Does your life and the special message you will speak in your dying moments correlate?

Posted On August 2, 2022

Think about it for a moment. If you knew you were going to die within the next few days, what will your last words be, and to whom will you say it? Usually it will be said to someone dear to you, nevertheless, what will it be about?

Everyone will agree that the right thing to answer to that question will be to speak about the Lord. But be true to yourself, is that really on your mind? For someone that truly believes that God exists, their last words will most definitely be about salvation, morality etc.

Now here is the actual question – If that would be your dying words, why can’t we start spreading those words now with the exact same passion that we would at the end?

This was the exact example we received from Paul. From 1 Timothy 4:1, we can see Paul saying basically his last words to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Can you see how he starts off? He proclaims that the Kingdom of Christ will reign and that Christ has all authority to judge and to conquer. Look how other verses support this claim:

John 5:22

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

John 12:47

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Let’s get back to the last words of Paul unto Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:2

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

This preaching is much deeper than the average assumption that is associated with our current viewpoint of preaching

2 Timothy 1:8

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2 Timothy 1:13

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:2

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

We must preach the Word, because it is what we believe. It is the very core of which we consist. It cannot be some flimsy conviction that we share, it must be our all in all. The conviction that the Word of God is truth must overflow from within.

We must also be able/willing to preach the Word, wherever and whenever, thereby proclaiming the reason for the hope that is within us. That is critical to realize, because it does not matter where you are or what your excuse is it’s not good enough, because you must be ready.

We must be willing to do the hard work that most people shy away from. The church as a whole is currently in such a crisis, because everyone is jumping on the grace train and everything goes. There is no conviction in belief and firmness in application. Reproving is in a much lighter sense than rebuking. Reprove is in a soft, gentle tone, helping someone to realize what they are doing is inconsistent with the Word of God. Whereas rebuking is firmer and stricter. It is almost reprimanding someone, because they are not listening to anyone’s reproving and thereby starting to fall away. We can see a good example of rebuking in Jude 1:9, where the tone and intention is much harder.

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Corinthians 2:17

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

In this book of Timothy there are 32 references in regards to truth and 17 in regards to falseness. Which leads us to the next verse:

2 Timothy 4:3-4

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Timothy 4:5

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

We must be awake! We cannot afford to be caught off guard with false teachings that err from the truth. It will suffocate your joy and passion for spreading the Word of God. The fact that we must endure afflictions shows me that we are in a war that is constant and we need to stand strong in Christ. We are also ALL called to spread the Gospel.

2 Timothy 4:6

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Paul is ready for His departure. And is saying that he has finished the fight and spurs TImothy on to keep fighting.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth 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.

It was a difficult road and there were fights between the brethren and from the outside. Nothing was easy! Everyone left Paul, but he kept standing and in his last moments he motivated others to STAND!

Don’t wait for your last moments to proclaim the most important proclamation of history!