Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Dec 24, 2024 - Wise for Salvation”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsWise for Salvation
Reading: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
Timothy can expect times of difficulty and persecution. Paul reminds him that he has seen this before. “You, however, have followed...my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”(2 Tim 3:10, 11-13). God’s people are persecuted while evil people seem to worsen. Paul’s life demonstrates this repeatedly. But Paul insists that this is the pattern that all Christians should expect. It can be especially perplexing when we see God’s people persecuted and evil people worsening (2 Tim 3:13). Yet God wants us to handle this seeming contradiction with mature faith, as Paul does.
Meanwhile, Paul wants Timothy to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”(2 Tim 3:14-15). Our response to a hostile world is to dig into the word of God. Paul refers here to the Old Testament, which Timothy is familiar with from his mother’s and grandmother’s teaching. Those writings can make one “wise for salvation,” teaching us to expect God’s Messiah, showing us what matters to him, and driving us toward deeper love and knowledge of God. Like all of God’s words, they remain relevant and applicable. They prepare God’s people for every good work (2 Tim 3:17) and are worth studying and teaching.
Scripture is an anchor in the tumultuous sea of life. It hooks us into God’s perspective and will for his world, reminding us of our place and direction. With this background, we are ready to accept God’s salvation through Jesus and his teachings for how life should be lived. We are “wise for salvation.”
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One Thing to Think About: How have I observed persecution of Christians?
One Thing to Pray For: A heart to cling to Scripture
