2 Timothy Quality: Very good

[0:00] I would, as the Lord may help me this evening, bring before you a word found in the second epistle of Paul to Timothy, first chapter, and the seventh verse.

[0:23] Second epistle to Timothy, chapter one, verse seven. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

[0:44] It's a good thing to realize the things that God hath not given to us.

[1:01] There are a great many people, no doubt, who make all kinds of claims.

[1:13] And there are a multitude of things that are entertained in the hopes and confidences of many people which have never come from God.

[1:37] The Pharisees in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ boasted of a great many things, but God had never given such things to them.

[1:57] And the scripture, and this scripture in particular, affords our hearts and minds the opportunity of looking at the both sides.

[2:12] The things that have not been given by the Lord and the things that have.

[2:25] And I would judge that the right understanding of both these things is very important, very helpful, and very instructive.

[2:43] Now, Paul says here, by the word of God, that God hath not given to his people the spirit of fear.

[3:00] Now, this is a basic thing, because everything really that is contrary to God's work and way, however good it may seem to be in the eyes of men, however pretentious it may be, the eventual outcome of those things will be to produce fear.

[3:33] And so Paul sums the whole thing, he takes a range, as it were, of all the things that are counted by some to have been very important, very precious, very needful.

[3:49] We might sum them up in this way, all the external things that go for religion. In the eyes of a great many people, the ultimate issue of those things is to produce fear.

[4:09] And the word before us says very clearly, God hath not given the spirit of fear. But it's also very precious and important to try to examine the things that God doth give, and will give, and giveth so graciously, and so blessedly.

[4:44] And there are three things in our text which are so wonderful indeed, which speaks the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

[5:03] First of all, I want us to observe the remarkable sympathy that this great man, the Apostle Paul, had for young men like Timothy.

[5:20] He did not ride over their heads by any means. He took, at all times, an intense interest in the young that were of his day.

[5:43] And Paul knew how to bring himself down, as it were, to their level. He said, I am all things to all men.

[5:57] And I believe he meant simply this, that he was prepared to walk in tenderness and sympathy and understanding with those that were far less than he in knowledge.

[6:15] far inferior to him in place and position in the church of God.

[6:26] I think some of the things that are so unfruitful and appalling is this kind of spirit that sometimes creeps in among God's people, where some regard themselves as so superior that they really cannot entertain anything that is less, or have any communication with those that are young.

[7:00] I think we expect the young to have the heads and shoulders of the aged on them. And a deep experience.

[7:12] We almost insist in some places that even those who are very young in the way should have a very ripe and deep experience. But the word of God does not indicate that to be the case.

[7:29] The Lord says in the dealings with his people, here a little, there a little, line upon line. He leads his people very gently.

[7:41] He leads his people very gently. He leads his people very gently. And growth in nature is not of an instant kind or character. You'll not find the fields that have been sown with wheat or barley or anything growing into ripeness in a day or a week.

[8:02] It's almost imperceptible. But it's very wonderful. And very certain. Very real. Now, this great man, the Apostle Paul, he had a very tender regard to this young man, Timothy.

[8:20] He writes two epistles to him. Some of the churches had no more than one epistle. But Paul goes out of his way, under the direction of God the Holy Spirit, to write two letters to Timothy.

[8:41] And let us observe how he addresses this young man. He says, My dearly beloved son, a son born by regeneration, a son born by regeneration, begotten by the Apostle through the ministry of the Gospel.

[9:09] I think for a minister, you know, there can be little that is greater or more significant or precious than to know of one that has been, by God's grace, brought into the knowledge of the Gospel and into a knowledge of Christ through one's ministry.

[9:41] It's the greatest seal that a minister of the Gospel can really have. People may have great congregations.

[9:58] They may be, many may clamor to hear this minister and that, but there can be nothing greater, no honor that is higher, than to have the evidence of those who have been born again, quickened by God's grace, brought to the light, knowledge of the truth through the ministry of the Gospel.

[10:24] Now, Paul could say that. My beloved son. I want you to notice also this.

[10:36] And what an example this is for you and for me. He says, I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers that I have you in my heart.

[10:52] I remember you. I remember thee in my prayers night and day. What a wonderful thing to be able to say.

[11:08] I remember thee in my prayers night and day. So, Timothy was being held up in the arms of prayer of this great apostle night and day.

[11:24] what an example of true godliness. Oh, that we had today more in our churches that held, hold up God's people, especially those that are young and tender, and God's ministering servants also, holding them up by prayer night and day.

[11:58] Oh, what a danger there is of becoming too casual and too unconcerned about real things and right things.

[12:10] then another thing I want you to notice here, because these things are very important. He also reminds Timothy of the fact, and it is indeed a very wonderful fact, that there had been three generations in the family that he belonged to, all of which had the fear of God in their hearts.

[12:43] His grandmother, his mother, and now himself. Now, notice this. This is what I want you to notice.

[12:56] Grace is not hereditary. And here is a very clear acknowledgement of that truth by the apostle Paul.

[13:08] He says, I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.

[13:26] Now, you see, if grace was hereditary, Paul would have never written those words to Timothy. He would have said something like this, but we, of course, should never find such things in the scriptures.

[13:42] Thy grandmother, her, what she was, has produced in thee and in thy mother the grace that has been manifested.

[13:53] But no, Paul says nothing of that kind. He says, I call to remember. It's a wonderful fact.

[14:04] It's a fact that is outstanding, should be recognized and acknowledged before God that here where three generations, one after the other, all of them had been called by God and blessed with his grace.

[14:24] We cannot give our children God's grace, but we can pray for them. Grace is not hereditary.

[14:36] it is all by God's sovereign goodness and wonderful mercy.

[14:49] So, you see, he speaks of this. Then, he speaks also, and this is an important thing, in the verse before our text, he says, wherefore, wherefore, I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

[15:19] I want just to say a few words about this because it is an important thing, the laying on of hands. We hear today of people who make great claims about the laying on of hands, people that claim to have the power that the apostle only had and are able to lay hands on people of the present time with striking and wonderful effects.

[15:57] effects. I want us to remember this, God's word and the testimony of it is the all important thing to follow.

[16:10] Now what does Paul say? He says to Timothy, stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands.

[16:21] hands. You'll find if you observe in the scripture that the laying on of hands was exclusively the right, the privilege and the power of the apostles alone.

[16:41] There was no transmission of that right to anyone else. When the last apostle ceased and passed into heavenly glory, the Lord removed that power from men to lay hands with effect upon their fellow creatures.

[17:09] Now you know people claim to have apostolic succession today but my dear friends the scripture tells us very plainly that apostolic succession is a delusion that none were permitted to lay hands upon others with this effect but the apostles alone.

[17:36] There was only one exception to that rule and that is very clear why you see when Paul who was born out of time as he says himself who was made an apostle who knew not the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh when he was called as he was on the way to Damascus we find that the Lord directed him into Damascus and to one whose name was Ananias and Ananias laid his hands on Paul at the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ and Paul's eyes were opened and he received the spirit now as the only occasion in the scriptures now why was that because if an apostle had laid hands on

[18:36] Paul it would be virtually apostolic succession but the Lord appointed and directed another who was not an apostle to lay hands on Paul whom he had made an apostle and had appointed an apostle to go before him to carry the gospel to the Gentiles now these are things are very important because we need to be we need to be furnished with God's truth there's a great deal to combat today in the world and in the church there are many things that carry people away that divert the attention of men from the pure glorious gospel of Jesus Christ there's nothing so pleasing to the human nature as something that is exciting something visible and this charismatic movement today is a visible thing it's instant religion and you know we're living in a day when everything has to be more or less instant our food has to be instant all that our daily requirements they have to be on that in that kind of way they have to be instant and man is devising an instant religion an easy religion but my friends let me commend to you the word of

[20:24] God there's no easy way to heaven the way the martyrs have trodden the way the pilgrim people of God have trodden have been has been always has been always will be through much tribulation and through the conflicts and the fights and warfare of faith now Paul says to Timothy stir up the gift of God that is in me I want us to think of that and the importance of it because my dear friends I find I expect you find it as well that one of the greatest dangers is to be unstirred in my own experience and

[21:30] I expect you have found it at times some of the best moments in your experience when something has stirred you up there's a great danger in being not stirred it's like a room where there is no ventilation what happens to a room where there is no ventilation it becomes stagnant it's also like a pool or a pond where there is simple stagnation and it becomes poisonous and the soul or the life of a child of God that has never been stirred or not being stirred is something where there is danger inactivity un-exercised conditions are dangerous conditions for the real believer and you will value value as you value anything those things that stir you up in your own hearts to seek after the things of

[23:06] God more earnestly I feel as one goes about among the congregations I feel one thing that seems to be lacking today to a great extent is the stirring up among the people we are too complacent we come and go we take religion so often so easily it has very little weight upon our hearts and minds and the cause of God well we feel sometimes other people can carry it but what does Paul say to Timothy this young man he says neglect not to stir up the gift of God which is in me by the putting on of my hands and you know when there's a stirring like the wells in

[24:10] Bethesda pool when the angel came down and moved the water stirred them up there was healing and when God's people are stirred and in the times when they are stirred there are great things accomplished great works performed and great mercies revealed now let us look at the negative side then of our text first of all tonight God has not given us the spirit of fear he has not given us the spirit of fear whatever therefore causes fear to dwell in the heart and bosom of a believer is not from God it comes from these things that I have been speaking comes comes from forgetfulness of God there are a great multitude of things that cause fear not merely something that is dangerous around us not because of a threatening condition that is a kind of fear and the children of

[25:44] God have to pass through these times but the fear that is spoken of in our text is not of that kind it's a fear that comes through a diversion a fear that comes through something that is unworthy and something that is contrary to the mind and will of God the Lord says God hath not given us the spirit of fear it's a very important thing to recognize the thing that God has not given to us I think you know there are people who think that religion is constituted by fear they say we are so fearful well it's a good thing if it's not false confidence that takes the place of fear but let us never never be deceived by thinking for one moment that fear is one of the great ingredients of religion or that fear and faith go hand in hand together because they do not faith will triumph over fear faith will rise above all fears and dismiss the fears and bring the soul out from the darkness and the burdens of real fear

[27:46] God hath not given his people the spirit of fear and this is very important when a poor sinner would come and approach unto a holy God I hate irreverence I dislike any address to the almighty that seems to be as it were on a level with ourselves I abominate language which seems to belittle the almighty but let me say this my friends God does not give to his people when they come and approach the majesty of heaven he does not give the spirit of fear but he gives such souls to know this that he bids them welcome he calls them to the throne of grace he never drives away a poor coming soul who ventures to draw near to the throne of grace he does not give the spirit of fear have you not found sometimes this to be the case with you that when you've expected to be driven right away from the throne of grace because of your desert you find the sweet warm welcome you find a drawing influence at work in your heart and instead of having the frown of God you've had the smile of God now that's true because

[30:00] God hath not given his people the spirit of fear and there are many in the scriptures that we may see who were delivered from the fear there's a fear of man God does not give to his people the fear of man one of the biggest curses among the children of God is the fear of man let the fear of man enter into a place a cause and you'll find there are woes abounding following the entrance of the fear of man it bringeth a snare that is the word of God and a multitude of other kinds of fears I might consider tonight but I must come more to our positive side but let me say this you know in your own mind in your own heart what how many fears there are that plague and oppress your poor mind and heart and take away your peace and your joy now let us remember this my friend

[31:33] God has not given that and if he hasn't given it it's well for you if you can see this that great need is to discard it let these fears that so place the believer and hinder their progress let these fears be cast on one side cast off every narrow thought and use the liberty that Christ has bought God has not given us the spirit of fear what a mercy this is but what has he given us let us look at the positive side he has given us the spirit of power power oh what a mighty thing this is in real religion you see you can have a religion that is made up of form and that form may be very orthodox it may be very important and striking you may have a religion that acknowledges outwardly all the right things the essential things never departs from the truth holds it believes it and yet that religion may be simply dead and what is the lack the lack that is in it it is this there's no power one of the great things about the religion of God the religion of God's people is that it is a religion of power wherever God comes whatever he does and deals there's power where it is there was power when he spake in the beginning and said let there be light and there was light there was power when he gave on Mount Sinai the law of God there was a thunder and a voice of a trumpet such voices such voices that the people that heard entreated that they should not hear it anymore but there was such power in the gospel such power in the cross of Jesus Christ and power in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and in everyone who truly believeth there is power now you will want nothing but the power of God if there's anything that you feel to need you'll need this to be conveyed in it and that is power when you hear the gospel you may hear words you may hear things nicely put forth compared well from chapter to chapter you may say what is missing in this what is lacking in this ministry there's something lacking because it seems to leave me it passes over my head it never reaches deep down into the vital reaches recesses of my heart it has no effect upon my life my thoughts my hopes it makes no difference to me

[35:47] I come and go I hear these things but there's something lacking can you put your finger on it I believe you can because the first thing that God says in a text here before us that he gives to his people is power spirit of power that's the thing that is lacking in so much my friends and you come to the word of God you read it and when you've read a chapter you think now what have I been reading have I been reading it did I really read it my mind was everywhere but on the matter that I was reading and then you come to a word at times when you are in such need and a word seems to stand out like apples of gold in pictures of silver it's a word that you've seen so many times but you've never seen like you see it now there's power in it penetrating power that reaches right down into your very soul and when it is so it will do something it will have great effects and great results power and this power cannot be manipulated you know when Goodzerubba was building the temple of the Lord the Lord sent a message to him very salutary and very needful message it was he said not by might or by power that is outward power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts we need to be warned against outward power outward demonstration a great many people are carried away by outward demonstrations you know the Lord will teach his people like he did

[38:13] Elijah when he took Elijah and showed him first of all that mighty wind such a wind that rent the rocks and hurled them far off in the distance but God said to Elijah that he was not in the wind then following the wind there was a mighty earthquake and what can be more impressive than an earthquake what can stir up and terrify the human mind more than an earthquake surely God is in an earthquake but no Elijah it's not in this great phenomenal demonstration that I am in and then following the earthquake there was a mighty fire and what can be more consuming and terrorizing than a fire or impressive than a mighty flame but God was not in the flame and after all these great demonstrations the still small voice and that was God oh I think there is a great deal for you and me to learn in these things friends we get discouraged because there are so few attending our solemn feast today and some of our churches seem to be declining and become fewer but let us always remember this there may be well causes for these things but let us remember this it's not in great outward demonstration that there will be power it's by the

[40:32] Holy Spirit of God I must hasten and of love and of love this is what God gives his people love and oh what would religion I've said just now that their religion would be nothing without power and what would it be without love love is the heart of all true religion love is that quality that is divine that comes from God and covers everything and provides for everything and leaves nothing out that is how God's love works and it is a love that can never fail and never cease there's love in many aspects of it in the gift of God love that is centered upon the glorious and precious person of Jesus

[42:04] Christ that is the essential quality and reality of love it's on Christ and my dear friends let me just be very simple tonight how you can sum up your religion the weight of it the reality in it by this consideration do you feel a love for Jesus Christ is the real love in your heart to him you know the daughters of Jerusalem came around the beloved bride with this inquiry what is thy beloved more than another beloved oh thou fairest among women a very pointed question what is he more than any other beloved why is he outstanding in your esteem and your affections and have you noticed the reply she makes my beloved is white and ruddy white because of his essential purity being holy being

[43:48] God and ruddy because of his glorious humanity being man feeling the infirmities of his people being touched with those infirmities that is my beloved she says and that is my friend so you see by the testimony of God's word that Jesus Christ the beloved bridegroom of his people is the object of their love and when God gives that love what a wonderful gift it is on such love my soul still ponder love so great so rich so free say whilst lost in holy wonder why oh Lord such love to me hallelujah grace shall reign eternally just a few brief words about the last part of our text and of a sound mind grace will always make the mind sound there may be poor demented people saved by grace but they in their hearts they will be right sound look at the gadarean maniac who could not be tamed by man when

[45:24] God when Christ came to him and spoke the word of life to his soul the people came out from the city and they were astonished to find this very man sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind all the wonders of God's grace I always think of the case of the poor lad in Scotland in the Highlands who was counted to be too weak weak intellectually and so much so that he couldn't occupy or hold any occupation but there was a wonderful spirit of knowledge and of grace in him he came home from the Kirk and the people recognized and realized that there was something strange about this lad about his countenance and they began to ask him questions what has happened to him he said

[46:38] I've seen the man so they pressed him and said where have you seen this man he said I saw him in the sermon he's seen Jesus and the reflection was in his very countenance now my dear friends what more soundness of mind could we have than that no God's grace will make a man sound in every respect the psalmist says give me soundness oh Lord and what can be given more needfully nor more wonderfully than this the gift of a sound mind oh we do need this a mind that sees right things in a right sense a mind that can weigh up things in a true balance one of the great things today is an unbalanced judgment in religion you mark my words that that will be an evil that is more and more pronounced as days goes on an unbalanced judgment

[48:07] God lays a great stress upon in his word upon a right balance you look in the book of Proverbs and see what God's word speaks about the balance how true balances are or false balances are an abomination to the Lord and God requires perfect weight he does so in religion and he does so among his people and now an unequal thing is an abomination to God's church and God's people we ask we should ask the Lord to balance our minds and our hearts and give us a true balanced judgment so we can hold things in the true perspective and in the right way and manner and that will avoid deviation and also departures a sound mind in every respect concerning

[49:22] God and his truth his word and his people to have a sound mind well now my friends that is what God has given we first of all saw the negative side of it and it's a very blessed thing to realize that God has not given us a spirit of fear tell him therefore all thy case unbosom thy mind to the lamb he will not forbid thee if thou venture to his throne of grace remember what he says he has not given thee the spirit of fear but what he has given lay hold upon it seek it beg for it ask the Lord to bestow it which is the spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind may God grant it

[50:34] Amen