Paul expressed his personal feelings to Timothy in today’s scripture. He was in prison and facing certain death. He knew he’d be beheaded in a little while. Only Luke was with him. Demas forsook him, and he sent Titus and Tychicus on to preach. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he wrote this for us as well as he did Timothy. Every time Paul spoke it was for instruction. He wrote that we are to study to show ourselves approved to God. Here Paul gives us guidelines to know whether we’re ready to die or meet the Lord should he return. It’s important for us to be a “now ready” Christian. Paul was able to make the statement because he met some criteria. He knew it was important to be ready “now” because he knew what laid ahead for him. Have you met the criteria to be ready to leave this world?
II Timothy 4:6 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
“I am ready” is a daring statement that requires careful, thorough, and honest examination to be able to say about oneself. Just as we’d inspect a vehicle before we took it on a long trip, we need to inspect our lives. To say “I’m ready to die” is about how we are in God’s eyes. The only way we can say it is by careful confidence in God.
Paul’s concern was not with facing death or dying; it was with being ready. Are you ready to not go home today? Are you now ready to let your possessions go? Ready or not, you will one day. Either through death or the coming of Christ, we’ll all face being ready. Either can come suddenly. Are you ready to leave right now? If you say that you are, then you’re saying that everything is all right between you and the Lord. You’re saying everything is in order spiritually. You’re saying you fully trust in Christ and Christ alone. Do you have the relationship with Jesus that has made you ready? Are you in the will of God? Ready to die means readily living for him now.
Paul shared three criteria that show his readiness. These should cause us to question ourselves and study what Paul is saying here.
- “I have fought a good fight.” What do we fight against? Our sinful nature, false religion, evil in the world—we fight against Satan through one medium or another. In First Timothy, Paul said to “fight the good fight of faith.” How are you fighting? Are you winning? Are you losing? Are you fighting at all?
- “I have finished my course.” Paul likened living for the Lord as running a race. The devil is after us. The world is after us. Satan is our worst nightmare. We have to run the race. However, there is a chosen path laid out for us to follow. We can make it. Are you on track today? Where should you be? Have you swerved off course? Are you running backward not forward? Are you running from God? Are you getting behind? Have you stopped? We all get lumps and bumps on the pathway, but we must stay in the race.
- “I have kept the faith.” Are you seeing it through? Life is to be conducted within the guidelines of scripture. Do you think like the Bible tells you to? Do you talk like the Bible says you’re to talk? Do you walk like the Bible says you must walk? How well are you guarding yourself? Where is your faith?
When Paul said “henceforth” he referred to the consequences of measuring up with these three criteria. Because he had accomplished them, he was able to say “I am now ready.” Because he was ready, a crown of righteousness was waiting on him. He could count on that reward because he was ready.
Paul knew how the Lord felt about readiness. Does God agree with you when you say you’re ready to meet him? It is only when God agrees that it is actually true. Is anything in your life a question? It’s important to be a “now ready” Christian. Paul told us how.
So, are you ready?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 