Tara-Leigh Cobble

This is a badge of honor.

In verses 8-9, Paul invites Timothy into this suffering and says this is what God has planned for them all along.

He says,

In verses 12 and 14, he uses the word guard twice in a way that paints a beautiful picture for us of what he's been saying all along.

In verse 12, he says, I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

In verse 14, he tells Timothy, By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

So God's guarding Paul, but Timothy has to guard himself?

No, he reminds Timothy that the Holy Spirit who dwells within him is doing the work.

Paul demonstrates here how God is at work in us and through us to accomplish what he has promised to us and for us.

God is guarding us, and as his Spirit works in us, he engages us in that process.

Paul encourages Timothy to dig his heels in even more, to do the hard work of spreading the gospel and to not be surprised when it's challenging.

If you're committed to something, there will always be some level of difficulty that you can't undercut.

Paul is willing to endure whatever it takes for the gospel to reach those who will believe, and he wants to impress this same urgency on Timothy.

Do not abandon the gospel, no matter what.

At this point in Ephesus, where Timothy is serving, there are a lot of false teachers who are gaining influence despite the fact that they've taken a left turn from the gospel.

They're lying about the resurrection.

Paul dealt with some of these same guys in his first letter to Timothy, and they're still causing trouble.

Paul has never had a problem correcting people who preach another gospel, but what he doesn't want is for Timothy and his congregation to waste time getting wrapped up in arguments with false teachers that end up going nowhere.

Paul basically says, God will deal with him.

God isn't fooled by outward behavior or appearances.