The Complete Picture of a Believer

his face as the Marine guards led him away to the Brig.

You may have every excuse in the world for going over the wall spiritually but none is justified. You don’t uninlist. You belong to God.


IV. The Believer As An Athlete Vs. 5

1. Paul sometimes used athletic illustrations in his epistles:
Wrestling - Boxing - Running - Exercising

2. Paul told Timothy to "obey the rules".

Illustration
Jim Thorpe, the great Olympic athlete, had to forfeit all his medals because had broken the rules.

Today athletes are taking steroids and performance inhancing drugs. They are cheating. They want shortcuts and will even risk their careers and reputations.

3. When Paul wrote II Timothy - there weren’t very many in the stands rooting for him. They had deserted and left him.


V. The Believer As A Farmer Vs. 6,7

Here is another favorite passage found in Paul’s writings.

1 Cor 3:5-9
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Each Christian has a particular task to perform:
Plowing - Sowing - Watering - Harvesting


VI. A Believer As A Worker Vs. 14-18

A workman must know his work. A bricklayer must know how to lay bricks. A carpenter must know how to read blueprints. A plumber must know how to put in a faucet that doesn’t leak.


VII. A Believer As A Vessel Vs. 19-22

1. A vessel to display the glory of God.

2. If a vessel is usable, it should be clean. What would you rather drink from. - A silver cup that is dirty or an old mug that is clean.

3. God commands us to depart from iniquity and from self-will.


VIII. A Believer As A Servant Vs. 23-26

1. We are "God’s bond-servants."

2. Here is a paradox - A Soldier is to fight but a servant is to be gentle.


Conclusion

What kind of a Believer are you? Are you a believer that is totally yielded to whatever God desires for his their life.