1 Timothy 1:2 - "To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
Paul wrote this letter to
Timothy, whom the Apostle considered his true son in the faith. Timothy was not
Paul's biological son. However, there is strong evidence that he either led him
to Jesus on his stop in Lystra or disciplined him after his accepting Christ
Jesus as his Lord and Savor. This incident was the first use of the word
"faith" Paul used in this letter, but he used it several more times
in the first letter to his young protégé Timothy who had an excellent grasp of
the scriptures, taught from early childhood by his mother, Eunice, and
grandmother, Lois (2 Timothy 1:5).
In Psalm 127, we learn that our
children are a great gift from God. However, no matter how much pleasure a
house full of children can bring, it is always a joy beyond words to see our
children walking in faith with God through our Savior Christ Jesus. The Apostle
John writes of this joyful experience when he says that he has no greater joy
than to learn that his children are walking with the Lord (3 John 1:4).
Paul was aware of the importance
of teaching young Christians, regardless of their biological age, the ways of
Christ. We are justified in God's sight at the very heartbeat at which we
accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, however, the sanctification process
continues until we go home to be with our Savior. It is a lifetime pursuit as
we grow closer to God every day.
It is important that we as
Christians use every day as a learning experience in the Word of God so that we
might be able to spread the gospel of Christ to this lost, dark, and dying
world. At one of our Bible Study classes at Pioneer Baptist Church, we were
talking about how some people who are attempting to sell some worldly widget
will, at times, wear a button that states, "Ask me about the
"widget." One of the dear Sisters in the class took it upon herself
to have some buttons made up that stated, "Ask Me About Jesus." Some
are already wearing the buttons, and we are very excited to see how many people
respond to the message.
We, as followers and believers in
Christ Jesus, have a message from God that can save the spiritual lives of
everyone who accepts the truth of the message that Jesus is the way, the truth,
and the life (John 14:6), Our Lord and Savior goes on to say in that verse of
scripture that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
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