4:6
Why is Paul giving these firm instructions to Timothy? It is because Paul knows his days are almost at an end, he is “being poured out like a drink offering”. So he is doing two things. He is encouraging Timothy to learn from him, and he is seeking to ensure that the work of the gospel continues. And the work of the gospel continues when people are prepared to pay a price. Serving Christ is a costly business.
4:7
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. There is fight to be fought. Living the Christian life does bring blessings, but it is not a walk in the park. There are struggles of many and various sorts, and we need to be prepared to fight. We need to finish the race. There are many who start, but less who finish. We have all experienced times when people volunteer full of eagerness, but then give up. And there are probably times when we have done this ourselves. We need to keep the faith. It is no use being committed to something that is not the gospel.
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