Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-17

Golden Text: II have fought the
good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith" 2
Tim. al.
After five years of imprisonment
two in Caesarea, two in Rome; and
the remainder en- route-Paul was
finally released. At his first trial
every one forsook him except the
Lord; but He was with him, and en-
abled him in the presence Of Nero
and the whole heather court to pro-
claim the full gospel of the grace
Of God, that it might be fully known
and that all the heather might hear.
1t is a wonderful picture that is
given US, and stored away in a re-
mote corner Of personal letter.
the little old prisoner with his
chains, forsaken by all. in the midst
of the mightiest emperor living and
the most cruel that ever lived, sur
rounded by the highest of the Gen
tile world, forgetting himself in his
desire to have every one of these
fully know the good news Of his
Saviour!
He was Observation-Disclosures he
says, from the mouth Of the lion. In
Corinthsfive years before, his heart
had turned to Rome and then to
Spain Rom. 1929; so it is probable
that he went OF into Spain now, and
possibly from there into England.
The evidence Of the former is very
strong; Of the latter not quite so
certain. But during his Roman i'm
prisonment his heart had turned
back to Asia and his beloved church
es there.---He wanted to see the
PHILIPPIANS again phil. 1929 who
had supported him so generously
from the first; he longed to see
Philemon@4nd Apphia and Archippus
in their home in CloSse Philemon
22). And thus, as early as he could
he went back to Asia. How long
he stayed or just the route he took
we do not know, for Luke has not
given us any Of the details. But
we know that he left Timothy az
Ephesus Il Tim. 1:3) and that on
his way to Macedonia he stopped a.
Troas and left his cloak and BOOKS
and parchmentS with CurpuS u
Tim. 4:13), travelled through Greece
to Crete, where he left Titus Git.
49, and on his way to Nlcopolls
wrote the letter to Titus, which is
very similar to the one to Timothy
that may have been written at the
same time. He expected to spend the
winter in Nicopolis Git. 3:l2), winch
is on the eastern side OF Greece, and
,1c,+y1 ~ n \
the night before his famous battle
with Antony 81 B. c. 1t is possible
that it was at Nicopolis that he was
arrested and taken to Rome again.
The cause we DO not know, but it
has been surmised that it was in
connection with the burning OF
Rome, of which Nero accused the
Christians, and for which he had
MANY arrested and killed. SPaul's de-
fense before him the first time when
he SO fully preached. the gospel to
him may have made Paul a marked
man at such a time. At any rate
our next and last glimpse OF him IS
in prison in Rome again, when ne
writes this second letter to Timothy,
and which reveals the fact that ne
<had given up all hope OF escaping
with his life this time.
He is deeply concerned about Tim
othy and the difficulties that con
front him and the church. Gnostl-
cism-a peculiar mixture OF Juda-
ism. Persian mysticism and Greek
philosophy--had become a growing
menace to the simplicity OF the gcs-
peI Of the grace Of God. Another
heresy had grown up, represented
NV Hvmenaeus and Philetus, which
taught that the resurrection nae
nassed already. Various lsms
were already springing up and Paul
was concerned that his beloved son
m the faith who had meant so mucn
to him for fifteen years should not
he severed from the old faith or MS
grandmother and his mother, ana
which he had already shown so beau-
tifully.
With true prophetic insight the
old apostle also foresaW the perllous
times that should come in the last
DAYS. If you want to read a true
description of 1921, read CHI 3I-9
of his letter. He wanted to
warn Timothy land through him our
own generation) Of these dangers
and give him the only remedy Tor
them-to stick to the Scriptures, all
of whichever the words and the
Ietters-are God-breathed, and are
nrofitable-that the man of Goo may
be perfect, thoroughly furnished.
So he urges Timothy in this rare.
well message to "be not ashamed
n ~, to "hold fast" W:13, to "be
strong" CD, to remember Jesus
Christ" (2:S), to Study to be ap-
nroved unto God" (2:15), to "shun
profane babblings' and "avoid fool
ish questions" (2:16, 23), to "be gen
tie" and "apt to teach" (2:24); to
| continue in the things" he had
learned as a child (3:1N, to preach
the word-in season and out of sea-
son" (4:2), to watch" (4:5).
What a wonderful message! How
much needed today! And more Won
derful when we read further valedlc-
tory. "For," he says as the reason
for, his earnest entreaty to Timothy
flor I am already~being poured out
as/a drink offering" weymouth,
"the last drops of my own sacrifice
are falling" (MoffetD; the time OF
nv exodus, my loosing from my
moorinss, my home going, my de-
| parture. is at hand. l shall nave
| to leave the work for others to DO
| for YOU and>others. I have gone
through the glorious contest; have
run the race; I have guarded the
faith. Henceforth, there is laid up
for me crown of Righteousness
which the. Lord, the righteous Judge,
shall give me on that day, and not
to me only, but to all who have loved
His appearing"
The Contest and the Crown
| The contest? The race? The
faith? Are they different or the
same? Language is wholly made
quate to express the deepest things
of the spiritual life, and often Paul
uses many metaphors to give some
expression to his thoughts. And
yet they may be different phases
| Se .lao +,.,,tl, The contest is wit b