Daily Writing

Friday, 30 March 2018

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 2 Timothy 2:14

Paul now exhorts Timothy concerning what he has been speaking about. This doesn’t mean just the preceding few verses, but all of the exhortations thus far. In verse 1:8, he spoke of not being ashamed of the gospel. In 1:13, he exhorted Timothy to hold fast to the pattern of sound words which he had heard. In 2:1, Timothy was told to be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus. In 2:8, Paul spoke of Christ’s person, ancestry, and resurrection. In 2:11, he gave the poetic thought concerning the relationship between Christ and those who have or have not called on Him. These, and so many other points connected to those verses, are what Timothy is to remind others of. But along with reminding them, he is to charge “them before the Lord.”

The word translated as “charging” indicates solemn witness. It is an intensified compound word which gives the sense of giving complete and clear testimony. Therefore, Paul is particularly interested in Timothy’s special handling of what he has been taught. Paul is an apostle, and therefore Timothy could use the words written to him as authoritative. Anyone contradicting what is written would then be given the charge to correct his error. This is exactly what responsible teachers of the Bible should be doing to this day. When someone wants to get argumentative over an issue, the teacher is to charge them, in the presence of the Lord, “not to strive about words to no profit.”

The idea here is someone who argues over points which are invalid, twisting words to suit a perverse and incorrect agenda. He engages in “Scripture tennis,” pulling verses out of context, and manipulating words, thoughts, verses, and concepts in order to come to improper conclusions. Paul’s focus is consistently centered on the Person and work of Christ. This builds up his audience, edifies them, and sets them on a sound path of doctrine and holiness. However, those who strive over words to no profit do so “to the ruin of the hearers.”

They confuse the minds of those untrained in the word, mislead them into strange doctrines, divide the fellowship so that they can conquer as many as possible to their perverse side, and overthrow the faith of these people. They go from being set and secure in Christ, to becoming legalistic work-your-way-to-heaven robots. Or they go from purity in Christ to license-to-sin-and-call-it-ok deviants. On and on it goes with cults and aberrant sects. They are filled with people who have been ruined by those with perverse agendas.

Life application: Paul always sets doctrine as the most important point in our relationship with Christ. Those who dismiss biblical doctrine do so because they have no knowledge of the Bible, and they are to lazy to put in the effort to get to know it. After all, it is so much easier to watch a movie than it is to engage one’s brain in sound, reasonable theology.

Lord God; Heavenly Father; Almighty Creator – You have pieced all things together for Your glory. You have set in motion the plan of redemption, and You have fulfilled what is needed for our salvation through the work of Christ. Connected to this are many points of doctrine, given to keep us on a sound and straight path in life. And yet, we spend a lot more time watching TV than we do engaging our brains in the pursuit of theology. What a waste! When we stand before You, what will we present as having brought You honor? So many will have little to identify them as even minutely interested in the great things You have done for us. Help us to correct this, O God. Help us to desire You more, and to be pleasing and approved in Your sight. Amen.

Thursday, 29 March 2018

If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

There are several major opinions on what Paul is saying in this verse. Two of which are diametrically opposed to one another. The word translated as “faithless” is one which everywhere else speaks of not believing. In using the word in this consistent manner, the first view looks at this as comparable to Romans 3:3 –

“For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?”

Therefore, the opinion is that God is ever faithful, even when some do not believe. This would then indicate that God cannot receive as faithful one who has not proven true to him by receiving Christ Jesus. To do so would be to deny Himself. In this then, the view is that it is speaking of those who have never believed and been saved, who are then contrasted to God who is unchanging, and who cannot accept those who do not come to Him in faith.

The second view is that the word Greek word translated as “faithful” is a correct translation (which it is). Therefore, the word “faithless” is not speaking of “not believing,” but of not remaining faithful after having believed. In other words, the two words, “faithless” and “faithful” are set in opposition to one another. This would be the person who “died with Him” in verse 11, but has not been perfectly faithful to Him after receiving Him – a failure that every single person who has come to Christ is guilty of.

The words would then explain God’s character towards those who have received Him, but have slipped and tripped along their walk. Despite any faithlessness in us, God remains faithful. Examples of this relationship are found in 2 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 11:11; & etc. In such a case, the final clause, “He cannot deny Himself,” is speaking of keeping safe the believer despite his failings. If God were to deny one who has come to Him, then He would be denying Himself, because those who have come to Him are “in Christ.” They are united to Him through faith. To deny them, despite their times of faithlessness, would be a denial of the covenant commitment rendered through His shed blood.

A third view is that this is speaking of someone who once believed, but has fallen away. That does not at all square up with Romans 3:3, nor does it square up with Paul’s words elsewhere. Only the first two options can be considered as valid. And so which of the first two is correct? The answer is most assuredly “both.” Matthew Poole evaluates this verse with the words, “…whether we believe or believe not, or whether we be faithful to our trust or be not, yet God will show himself faithful, either to his promises made to them that believe, or to his threatenings denounced against those that believe not.”

For those who have not come to Him, there will be wrath and indignation. For those who have come to Him, there will be mercy and salvation. Either way, the Lord cannot deny Himself. If someone is not in Him, He would deny His own character to save him anyway. If someone is in Him, He would deny His own character by not following through with that person’s salvation. As Paul says, “…let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

Life application: Being “in Christ” means that one is united to Christ. If this is true, He would have to deny Himself if He rejected such a person. But God cannot deny Himself. Be of good cheer. If you have come to Christ, you are saved despite yourself – wholly and eternally.

Lord God, Your word says that those who received Jesus as Savior are “in Christ.” If at some point we act unfaithfully after coming to You, Your word also says that You cannot deny Yourself. You remain faithful, even when we are faithless. This is really great news, because the fact is that all of us are unfaithful at times. And yet, we continue to be saved despite our failings. Thank You for the sure, complete, and eternal covering of Christ. Amen.

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

If we endure,
We shall also
reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us. 2 Timothy 2:12

Paul continues with his poetic offset, instructing Timothy on the mystery of our relationship with Christ. He now says, “If we endure.” The word is properly translated. It signifies not just suffering, but bearing up under a load. All believers in Christ suffered in Christ, participating in the penalty of the cross through His substitutionary act. We have died to the law through His death. In accepting what Christ did, we bear up under the load of His work. This may continue on after receiving Christ, but it does not naturally follow so. Some receive Christ at the end of their lives, and they are taken to glory. Others have lives which are not riddled with suffering. While others have to endure a lifetime of suffering because of their faith in Christ. This then obviously speaks of the penalty of the cross, and bearing up under what it signifies. If we so endure, “We shall also reign with Him.” This is specifically stated again by Paul in Romans 8 –

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:16, 17

The truth we shouldn’t miss is that suffering, in and of itself, doesn’t meet the necessary conditions for the glory of heaven’s riches. Only suffering with Christ does. When we suffer with Him in this manner, Paul says that we will “also be glorified together” with Him. There is nothing shameful in suffering for Christ, and in fact, it is the most honorable of all aspects of our Christian walk. To suffer for Him, and to endure with Him, is to have emulated Him in His highest moment leading to glory – the cross.

We are to bear the reproach of the cross with us at all times. If that turns into actual suffering, we are to endure through it. This is the expectation of the faithful believer, and it is a proof that we shall reign together with Christ. Paul then gives the opposing scenario for us to consider by saying, “If we deny Him.”

The verb is in the future tense and speaks of anyone who would deny Christ at any point into the future. The result of such an action is that “He will also deny us.” To deny Christ is to be denied by Christ. It is a voluntary act of the free-will. The implication is that to confess Christ is to be saved by Christ. Thus receiving Christ is an act of the free will as well. Paul made this explicit in Romans 10 where he states the opposite of what is being referred to in Timothy –

“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 is a verse of salvation. It is applicable any time and at all times. When a person receives Christ, they are saved. Their salvation is from the time of Paul’s writing, a future action which is passive in nature. In other words, Christ saves the person based on the proclamation. The same is true with denying Christ. His denial of them is in the future tense as well. At any point that a person denies Christ, Christ will also deny him. However, this cannot negate a later acceptance of Christ which leads to salvation.

For example, Bill denies Christ, and so Christ denies him. However, five years later, Bill receives Christ. At that time, Christ no longer denies Bill, but rather He saves him. It is important to understand this because Paul’s words here in Timothy cannot be referring to a loss of salvation. This will become clear with the third verse in his poetic offset, meaning verse 13.

Life application: Does the Bible teach one can lose his salvation? Taking verses out of their context could lead one to believe that this is possible. 1 Timothy 1:12 may lead someone to believe that such is the case. But it is a part of a larger section of thought which Paul is fleshing out for us to consider. He has already said that if we die with Christ, we will live with Him. That is a done deal for those who have accepted the finished work of Christ. He now says that if we deny Him, He also will deny us. How can the first sentence be true if this overrides it? The full and final thought must then be considered. As a life application, keep all things in context. Context is needed to derive proper interpretation.

Lord God, there sure are a lot of opinions about various verses in Your word. But when You wrote it through Your chosen prophets and apostles, there was one meaning flowing from You. Where is the breakdown then? It is obviously in us. Help us to keep all things in context, and to not pull individual verses out of that context in order to form a doctrine. In doing so, we only produce a pretext. Give us wisdom in how we handle Your word so that our doctrine will be approved by You. Amen.

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him. 2 Timothy 2:11

Like the book of 1 Timothy, Paul’s second letter to his young protege centers on a poetic saying. Paul now begins that poetic saying for us to consider. He has just spoken of “the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” With that in mind, he says, “This is a faithful saying.” As with the words found in 1 Timothy 1:15, 3:1, and 4:9, the Greek reads, “Faithful is the saying.” Thus, this refers to what precedes it, meaning the “eternal glory.”

From there, he begins his words. It is believed by some that what he says formed an ancient Christian creed that was already in use, being a part of the liturgy of churches. There is really nothing to substantiate this, but it is still possible. Whether it is true or not, what he says is also reflected in other parts of his writings. Paul is ever-consistent to relay the truth of the works of Christ. For now, he begins with, “For if we died with Him.” This is speaking about our death to sin; it being crucified with Him.

Although we are still physically alive, and although we continue to do things which could be considered as sin, God no longer views us in this light. Through faith in the work of Christ, meaning His death, we are counted as having died with Him. Thus when God looks at us, He no longer sees us as we were, meaning dead in sin. Instead, we are reckoned in a new way – alive in Christ. That is confirmed by the next words, “We shall also live with Him.”

We are positionally in this new state already. Our hope and faith stands in the fact that it will be realized in us actually at some future point. This is a sentiment similar to Romans 6:8 – “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”

What occurred here is explained by Paul in a very detailed way in 2 Corinthians 5 –

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Dying with Him means that our sin nature (even if we still actually sin) has died with him. As we are dead to sin through Him, God no longer counts our sins against us. As the wages of sin is death, and as we no longer have sin imputed to us, then we are alive with Christ. And so even if our earthly body dies, we must (no if’s, and’s, or but’s) resurrect to eternal life. Just as it was impossible for death to hold Christ (Acts 2:24) because He had no sin, it is likewise impossible that death can hold us. We have died to sin, sin is not being imputed to us, and thus it is not possible that death can hold us. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 –

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

^55 ‘O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?’
⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Indeed, if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.

Life application: Beloved, if you have received Jesus Christ as Savior, you have died to sin. The process of resurrection to eternal life is more assured than the next sunrise. Christ did not die to give you a possible hope, and the Bible is not written to teach you eternal insecurity. Rather, Christ died for us to give us a sure hope, and the Bible records that eternal salvation is found in the blood of Christ. Death is swallowed up in victory, and nothing in all of creation can separate you from God’s love which is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Heavenly Father, the magnificence of what You have done through Christ Jesus for us is only matched by its simplicity. Christ died for our sins. When we accept that premise we die to sin. The law can no longer accuse us because You are no longer imputing sin to us. As we have died to sin, and as we no longer have sin imputed to us, it is not possible for death to hold us. Death is swallowed up in victory! Thanks be to You, O God, for the full, final, and forever effective work of Jesus Christ in our lives! Amen.

Monday, 26 March 2018

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:10

In verse 9, Paul said concerning his proclamation of the gospel, “for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains.” Before that, he gave comparisons concerning the rights and responsibilities of teaching others about Christ Jesus. He spoke of the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. They endured the challenges of their profession in order to achieve a good result. Because of these things, Paul now says, “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect.”

His many trials, physical hardships and deprivations, imprisonments, and so on, were for the sake of the elect. He had just said that “the word of God is not chained.” He was willing to take this unchained message and proclaim it even if it led to chains, and even in his chains. The elect are those who will obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. This is clearly explained in the words, “that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.” This is a statement similar to 1 Thessalonians 5:9 –

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Relevant questions to be asked are, “Who are the elect?”, and “How does their election come about?” For the Gentile-led church age, Paul shows in Romans 15:29 that a certain number of Gentiles will come in before the partial blindness of Israel is lifted. Elsewhere, the church is equated to a building (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 3:9 & Ephesians 2:21). A building is a structure with a set size. Therefore, there are a set number who will obtain salvation in order to form this building. The “how” of the process is explained by Paul in this verse and elsewhere. It is through his proclamation of the gospel, and of any others who proclaim it.

As this is so, there is necessarily to be an active part by those already saved in order to get this word out to others. Paul and others actively wrote the epistles, and that effort will lead to some being saved. Paul and others actively proclaimed the message, and that effort will lead to some being saved, etc. This implies free will on the part of those sharing the message. They could say, “Today, I won’t go out and evangelize.” If this is their decision, then there are some who will miss hearing the words necessary for them to be saved. His words also imply free will on the part of those who then hear that message. He says he endured all of these things “that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.”

If people are saved apart from free will, then there would be no need for Paul to even say this. But somebody must share, and there must be a response to the message which is shared. Just because God knows the number of people in advance of completing the building, and just because He knows who will accept the message, it in no way negates free will in the process. In fact, as Jesus and the apostles all show, free will is a necessary part of this equation – believe, call on, receive, etc., are all active words requiring a person to respond to what they have been presented.

Once responded to, Paul says that this salvation comes “with eternal glory.” To be saved implies “from.” One is saved from something bad unto something good. If a person is drowning in the ocean, they must be saved from that. If someone is in a burning house, the fireman will go in to save him. This is what salvation is meant to bring about, a rescue. However, in salvation comes something extra, eternal glory. We aren’t just saved to live out eternity in these fallen, corruptible bodies which get sick, get tired, get cancer, etc. Rather, we are destined to receive new and incorruptible bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15). There is glory for the redeemed, and it will be eternal in duration.

Life application: Paul was willing to suffer a great deal in order get the only saving message for fallen men out. Without his (and other’s) efforts, there can be no salvation. A person who does not hear the message will not be saved. This is the means of salvation that God has chosen, and He will not violate that by doing an end run around the labors of His people. Paul makes this clear. Faith in the messages is what saves, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. What effort are you willing to exert in order for others to be saved?

Glorious heavenly Father, You have chosen the means of man’s redemption, and You have given us the task of getting that word out. Man is saved through faith in the finished work of Christ, and salvation is found in no other. We are told that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Help us to be willing to open our mouths and speak. Eternity hangs in the balance for all people. Let us feel the weight of our inaction, and respond by acting. Amen.