A Generational Faith. 2 Timothy 1:3-5.
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
Dear Family,
Paul inadvertently points to us the importance of passing on the faith from one generation to the next. While a parent cannot believe for a child, Christian parents are strategically placed to influence their children through life example, prayer, and instruction.
Received (v. 3). Paul thanks God for Timothy, whom he prays for all the time. He claims to serve the same God whom his ancestors, meaning the Israelites, used to serve. Paul did not see the Christian faith as different from the faith of his ancestors but rather as fulfillment and completion of the same faith. That is why we value the Old Testament as much as the New because together they complete our understanding of the faith.
Relayed (v. 4). Paul and Timothy had a very strong affinity for each other. Paul remembers Timothy’s tears, without a doubt at their previous parting. This could have been because Paul had been arrested and wrenched away from Timothy, or because Paul had insisted on Timothy remaining at Ephesus in order to shepherd the church there. Paul equally longs for Timothy, whom he led to Christ years before (Acts 16:1-3), that he “may be filled with joy.” The gospel binds those who preach it to those who believe in bonds that can only be described as familial.
Remembered (v. 5). Paul traces Timothy’s faith back to his grandmother, through his mother. Timothy, his mother, and grandmother may all have believed in Jesus at the same time when Paul and Barnabas first visited their town (Acts 14:8-23). But Timothy would have been instructed in the Jewish faith as a child by his mother and grandmother. This would have prepared him to better understand the message of the gospel. It is true that being born of believing parents and being raised in a Christian family does not make one a Christian. But the Christian home provides a child with a better opportunity to understand the gospel and believe, than a heathen home. It is the responsibility of believing parents to ensure that children encounter the gospel at home.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.