St. Irenaeus Ministries

Christ is returning to judge the living and the dead, and Paul orders Timothy to educate Christians in the faith, but this is not an obligation of Timothy alone. We must all take on the task of holding the people to the faith rather than the other paths of erroneous beliefs.

Some Christians may be easily misled into error, but we must be prepared to defend the faith and avoid being drawn into the sin of others who will proclaim these. Paul notes that the Bible is useful for correction, just as tradition is. We must seek not signs or prophecies but rather the true faith; and we have seen this lust for signs exploited as far back as Pharaoh's priests.

Paul tells us a few characteristics of the last days. While the early Church was expecting an immediate coming of the last days, the prophecy in Daniel leaves the exact time indeterminate. Antichrists will rise to mislead people but for mercy, the time of the final judgment is being delayed.

When we become Christians, we are incorporated into Christ. Some teachers preach a perverted Christianity which is not a part of life in Christ, and we are told to avoid such things and those who traffic in them. These errors may be allowed to persist so that we may be challenged to hold to God's will in purity. We must also correct these people in gentleness and not in anger.

Paul tells us to be strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, but to expect to suffer as Christians. Paul also instructs Timothy to pass on the message that he has taught to trustworthy men. Paul uses several analogies for the Christian life, the farmer who must work hard, the soldier who must detach himself from civilian life, and the athlete who must obey certain rules and discipline.

Paul is in prison and has been abandoned by some of his prior compatriots. We must never be ashamed to testify to our faith in God. This testimony comes from the Holy Spirit, but we must act on this spirit. We do have the ability to reject God's will, but if we choose to testify to the Lord, His truth will come through us.

Paul's Second Letter to Timothy comes later in his life, as he is nearing his death. The content is markedly different, though the language suggests it may have been written by the same scribe.Paul connects the Christian's life to that of God. We are to not be timid but to be prepared to act on our Christian duties, even if we should need to rekindle our faith from time to time.

Those who came to Christ in slavery were asked to continue in the same way. It was not possible for the Church to afford the complete release of slaves at that time. Christians are asked to tame their passions and use them for the Lord. Even a rich man may be generous with money and use that money to do God's work.

The widows who dedicate themselves to the Church should be ones were were dedicated to one man in marriage. Similarly, while the overseers (a position in the church that would later become the position of bishop) of the Church may have work besides preaching, they should receive double honor for their fidelity to work in the Church despite other obligations. For believers who go astray into sin, if they persist, on the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15) they should be rebuked in the presence of all. We do not want to participate in others' sins.

In the society surrounding the early Christian community, there was no support network for widows. Paul instructs that if an older woman's husband dies, and this woman devotes herself to the work of the Church and vows never to marry again, the community should support that woman if the woman's family is not present. Younger women should not be pressed prematurely into this sort of vow.