Continuing with examples in 2 Timothy 2 of what service to God looks like, through the direction of Jesus Christ, a second example given here is that of an athlete.
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
2 Timothy 2:5 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ti.2.5.NIV
So, let’s consider some of the rules that athletes must follow. Remember, Paul and Timothy may have been thinking about Olympic-style sports or Roman coliseum events, but probably not baseball, basketball, or football (or even what I would call soccer). For example:
- Runners: Stay in your lane
- Throwers: Don’t cross the line
- General: Don’t do drugs
- From coaches: Be responsible, don’t break the law, and avoid embarrassing yourself or the team
According to Britannica.com (Ancient Olympic Games | Greece, History, Events, Running, & Facts | Britannica), there was a fighting event in ancient times called the pankration where you could kick and hit an opponent when he was down, but you still couldn’t bite or gouge them in the eyes. Even though these fights sometimes ended in one contestant being killed, there were still rules to be followed.
This idea of “competing according to the rules” can sound counterintuitive once one has learned (correctly) that following Jesus isn’t about following a bunch of legalistic laws so that we can be saved. However, having accepted the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ, there are still things that define what His followers should and shouldn’t do (if only out of respect for His authority, appreciation for His love shown to us, and living out our love for Him).
So, what are some of the “rules” that we follow to be a fruitful follower of Jesus? You may think of others, but consider the following as a starting point:
- We must love God and love others.
- We shouldn’t sin. (Even though Jesus’ sacrifice paid for all of our sins, sinning is still a bad idea.)
- We must not add to or take away from the gospel of Jesus Christ for salvation, even if we think that it will help us win more souls.
- And, from another perspective, a commentator [Moss, p.206] proposed that the main rule for Timothy was “to endure hardship”.
And, if following God’s directions seems too legalistic (although remember, I’m not connecting these to salvation; only to our effectiveness and to God’s expectations from us), consider what might happen if we try to “win” at being a Christian – using the athlete metaphor above – without obeying Jesus’ commandments:
- If our lives don’t reflect repentance from sin, those who need to meet Jesus may not believe that He has actually changed us.
- If we are unloving to others, lost people may end up with a serious misunderstanding of who God is and what He is like, and that might keep them from returning to Him.
- If we change the gospel – even to get more people to come to our church – we might lead them into a false belief that they are right with God, while leaving them condemned in their sins.
So, let’s follow the rules, for sure! If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior and your Lord (i.e., the one who gets to decide the best way for you to life), then rule-following looks more like trusting Jesus’ wisdom and teaching over our own selfish interests, and doing the right thing because want to show respect to God.
Let’s look at one more example from this chapter in the next article, but in the meantime, let’s remember that a life in Jesus Christ is one of freedom, but that’s a freedom to live for Him: free from having to keep looking over our shoulder, free from having to follow a bunch of religious rules so that God will accept us as “good enough”, and free from having to worry about our eternal destiny. It does not, however, mean that success (i.e., living the abundant life that He offers, and contributing in a positive way to God’s kingdom, so that others can also enjoy a great life in Jesus Christ) is guaranteed if we don’t listen to and obey His directions. Following the rules doesn’t get us into God’s family, but it will help us win the race fairly.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for March 23, 2025
References:
- 1717 Bible Studies, 2 Timothy, © 2025 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1, 2 Timothy & Titus, by C. Michael Moss. © 1994 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 