1/26/26

2 Timothy 1:5 NASB95 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

FAITH

It is required of us to receive God's Grace of Salvation. Ephesians 2:8 NASB95 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

However, that faith is not dependent upon us as God gives faith to everyone. Romans 12:3 NASB95 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Where we place that faith is the key. That and if we place a true sincere faith or an insincere (casual and artificial, factious) faith.

Faith must be placed in Christ, and it must be sincere. The English word sincere (although today argued against) comes from two Latin words: Sine, meaning without, and Cera, meaning wax. In ancient times when pottery was made, if it had a defect in it, then wax would be melted and placed in the defect. It was then sanded down and painted, before it was ready to be sold. It looked just as good as perfect pottery but it had a defect that would eventually show. Whenever the item was made without defect it would be priced higher and labeled as sine cera (without wax).

Your faith needs to be placed in Christ, pure, whole, and without wax. It must be sincere, (Without wax). Many people attempt to make their faith look pure, but when it is held to the flame, the wax melts, and the faith is found to be insincere.

Paul tells Timothy in our text that he keeps in his mind the pure, sincere faith that Timothy has.

He says this sincere faith was first found in his grandmother and his mother and is now in Timothy. Since we know God has given to each a measure of faith then we know that our salvation is not secured by the faith of another. Simply put, you are not saved because your grandmother or mother was saved.

So, with this being the case, what was Paul speaking of?

It was not the faith that they passed on but the sincerity of it. Timothy had a measure of faith from God. It was the example of the sincerity in the faith of his grandmother and mother that Timothy saw and understood as what was needed.

So often a child sees his or her parents be one way here and another way there. Then they realize hypocrisy (acting). On Sunday, they fill in their faith with wax, but on Monday through Saturday, the defects begin to show in their faith.

Your life is what creates defects in your faith.

You will never be perfect but your faith will grow and fill in its own defects that you placed in it. That is if you will only seek a closer relationship with the Lord.

Your faith won't be perfect, but let it at least be pure, sincere, without wax.

A person cannot make their child place his or her faith in the Lord, but they can show what sincere faith looks like. Then if your child decides to place their faith in the Lord, they will know it needs to be pure and without wax.

2 Timothy 1:5 NASB95 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Thank you, God, for faith. Thank you to God and those in my life who showed me why it needed to be placed in Christ and displayed, without wax. They showed sincerity of faith as they sought for their faith to grow and fill in the defects on its own, instead of hiding them with wax, that melted away with the heat of adversity.

Love Bro. Scott