Welcome. Welcome to the Bible teaching ministry of Truth for Life, where today we begin a series that explores what it takes to follow Christ, even when we face temptation and suffering.

Alistair Begg helps us understand why Christianity is not for the lazy or the faint of heart.

It demands devotion, discipline, and diligence.

We're studying 2 Timothy, Chapter 2.

While the verses to which we're going to draw our attention both this morning and probably

this evening are verses 3 to 7 of chapter 2.

Let me begin in this way.

If one were looking for an approach to the Christian life that is weak, careless, thoughtless, one would have to bypass the instruction

of 2 Timothy.

Because we have already seen that the Christianity that is described here by Paul is no encouragement to the softies,

to the dummies, or to the lazies.

Now, I don't anticipate that any of you would fit under any one of those categories,

so there's no reason for alarm.

But if you look very carefully at the text, you will realize that he is calling for people

to think. Don't be dumb. Think. He's calling for people to face up, to man up, if we might say,

to the peculiar and stressful challenges of a biblical Christianity, and he is calling for his readers

to make sure that they are actively, committedly, diligently engaged in pursuing Christ.

That's what makes it so compelling. It is a muscular Christianity. It is a thoughtful Christianity. It is a demanding Christianity.

And here in this particular section, Timothy's being made aware of the fact and his congregation along with him that if this gospel, which he has summarized in some measure in verses 9, 10, and 11 of

chapter 1, if this gospel is to be preserved for and proclaimed to the coming generations,

it will only happen at significant cost. It will only happen at significant cost.

This will never take place in a church family, in the context of a nation, without facing up to the clear demands of Christian discipleship.

...