4:1 我在上帝面前,並在將來審判活人死人的基督耶穌面前,憑著他的顯現和他的國度囑咐你:
4:2 務要傳道,無論得時不得時,總要專心,並用百般的忍耐、各樣的教訓責備人,警戒人,勸勉人。
4:3 因為時候要到,人必厭煩純正的道理,耳朵發癢,就隨從自己的情慾增添好些師傅,
4:4 並且掩耳不聽真道,偏向荒渺的言語。
4:5 你卻要凡事謹慎,忍受苦難,做傳道的工夫,盡你的職分。
4:6 我現在被澆奠,我離世的時候到了。
4:7 那美好的仗我已經打過了,當跑的路我已經跑盡了,所信的道我已經守住了。
4:8 從此以後,有公義的冠冕為我存留,就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的;不但賜給我,也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人。
4:2 務要傳道,無論得時不得時,總要專心,並用百般的忍耐、各樣的教訓責備人,警戒人,勸勉人。
4:3 因為時候要到,人必厭煩純正的道理,耳朵發癢,就隨從自己的情慾增添好些師傅,
4:4 並且掩耳不聽真道,偏向荒渺的言語。
4:5 你卻要凡事謹慎,忍受苦難,做傳道的工夫,盡你的職分。
4:6 我現在被澆奠,我離世的時候到了。
4:7 那美好的仗我已經打過了,當跑的路我已經跑盡了,所信的道我已經守住了。
4:8 從此以後,有公義的冠冕為我存留,就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的;不但賜給我,也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人。
In the presence of God and
of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his
appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach
the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with
great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up
with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to
hear. 4 They
will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep your
head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,
discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the
time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me
the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to
me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his
appearing.
******************
保羅向提摩太說到自己服事的動力:「有公義的冠冕為我存留,就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的;不但賜給我,也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人」。也就是說保羅是憑著上帝要賜得公義冠免的應許而努力服事!
的確,我們不可能神聖到無所求。我們對上帝必定有所求,祂也樂意我們有所求,如此我們才知道祂要應許給我們的恩典多麼豐盛!如此才會激發我們來愛上帝,接受耶穌基督成為救主!
既是如此,我們要常常思念上帝的恩典,如此才可以做到,「務要傳道,無論得時不得時,總要專心,並用百般的忍耐、各樣的教訓責備人,警戒人,勸勉人。」