(2 Tim. 1:)
It is beautiful to see how triumphant Paul was in every circumstance. The buffetings of life's tempests lift him higher up, into regions nearer to Christ and God than before. The darker the night, the brighter shines his lamp of faith:and "forlorn and shipwrecked brethren," seeing his unfaltering footsteps, may well " take heart again." The whole tone of this letter to Timothy is evidence of this.
He is about to suffer a violent death; but instead of being an apostle according to that death sentence, he is an apostle according to a promise of life. If these words mean anything, they mean that the promise of life characterized all that he did and said. Roman gladiators, when marching to mortal strife in the arena, greeted the emperor with the words "We who are about to die salute thee, Caesar." Their actions and their words were characterized by a. manliness or a callous indifference. They face death with a brute courage bred of fierce passion or cynic despair; and through the mist of centuries veiling the coarser aspects, we may gaze on them, with a certain admiration. But oh, how surpassing admirable are the apostle's words and ways ! The light of an eternity of life is shedding a calm and steady luster upon them, and we seem lifted into sublime regions where Christ dwells and death has been annulled. "He that believeth on Me shall never die."
It is very beautiful to see how constantly and unwaveringly the apostle makes use of the greeting " Grace, mercy, and peace." It is not a stereotyped phrase with him. He has given voice to the best wish that can be uttered for experience down here. Try and think of something better. You will be unable to do so. Oh that we all realized in our lives more the grace, mercy and peace which God is ever ready to bestow upon us! What transformed ones ours would be if we did!
" I am thankful to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day." In this and the next verse we see the natural feelings and affections in the mention of Paul's and Timothy's ancestors. The expression is somewhat peculiar. It is not " I serve from my birth, or youngest days," but "from my ancestors." It is taken by some that this means that Paul's ancestors served God, and probably this is correct exegesis, and yet it is serve." It is a trite thing to say that "faith is not inherited," and yet what an inestimable jig for one to possess a pious ancestry! How quietly their piety waters, as the dew the grass, the tender faith of those who grow up around them! „- unconsciously ways of reverence and godly fear "learned! How imperceptibly there steals into ; young heart a germ of faith, which, under God's smiling grace, takes root and springs up a glorious growth to His praise! O parents, and ye who; for children, it is not alone your outward forms rules, your set Bible-readings and stated periods of prayer that sink into the young life, but rather your inward love for Christ and reverence of His lovely ways-the whole course and trend of your life!
"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."
Have you noticed that "wherefore " ? It refers to the fact that Timothy had unfeigned faith. Gift is like a machine without its motive power, if faith be absent. Faith and love are absolutely essential to its exercise. A man may be gifted with the tongue of a Cicero; but unless it is accompanied by faith, his words will fall still-born from his mouth. He may have the mind of an Aristotle; be able to weave a world-system of philosophy ; but without faith to put him in touch with the Master's heart and mind, his system will be ingenious but not truth, beautiful but lifeless. Oh what shall cause these dead bones to live ? The living link with the '' Resurrection and the Life " alone suffices.
Timothy had unfeigned faith. He could on that account be called on to "kindle again" his gift; for thus would it be at the Master's service. There are many imitations which look like the genuine until tried in the fiery furnace of affliction. There, and there alone, is the touchstone. Will it endure the fire of a furnace heated sevenfold ? Reader, you and I may have some little gift, for the Lord never leaves a child without one; but oh let us remember whence it derives its usefulness! If we would "kindle it again," let us warm it with genuine faith and love for our Lord, or it is of no use.
"Precious faith our God hath given-rich in faith is rich indeed; Fire-tried gold from His own treasury, fully meeting every need; Channel of His grace abounding, bringing peace and joy and
light; Purifying, overcoming; linking weakness with His might."
" For God hath not given unto us the spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of wise discretion. "
That is what the spirit of faith is-powerful, loving, and wise. The word rendered "fear" in the Authorized Version, and here translated "cowardice," is one which occurs only five times in the New Testament-once in its verb form, once in its noun, and three times in its adjective form; and everywhere it is connected with the thought of absent faith. Twice we have it in the scene on stormy Galilee. '' Why are ye so fearful ? O ye of little faith!" Once more, in that solemn verse, "But the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burneth." Who are the fearful there but just the unbelieving ? Then the Lord says in the fourteenth of John, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be cowardly." Thus we have exhortation, rebuke and warning as to it. So solemnly emphasized we should indeed ponder it.
Consider for a moment the triple characteristic which faith opposes to it. First, there is the spirit of power. Who so powerful as those linked livingly with the everlasting God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ? A son of God Almighty, and a coward ? How utterly incongruous are the thoughts ! Faith cries in tones of thunder, " If God be for us, who can be against us?" and, spreading its pinions of victory, carries us aloft into regions where there is no defeat, no loss, no despair. Greater is He that is for us than all else. Oh what a foe to cowardice is this living link with God!
Secondly, there is the spirit of love, manifested by God the Saviour, and returned by us. Love as well as power is an inveterate foe of cowardice. Think of the love of Jesus, and tremble no longer, ye downhearted, for love will summon power whenever needed, to your assistance. Infinite power in the service of infinite love! This dual alliance can never be overcome. That is the Godward side of it; but it has its counterpart in us. The spirit of love for Jesus, begotten by His own for us, overwhelms all coward fears. We see a mother, animated by love for her offspring, rush into the most fearful danger without a tremor. Love renders her oblivious to the peril. Will not love do the same for us in the service of Christ ? It is thus that the poet can truthfully say of the Cross,
"It makes the coward spirit brave ;"
for it begets deep love in our hearts for the dying Saviour; and love, as we have said, is the foe of cowardice. '' Who would not fight for such a city ?" exclaimed a Roman citizen, in enthusiasm. Can we not more truly say, "Who would not endure all peril for such a Saviour ?"
Thirdly, we have the spirit of wise discretion, flowing from the Holy Spirit, tempering and guiding the power and love. Though apparently akin to cowardice, it is at infinite variance with it. It is so far from it, it dares resemble it. It is wise discretion for the cause of Christ. It is not a selfish estimating of what it will cost us, but of what it will cost Him. Where the first two spirits are, there is no doubt as to that. May the Lord make it true of us in all our ways ! F. C. G.