Living in Confidence

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7. (NKJV) “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” –Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV).

Paul wrote to his “son in the gospel,” Timothy, that he had a “burden” for him. He was praying that Timothy’s life would be lived boldly according to the gospel and even in reflection of how Paul himself had been an example for Timothy. He also writes to members of churches, as noted in the quotation from Colossians, that the believers live “built up in Him” (the Lord Jesus) and “established in the faith.” Even in adversities, setbacks, persecutions…whatever situation life brings that may not be expected, we are not to have the “spirit of fear,” but live confidently exemplifying in our lives the gifts readily available from God: “power…love…and a sound mind.” And in all things, give thanks.

We live in a troublous time. If we consider the volatile situations in many places in the world and the persecutions that are now being perpetrated against believers in Christ, we would be completely filled with fear, thinking that these, conditions, too, can be our lot at any time. I do not write this to cause panic but to make us aware of the seriousness of our times and the necessity to stand firm and live confidently in the faith.

When I was a new Christian many years ago, my pastor, the Rev. Claude C. Boynton, taught us, as did Paul to Timothy and the new church members of the early Christian era, that we should be “rooted and grounded in the faith.” And this he urged us to attain by studying diligently the Word of God, making it our chart and compass for living, and following the precepts we hid in our hearts that we might not sin against God. “This is the will of God concerning you,” he would preach.

He taught us how to cultivate our relationship with the Lord by earnest prayer and diligent Bible study, and we did not neglect the assembling of ourselves together in a body of believers who can strengthen, teach, pray for and encourage one another. I can remember Rev. Boynton saying from the pulpit, with great conviction, “We are just one generation away from paganism.” He believed firmly that if we do not practice the precepts of Christianity, and teach them to the next generation after us, and also encourage them to do the same to their young, then the truths of God’s Word will slip away and people will not know them or know how to follow them. All too soon, unless we live out the spirit of confidence in God (instead of fear), and put into practice God’s available power for our lives, live in love and forgiveness, act in soundness of mind, we will be neglecting the spiritual gifts within us and the purpose God has for our lives as His redeemed children. This is a serious lesson to learn and practice. May we sincerely seek to follow the precepts set forth so clearly to Timothy and to the Colossians in our focal verses for today, and taught to us. Selah! -Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.24.2015.