[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

[pickledilly]

Timothy was still young, and Paul was handing over a very heavy mantle of leadership and responsibility. I think he just didn't yet have the boldness that comes with experience and deepening faith. He may have been a naturally shy person, uncomfortable with the demands of public ministry. He may not have yet realized or fully understood his spiritual gifting. He had grown up in the faith, but maybe it was being tested in a way like never before and he just wasn't sure. When you're effectively serving God, furious challenges will come against you. It can be hard to learn how to handle that and keep going. Whatever was evidently making Timothy timid, Paul knew this young man had to "grow up" into greater maturity.

To focus on the power and grace of God toward us is to gain proper perspective and re-energized faith! Because of His own purposes, He has saved us and called us to holiness. He is the source. He will equip and enable us to make it through whatever suffering He allows in our life. He has let us see all of this in the physical life, death, and resurrection of our Savior.

When we identify ourselves with the life and immortality that Christ secured for us, we can leave timidity behind. The devil wants to tie us up in insecurities and steal the life out of us. To pull over to the side of the road and park in failure or remorse is to declare that our personal inadequacy is bigger than His defeat of death - and that is a form of pride. We should be proud of Him, not our insufficiency. We need to repent and move on in His spiritual empowerment (grace)! I can do all things in Christ, who strengthens me.

[charisbarak]

Whenever our thoughts are on ourselves & how weak & helpless we really are--we need to turn our thoughts to who God Is. When we spend time reading the Word & contemplating all the aspects of our Big God, it whittles down the problems. We see Him, Who is able to bring so many to salvation. He prepares. He does the work. He brings fruition! We just have to be willing vessels for Him.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

Paul is reminding Timothy all he is, all he hopes to be, all he has is tied up in the Good News of God’s love for mankind as seen in and through Jesus and what he has done for us through his death and resurrection. Only through Him do we have any hope of salvation now and for eternity. When we really come to realize this and really realize the fact that we are children of the King it does wonders in helping us to not be ashamed of the Gospel and the truth it contains.

[iam4-1god]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

I think if we focus on Christ, and get our minds off ourselves, then we will not be so conscious of our fear. My perspective is, whenever I doubt my salvation or the things that I have learned, then I run to my Bible and start reading the appropriate verses for whatever I fear. Also, I confess my fear, because to fear is to doubt God.

[Stan]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?


He is telling Timothy that He is to take courage that He should have a sense of Pride in his suffering and proclaiming of the Gospel. Jesus and His promise of new life are worthy of a prideful heart and joy in suffering. He should look at all Jesus has done for him,Timothy,and feel pride in Jesus and be able to suffer the way Paul is suffering know that Christ is able to finish all He has started and tofulfill His promises.

[Snaps]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Paul is showing Timothy the Gospel comes directly from eternity, which exists outside the created unikverse with its 4 dimensions of length, depth, height and time. Salvation was there from the very beginning, for all men, but was veiled (ie not understood) until the arrival in the flesh of Jesus Christ, our Immanuel. Therefore the truth that
Timothy has always been brought up with is greater and more majestic by far than the corrupted character of men, and we, and he, Timothy, should not let it slip away, but believing, be delighted to constantly operate in the Trugh, and the gifting thereby provided, not letting mankind down by conceding defeat to them;, but maintaining the faith, whatever the consequence in the corrupt world of the flesh.

This is THE antidote for shame, for there is no shame in TRUTH and those who consistently serve ti. Shame is in the corruption of humanity that turns a blind eye to truth. Even prison could not shame Paul and Onesiphorus, and this is his delight. Truth MUST be victorious eventually, as the liar is the instrument of death and destruction, but is overcome by the Second Adam who created the world in the first place, and understands its mechanics and function far better than ever satan could.

It's like a painting by a very famous artist, overpainted by a nobody. Then a restorer comes to remove the second layer, revealing the original. He certainly gets his hands dirty, and may fight with the establishment in the art world about what needs to be done, because the second painting has long been considered the work of the original artist. However the result is glorious when it is revealed. and eventually there is no doubt about the superior quality of the original painting!

[masika]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?
His focus is to suffer for Christ, and suffer with Christ, was the highest glory to which any human being in this state could arrive. The royal way to the crown of glory, is by the cross of Christ.

[hanks]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10)
Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy?
How is this an antidote for shame?
Paul is encouraging Timothy to be zealous and courageous; explaining that this is the only reasonable attitude to take; it is found in God's wonderful dealings with us in grace. First of all, He saved us from the penalty of sin and has freed us from this evil world and from Satan. On top of this He bestowed us with spiritual blessings. We can read in Ephesians 1-3 that we are chosen, predestined, adopted as sons, accepted in the Beloved, redeemed through His blood, forgiven, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Also if we remember that this salvation and calling are not according to our works, but that they were given to us by God's grace. This means that we did not deserve them, but rather deserved the very opposite. We could not earn them; neither did we seek them. But God freely bestowed them upon us without condition or price. It is when we ponder on these thoughts that we should be full of enthusiasm for the Lord and should never be ashamed to call His name out loud.

[JustJeff]

There is nothing in Christ that is negative (to the saved). There is therefore no condemnation when we walk in the Spirit. When stirred up, the Holy Spirit takes away our guilt and shame and gives us the boldness necessary to carry out our vocation as Christians.
Paul's focus on Christ and the laying on of his hands reminds Timothy, and us, of the gift that lies within us against which no power can withstand.

[kenny]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Our Christianity is all about good news not bad and we need to remember this. The gospel is our antidote for all the things that are thrown at us from the world. In our Lords death and resurrection we get “Life” which comes with His personal guarantee that wherever we go

He will always be with us. It with this knowledge, that we can go out into the world and tell others the good news without feeling shame. While Christ is for us who can be against us. Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is; tell the problem how Great the Lord is!

[Patriciaa]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Paul tells how Christ came to bring us salavation and how it is a free gift with no strings attached. We do not need to feel shame because we know our sins are forgotten through the free gift of forgiveness. All we need to do is accept God's grace.

[ob75]

"But join me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life.." vs 8-9
It seems to me that we should expect to suffer for the gospel and be willing to feel uncomfortable at times speaking
the truth. we should rely on Holy Spirit guidance and wisdom when we share the Good News. God will enter into conversations
where He needs to enter into anyway..give up control so God can work it out!! We who are saved must allow God to work
through us to save others....

[Jen]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

When we focus on Christ and not our problems we have a different perspective on the issues at hand. We are encouraged and strengthened through the Holy Spirit to accomplish what God gives us to do. On our own we are doomed to failure.

God Bless!
Jen
Numbers 6: 24-26

[spazzo47]

Paul is sharing where his strength comes from, the power of CHrist and the Gospel itself. It's designed to first motivate him to remember the promises of God. Every once in a while, my pastor will do that with me, he wants me to name a promise that God gives in the Bible and claim it for myself. What my pastor is doing is making sure that he's not spoon feeding me anything that I can ignore, but that I actually do know what the Bible says. It doesn't always work well because I can't quote verses, just the ideas in them. What Paul is doing is reminding Timothy of the power of the Gospel. Paul knows that Timothy knows the Gospel and what it says, and he's not there in person to make Timothy say the words and create a pep rally moment (like my pastor tries to do). But instead, Paul is reminding Timothy of what he needs a reminder of and he's speaking from his own personal experience of where his strength to go through these tough times come from. When I first started preaching, my pastor told me to use illustrations from my life because it shows the congregation that I beleive what I'm saying. I don't know that Paul was intentionally doing that, but because I think Paul was preaching to himself as much as to Tmiothy, I think there is a little of that at least.

[JanMary]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy?

Paul tries to shift Timothy's focus away from his shame, and self focus, and the possible consequences to himself or his loved ones, and to instead focus on the glorious Gospel of Christ and Timothy's calling to proclaim it to the world. Paul is acknowledging to Timothy that persecution is a "given" if we're truly living for Christ and are being a light in the darkness....He's saying embrace the privilege of experiencing the sufferings of Christ, for we are "not above our Master".

How is this an antidote for shame?

Shame is "all about me", the antidote is to shift the focus to the real reason for living...Jesus Christ, His birth, death and resurrection to save each one who comes to Him for forgiveness and eternal life.

[sahala p.s.]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel is designed to encourage Timothy in this way: it displays more clearly of the power, worthiness and glory of the Gospel, that is, the gospel is God’s grace given in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, and through receiving it and by the power of God he was saved and called to a holy life. It also displays more clearly of the role of Christ in the Gospel and the accomplishments of Christ, that is, Christ Jesus is savior, he has destroyed death and has brought life and immorality to light though the gospel. By that way it is hoped Timothy will fully or deeply understanding of what the Gospel actually contains, and therefore, become not ashamed of it

This is an antidote for shame in a way that the full understanding of Gospel and Christ make one not feels timid and ashamed but encouraged to tell the Gospel and testify about Christ

[Delivered]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?
The ceremonial law is what leads us to Christ, and because the law is God's law, it is holy, and because man cannot keep it, it condemns us to death; however, Christ came to fulfill the law, to give to us the Holy Spirit, to instruct us on the law, to write it on our hearts; and once written on our hearts, how can we not but be bold for Christ, for we have boldness, power, living in us? Shame is what I once felt, when I was an unholy, defiled person.

I believe Timothy understood the need for him to be bold, but, in times of tribulation and testing's, each of us, as it was for Timothy, must be reminded and encouraged to stay in faith, to be reminded who we are in Christ. Take up our cross and follow Him, be bold. For Timothy, he may have to face being stoned or thrown in jail, if there was a time to stand firm on "faith" it was at this time.

I wonder, how would we stand under the same conditions, if we at times cannot stand up against peer pressure, or political correctness of our day. Yes, we must encourage each other to stay in FAITH, be bold, for if we ever need to be encouraged, it is today, for Satan knows his time is short, and he is out about as a roaring lion.

[McCollum]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Sharing with the suffering indicates that at times a faithful witnes for the Lord will involve adversity. Paul's call for boldness applyed to Timothy at that time and to us in this day and time. We to every once in a while need a gentle push to be bold. God's calling of believers is not according to works. It is impossible for people to earn their way into heaven. Salvation is according to God's own purpose, grace is God's unearned favor. God's plan and grace has been revealed, the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, abolished death no more reason for believers to shrunk from testifying about their faith death has no victory because Jesus Christ has abolished death.

[servant for Christ]

Q3. (2 Timothy 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame?

Paul's focus on Christ helps Timothy because he assures Timothy of God's grace. It is an antidote because it is the power of God to everyone that believes.