A Good Goal

A Good Goal

Q: Why did Paul tell Timothy to work hard?

• a. to receive God’s approval
• b. to build a larger church
• c. to be remembered after he died

If you were writing a close friend a good-bye letter knowing you’d never talk to him or her again, what would you say? Would you talk about the good times you’d had? Would you give your friend advice to follow? Would you send words of encouragement?

The book of 2 Timothy was Paul’s last message to Timothy because Paul was imprisoned in Rome and facing death (see 2 Timothy 4:6). Paul had served God well and had given his all to the work of spreading the gospel. He’d been rejected, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned more than once.

Everything Paul did and said centered around Jesus. Paul said, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him” (Philippians 3:8-9).

Paul encouraged Timothy to work hard at studying the Scriptures so he would be able to explain them to others and earn God’s approval. That was Paul’s goal too. He wrote, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13-14).

For You

Do you, like Paul, live your life so that God will be pleased with you? Why not memorize Philippians 3:13-14 to remind yourself of your true goal in life?

Answer: a

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.   2 Timothy 2:15

(The Whole Story: 2 Timothy 2)