A Heritage of Faith

2 Timothy 1:5 ~ "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."

2 Timothy would be the Apostle Paul's final letter before he was executed for being a Christian. His final words are sent to a young man who journeyed with Paul, served the LORD with the aged apostle, and proved to be a faithful and trusted companion and minister of the gospel. As Paul begins his last letter, he is reminded of a heritage of faith that was passed down to the young Timothy by two others: his grandmother and his mother. 

We know from Acts 16:1, Timothy's mom was a Jew and his father was a Greek, "Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek." We know nothing more of Timothy's father, but the statement made in our text today speaks volumes of the faith of the other two, portraying devotion to Christ as it is passed down from generation to generation. 

We do not know how Eunice and Lois came to know Jesus Christ by faith. By the time of Paul's second letter to Timothy, he had already ventured into the area where Timothy lived (see Acts, chapter 14), and perhaps had shared the gospel in the synagogue where Eunice had heard the message. Then, having believed, she passed down the faith to her daughter, Lois. And then it came to rest in the heart of Timothy as well. What we do know is that by Acts chapter 16 it must have been believed by the grandmother, then the mother, and finally it was believed by Timothy.

In countries around the world there is a celebration called "Mother's Day" that gives emphasis upon that singular class of people: moms. And there is no better gift that a mother can bestow upon her children than a heritage of faith, poured out from her heart to the heart of her children. The value of a mom cannot be dismissed--for it the nurturing quality of motherhood that often brings about the catalyst that stirs the heart of her children toward love for and faith in Christ. 

And look how Paul describes their faith in our text for today. It was a "sincere" faith. Literally, it means, "without hypocrisy." Let your heart consider that for just a moment. It was not a "perfect" faith, it was sincere. And let that be a comfort to you as you strive to pass down the faith you have in Jesus Christ. Let it be without hypocrisy. Don't try to portray yourself as a "super-saint" who has all the answers and never wavers in trembling doubts. The generations to come do not need to see some form of Christian showmanship, but your real and sincere faith in Jesus Christ. 

And, beloved, I want to also remind you that the LORD Jesus must be believed by each individual. Paul did not say to Timothy, "I see you trusting in the faith of your grandmother." There are no "coat-tail" Christians, those who do not believe on the LORD Jesus for themselves, but trust to the faith of those who have gone before. Each individual must have, as Paul stated, a faith that dwells in them.

So, dear ones, do you have a sincere faith in the LORD Jesus Christ? Has He brought you into His salvation? Do not hold onto someone else's faith as if it will save you in the day of judgment. You must believe on the LORD Jesus. A good example of trying to hang onto another person's faith was the seven sons of Sceva. Acts 19:13 illustrates, "Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, 'I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.'" They did not believe on the LORD Jesus themselves, but tried to ride the faith of the Apostle Paul and perform a work in the name of Jesus. But true faith must dwell in you and it must be sincere.

There is a generation behind us, beloved. It is a generation that needs to see in us that sincere faith in the LORD Jesus. For those mothers who pass on the heritage of faith to the coming generation, as the Apostle Paul remembered both Eunice and Lois, so you are remembered as well.

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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