MARCHING ORDERS

"PREACH THE WORD"

Paul, in writing to his frequent associate and fellow worker, gave what could be called his last marching orders. These were appropriate not only for Timothy, but for all of us. We are fighting the same battle against Satan. Our task is the same, no matter how intense the battle should become. God told Noah to preach a message of repentance for a hundred years to all who would listen, while he was building the ark. God knew that the only ones who would believe would be Noah’s own family, but he gave the opportunity to all. The earth was to be destroyed by the flood then. Today we are living in days when “they shall not endure sound doctrine”, and we face the final destruction of the earth, not by gradual warming and melting of the ice caps, but by fire. I recall the statement of a Charismatic Pentecostal evangelist, several years ago, who said “I don’t preach doctrine.” This year’s horrific wild fires in California should open our eyes of that event to come, certainly they are a graphic warning, yet I have not heard one word mentioning that fact. As Jesus said to the apostles, “teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” Matthew 28:20, so we must also do. Jesus said, “teach them,” and to Paul “preach the word.” It is the same command passed on to every new generation.”

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:1-8.

The quick, the dead, and his Kingdom. Notice that he separates those of his kingdom, from those who are living, and not living at the time of his coming to judge. Why is it that those of his kingdom are separated from the others? Is it not perhaps because they have been caught up to meet him in the air? These are the ones who have heeded the charge and have been preaching the word. In John 1:1 we have noted that the “Word” was with God and the Word was God and the Word had a part in the creation of all things. The word was Christ. We are to be preaching Christ and what he has taught us. Whether people believe it or not is not the question. In fact, we know that most will reject it, but that is not our basis for preaching, just as it was not with Noah. We are told that they will not endure sound doctrine, and will prefer little stories instead. Paul calls them fables. A fable can be an illustration but not the content of thr whole message as is sometimes heard.

Not everyone is going to like the evangelist, especially if he is the bearer of bad news. Read the prophets of the Old Testament days. Sometimes the kings they were told to carry a message to, were violent in their rejection. One had his scroll cut into pieces and thrown into the fire as it was read, Jeremiah was thrown into an abandoned cistern, Elijah fled for his life from Jezebel. I, myself, was cautious as I collected my mail at my post office box after I received a threatening letter in response to tracts I had distributed in the Oriental Plaza of Johannesburg. The box could have been watched. Christians can “endure afflictions” in any period of history.

Paul was able to say of himself, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Are we able to say the same? If we are, we are also able to say with confidence, “there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Let us look forward to that day with confidence.