Paul will use some examples of what to do and what not to do, then he will continue to encourage Timothy in the hard work of ministry.
"You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes." (2 Timothy 1:15) We don't know anything about these two men except that Paul trusted them to stand by him and they didn't. They deserted him in his time of need while he was a prisoner in Rome. By mentioning these two men, he's saying, "Don't be like them! Stand firm in the faith. Stand by your brothers and sisters in Christ."
Now he mentions a man who is a good example of Christian friendship. "May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well how many ways he helped me in Ephesus." (2 Timothy 1:16-18) This man was a friend to Paul at Ephesus and also a friend to Paul at Rome. Instead of avoiding Paul, as Phygelus and Hermogenes did, he sought Paul out in order to supply his needs while he was a prisoner. As we have discussed before while studying Paul's other letters written from prison, in those days the government didn't supply very much for prisoners. Prisoners were barely supplied with enough to remain alive until trial, so the friends and family members of prisoners performed a valuable service by bringing extra food, clothing, blankets, reading materials, and other items that made life in jail more bearable. It appears that some of Paul's friends stopped associating with him for fear that the Roman government would turn a suspicious eye on them too, but Onesiphorus was willing to take the risk because it was the right thing to do.
What "day" is Paul talking about when he asks the Lord to grant mercy to Onesiphorus? Some scholars think Onesiphorus might now also be a prisoner awaiting trial. If so, then Paul is referring to the day when his friend will stand in Nero's court. This would explain why he also asks the Lord to be merciful to the household of Onesiphorus, as this would be a prayer for the Lord to keep this man's wife and children safe. Other scholars think Paul is speaking of the "Day Of The Lord", the day of judgment, the day when Onesiphorus will stand in God's court and be rewarded for his work on behalf of the Lord's people. I tend to agree with the latter theory, for earlier in Chapter 1 Paul spoke of the things he has entrusted to the Lord until "that day", and his statement in verse 12 is generally accepted by most scholars as meaning the day when he sees the Lord face to face.
As Onesiphorus has been strong in the Lord, so also must Timothy be. In addition, when choosing people to perform offices in the church, he must choose people who are strong in the Lord. "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." (2 Timothy 1-2)
The work will be hard. Paul is suffering for the faith and Timothy will likely suffer also, perhaps not in the same ways, but as Paul will later say in this letter, "Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12) It's going to cost all of us something to follow Christ, so Paul urges Timothy to be brave enough to take the risk. "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all of this." (2 Timothy 2:3-7) Timothy is to keep in mind at all times that, first and foremost, he is a minister of the gospel. His first loyalty is to the Lord. In order to serve the Lord and the Lord's church, everything in his life must revolve around what he has been called to do.
"Remember Christ Jesus, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." (2 Timothy 2:8-10) He says, "Be willing to risk your freedom and your life for the gospel, as I am doing, for you see that even though I am in chains the gospel continues to spread and prosper. The gospel can't be chained, and you must do your part to make certain as many people as possible come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior."
"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13) Paul says, "We must die to self, taking up our crosses and following Him. We must live by His example and endure whatever comes for preaching the truth. If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us. But if we deny that Jesus is the Christ, it changes nothing; He is still who He is." Because Christ is who He is, we have to be who He is calling us to be. It won't always be easy, but when we stand in His presence someday it will have been worth everything it cost us to proclaim His name.
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