Keep the faith!
2 Timothy 4:1-8
By Ysrael De la Cruz
As followers of Jesus, everything we go through in life is part of God’s purpose for us. Even the trials we face, the difficulties we encountered, God has a plan for us. The Bible tells us that the storms come to test the genuineness of our faith. Sometimes it is because of trials and difficulties that people abandon their faith. When it becomes so hard to bear people tend to throw out the towel. I have known people who stopped running their face due to a conflict with a brother or sister. Some people would not attend church because they were hurt by church. You may talk about having faith, but when you stop running your race because things get difficult, then your faith was not genuine. It was just circumstantial.

Around 64-65 AD, the apostle Paul was in prison in Rome. He knew his time to die was near and even in his condition he wrote a letter to his young protégé Timothy whom he called ‘son in the faith’ to encourage him to continue in the faith despite trials.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
Paul’s charge to Timothy:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season. (Be ready always)
-Reprove (give correction, to correct)
Rebuke (reprimand, reproach)
Exhort (encourage) with complete patience and teaching (doctrine)

People will not tolerate sound teaching:
-They will gather teachers who would tell them what they want to hear.
-They won’t care about the truth. (v.4) They will turn away from the truth and turn their ears to myths (idle tale, fable)

-As for you, Be sober-minded (v.5) Keep a clear mind. (keep your head in all situations)
-Endure suffering (hardships)
-do the work of an evangelist (to announce the good news)
-Fulfill your ministry. (do your service, what you have been called to do)

Paul knew his time was short and he wanted Timothy to listen to his instructions.
(v.6) I am already being poured out like a drink offering. An offering was not complete until the drink offering was given. Paul is using this terminology to show that his ministry has come to an end.
The “drink offering” refers to a cup of wine a Jewish priest poured out beside the altar following the offering of a ram, lamb, or bull in the temple (Numbers 15:1–10; 28:4–7). Just as the drink offering symbolized the end of the offering, Paul’s life was about to come to an end.

The time for my departure (death) has come.
-I have fought the good fight (v.7)
-I have finished the race
-I have kept the faith

Paul fought the good fight of the faith, he ran well and finished well; and he kept the faith in the midst of adversity.

What does it mean to keep the faith?
It means to being ready always, in season and out of season to fulfill your calling where God has placed you.
It means to continue to run your race strong despite opposition, persecution of hardships.
It means not departing from the truth of God’s word. Keeping the faith is standing strong in the teachings of Christ and not being swayed by the ideologies of our culture. Don’t compromise your beliefs.

Those who keep the faith are rewarded. (v.8)
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (NIV)

God rewards those who remained faithful to him until the end.
Keep fight the good fight of the faith; Keep running the race with perseverance.
Keep hanging on to your faith until your last breath and God will reward you.