“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.” — 2 Timothy 3:14

Have you ever looked back at an old photograph of yourself and thought, “That was me, but I’m not that person anymore”? Our lives are marked by change—sometimes slow and unnoticed, other times sudden and life-altering. The Bible tells us that the greatest change a person can experience is the one God brings when we meet Jesus. Each of us is conceived and born in sin. The Psalmist says, “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). The cultures, societies and environments that we grow in are sinful and they shape us as such – inclinations, thoughts, likes, habits and character; nothing is without the influence of our sinful nature and world.

When anyone meets Jesus however, he brings about change. Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Even when that change is still in progress, it is expected to happen because our transformation (sanctification) is a lifelong process. It is one of the main reasons why we have the scriptures – to tell us who we are and how we ought to conduct ourselves in light of the change in person that Jesus brings at salvation. The Bible says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

As for you, your story is different; Christ has made the difference

What areas of your life have changed since you met Jesus? What areas are yet to change or are being changed? The new life means there must be a clear difference between who you were before meeting the Lord and who you are now. While others may see the old life as normal, as for you, there is supposed to be a contrast.

In Scripture, the phrase “as for you” draws a sharp contrast between the world’s ways and God’s calling. “As for you” was one of Paul’s oft used terms to highlight the light-and-dark contrast that Jesus brings to the believer’s life and how that difference is expected to translate into everyday conduct. Here are seven times that phrase is used in the New Testament in the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New International Version (NIV), what lessons we can learn from it and apply to our lives as those who have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of the beloved son.

• Made Alive in Christ

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, … but because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” — Ephesians 2:1, 4-5 (NIV)

Like I said earlier, all of us—billions of people—are conceived and born in sin. Many have not heard about the salvation that is in Christ. Some have heard of Jesus but have not been told that their salvation is in him, instead, they are taught to reject him as saviour, believe in him as anything but the saviour. Multitudes have died without faith and will be judged as such. “As for you”, because of no merit of yours but because of his great love for you, God, who is rich in mercy, chose to make you alive in Christ even when you were dead in your transgressions, following the values of this world, obeying the ruler of the earthly realm. The wages of your sin is death, but instead of sending you to hell, he chose to give you life. As for you, your story is different; Christ has made the difference. “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Many are roaming the streets without the hope of eternal life, but you have that life, for he who has the Son has life (1 John 5:11). You are the object of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory (Romans 9:24). Live in the light of God’s choice of you.

• Continue in What You have Learned

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.” — 2 Timothy 3:14

Let those who are alive in this transient life but dead to the true life give themselves to the things of this life — but not you.

It is he who continues (endures) to the end that will be saved (Matthew 24:13). This path of life that Christ has chosen you out of multitudes in the world to belong to, is not without trials and tribulations. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Timothy was told that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). While this is happening, “evil people and impostors will go one from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). Jesus also said, “Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Not that the love of many will grow cold but that of most (majority of people) will grow cold. While this is a prophecy of scripture from the mouth of none less than the Lord himself, Timothy was urged to not be in that ‘most’ number, but to be numbered among the minority who will continue in what they have learned. The love of others for Jesus will grow cold, “but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed.” How firm is your belief? As for you, be different; keep on believing; stick with it; go on steadily in the things you have been taught.

• Flee These Things

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” — 1 Timothy 6:11

Paul warned Timothy about the rise of false teachers and their pursuit of money (1 Timothy 6:2-10). Their marks include teachings that do not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and godliness; pride, love for controversies and quarrels about words—things that stir up conflict. They also think that devotion to God is a way to get rich. The love of money, Paul added, is a root of all kinds of evil.

This was the kind of world that Timothy lived in and it is no different from ours, if anything, it is worse. Paul told him, “But as for you. O man of God, flee these things.” While others are compromising their message, you be different—flee. While others go into ministry for the sake of money, as for you, be different. While others pursue money at all cost (advance fee fraud aka 419; online fraud aka ‘yahoo’) as for you, O man of God, O woman of God, O child of God, flee these things. Flee but don’t be idle either; rather, “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”

• Be Sober-Minded, Endure Suffering

“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.” — 2 Timothy 4:5

Still to Timothy, Paul wrote that a time is coming when people “will not tolerate wholesome teaching. They will want something to tickle their own fancies, and they will collect teachers who will pander to their own desires. They will no longer listen to the truth, but will wander off after man-made fictions” (2 Timothy 4:3-4, Phillips). While people flock to those places with all their glitz and glamour, Timothy was told to be different: “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.” While others run off to the happening and vogue places, as for you, you must keep control of yourself. It is this lack of self-control and endurance; this desire to feel among, that draws people away from their callings. If you must fulfil your ministry then you must learn to endure; be ready to be alone. Endure suffering, endure sound teaching even if it hurts. The fire is what brings out the shine in the gold that is refined. Remember that “suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

• Do not Grow Weary in Doing Good

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Let’s face it, doing good can be burdensome. In the Thessalonian church, there were some who were idle and would not work. These people wearied others with their requests for bread at the hands of those who worked to earn a living. They didn’t stop at living off others, they were busybodies — meddlers in the affairs of others. Paul urged such people to work quietly and earn their own living instead of burdening others unnecessarily.

Belonging to Christ makes you different. Dare to embrace the difference

It was in the midst of this kind of people, that the Thessalonian Christians were told to live contrastingly. Others may be idle busybodies and may weary you with their demands and nosiness, but as for you, never tire of doing good. Do not faint, despond, or turn out a coward. They may be lazy, but as for you, show the difference Christ has made in you. Do not be discouraged from doing good to the truly deserving by the idleness and improper conduct of those who ask your assistance. In doing what is reputable and useful, that which brings glory to God and good to mankind, do not faint either by sloth or by cowardice. As for you, do what is your Christian duty to do, regardless of what others do. That is the message.

• Teach Sound Doctrine

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” — Titus 2:1

This is similar to the instruction Paul had given to Timothy. There were Christian congregations scattered in Crete and Titus was to introduce a regular organization and the principle of central church government to them. Secondly, there was a group of teachers who were putting forth doctrines that were not in consonance with what Paul and the other apostles had taught. Their conduct was also lowering the standard of Christian conduct. It was this fatal moral influence particularly, that Titus was charged with countering. Paul is saying, while others teach and exemplify unscriptural things, as for you Titus, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is teaching that is true, accurate, healthy and wholesome. This is the difference that Christ makes in a life he indwells. While others flippantly teach or preach anything, you must check whether your message true, accurate, healthy and wholesome. That is hard work but if you will be different as you should, that is the way to go.

• Proclaim the Kingdom of God

“And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” — Luke 9:60

What greater call is there than the call by Jesus to follow him? A man is called by Jesus to follow him — the same call that produced Peter and the other disciples—but he asks for permission to go and bury his father. True religion teaches us to be kind, to show piety at home and to care for our parents; but such must not become the reason why we neglect our duty to God. The man seemed to have more concern for the cares of this world than he should have. He was willing to enter into a temptation that will lead him away from the call of God on his life. He was looking back. Looking back leads to drawing back; and drawing back is to perdition. Remember Lot’s wife.

The world may follow its own ways, but you are called to a higher way.

Jesus laid bare what the priority and urgency of our lives should be. Let those who are alive in this transient life but dead to the true life give themselves to the things of this life. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God. Ensure that in one way or the other —going, praying, giving— you are proclaiming the kingdom of God. Let none hear you idly saying, “there is nothing I can do”.

Belonging to Christ makes you different. Dare to embrace the difference; dare to be different. Many things may pass for others, but as for you …

The world may follow its own ways, but you are called to a higher way. Hold the line. Keep the faith. Live the God-made difference.

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