“I Have Kept the Faith”

 

Late in his ministry, as he faced certain death, the apostle Paul proclaimed, “I have kept the faith.” What can we learn from these profound words?

A wave of emotion may have swept over the young pastor as he read the words of his longtime mentor: “I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). We can only imagine how these words affected him as they generated half a lifetime of memories.

Timothy had witnessed many of Paul’s triumphs, as well as many of his sufferings. He had been with the apostle when he first preached the gospel in Europe (Acts 16:1-3, 6-13), and he had been there when Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed.

The young pastor had served with Paul in many of the cities in which God had raised up congregations (Philippians 2:19-22), though Timothy had then been too young to take a leading role. Even so, “Timothy seems to have been one of the most constant companions of the Apostle Paul” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 5, p. 752).

Now Paul, the man who had been like a father to him (2 Timothy 1:2), was in a Roman prison for the second time. And this time his prospects for release seemed dim.

Paul himself had accepted his circumstances, writing, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand” (2 Timothy 4:6). He was facing Roman execution.

“I have kept the faith” in context

As Timothy read Paul’s second letter to him, he probably couldn’t help but notice how many of the once faithful followers of Christ had abandoned—or worse, stood in opposition to—the apostle. The letter is strewn with names, most of which mean little to us but may have meant a lot to Timothy.

In the first chapter of the book, Paul wrote that “all those in Asia have turned away from me” (2 Timothy 1:15), then mentioned Phygellus and Hermogenes by name. Did Timothy know these men? We don’t know, but Paul named them for a reason, and this turn of events was surely sobering to the young pastor.

The next chapter names Hymenaeus and Philetus as individuals who had uttered “profane and idle babblings” (2 Timothy 2:16-17). The final chapter notes that Demas had forsaken Paul and that “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm” (2 Timothy 4:10, 14).

In reading about all these individuals, most previously part of the Church of God, Timothy was likely moved by how quickly they had let go of their faith. This is the context in which Paul wrote that, in contrast to so many others, he had “kept the faith.”

A letter of reassurance

Even though Paul wrote about other Christians who had abandoned the faith, this epistle is not disheartening in tone. On the contrary, it is filled with comforting words that help balance the apostle’s stark statements about his own future. This consolation is especially evident in the first chapter.

In a sense, Paul was telling Timothy, “I did it, and so can you!”Paul began with his customary greeting, in which he mentioned the desire that God grant grace and peace to the recipients. All of the apostle’s letters include these two elements in the beginning verses. The greeting conveys his genuine concern.

The two letters to Timothy, however, include the additional element of mercy (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2). This inclusion may have been prompted by Timothy’s health issues (1 Timothy 5:23), but may also reflect concern about struggles the young pastor faced in his ministry (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, p. 349). Either way, they reveal his mentor’s loving concern.

Paul moved on from his greeting to another striking bit of encouragement. Paul, one of the most dedicated and industrious servants of God—the apostle called to take the gospel to the gentiles—took time to pray for his protégé! In fact, he wrote, “Without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day” (2 Timothy 1:3).

The first chapter of this letter goes on to remind Timothy of the faith of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (verse 5). But perhaps the strongest encouragement comes later, in the final chapter of the book, when Paul wrote of his own experiences, declaring that “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Timothy 4:17).

A letter of pastoral direction

Paul’s second epistle to Timothy does more than inform the young man of Paul’s situation, and it does more than offer encouragement. It is also a letter of sober advice offered under difficult circumstances. It is the guidance of a mentor to his protégé put forward in the face of death.

Paul knew that trial and persecution confronted Christians throughout the Roman world. His sense of pastoral responsibility spurred him on in his efforts to prepare Timothy for his own inevitable spiritual battles.

Paul may well have seen Timothy as a successor in his ministerial role. According to The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 5, p. 753), this last letter of Paul to Timothy seemingly “is the picture of a man passing the torch to his successor. Paul’s confidence and trust in Timothy as a worthy successor are very evident.”

That’s probably why Paul issued a solemn charge to Timothy in this letter. The Greek word diamartyromai, translated in the New King James Version as “charge,” might be better translated as “solemnly charge” (Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament) or “charge earnestly” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, p. 96).

The apostle wanted Timothy to grasp the significance of what he was writing. He began his instruction by saying, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 4:1). Invoking the names of the Father and the Son emphasized the importance of what follows. After this invocation, Paul directed Timothy to “preach the word!” (verse 2).

After issuing this directive to Timothy, Paul wrote, “I have kept the faith.” He had accepted his circumstances, and he had realized that other men would carry on in his place. Timothy was certainly one of those men, and he was undoubtedly moved by these words from his longtime teacher and friend.

Learning how we can keep the faith

Although this letter is addressed to Timothy, and although Paul used it to “pass the baton,” so to speak, much of what the aging apostle wrote is good counsel for all Christians.

It’s not surprising that the first bit of counsel Paul offered Timothy was that he “stir up the gift of God which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6). God’s help often comes through His Holy Spirit, which is one of the most important keys to a Christian’s success in the face of adversity.

We accomplish this stirring most often through prayer—through being in touch with our Creator on a regular basis. This was true in the first century, and it is true today.

One of the ways that the Spirit then helps Christians is in our efforts to understand the Bible. The Holy Spirit opens our minds to God’s truth, but we must also be careful about how we handle Scripture, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Paul warned Timothy not to be sidetracked by some scintillating new slant on Scripture, but to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13; see also 3:14-17).

Keeping the faith in difficult times

Another critical key to keeping the faith, however, is a little more difficult than stirring up the Spirit or studying God’s Word. That key is being mentally and spiritually prepared for the challenges that always come.

That’s because when we choose to obey God, we make ourselves different from the world. We do not pursue the same goals, and what we value seems odd to the world around us.

Following that different course often leads to suffering and even persecution. We may lose jobs, for example, when we choose to keep God’s Sabbath holy, or we may find ourselves isolated when we choose not to endorse so-called alternative lifestyles that are opposed to God’s clear instructions. That’s why Paul wrote that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

This is not the only reference Paul made to suffering. The apostle encouraged Timothy to be prepared to suffer—to “share with me in the sufferings for the gospel”—noting his own sufferings a few verses later (2 Timothy 1:8, 12).

Paul spoke of this inevitable suffering several more times. It is to be expected of “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3, 9; 3:12). Knowing that these sufferings will come gives us time to prepare ourselves, and such spiritual preparation is important if we hope to keep the faith.

Study even deeper into this important epistle in our article “2 Timothy: Paul’s Last Letter.”

“I have kept the faith” as a summary statement

When Paul wrote “I have kept the faith” toward the end of this very personal and moving letter to his beloved protégé, the words conveyed several profound concepts. First, of course, they were words of acceptance. Paul recognized that his life and work were coming to an end.

Second, these words would also encourage Timothy and others. Why? Because they showcased the faith of a man who looked to God, even in the face of death. Just as Paul had directed Timothy to consider the faith of his mother and grandmother, the apostle called attention to his own faith, not to brag, but to comfort and inspire.

Finally, these words were a sober reminder to a young pastor of his own challenges and duties. In a sense, Paul was telling Timothy, “I did it, and so can you!”

As we read through this letter, we should see more than the example of a man who poured out his life in service to God. We should see the epistle as encouragement to all who follow Christ, as a sober reminder of our duty as God’s elect, and as a question we should ask ourselves.

Will we, at the end of our lives, be able to echo Paul’s words and say, “I, too, have kept the faith”?

Continue on this path by studying the biblical instruction in the article “How to Grow in Faith.”

Be Strong and of Good Courage

 

We all face situations when we need strength and courage. What do the examples of bravery in the Bible teach us about how to be strong and of good courage?

When you think of examples of bravery, you might think of a war hero or a secret agent working undercover. But there are also examples of courage a lot closer to home.

The firefighter who enters a burning building is courageous. So is the woman who suddenly becomes single and must care for and support small children by herself. And so is the Christian who forfeits his job rather than work even a few hours on God’s Sabbath.

Examples of courage in the Bible

There are many biblical examples of God’s people being brave. Joshua had to be brave as he led the children of Israel into the Promised Land and had to face the Canaanites. Both Moses and God told Joshua to be courageous (Deuteronomy 31:7; Joshua 1:6-7). So perhaps Joshua didn’t always feel that way.

Joshua also told his soldiers to be brave: “Then Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight’” (Joshua 10:25).

King David’s men who went to Bethlehem when it was held by the Philistines in order to get David some water from the well were courageous (2 Samuel 23:14-16). You might call this foolhardy, but it was certainly brave.

Daniel’s courage and faith

In captivity, the prophet Daniel was courageous when his enemies conspired against him. King Darius of Persia favored Daniel, and this no doubt created jealousy. Other men close to the king persuaded him to create a law that whoever petitioned any god or man but King Darius was to be cast into the den of lions. They did this because they knew that Daniel prayed to God daily, which would be a violation of their new law.

When Daniel learned what had been done, he acted with great courage. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10).

Daniel understood the danger, but nonetheless prayed to God boldly with the windows open. He knew he would be seen and arrested for it. His enemies had planned his death, but Daniel relied on God.

They put him in the lions’ den, but God prevented the lions from attacking Daniel. He was saved from death. Afterward, Daniel’s enemies were put in with the lions and were immediately killed. You can read more about Daniel’s faith in our article “Daniel 6: Daniel in the Lions’ Den.”

New Testament examples of courage and faith

After Jesus was crucified, we see other examples of courage.

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus” (Mark 15:43). There was danger in being considered a friend or follower of Jesus, but Joseph acted anyway.

After the New Testament Church began, Peter and other followers had faith and showed bravery when they preached the good news in Jerusalem right after being beaten for doing just that. Peter boldly told the Sanhedrin, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

After the Sanhedrin “had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (verses 40-42).

What great faith and courage they showed! See more in our article “3 Lessons in Courage From the Apostles.”

Paul was another man of faith and courage. For example, he showed bravery when he went back into the city of Lystra right after being stoned by the Jews who came from there:

“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:19-20).

God fights our enemies

The army of Israel often faced dilemmas when bravery was needed. Many times, the enemy armies were much larger and had more experience in battle. The likelihood of losing seemed overwhelming, but God took care of His people and His nation.

Shortly after arriving in Canaan, five enemy kings and their armies came together to destroy Israel. They had many more soldiers than Israel, and their generals were experienced.

God understands that, humanly, we may still be fearful, but He asks us to have the faith and trust in Him so we can act courageously despite that fear. He will strengthen us and help us.This battle occurred at Gibeon and the surrounding area. It was a tremendous victory for Israel. But this didn’t happen because of Joshua’s wisdom or his soldiers’ fierceness. It happened because God dropped large hailstones on the enemy soldiers.

Also, in order to make a complete victory possible, God extended the daylight portion of the day. He caused the sun to stand still in the sky (Joshua 10:10-14). No doubt Israel’s army had many brave soldiers, but that is not what won the battle. God did it for them. God did mighty works for His people.

God also sent the judge Gideon, with only 300 soldiers, to battle against a huge army of Midianites, Amalekites and others. Gideon’s soldiers were brave men, but they did not have to fight. God put fear into their enemies’ hearts and they fled. Again, God rescued His people.

It was not the bravery of the soldiers that won the day. “When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled” (Judges 7:22).

What we need to do to become strong and of good courage

Of course, when we face trouble or dangerous circumstances, we need to do what we can to help our situation.

When someone is very angry with us, we need to be thoughtful and careful of how we talk with him or her. When we are short of money, we need to be careful of how we spend what we have. When we are out of work, we need to diligently hunt for jobs. But we know that God is mighty and He wants to help us.

The approach and attitude we should have when we are faced with a terrible or dangerous situation can be summed up in the words of Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

God understands that, humanly, we may still be fearful, but He asks us to have the faith and trust in Him so we can act courageously despite that fear. He will strengthen us and help us.

But what can we do when a bad or dangerous situation is upon us and we don’t feel at all courageous? How can we be brave when our trial calls for bravery, but we feel very weak? We can ask God to strengthen our faith—to give us the courage we need.

King David said that God is a refuge in times of trouble (Psalms 9:9; 31:2). And Paul said that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him (Philippians 4:13). When a bad situation comes to us, we should ask God to help us.

Yes, human bravery is good and desirable, but it is far better to have faith and trust in God. God wants the best for us. He is aware of our problems and wants to hear from us. Ask for help to grow in faith and to be strong and of good courage!

Learn more about growing in faith in our article “How to Grow in Faith.”

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight!

 

Paul said that although he and his companions were “hard-pressed on every side,” they continued to “walk by faith, not by sight.” How can we walk by faith?

Almost anyone who professes to be a Christian is familiar with the expression “walk by faith, not by sight.” These words have been the subject of countless sermons, and they appear in the titles and lyrics of contemporary songs.

But are they so common that they have lost their impact? More important, do you walk by faith, not by sight?

“Walk by faith, not by sight” in context

The concept appears throughout Scripture, but the precise wording in the title of this article comes from a letter the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:7). He used the words to explain how he and his colleagues in the ministry faced the many hazards in their path.

Much of what precedes these words is an account of Paul’s ministry. For instance, Paul wrote, “Since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Shortly afterward, he gave a stirring description of the trials he and his companions faced: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (verses 8-9).

When Paul boldly asserted that “if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1), he was alluding to the very real possibility he would die. And yet he could cling to hope—hope in a resurrection to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

So great a cloud of witnesses

Perhaps the passage most often associated with faith is Hebrews 11. In fact, this chapter has been dubbed the Faith Chapter. That’s because it lists God’s faithful servants from Abel to saints of the New Testament era, described in the following chapter as “so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1).

The Faith Chapter begins with a description reminiscent of Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Once again, we see this division between what can be seen and what cannot. At the heart of faith is an assurance of what we cannot physically see.

Among the heroes of faith in this chapter is Abraham. Hebrews 11 describes the father of the faithful as leaving his home in obedience to God, “not knowing where he was going” (verse 8). “Not knowing” is another way of expressing the idea that Abraham did not walk by sight. He simply obeyed God, choosing to walk by faith.

The chapter is a litany of biblical heroes. Some are named, including Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses and David. Others are not mentioned by name, but by their heroic deeds (verses 33-35) or their tragic deaths (verses 36-37).

But one thing they all shared was a tenacious grip on God’s promises to them. Variations of the word promise appear seven times in this chapter (verses 9, 11, 13, 17, 33 and 39).

In some cases, the promises are exclusive to individuals, such as God’s promise to Sarah that she would give birth to a son, though she was past childbearing age (verse 11). In other cases, the promises are general (verses 13 and 39), encompassing the gift of eternal life.

Struggling to walk by faith

In a world full of lies, deception and fraud, living up to the example set by “so great a cloud of witnesses” is not easy. Most of us struggle, especially at the beginning of our Christian journeys, to walk by faith.

But we are not alone. Even Christ’s closest disciples lost heart.

As Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified, the disciples were afraid. They abandoned Him, fleeing as He was arrested (Matthew 26:56). Peter denied Christ three times (verses 69-75).

Days later, while gathered together, the disciples were still afraid. For that reason, they made sure that the doors were closed (John 20:19). These men were not walking by faith, but living in fear.

Doubting Thomas

While the disciples were together, the resurrected Jesus appeared to them. One of them, however, was missing from this gathering. When Thomas rejoined the group, the others told him what had happened, but he could not believe what they told him about the resurrected Christ.

His words highlight his inability at the time to walk by faith: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (verse 25).

Eight days later, Jesus appeared to the disciples again. This time He singled Thomas out, telling Thomas to put his hand into Christ’s side and to examine His hands (verse 27). Thomas believed, but only after seeing.

The words Jesus spoke to Thomas underline the disparity between walking by faith and walking by sight: “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (verse 29).

The English idiom “doubting Thomas” has its origin in this incident. But Thomas was not the only disciple to be slow in believing. All of the disciples found it difficult to believe.

When Mary Magdalene and several other women had previously reported the resurrection of Jesus to the disciples, they also struggled with the news: “And their [the women’s] words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11).

How can you walk by faith, not by sight?

Even these men, who had spent 3½ years traveling with Jesus, struggled to walk by faith. Like us, they lived in a world full of lies, deception and fraud.

So it’s not surprising, then, that we may also stumble at times just as they did.

And yet, we know God expects us to walk by faith, and that “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

So how do we move forward in faith? The New Testament example of a Roman centurion can help us understand what it means, and what it takes, to walk in faith.

The faith of the centurion explained

Two of the Gospel accounts (Matthew and Luke) record this incident. The centurion, a gentile, sent some of the Jewish elders to Jesus to request healing for his beloved servant. The elders gladly petitioned Christ on the centurion’s behalf, saying, “He loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue” (Luke 7:5).

Jesus started toward the centurion’s house, but the centurion sent friends to Jesus to tell Him not to “trouble” Himself by going all the way to his home, saying that he was not worthy of the visit (verse 6). The message, however, included more.

We will also grow in faith as we humble ourselves before God, just as the centurion did.He told Jesus, “But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (verses 7-8).

This was a remarkable example of walking by faith. The centurion did not need to see Christ in his home. He did not need to see Jesus placing His hands on the servant. He did not need to see anything. He simply believed.

Jesus told the crowd around Him that He had “not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (verse 9).

Keys to the centurion’s faith

As we examine this Roman soldier’s faith, it’s helpful to consider his role. As a centurion, he was in charge of a centuria (approximately 100 soldiers). In Capernaum, which was not near the frontier of Roman power, he and his centuria were not engaged in combat. Instead, they served as a police force.

When we look closely at this story, we can see character traits of this Roman soldier that resulted in his great faith.

The first trait we notice is the care this man had not only for his servant, but also for the community his men policed. For this reason, the Jewish elders were happy to petition Jesus on behalf of the centurion, whom they described as “deserving” (verse 4).

The next trait we see is humility. He understood the reluctance of Jews in first-century Galilee and Judea to interact with gentiles. He humbled himself, not insisting that Jesus enter his home.

A third trait is the centurion’s insight into the power of God. As a man of authority, he recognized the authority of Christ, understanding that Jesus did not need to be physically present to heal the servant.

What does this mean for us?

We, too, can begin to walk by faith when we strive to live godly lives. Part of godliness is following the centurion’s example of loving our neighbors. That’s because we cannot truly love God unless we love the people around us—family, friends, coworkers and strangers (1 John 4:20).

We will also grow in faith as we humble ourselves before God, just as the centurion did. Humility before God requires us to live as God intends, not as we are used to living. It means obeying Him, even when that is not easy.

Finally, just as the centurion recognized the authority and power of Christ, we must come to understand who God is. His power is unlimited. He loves us deeply. He has promised us eternal life. And nothing—absolutely nothing—can stand between Him and us (Romans 8:38-39). When we understand these things about God, we will more readily walk by faith.

Another key to walking by faith

It’s clear that Paul, like the centurion, cared about people. His letters are filled with references to this love of his for the people responding to his preaching, and even those who didn’t. Paul also humbled himself, and he recognized the unlimited power of God.

But there was another key that helped Paul walk by faith, just as it helped the heroes of Hebrews 11. Paul walked by faith because he anchored that faith to the promise of eternal life.

We see that faith demonstrated toward the end of his second letter to the Corinthians, in which he cataloged some of the specific dangers he had already faced (2 Corinthians 11:23-29). Among the trials he listed were three beatings with rods, five whippings, one stoning and three shipwrecks! Paul could have died from any one of these!

Paul knew that whether he died preaching the gospel or died in bed, his “outward man [was] perishing” (2 Corinthians 4:16). In spite of that, he wrote, “The inward man is being renewed day by day.”

He came to understand that his present suffering was temporary, and he put his focus on the unseen, because “the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (verse 18).

We, too, can learn to focus on what is eternal. This takes time to learn, of course, and we won’t walk by faith perfectly. But if we follow the example of Paul, the Roman centurion and the heroes of the Faith Chapter, we’ll be able to walk by faith, not by sight.

Study more about this vital subject in our online article “How to Grow in Faith.”