2 Timothy 1:7
Because God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, of love and of self-control.
Something interesting in this verse is that the word translated as "self-control" is not the same Greek word that translates "self-control" in other verses. Here the words "own domain" correspond to the Greek word söphronismos, a Greek word used only here in the whole Bible.
This Greek word is rooted in the word söphron, which is the Union of the word Sözo: "To heal, to save, to liberate, to put to safe and to shelter from evil" and Phrën: "Thoughts, feelings, that which is produced in the mind".
In the union of these two words we have to Söphronismos gives us the idea of a "healthy mind, ability to think or to direct thoughts in a healthy, safe, righteous way."
It is not only "self-control", it is a capacity to think in a healthy and correct way, as Christ himself thinks:
1 Corinthians 2:16
because who knew the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct you? But we have the mind of Christ.
This verse tells us that we have the "mind" of Christ. Here "mind" is in Greek nous, which refers to the place where thoughts are produced. According to this verse, those who have the gift of the Holy Spirit of God (the reborn Christians) have the mind of Christ, that is, they have the potential to think like Christ, this is because we are members of a spiritual body whose head in Christ (Ro. 12:5 ; 1 Co. 12:12). Being spiritually connected with Christ, we have the capacity to receive from his thoughts and so to think in a healthy and correct way.
2 Timothy 1:7
Because God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, of love and of self-control.
Another thing to note here is the word "cowardice." It is the Greek word ofilia, which is only used here in the Bible. It means "cowardice, shyness, lack of strength or mental or moral value." Paul tells Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, the spirit of God can not come out thoughts that propel us to acts of cowardice, if these thoughts exist in us, part of our human nature and not God.
Here this "cowardice" is put in direct contrast with the power, the love and the ability to think in a healthy and correct way. In other words, when cowardice attacks us, our acts lack the power of God (because God acts when we have faith in him), they lack love (they are selfish acts) and they do not depart in a healthy way of thinking, so they produce results contrary to the will of God. .
Now let's look at the context in which Paul said this to Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:6-8 (KJV)
(6) For this reason, I remind you again that you stoke the gift of God that is in you by the imposition of my hands.
(7) Because God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, of love and of self-control.
(8) wherefore, do not be ashamed to testify of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Rather, be a partaker of the sufferings of the gospel, according to the Power of God.
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In verse 6, it should be noted that the word "Don" is in Greek charisma. This word can refer to different types of gifts, but it seldom refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is usually referred to by the Greek word dorëa. Reading verses like Ro. 12:6; 1 Co. 12:4; 12:31; 1 Pe. 4:10 we can see that the word charism tends to refer to gifts or capacities to serve in different functions within the church. Bearing in mind this and the entire context of the Epistle to Timothy, I understand that the "gift" referred to here by Paul is a function of service of Timothy, a gift for teaching and preaching the gospel.
Within Timothy was the struggle between his nature of sin (his humanity) and his spiritual nature (the gift given by God). If he acted according to his carnal thoughts, he would be overcome by fear and would stop preaching the gospel to live perhaps with greater comfort and tranquility, safe from persecution. But if he would stand firm for God, he would act with power, with love and with thoughts that are according to the will of God and thus preach the gospel without shame, with all value would be a partner of Paul's sufferings for the gospel. It was not an easy decision, in fact it is a decision that very few are willing to take.
Today, our daily challenge is the same as Timothy had: either we let ourselves be won by the cowardice of our human nature and serve our own wombs, our own ambitions, acting selfishly to live comfortably and quietly, or we We stand firm for God and serve him by using the gifts he gave us, building others with the power and love of God, making healthy decisions that are according to the will of God.
Every day is a day of decision and we can decide to stoke the fire of the gift or gifts that God has given us to serve, or we can pour the water of cowardice into our gifts and live as lukewarm believers, who sing to God on weekends in a congregation and hope that C On that only change the world and receive a great reward in the coming era.
The decision is not easy, and surely there will be difficulties along the way and there will be persecution on the part of those who do not want to live according to God's will, but God will be supporting us with his power and love and can reward our efforts.
The only way to be able to have the courage and strength to make the right decisions to serve God is for us to have our eyes on Jesus and learn from his example. He gave his life for the joy put before him, the joy of giving the father a family of Christians who are saved only by believing in Jesus as Lord. That same joy should also be our joy. We do not have to give our lives for others to be saved by faith, but we have a responsibility to preach the good news that Jesus gave his life so that everyone who believes in him is saved and so that people know the truth of God for salvation.
May the joy of seeing people be saved and knowing the truth of God in order to have an intimate relationship of love with him is our constant motivation in our lives!