2Timothy 1:3-6 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 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.
‘Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.’ Note the great love of Paul for Timothy, his mother and grandmother (1:3-5).
‘When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee.’ This refers to a faith that is genuine and true in taking God at His Word, thus living in absolute obedience to all of His commandments. It is one of the conditions for eternal life (Heb. 11:6). Many today emphasize forgetting any conditions of eternal life. They teach that there are no conditions other than accepting Jesus, that the rest of the Christian program is up to God and that if one is lost it is God’s responsibility, not man’s.
‘First in thy grandmother Lois.’ She was the first convert. Then the daughter was saved, and finally Timothy. This did not come through heredity but through prayer and Christian training. Timothy’s father was a Greek (Acts 16:1) and since no mention is made of his faith it is possible that he was a heathen and contributed nothing to his son’s Christian training.
‘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.’ Wherefore – on account of your true faith and consecration, I remind you to stir up the gift of God that is in you. Be faithful even in afflictions according to the power of God in you (1:6-8). The gift is referred to as a fire, which, if not frequently stirred up and more fuel added, will go out. The Greek for “stir up” is anazopureo, to kindle up the fire; to add fresh fuel to it.
From this, it is clear that gifts can be neglected, as Paul warns in 1Timothy 4:14. If this happens if they are not properly used or replenished with continued grace and power from the Holy Spirit anointing they will become powerless and useless and thus fail in their purpose. This is why people need a constant supply of the Spirit – many fillings, as we see in Acts. This is why Jesus Himself had to live in prayer and receive a constant supply of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22). This is what Paul prayed for and expected in Philippians 1:19 and Ephesians 3:14-21.
Living the Word 