2 Timothy 2-Part 3: “My Gospel”
“My Gospel”
By Tammy Lacock
Warren Litzman continues to explores what the Apostle Paul means in 2 Timothy 2 verse 8 when he says “my gospel,” which he states many times throughout his epistles. Paul’s gospel is a new gospel, the final gospel for this dispensation of grace which is from the Cross until now. Paul’s gospel is to us now.
Paul’s gospel is this: At the Cross, Christ’s death and resurrection changed God’s way of dealing with human beings from outer works to an inner relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. As believers in Him, Christ resides IN us; there’s no separation. Our old lives died with Him at the Cross and we too arose to a new life in Him. Our relationship with Christ is unique to each of us because we are growing up in Him now in a personal way. This is why Paul called it “my gospel” because Christ revealed it personally to him.
Paul says in Romans 5:10 to “Follow me as I follow Christ”; and in Ephesians 3:2, he says, “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God given me to you-ward.” Throughout his epistles, Paul is sharing with us his personal revelation from Christ through the Holy Spirit and asks us to listen, to follow him and we, too, will receive this revelation. A personal relationship with Christ here and now.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV)
Paul is the only writer in the Bible whose gospel talks about the Cross and what took place at the Cross for believers. We know longer know Christ in the flesh. We know Him in Spirit as we are now joined to Him in one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV). Again, Paul’s gospel is a personal gospel.
In verse 9, Paul says his gospel, the Word of God he received directly from Christ, cannot be bound. Even though he is chained up in jail and considered an evil doer by his opponents, he continues to spread the revelation of Christ in him to Timothy and to all the churches.
Christ is his Life now and Christ is all that matters to him.
May we follow Paul and let Christ be our only Life, our final gospel, too.
