2 Timothy 1:3 – Five Ways Service Confirms a Pure Conscience
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience… 2 Timothy 1:3, New King James Version
In Star Trek Discovery's first season, an officer turned mutineer is offered a chance to reenlist. When that proffered opportunity to put a new start into action is declined, the offering officer follows up with, "Are you hell-bent on self persecution?"
The answer in common with our human flesh, whatever the century, is yes. However unpleasant the lash of reproach is, we become accustomed to it. We begin to identify with it. Even if we glimpse the possibility of redemption at some vague point in the future, we keep it at arms length. I'll take action again, we tell ourselves, when I have felt sorry enough for long enough, or when I know before actually acting that I'm a different person.
The apostle Paul won't have it. In 2 Timothy 1:3 in his own testimony, he links the realization of a pure conscience with service. Let's consider briefly five different ways in which actively serving Christ frees us from the preoccupation with self persecution.
1. Service teaches us the family business and constantly exposes us to the family plan.
Even for those who have been blessed to come to Christ at an early age, we have years of depending on ourselves and condemning ourselves when the results are unsatisfactory. Service, links Paul in Romans 8:16, gives us the chance to learn a new way, Christ's way by serving alongside Him and thereby putting our own comfort second. Paul reasons, "he Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
Get that? Our ego suffers when we serve because the habit of self-indulgence is disturbed. Every time it is, though, Paul subversively rejoices that this is confirmation we are on a plan more long-term and persevering than the chase after the latest fix of what we think will satisfy us. Every chance to be second, or third, or fourth is a chance to delay gratification until it is most meaningful in Christ.
2. It normalizes the connection between gratitude and action.
"We need," admonishes Spurgeon in Morning and Evening, "the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt." He reminds us that we are not just trying to break old habits and disconnect old triggers. We are trying to discover and deepen a new sense of what is normal. Superstructure, habit, discipline, commitment beforehand to serve will help to allay the impact of doubt when it comes.
To be sure, the ultimate refutation of the accusations of the enemy of our souls is never what we have done, but what Christ has done. Yet, what better confirmation of the effectiveness of Christ on that cross than that He is rewiring our sense of satisfaction? What a marvel that He is allowing turning gratitude from quickly effervescent abstraction to our soon to be eternal norm! As we serve the least of these, Christ confirms, we serve Him Who redeemed us.
3. As we serve Christ by serving others, we are reminded where we were.
“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity," lambastes, Herman Melville, "nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.”
There we are spiritually as well as financially. Just as those with this world's goods can easily criticize the desperate or habit-worn choices of those who lack a sense of secure comfort, the Christian isolated in self-selected, affirming society can readily forget how easily bad choices came. The Christian who actively serves, however, is constantly plunging into a wider and remixed society.
The Christian who serves can declare his or her conscience clear because he or she is constantly exposed to humans at varying levels of spiritual realization. While we can easily fixate on the obstacle which dominates our current field of vision and despair at overcoming it, serving among other people and seeing some of Christ's short-cycle victories through us can remind us what He has already begun in us, and is faithful to finish.
As we have, no doubt, experienced aspects of His particular grace which those whom we get to serve have not, we find ourselves testifying of Him by the purest provocation rather than by pretense. As we see others stumble in the beginning stages of a particular battle, we can encourage them with the fact that He has been faithful to us in similar circumstances. Simultaneously, we encourage ourselves with the reminder of His persevering grace through our lips.
4. Serving situations stir up confession.
In Abraham Lincoln: Lessons in Spiritual Leadership, Elton Trueblood appraises, "Lincoln was equidistant from the heresy which makes a person believe that he can do nothing, and the opposite heresy which makes them suppose that he is the master of his own fate.”
Service helps us stay centered there. Just as they give us accessible confirmation that God's grace through us is defective, they will just as readily remind us that we are not in complete control. The people we would serve and see transformed don't come with buttons we can use to activate or accelerate the Holy Spirit's work.
The Spirit, Jesus says in John 3, where He will. Fresh realization, then, of our limits and His limitlessness prompts healthy confession on our part and draws us closer to divine dependence. Recognizing this going in or in our helping progress toward humble, willing service we share the self-consciousness which so promptly paralyzes.
Biographer Eric Metaxas measures Dietrich Bonhoeffer in a way that will become familiar to us as we serve knowing our flaws will emerge more obvious upon contact with other humans. "He knew to live in fear of incurring guilt was itself sinful."
5. Service allows us to see ourselves as others see us.
On his 40 year friendship with Dallas Willard, Gary W. Moon adjudicates, "I saw rich, character-forming realities deepen and thicken in him over 40 years." Service alongside others allows such improved vantage points. Moses was no doubt more fixated on the grace that he could talk with God as a friend than that he was glowing as a result. Others saw that. The high priest's headdress was inscribed, "Holy to the Lord," but it wasn't for him to read while serving. There is a testimony we radiate of which we are nearly unconscious.
In Star Trek Discovery's first season, an officer turned mutineer is offered a chance to reenlist. When that proffered opportunity to put a new start into action is declined, the offering officer follows up with, "Are you hell-bent on self persecution?"
The answer in common with our human flesh, whatever the century, is yes. However unpleasant the lash of reproach is, we become accustomed to it. We begin to identify with it. Even if we glimpse the possibility of redemption at some vague point in the future, we keep it at arms length. I'll take action again, we tell ourselves, when I have felt sorry enough for long enough, or when I know before actually acting that I'm a different person.
The apostle Paul won't have it. In 2 Timothy 1:3 in his own testimony, he links the realization of a pure conscience with service. Let's consider briefly five different ways in which actively serving Christ frees us from the preoccupation with self persecution.
1. Service teaches us the family business and constantly exposes us to the family plan.
Even for those who have been blessed to come to Christ at an early age, we have years of depending on ourselves and condemning ourselves when the results are unsatisfactory. Service, links Paul in Romans 8:16, gives us the chance to learn a new way, Christ's way by serving alongside Him and thereby putting our own comfort second. Paul reasons, "he Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
Get that? Our ego suffers when we serve because the habit of self-indulgence is disturbed. Every time it is, though, Paul subversively rejoices that this is confirmation we are on a plan more long-term and persevering than the chase after the latest fix of what we think will satisfy us. Every chance to be second, or third, or fourth is a chance to delay gratification until it is most meaningful in Christ.
2. It normalizes the connection between gratitude and action.
"We need," admonishes Spurgeon in Morning and Evening, "the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt." He reminds us that we are not just trying to break old habits and disconnect old triggers. We are trying to discover and deepen a new sense of what is normal. Superstructure, habit, discipline, commitment beforehand to serve will help to allay the impact of doubt when it comes.
To be sure, the ultimate refutation of the accusations of the enemy of our souls is never what we have done, but what Christ has done. Yet, what better confirmation of the effectiveness of Christ on that cross than that He is rewiring our sense of satisfaction? What a marvel that He is allowing turning gratitude from quickly effervescent abstraction to our soon to be eternal norm! As we serve the least of these, Christ confirms, we serve Him Who redeemed us.
3. As we serve Christ by serving others, we are reminded where we were.
“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity," lambastes, Herman Melville, "nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.”
There we are spiritually as well as financially. Just as those with this world's goods can easily criticize the desperate or habit-worn choices of those who lack a sense of secure comfort, the Christian isolated in self-selected, affirming society can readily forget how easily bad choices came. The Christian who actively serves, however, is constantly plunging into a wider and remixed society.
The Christian who serves can declare his or her conscience clear because he or she is constantly exposed to humans at varying levels of spiritual realization. While we can easily fixate on the obstacle which dominates our current field of vision and despair at overcoming it, serving among other people and seeing some of Christ's short-cycle victories through us can remind us what He has already begun in us, and is faithful to finish.
As we have, no doubt, experienced aspects of His particular grace which those whom we get to serve have not, we find ourselves testifying of Him by the purest provocation rather than by pretense. As we see others stumble in the beginning stages of a particular battle, we can encourage them with the fact that He has been faithful to us in similar circumstances. Simultaneously, we encourage ourselves with the reminder of His persevering grace through our lips.
4. Serving situations stir up confession.
In Abraham Lincoln: Lessons in Spiritual Leadership, Elton Trueblood appraises, "Lincoln was equidistant from the heresy which makes a person believe that he can do nothing, and the opposite heresy which makes them suppose that he is the master of his own fate.”
Service helps us stay centered there. Just as they give us accessible confirmation that God's grace through us is defective, they will just as readily remind us that we are not in complete control. The people we would serve and see transformed don't come with buttons we can use to activate or accelerate the Holy Spirit's work.
The Spirit, Jesus says in John 3, where He will. Fresh realization, then, of our limits and His limitlessness prompts healthy confession on our part and draws us closer to divine dependence. Recognizing this going in or in our helping progress toward humble, willing service we share the self-consciousness which so promptly paralyzes.
Biographer Eric Metaxas measures Dietrich Bonhoeffer in a way that will become familiar to us as we serve knowing our flaws will emerge more obvious upon contact with other humans. "He knew to live in fear of incurring guilt was itself sinful."
5. Service allows us to see ourselves as others see us.
On his 40 year friendship with Dallas Willard, Gary W. Moon adjudicates, "I saw rich, character-forming realities deepen and thicken in him over 40 years." Service alongside others allows such improved vantage points. Moses was no doubt more fixated on the grace that he could talk with God as a friend than that he was glowing as a result. Others saw that. The high priest's headdress was inscribed, "Holy to the Lord," but it wasn't for him to read while serving. There is a testimony we radiate of which we are nearly unconscious.
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