Young Minister
89
he was advocating. The one great purpose of his Christian life had
been to serve Him whose name had once filled him with contempt;
and from this purpose no opposition or persecution had been able to
turn him aside. His faith, made strong by effort and pure by sacrifice,
upheld and strengthened him.
“Thou therefore, my son,” Paul continued, “be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among
many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be
able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ.” [
2 Timothy 2:1-3
.]
The true minister of God will not shun hardship or responsibility.
From the Source that never fails those who sincerely seek for divine
power, he draws strength that enables him to meet and overcome
temptation, and to perform the duties that God places upon him. The
nature of the grace that he receives, enlarges his capacity to know God
and His Son. His soul goes out in longing desire to do acceptable
service for the Master. And as he advances in the Christian pathway,
he becomes “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This grace
enables him to be a faithful witness of the things that he has heard. He
does not despise or neglect the knowledge that he has received from
God, but commits this knowledge to faithful men, who in their turn
teach others.
In this his last letter to Timothy, Paul held up before the younger
worker a high ideal, pointing out the duties devolving on him as a
minister of Christ.