Thoughts From 2Timothy 3 - Part 3

 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  2Timothy 3:10-13

      Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 2Cor.11:24-27

       So, you want to be a leader in the Church? Timothy, knowing often firsthand the trauma Paul had gone through, was told that he too, because he is following Jesus would experience suffering. But Paul emphasizes something involved in following Jesus - living a Godly life. All of the epistles keep hammering this one thought that I keep going back to - we are saved to obey. We are saved to live a godly life. If you get saved and continue in sin (are you really saved?), you won't get persecuted. Why? For one reason, the devil doesn't fear you and you are already doing your part to show unbelievers that the gospel doesn't have power. Why should they persecute you when you are just like them?

     Does this mean if I don't open my mouth and just live a Godly life, I can get by without being persecuted? If I just mind my own business and don't tell people that they are sinning, will I be safe? I think if I stay quiet, I will be persecuted less. I think that's true. However, living an obedient life means I exclude myself from raucous parties, gossip sessions, drunkenness, debauchery, viewing parties of movies I don't want to watch, book clubs of books I don't want to read, and my absence in these comraderies of sin will expose me to persecution. The very fact that I'm not there, convicts people of sin.

      Billy Graham once golfed in a foursome with a famous golfer and when asked afterward what it was like to golf with Billy Graham, the golfer was incensed by Billy Graham preaching at him the whole 18 holes. Later, the golfer admitted that actually Billy Graham hadn't said a word. It appeared that the golfer was just convicted by a righteous presence. We need to radiate Christ and His righteousness in that way and yes, the world won't like it - but we aren't living for their approval anyway, are we?