"THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE GOSPEL"
Notes
Transcript
If you are able to recall three weeks ago we looked at the 1) the power of the Gospel, and last week we looked at 2) the availability of the Gospel, and this week we are going to look at “The Dependability of the Gospel.”
Proposition - As we look at 2 Timothy 2:11-13 we will examine four promises: 1) the promise of association, 2) the promise of perseverance, 3) the promise to the phony, and 4) the promise to His children.
Interrogative question - How are the promises affecting you?
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.
“trustworthy” - (pistos) - adjective, nominative, singular, masculine - predicate adjective - faithful; reliable; believing -
Sense: sure - certain to occur; destine or inevitable -
1 Timothy 1:15 (NASB95)
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
1 Timothy 3:1 (NASB95)
1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
1 Timothy 4:9 (NASB95)
9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.
2 Timothy 2:11 (NASB95)
11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
Titus 3:8 (NASB95)
8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
“statement” - (logos) - noun, nominative, singular, masculine - subject - word; message
Sense: word (statement) - a brief statement.
Every time that the word “trustworthy” is used in the Pastorals the noun “statement” is followed driving home the validity of what the author is saying.
1. The Promise of Association - vs. 11
1. The Promise of Association - vs. 11
11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
“we died with” - (synapothnesko) - verb, aorist, active, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - die with
Sense: to perish together - to die with another or others.
Mark 14:31 (NASB95)
31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.
2 Timothy 2:11 (NASB95)
11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
“we will live with” - (syzao) - verb, future, active, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - live with
Sense: to live together - to live along with another or others; or perhaps become alive with another or others.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
2. The Promise of Perseverance - vs. 12a
2. The Promise of Perseverance - vs. 12a
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
“we endure” - (hypomeno) - verb, present, active, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - endure
Sense: to endure (withstand) - to face and withstand with courage.
Matthew 10:22 (NASB95)
22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
Matthew 24:13 (NASB95)
13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NASB95)
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
2 Timothy 2:10 (NASB95)
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.
2 Timothy 2:12 (NASB95)
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
Hebrews 10:32 (NASB95)
32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
Hebrews 12:2–3 (NASB95)
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:7 (NASB95)
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
James 5:11 (NASB95)
11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
“we will reign with” - (symbasileuo) - verb, future, active, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - reign (as king) with
Sense: to reign asking together - to reign as king alongside another or others
8 You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you.
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
By virtue of creation man held the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. As prophet his mind was illumined so that he knew God. As priest his heart delighted in God. As king his will was in harmony with God’s will. This threefold office, lost through the fall, is restored by God’s grace. The joyful response of the believer’s will to the will of Christ, that response which is true freedom, is the basic element in this reigning with Christ. Moreover, even during the period before death Christians rule the world by means of their prayers, in the sense that again and again judgments occur in answer to prayer (Rev. 8:3–5). In heaven they are even closer to the throne than are the angels (Rev. 4:4; 5:11). In fact, they sit with Christ on his throne (Rev. 3:21), sharing his royal glory. And when Christ returns, the saints sit and judge with him (Ps. 149:5–9; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3). Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 4, p. 259). Baker Book House.
The language resembles that of Matt 10:33, and the disowning of Christ is a verbal or behavioral denial to avoid suffering. Those who deny Christ in persecution will have denial by him in the final judgment (Mark 8:38). Those whom Christ denies in the judgment will enter eternity in lostness. Paul’s awful warning did not apply to a temporary denial such as Peter demonstrated (Luke 22:54–62) but to a permanent denial such as Judas illustrated (Acts 1:15–19). The threat of “disown[ing]” would have been a warning to Timothy and other believers and a threat of judgment to the Asians of 1:15 who had deserted. Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 211). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” I personally believe that not all believers are going to reign with Him. I believe that this verse narrows it down to those who have suffered for Him. I’d be embarrassed if I were put on the same par with the apostle Paul in heaven, because I haven’t suffered as he did. I would be apologizing to him constantly for being placed beside him. I believe this verse is referring to a definite group of Christians who have really suffered for Christ. In the Roman world of Paul’s day there were many Christians who were martyred—five million of them, according to Fox—because they refused to deny Christ.
“If we deny him, he also will deny us.” This is very strong language. It reveals, however, that Paul believes that faith without works is dead (see James 2:17). You see, Paul and James never contradict each other. James is talking about the works of faith, and Paul is saying that genuine faith will produce works. Calvin put it like this: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy/Titus/Philemon) (electronic ed., Vol. 50, pp. 108–109). Thomas Nelson.
3. The Promise to the Phony - vs. 12b
3. The Promise to the Phony - vs. 12b
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
“we deny” - (arneomai) - verb, future, middle, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - deny; repudiate; disown
Sense: to deny (acknowledge) - to refuse to recognize or acknowledge.
Matthew 10:33 (NASB95)
33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 26:70–72 (NASB95)
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
Mark 14:68–70 (NASB95)
68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch. 69 The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This is one of them!” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.”
Luke 8:45 (NASB95)
45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”
Luke 9:23 (NASB95)
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 12:9 (NASB95)
9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Luke 22:57 (NASB95)
57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
John 1:20 (NASB95)
20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
John 13:38 (NASB95)
38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
John 18:25–27 (NASB95)
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Acts 4:16 (NASB95)
16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
1 Timothy 5:8 (NASB95)
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Timothy 2:12 (NASB95)
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB95)
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
2 Timothy 3:5 (NASB95)
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
Titus 1:16 (NASB95)
16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Titus 2:12 (NASB95)
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
2 Peter 2:1 (NASB95)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
1 John 2:22–23 (NASB95)
22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
Jude 4 (NASB95)
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2:13 (NASB95)
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Revelation 3:8 (NASB95)
8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Paul adds this solemn warning to shake us out of our sloth. Paul aims this warning at those who have given up confessing Christ out of fear of persecution. Paul warns them that they will have no part with Christ. How wrong it is that we should think more about this passing life than of the holy name of the Son of God. And why should he number among his people those who treacherously deny him? Here weakness is no excuse, for if people did not deliberately deceive themselves with hollow flattering, they would be equipped with the Spirit of fortitude and would resist faithfully. When people deny Christ, they do so not only out of weakness but out of unfaithfulness. They are so blinded by the attractions of the world that they cannot see the life of God’s kingdom. But this teaching requires more meditation than explanation. Christ’s words are clear for all to understand: “whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Everyone must reflect in his own heart that this is no idle threat but a solemn pronouncement by our Judge, which will come true at the appointed hour. Calvin, J. (1998). 1, 2 Timothy and Titus (p. 136). Crossway Books.
4. The Promise to His Children - vs. 13
4. The Promise to His Children - vs. 13
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
“we are faithless” - (apisteo) - verb, present, active, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - disbelieve; refuse to believe
Sense: to disbelieve (trust) - to not trust in or rely on someone or something; especially used of not trusting in or relying on the God of Israel and Jesus as His Messiah.
“to disbelieve (trust)” - to not trust in or rely on someone or something; especially used of not trusting in or relying on the God of Israel and Jesus as His Messiah.
Mark 16:16
16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Acts 28:24
24 Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
Romans 3:3
3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
2 Timothy 2:13
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
1 Peter 2:7 (NASB95)
7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,”
“faithful” - (pistos) - adjective, nominative, singular, masculine - predicate adjective - faithful; reliable; believing
Sense: faithful - characterized by steadfast affection or allegiance (to someone or something).
Numbers 23:19 (NASB95)
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Titus 1:1–2 (NASB95)
1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,
Confronted by the cost of discipleship, Peter was facing just such a test as Paul had in mind. Did he thereby evidence a lack of true saving faith? His response to the denial, going out and weeping bitter tears of penitence (Matt. 26:75), and the Lord’s restoration of him in Galilee (John 21:15–17) lead one to conclude that Peter was truly justified, though obviously not yet fully sanctified. And until Pentecost, Peter did not have the fulness of the Holy Spirit. After the Spirit came to live in him in New Covenant fullness, however, his courage, boldness, and willingness to face any hostility became legendary (cf. Acts 1:5, 8; 2:4, 14–36; 3:1–6, 12–26; 4:1–4, 8–13, 19, 21, 31). Peter died a martyr, just as Jesus had foretold he would—faithful in the face of execution for his Lord (John 21:18–19). Tradition holds that, by his own request, he was crucified upside down, because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 2 Timothy (p. 65). Moody Press.
Divine faithfulness is a wonderful comfort -
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
18 But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
13. Paul’s next statement, he will remain faithful, seems, at first sight, to be incredible. But it means this: “Our faithlessness cannot in any way detract from the Son of God and his glory. As he is all-sufficient in himself, he does not need our confession.” It is as if Paul had said, “Let everyone who wants to desert Christ, desert him; they will take nothing from him. For when they perish, Christ remains unchanged.” Paul then goes on to explain that Christ is not like us and does not deviate from his own truth. So it is clear that all who deny Christ are disowned by Christ. So, Paul deprives ungodly apostates from having this comforting thought to console themselves with. Because they change their colors according to their circumstances, they imagine that Christ is also two-faced. Paul says that this is impossible. At the same time, we must hold on firmly to what I have said about this, that our faith is based on the unchangeable truth of Christ, so that no human infidelity or apostasy can shake it. Calvin, J. (1998). 1, 2 Timothy and Titus (p. 136). Crossway Books.
Perhaps the most significant phrase of the hymn is the final one—“for he is unable to deny himself.” The doctrine of the immutability of God affirms that God “does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas 1:17 NIV), and therefore the God who gives good gifts will continue to do so. As Hebrews affirms, “He also says, ‘In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end’ ” (Heb 1:10–12 NIV, citing Ps 102:25–27); “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8). It is because “I the LORD do not change” that “you, O descendant of Jacob, are not destroyed” (Mal 3:6; cf. Num 23:19; Deut 7:9; Titus 1:2; cf. Grudem, Systematic Theology, 163–64). God will never change, will always be true to his character, and will continue to be faithful as he has promised regardless of the believer’s faithlessness. God’s omnipotence does not include the possibility of self-contradiction. God’s divine faithfulness is immutable; for God not to be faithful would be to cease being himself (Spicq, 2:750–51). As is so often the case, Christian theology stems from the very character of God. Mounce, W. D. (2000). Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 46, p. 520). Word, Incorporated.
SO WHAT?
Interrogative question - How are the promises affecting you?
Four Promises -
The Promise of Association - vs. 11
The Promise of Perseverance - vs. 12a
The Promise to the Phony - vs. 12b
The Promise to His Children - vs. 13
It has been expressed poetically in the beautiful lines:
“Hence with earthly treasure!
Thou art all my pleasure,
Jesus, all my choice.
Hence, thou empty glory!
Naught to me thy story,
Told with tempting voice.
Pain or loss or shame or cross
Shall not from my Savior move me,
Since he deigns to love me.
Hence, all fear and sadness!
For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus enters in.
Those who love the Father,
Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within.
Yea, whate’er I here must bear,
Thou art still my purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure.”
(Johann Frenck, 1653; translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1863) Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 4, pp. 257–258). Baker Book House.
Paul concludes with a magnificent hymn, which regardless of origin speaks directly to Timothy and his historical situation and includes a strong eschatological emphasis. (1) Conversion: those who have died with Christ in their conversion/baptism will live with Christ in their post-conversion life (sanctification). (2) Perseverance: if during their lives as believers they continue to be faithful to God and persevere, then they will surely reign with Christ in heaven. (3) Apostasy: however, if some deny Christ, if through their lives they deny knowing him by their word and deed, then before the judgment seat Christ will also deny knowing them. (4) Faithlessness: however, if a believer fails to persevere fully but yet stops short of apostasy, God will remain true to his character, true to his promises, and therefore will remain faithful to that person (immutability of God). Mounce, W. D. (2000). Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 46, p. 519). Word, Incorporated.