Bible Bites Devotionals

Hold Fast

Bible Bites Devotionals

Paul to his beloved Timothy in 2 Timothy 1 says, "Timothy, hold fast." The pattern of what? Sound words. Why? Why did he have to use the words, “sound words”? Because a lot of junk is going to be thrown in the air. He says, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words." But what words can be sound? "Which you have heard from me." On what? "In faith and love." What kind of faith and love? "Which are in Christ Jesus." In other words, all the words that I gave – it was all about Jesus. They have to produce love and faith. And those are the things that I want you to keep. Hold fast to these things.

"That good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Figelus and Hermogenes, and the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day." “That day.” Paul loves to use that phrase for the day we're going to see Jesus.

"And you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus."

Paul is warning Timothy, telling him, "Look, hold on to the words that I told you that could only be from Jesus. But I want you to know, first century, first Church, everybody left me.” Look what he said. "All those in Asia have turned away from me." They didn’t turn away from Paul because he's an obnoxious person. They turned away from the message of Paul. They heard the message from Paul directly and they just left. And he said, "Look, in this, I can see we're not going to be the majority. Look, a lot of people are going to turn back on us. Look, these are the days of deception."

The consequences of not holding fast (meaning, “to retain or remain joined to”) the word of God is clearly visible in our world today. It has impacted the definition of faith and expressions of love that are far from how they are described and what they are defined as in scripture. Paul warned Timothy that such a time would come. In the same letter, he told him to hold fast to sound words.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

To many in our world, the Christian faith is “what you think it is” and is subject to cultural trends and societal values. Love has also been redefined in two directions: 1) The love of many has grown cold (Matthew 24:12) - meaning it has died. Mothers being willing to take the life of their own child while it is still in the womb is the greatest evidence of this. 2) Love has been broadened to the acceptance of everyone’s opinions and feelings. And those who do not accept what someone thinks or feels is an unloving, hateful bigot. Both directions are in error.

The Greek word translated as “sound” in 2 Timothy means, “free from mixture with error”. Since we’ve all made mistakes and formed wrong opinions, we have to recognize that a source of sound words greater than our own is needed to keep our actions and opinions free from error.

Psalm 19:7-11
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.

The law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments, the enlightenment, and the judgments of God are all contained in His word, which is unmixed with error, and thus, perfect.

Paul told Timothy to hold fast to sound words and that a time was coming when many wouldn’t. His counsel should be heeded by us today, as it will define faith and love as God sees it. It will also keep our lives from looking more like the world than the word.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Amir Tsarfati & Barry Stagner