Rekindle the Gift of Faith

 II Timothy 1:1-14; Luke 17: 1-6

 

In II Timothy Paul talks about Timothy’s faith, one handed down to him from his mother and grandmother. I love Paul’s mention of the women in Timothy’s life who taught and nurtured his faith. Paul tells him to rekindle this gift – this gift of faith. The definition of rekindle is to revive – cause to be active again. He is encouraging Timothy to have an active faith reminding him that God didn’t give him a spirit of cowardice but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Many cults were appearing at this time influencing those around Timothy, but Paul shares his confidence in the grace of God. Do not be ashamed of it – Paul states twice. First, he talks about being ashamed of his testimony. Second of Paul being in prison, which Paul himself says he is not ashamed. Why isn’t he ashamed? He knows whom he’s put his trust and has the confidence that God is able to guard what he has entrusted to God. He calls this grace – the good treasure entrusted to you – and he tells him the way of guarding it – how can one rekindle this gift? It is with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can revive our lives and give us the power to love and have self-discipline. This is the relying on the power of God which Paul talks about.

Timothy is also told to hold onto sound teaching – not the cultic teachings that are going around, but the ones he has heard from Paul in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

In Luke 17:5 the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith. This comes after Jesus tells them to forgive seven times if someone sins against them and repents. The disciples need help to do so, this is why they ask to increase their faith. But God doesn’t demand a huge amount of faith. It says in verse 6 “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed” – a very small amount, “you could move a tree to the sea.”

In Timothy, Paul is telling him to rekindle his gift of faith – not to be overcome by doubts that come up from the cults around him and the imprisonment of his mentor, Paul. But he’s told to rekindle the sincere faith passed down to him from his mother and grandmother, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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