DIGGING DEEP NO. 1135 May 12, 2026
2 TIMOTHY (PART 1B)
NOT ASHAMED
2Tim.1: 1- 18.
2. Shameless suffering – 2Tim.1: 8- 12. Paul was not ashamed 2Tim.1: 12; he admonished Timothy not to be ashamed 2Tim.1: 8; and he reported that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul’s chain 2Tim.1: 16.
Be not ashamed of the Lord’s testimony – 2Tim.1: 8- 10. Timothy’s natural timidity might make it easy for Him to avoid circumstances that demanded witness and involved suffering. Once again, Paul gave his associate needed encouragement. By nature, none of us enjoys suffering. Even our Lord Jesus Christ prayed, “Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done” Lk.22: 42, and Paul prayed three times for God to remove his painful thorn in the flesh 2Cor.12: 7- 8. When we suffer for doing good, then we are sharing Christ’s sufferings Phil.3: 10 and suffering on behalf of the whole church Col.1: 24. God has called us by His grace Vs.9. The emphasis in this verse is on grace. God saved us; we did not save ourselves Ephe.2: 8- 9; Tit.3: 5. He called us, not on the basis of our good works, but wholly on the basis of His grace. It is His purposes that we are to fulfill, and if these purposes include suffering, then we can accept it by faith and know that God’s will is best. When we are timid it is because we are afraid of suffering or even death. But Jesus Christ has defeated our last enemy, death! By His own death and resurrection, Christ has abolished death 1Cor.15: 55. Christ was not only the destroyer of death Heb.2: 14- 15, but He was also the revealer of life and immortality. Through the gospel, He has given us assurance of eternal life, resurrection, and the hope of heaven.
Be not ashamed of the Lord’s prisoner – 2Tim.1: 11- 12. Though a prisoner, Paul was still bearing witness for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sad to say, the people in Ephesus had deserted Paul in his time of need 2Tim.1: 15. Many of them could have come to Rome to witness on Paul’s behalf, but they did not. They were even ashamed to be identified with the apostle. Paul admonished Timothy to remain true. He gave four reasons why Timothy should not be ashamed of his association with Paul, the prisoner.
(A) Paul was called by God – Vs.11. Jesus Christ had met Paul on the Damascus Road and had personally called him into the ministry. The fact that professed believers in Asia were rejecting Paul did not change his calling or his message.
(B) Paul was an apostle (one sent with a commission). Not every Christian is an apostle of Jesus Christ, for a person had to meet certain qualifications and be chosen by the Lord personally, or through His Spirit Acts.1: 15- 26; 1Cor.9: 1; 2Cor.12: 12. To reject an apostle was to reject the Lord Jesus Christ.
(C) Paul was a teacher of the Gentiles. This meant that he shepherded local churches. It was this word Gentiles that put him into prison in Rome the first time Acts.22: 21- 22. The Gentile believers in Asia should have shown their appreciation of Paul by rallying to his support, for after all, it was Paul who brought them the good news of salvation. But instead, they were ashamed of him and tried not to get involved.
(D) Paul was confident in Christ – Vs.12. Paul was not ashamed! Why? Because he knew that Christ was faithful and would keep him. Note the emphasis on the person of Christ: “I know whom I have believed.” Salvation is not the result of believing certain doctrines, though doctrines are important. A sinner is saved because he believes in a Person; Jesus Christ the Savior. In these difficult days, it is important that we stand true to Christ and be willing to suffer for Him and not be ashamed. We may not be put into prison, as was Paul; but we suffer in other ways. It is also important that we stand by God’s servants who are suffering for righteousness’s sake.
3. Spiritual loyalty – 1Tim.1: 13- 18. Throughout the centuries God’s work has been done by men and women who stood steadfast in their hours of trial. It would have been convenient for them to have compromised, but they stood firm. Paul was such a man, and he encouraged Timothy to follow his example in a twofold loyalty.
Be loyal to God’s Word – Vs. 13- 14. God had given the deposit of spiritual truth to Paul 1Tim.1: 11, and he had given it to Timothy 1Tim.6: 20. It was now Timothy’s solemn responsibility to “hold fast” 2Tim.1: 13, and “guard” 2Tim.1: 14 the precious deposit of Christian truth, and to pass it along to others 2Tim.2: 2.
From the beginning of human history, Satan has opposed God’s Word. “Has God said?” was Satan’s first word to mankind Gen.3: 1, and he continues to ask that question.
Be loyal to God’s servant – Vs. 15- 18. We do not know who Phygellus and Hermogenes were 2Tim.1: 15; It is likely that they were leaders in the church who opposed Paul and would not come to his defense in Rome. You would think that the Asian believers would have stood by Paul, but instead, they were ashamed of him and at the same time whether they knew it or not ashamed of Christ 2Tim.4: 16. But there was one man who dared to leave Ephesus and come to Rome to assist Paul; Onesiphorus. Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul’s chain.
In Conclusion – The essentials for a successful ministry have not changed: courageous enthusiasm, shameless suffering, and spiritual loyalty.