12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Those ministers who are godly and faithful leaders will suffer persecution.
12 Yes, and
“Yes, and” gives further consideration for Timothy to face persecution.
all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus
There is no godliness without Christ; He is the source of a dynamic godly life. “In Christ Jesus” is the believer’s status or prerogatives that he has because he believed in Christ. Godliness flows out of that privilege with Christ.
will suffer persecution.
The promise of persecution stands in opposition to modern-day success theology.
PRINCIPLE:
There is an inevitability of believers faithful to truth to face persecution.
APPLICATION:
Apart from God, people carry a fundamental hostility to the gospel and the godly life it implies. Christ spoke of this in Matthew 5:11 and John 15:18-21. Paul faced it in passages such as 2 Corinthians 12:9-20 and 1 Thessalonians 3:4. Persecution implies the need for Christians to be prepared for spiritual war. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
