2 Timothy 2:8-13
8: Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,
9: for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.
10: For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
11: It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
11: It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
12: If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
13: If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
Paul encouraged Timothy to remember Jesus, the Messiah, descendant of David, as he had taught. Remember Him for He is--the one who saves us. He is the one worthy for Paul to suffer the hardship he did, so others may also obtain salvation in Christ. This life is temporary but our salvation in Him is eternal. Whatever hardship we suffer now will not last forever. Paul chose to remain true to God and His Word, the gospel, no matter how difficult it became.
Paul was imprisoned as a criminal, but the Word of God was not imprisoned. Timothy and others were still in a position to preach the gospel. As they did, it would spread. Nothing can stop the Word of God. It is not subject to man or his laws. I’m sure Timothy was faced with the temptation to compromise, water down the gospel he preached, to save himself from suffering as Paul was. He may have felt pressured to be accepted by those who had compromised or were teaching a false gospel.
Paul made a statement which seemed to be a familiar quote, possibly from a hymn or poetic verse of some type, calling it a trustworthy statement. If we die with Him, we will also live with Him (Romans 6:8). When we follow Him, even if it leads to denying ourselves the pleasures, comfort, or even life on earth, we will live with Him—which is far better. His life is eternal, this life is temporary. On a daily basis, we consider ourselves dead to sin, no longer enslaved to it. Our baptism being a public acknowledgement of being buried with Him—dead to the old life—and resurrected to a new life in Him (Romans 6:2-14).
If we endure—remain faithful even during times of hardship, suffering, or persecution—we will also reign with Him. Not only will we live eternally with Him, but will reign with Him if we endure in this life. Yet if we deny Him publicly, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). We must do more than believe privately and quietly in our own hearts, as important as that is. We must allow the seed of our own private faith and worship of the Lord to grow and be spoken of to others—the fruit of our lips.
He will remain faithful to His Word, even if we do not. He will not change His Word on our behalf. He has set the standard and paid the price. It’s up to us to follow His path, His words, His commands, not for Him to change or compromise to please us. He is the holy one, the Most High, who sees all things from a perspective we cannot.
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Paul encouraged Timothy to remember Jesus, the Messiah, descendant of David, as he had taught. Remember Him for He is--the one who saves us. He is the one worthy for Paul to suffer the hardship he did, so others may also obtain salvation in Christ. This life is temporary but our salvation in Him is eternal. Whatever hardship we suffer now will not last forever. Paul chose to remain true to God and His Word, the gospel, no matter how difficult it became.
Paul was imprisoned as a criminal, but the Word of God was not imprisoned. Timothy and others were still in a position to preach the gospel. As they did, it would spread. Nothing can stop the Word of God. It is not subject to man or his laws. I’m sure Timothy was faced with the temptation to compromise, water down the gospel he preached, to save himself from suffering as Paul was. He may have felt pressured to be accepted by those who had compromised or were teaching a false gospel.
Paul made a statement which seemed to be a familiar quote, possibly from a hymn or poetic verse of some type, calling it a trustworthy statement. If we die with Him, we will also live with Him (Romans 6:8). When we follow Him, even if it leads to denying ourselves the pleasures, comfort, or even life on earth, we will live with Him—which is far better. His life is eternal, this life is temporary. On a daily basis, we consider ourselves dead to sin, no longer enslaved to it. Our baptism being a public acknowledgement of being buried with Him—dead to the old life—and resurrected to a new life in Him (Romans 6:2-14).
If we endure—remain faithful even during times of hardship, suffering, or persecution—we will also reign with Him. Not only will we live eternally with Him, but will reign with Him if we endure in this life. Yet if we deny Him publicly, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). We must do more than believe privately and quietly in our own hearts, as important as that is. We must allow the seed of our own private faith and worship of the Lord to grow and be spoken of to others—the fruit of our lips.
He will remain faithful to His Word, even if we do not. He will not change His Word on our behalf. He has set the standard and paid the price. It’s up to us to follow His path, His words, His commands, not for Him to change or compromise to please us. He is the holy one, the Most High, who sees all things from a perspective we cannot.
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