2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2Ti 2:5  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

2Ti 2:6  The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

One of the most important characteristics of who we are in Christ, is when we begin to work with God in what He is doing; this is the time when we begin to not only understand and appreciate how God would have us to think like He does, do things His way, and work together with Him, but that we can also ‘labor’ with Him out of godly selfless love by preaching and teaching the gospel, and establishing faithful men so they can do the same in all equity unto faithful men as well. We as “sons” are “chosen” to be a “good soldier of Jesus Christ” by God our Father, and our being “chosen” has the similar type of meaning as our being “called” of God our Father according to His purpose. And our ‘labor,’ is not based upon a ‘work for payment’ type of service, because this is NOT how our Father operates, we are taught our ‘service’ ought to be a “living sacrifice,” and that our “care” should no longer be for this world that we are “conformed” unto, but our “care” should be for the ministry’s sake.

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2Ti 1:8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

God our Father is not ‘calling out’ or ‘choosing’ men individually today, or has certain individual plans for certain saints, but He has a plan and purpose for all of the members of the body of Christ with one common purpose; and that is to meet the Godly design that He has purposed with us when He saved us. Therefore, our being “chosen” as a “good soldier” is the expectation that God has for us as being sons, and it consists of each member of the body meeting our ‘godly potential,’ and it is something that He would have all the members of the body of Christ to be engaged in; and that is our ‘laboring’ together with Him just as He would have us to do. But oftentimes this is not the case at all. Instead of “charging some that they teach no other doctrine,” some would rather ‘clam up,’ when they hear these false doctrines. But, if someone was to mention politics, sports, daily issues in the news, television, or if someone was to say something against their character; then they would ‘go to war’ with them and have a lot to say concerning the knowledge that they have on the issues, and fight as a ‘good soldier’ concerning the earthly issues of this ungodly world.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Oftentimes, when we that understand God’s two-fold plan and purpose for the heaven and earth say that we stand upon second Timothy 2:15, we miss the “not to be ashamed” part in the verse. We as “sons” have an expectation of the Father that we don’t ‘clam up,’ but preach the gospel to the unsaved, and also as a “workman” (one the works together with the Father in what He is doing) we are to use the doctrine to “convince the gainsayers”; that’s how we will gain the ‘approval’ of God. Moreover this is what Paul was giving Timothy to understand in chapter one when he knew that Timothy had done what Paul himself had done earlier in his ministry. Timothy had “the spirit of fear” when it came to proclaiming the gospel, he was afraid of the “afflictions” that would come along with ‘laboring’ in the gospel. And by being “ashamed,” and his lack of selfless love for the ministry, the “power of God” was not being put on display, and evil men were “waxing worse and worse” which caused more ungodliness, and false doctrines to be taken in as the ‘majority doctrine’ among the people (this is what took place in Asia, Paul said that the people that he had earlier preached to was now “turned away” from him by these “evil men”) and much of this was going on while Timothy was among them, when God would have had Timothy “charge some that they teach no other doctrine.”

Act 18:9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

Act 18:10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Act 18:11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Earlier in Paul’s ministry he also had the “spirit of fear,” but he saw the bigger picture, Paul saw that he was able to put “the power of God” on display by not being “ashamed.” Therefore, by example, Paul was able to instruct Timothy in one of the most important parts of godliness; which is working together with God in all selflessness, having no care for the “affairs of this life,” by teaching the gospel, and establishing others so that they likewise can do the same.  And it is a key ingredient to the destroying of what Satan is trying to accomplish, and he is put to an open shame as a fool when the word of truth is preached by us instead of having our inner man ‘filled’ with fear. But the true “workman,” “soldier,” and “man of God,” ought to know that persecutions, and the “sufferings of Christ” is a big part of the ministry, and the “faithful” in Christ knows that they are “appointed thereunto” the sufferings of the ministry, but out of selflessness the Son in Christ, would be that “living sacrifice” just as God intended.

2Ti 2:2  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

1Th 3:2  And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

1Th 3:3  That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

1Th 3:4  For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Therefore the only way we can be a “workman” is that we have to ‘labor’ with God in the ministry, and operate upon godly selflessness, and our education begins in Romans 12 about the “renewing” of our minds away from what this world has taught us, and begin learning how to walk in selfless love toward the brethren, and the be that “living sacrifice” God called us to be, and be “partakers of the afflictions.” But even if we believe we have a great understanding of God’s word, and we ourselves are bible teachers; if we are too “ashamed” to proclaim it to the opposition, then we are not laboring together with God, but with the adversary (even though you don’t think you are) and what he is trying to accomplish.

1Ti 1:2  Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Wherefore being “approved unto God” does not take place because you understand how God’s word of truth should be studied (rightly dividing the word of truth), it is done by doing what Paul exhorted Timothy and Titus to do within the three epistles given to them; and that is to use the “word of truth” as a weapon, and “Armor” in battle as a “good soldier” against the proclaimers of the false doctrines of this world (whether it’s the little old lady at the store that says ‘have a blessed day,’) because we know that they proudly proclaim the false doctrines that they have heard from this world, or certain sayings that may have a ‘goodly sound’ to the ears, and may sound “godly” to the ‘babe in Christ,’ but it actually has nothing to do with the word of God in truth at all. And certain sayings like; ‘God works in mysterious ways,’ ‘maybe God has a plan for you,’ ‘give it over to God,’ and many other ‘sayings’ has the people of this world placing their faith in a doctrine which is of this world, and has the “deceived” eventually deceiving others.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

2Ti 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

So in essence, are you doing what God requires of you as a “good soldier” and using the scripture as the “Armor,” and as a weapon the way God intended for “reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness?” But, just as Paul found “salvation” from being “ashamed,” and being “afraid” through the scriptures, and through the selfless love of God, this was how Timothy, and how we too get the cure for our  being “ashamed” by the sufferings of the gospel also. It is our being “strengthen” within our “inward man” by the scriptures, and by the selfless love for the ministry’s sake,  where we too will be able to “exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” we must remember what the Lord told Paul when said “be not afraid, but speak,” we are entrusted with “the power of God” as a soldier that “warreth,”and we are “chosen” of our Father to proclaim it regardless of what opposition we face.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2Ti 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

2Ti 4:6  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2Ti 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Rod Jones