us a gift for the betterment of his kingdom He does not expect us to be couch potatoes.
Here is a post from a few years ago that has lots of good information
SERMON
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