Confident in Christ.

In the village of Siem Riep, Cambodia, Haim, a Christian teacher, knew that the youthful black-clad Khmer Rouge soldiers now heading across the field were coming this time for him …. Haim was determined that when his turn come, he would die with dignity and without complaint. Since “Liberation” on April 17, 1975, what Cambodian had not considered this day? …. Haim’s entire family was rounded up that afternoon. The government called them “the old dandruff,” “bad blood,” “enemies of the glorious revolution,” “CIA agents.” But here’s what they really were: Christians who sought to be faithful to a power higher than the government.

The family spent a sleepless night comforting one another and praying for each other as they lay bound together in the dewy grass beneath a stand of friendly trees. Next morning the teenage soldiers returned and led them from their Gethsemane to their place of execution, to the nearby viel somlap, “the killing fields.”

The family was ordered to dig a large grave for themselves. Then, consenting to Haim’s request for a moment to prepare themselves for death, father, mother, and children, hands linked, knelt together around the gaping pit. With loud cries to God, Haim began exhorting both Khmer Rouge and all those looking on from afar to repent and believe the gospel.

Then in panic, one of Haim’s youngest sons leapt to his feet, bolted into the surrounding bush and disappeared. Haim jumped up and with amazing coolness and authority prevailed upon the Khmer Rouge not to pursue the lad, but allow him to call the boy back. The knots of onlookers, peering around trees, the Khmer Rouge, and the stunned family still kneeling at the graveside, looked on in awe as Haim began calling his son, pleading with him to return and die together with his family. “What comparison, my son,” he called out, “stealing a few more days of life in the wilderness, a fugitive, wretched and alone, to joining your family here momentarily around this grave but soon around the throne of God, free forever in Paradise?” After a few minutes the bushes parted, and the lad, weeping, walked slowly back to his place with the kneeling family. “Now we are ready to go,” Haim told the Khmer Rouge.

Few of those watching doubted that as each of these Christians’ bodies toppled silently into the grave which the victims had dug for themselves, their souls soared heavenward to a place prepared by their Lord.[1]

One of the compelling things about this story is the family dimension. The whole family was murdered. A father called his son back to join the rest of the family standing at the edge of their own mass grave. Why not let the kid make a run for it—live to fight another day? Maybe he would be caught and quickly, but maybe he would somehow escape. I don’t know if I could have done that but such was Haim’s confidence in Christ, that he could with courage, embrace that fateful day and entrust hiself and his family to the love of Christ from which he knew death would never separate him.

The New International Version (1984) Encouragement to Be Faithful

Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Background & Context:

This letter has been called Paul’s last will and testament. He knew that the time of his departure was near (2 Tim 4:6), that his earthly ministry and life were soon to end.

Things were bleak in the Roman Empire for Christians. A few years earlier in AD64, Nero had ordered the torching of his Rome, which burned furiously for six days and nights. Tacitus the Roman historian wrote, “But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor and the propitiations of the gods did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order by Nero. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace.”

During Paul’s first incarceration in Rome, he was under house arrest. Within those confines, he apparently was free to have visitors and to preach and teach (Acts 28:30–31). But by the time of this epistle, some five or six years later (AD66), he was in chains (2 Tim. 1:16), languishing in a Roman prison and treated as a criminal (2:9)—with little light to read or write by, no sanitation, and no prospect of relief except by death.

Worse than that, however, he was tragically deserted by everyone in Asia Minor (2 Tim 1:15; 4:16) but Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:16), and only Luke was with him (2 Tim 4:11). The apostle freely forgave the defectors, saying, “May it not be counted against them” (4:16), but their cowardly ingratitude must have brought him great pain and disappointment. Like his Lord, he was forsaken by those he had served and loved the most. He had led many of them to the Lord and nurtured them not only as an apostle but as a spiritual father and friend.

In writing to Timothy, Paul was concerned to address the heresy and ungodly behaviours that had taken root in the church at Ephesus.

Church leaders, including Timothy to some extent, were even weaker and less effective than when 1 Timothy was written. Heresy, apostasy, and even persecution had become more destructive.

That situation, as well as the abandonment by most of his friends, made Paul’s longing to see Timothy particularly poignant, and he twice implores him to “make every effort to come” and see him soon (2 Tim. 4:9, 21).

So in 2 Timothy 1:1-5, Paul gives his familiar greeting and then takes the opportunity to motivate Timothy whom he describes as his “beloved son” in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Then from 2 Timothy 1:6, he begins to explain Timothy’s duties as a servant of God. His final words to Timothy include few commendations but many admonitions, including some 25 imperatives of command. 9 of the imperatives are in 2 Timothy 4 , in which Paul commands Timothy to “preach the word, in season and out of season” .

In summary Paul’s message to Timothy is this - I am passing the mantle of ministry to you my son Timothy and am urging you to persevere in strength and faithfulness “in the grace of Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 2:1).

In saying this, Paul is aware that despite Timothy’s soundness in doctrine and personal godliness, he is prone to waver. He therefore reminded him that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power - dunamis - and love - agape - and discipline - sophronismos.” and lovingly commanded him “not [to] be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,”

Paul also exhorts Timothy to “retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus,” to “guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you,” to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth,” to “flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,” and to avoid being caught up in “foolish and ignorant speculations” (2 Tim. 2:7–8, 13–14, 15, 22-23),

So Timothy is called upon by Paul in 2 Timothy 1:6 to “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

And Paul says to Timothy that he will need to steel himself against the suffering that will certainly come when you boldly make your stand for Jesus. Timothy is to expect that suffering will accompany such bold preaching and so Paul exhorts in 2 Timothy 1:8 “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” It is inevitablefor as Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:12, echoing the words of Jesus that “in the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33), “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Suffering is the inevitable cost of godly living and whatever the cost and stigma associated with being a follower of Jesus, Paul is “not ashamed” and neither should Timothy be! (v12) Why because the gospel offers great hope to the world of life beyond death, the story of “our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”(vs 8-10)

To “abolish” leterally means, “to render inoperable” - “for believers, death is no longer a threat, no longer an enemy, no longer the end.”(MacArthur) Paul believed, citing Isaiah 25:8 and then Hosea 13:14, “When this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ ” (1 Cor. 15:54–55). Through Jesus, as the writer of Hebrews explains, death has been rendered powerless (Heb. 2:14) and brought “life and immortality to light through the gospel.” This is the hope we offer through Jesus - resurrection and life, an eternity of glorious hope in the presence of God.

From this we may learn that all of us are called to seek strength and pursue faithfulness in spiritual service. We must stick with it in the tough times and indeed expect that we may have to suffer for our faith. We must remember our calling and stick with it!

Paul is ‘not ashamed’. He deliberately puts himself forward as an example of the attitude which he commended to Timothy (1:8).

The statement echoes Rom 1:16 and Phil 1:20 (αἰσχύνομαι). Whereas in 2 Timothy 1:8 the thought was more of feeling shame because of the effects of proclaiming the gospel, the thought may shift slightly to include the conviction that Paul does not feel that his work is in vain or that he has been let down by Christ. (c/f 2 Cor 4:8f).

W.E. Vine says, “He who is conscious of pleasing God has no reason for feelings of shame through experiencing any form of suffering in consequence. Faithfulness to God frees the believer from bondage to human opinion, regard, and reward.”

I. CONFIDENT IN CHRIST - BECAUSE I KNOW HIM

“I know whom I have believed”

When Paul says, “I know”, he used the Greek word “oida” which carries the idea of knowing with certainty. Knowing facts!

The word “oida” is used frequently in the New Testament of God’s own knowing - Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:8).

John uses it of Jesus’ knowledge - “He Himself knew what He was intending to do” (John 6:6); “Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him” (John 6:64; cf. Joh 8:14; 11:42; 13:11).

Paul had firsthand, intimate, saving knowledge of God. How could he not when you consider his conversion experience recorded in Acts 9, it was utterly transformative!

Some commentators query whether the antecedent may be either God(cf. Tit 3:8) or, perhaps more probably, Christ (cf. 2 Tim 4:18; 1 Tim 1:16) but we probably should not attempt to make a choice, since it seems often that God the Father and Christ were so closely conjoined in Christian thought that Paul was not consciously referring to one rather than the other.

When Paul says, Pisteuō (I have believed) he uses the perfect tense, indicating something that began in the past and has continuing results.

The object of Paul’s certain knowledge was not a thing, or even God’s truth, as important as that is, but rather God Himself as revealed in Jesus Christ

It was not Paul’s divinely revealed theology, but the One who revealed to him that theology, in whom he believed.

II. CONFIDENT IN CHRIST - BECAUSE HE IS ABLE

“I...am convinced that he is able”

Paul is “convinced” that God is “able: - Greek dunatos, literally means, is powerful enough] to guard what I have entrusted to Him. Phulassō (to guard) was a military term used of a soldier on watch, who was accountable with his own life to protect that which was entrusted to his care.

He was convinced - The main clause is continued with a repetition of πέπεισμαι (2 Tim 1:5), expressing a strongly felt conviction as in Rom 8:28 of the ability of God to do what he promises - not only by divine promises but also by God’s constant faithfulness, already experienced by him with divine encounters again and again!

Listen to his conviction - “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35–39)

Paul trusted his absolute security in God. He had been through years of relentless temptations, trials and testings, opportunities and hardships. He had seen the power of God at work again and again, both in him and around him. He had seen the Lord save and heal and protect and guide and encourage (cf. 2 Tim. 4:14–18).

Paul had encountered Christ personally on the Damascus Road and had been “caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.… And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself!” (2 Cor. 12:4, 7).

III. CONFIDENT IN CHRIST - BECAUSE I CAN TRUST HIM

“...to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. “

Paul’s confidence did not come from a creed or a theological system or a denomination or an ordination. It came solely from a close, unbroken relationship with God, to whom he unreservedly gave his life, going about his divine mission with no concern for his own welfare, safety, or life.

Without the least reservation, all of those things were “entrusted to Him until that day.” His only “ambition, whether at home or absent, [was] to be pleasing to Him” (2 Cor. 5:9).

The word “entrusted” signifies something deposited with a person to be kept undamaged and unused and returned to the owner, usually while he is absent on a journey.

The fact that God is to do the guarding makes it certain that the deposit is made by Paul. This certainly includes his life and his soul, kept safe on the Day of Judgment but probably in this context refers to the gospel he preached and will continue to be proclaimed by Timothy and those of us who follow on.

The gospel is a trust committed to him (see also 1 Tim. 6:20). He can even speak of it as “my gospel” (2 Tim. 2:8). He is a “joint partaker” with it (1 Cor. 9:23). He could not guard it simply by his own power but God can and does, whatever man tries to do! Should a Nero, or a Chariman Mao, or a Josef Stalin try to shut it down it will not be closed down and God cannot be shut out!

Richard Wurmbrand in his book “Tortured for Christ” talks about his experience in prison in Romania in the Communist era: “It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists' ] terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy.”

Take China, in 1900 30,000 Chinese Christians and 200 missionaries are killed during the Boxer Uprising. In 1949 People’s Republic of China is established as a Communist state Isolation and Persecution Under Mao. In 1952 All foreign missionaries are expelled from China; Watchman Nee is arrested. 1955 Wang Mingdao is arrested; many churches closed. In 1958–62 Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” program of economic development is a disaster, causing a famine that kills 30 million people Then in 1966–76 Mao launches Cultural Revolution and instigates Red Guards to eliminate remnants of the old culture from China; all churches and universities are closed; church leaders, students, and elite are sent to work in the countryside. In 1983 During the “Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign,” hundreds of house-church leaders are arrested and sent to labor camps, but are released by mid-decade. Now in 2020, estimates are that CHina has around 120 million Christians and yet China has and does still, do its best to close down the Church.

China’s problem, like that experienced by Stalin and Nero is that Jesus said, “I will build my Church and the agtes of Hell shall not previal against it.”(Matt 16:18).

When Paul speaks of that day, he is saying, “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). It is the day when believers will stand before the bēma, “the judgment seat of God” (Rom. 14:10), where “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Cor. 3:13), in order “that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

Like Peter, Paul knew with perfect certainty that he was “protected by the power of God through faith for a [completed] salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

He had utter confidence in Jesus’ promise regarding His sheep: “I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29).

When our life belongs to Jesus Christ, nothing in this world, not even all the demons in hell or Satan himself, can touch us!

The Christian is a person who has surrendered his whole life, all his future, to God his Creator and Redeemer. He sings this hymn as we sang it tonight:

“God holds the key of all unknown and I am glad.

If other hands should hold the key or if he trusted it to me I might be sad.

I cannot read his future plans but this I know,

I have the smiling of his face and all the refuge of his grace while here below.

Enough; this covers all my needs and so I rest;

For what I cannot he can see and in his care I saved shall be for ever blessed.”

(Joseph Parker 1830-1902).

That is what a Christian – I mean by that someone who has given his whole life to God – believes about the future, that God promises to supply all our needs, and he will keep what we have committed to him and so we are safe, and so we are blessed eternally.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me he hath made known

Or why unworthy Christ in love redeemed me for his own.

But I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.  

(D.W.Whittie 1883).