Spiritual Heritage - Tuesday with (2nd) Timothy #5

2 Timothy 1:5 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.

When Paul thinks of his friend, he thinks of the genuine faith Timothy has in the Lord Jesus. Timothy truly loves the Saviour. And when  he thought of Timothy’s faith, he was reminded of the women who nurtured it. Lois and and Eunice where godly, Jewish women who believed in Christ (Acts 16:1). We know that Timothy’s father was a Greek, and it his absence here seems to imply that he was not a believer.

Verse five is setting up Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, to be bold in the service of Christ.

6 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.

Paul remembered Timothy’s faith and his mother’s faith, and his grandmother’s faith and was was convinced that Timothy was a saved man. He wanted Timothy to also remember his grandmother Lois, and her commitment to the faith once delivered. He wanted Timothy to remember the great faith of his mother Eunice, who came to faith in Christ, and believed, even though her husband apparently did not. He wanted Timothy to remember the faith of these women in raising him up, and teaching him the Bible and to see God’s providential care. Paul wanted Timothy to remember that he too believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ and to be encouraged as Paul was convinced that Timothy was following after the Lord, just like his mother and grandmother, with a real, genuine faith. I imagine if you asked Timothy, he would have considered Lois and Eunice great and godly women. Paul was saying that he believed that Timothy had that same faith in the same Lord. Remembering his spiritual heritage was an encouragement to Timothy.

Paul wanted Timothy to think back and be encouraged. The Word of God says to “honour thy father and thy mother”, not throw them under the bus. Not only should you honor your physical parents, but also those spiritual fathers and mother’s who were instrumental in you coming to faith. Don’t turn your forefathers into villains to make your “journey” more intriguing. Why did Paul bring up Eunice and Lois? To fire him up. To get him out of the spiritual doldrums. To shake him out of his fearful immobility and get him motivated and moving again. Remember your faith, remember your heritage, and stir up the gift of God.

The purpose was for Timothy to “stir up the gift of God”. That might not sound very spiritual, but you can take that up with Paul. God’s gifts to us are meant to be used and we cannot be Samson like in our treatment of the gifts of God and expect to “slay the Philistines as we have done before”. These gifts of God require the diligent care and use of the minister.