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Good Tuesday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Today that phrase “walking with Jesus” takes on fresh meaning as we consider Paul’s second letter to Timothy.
You may recall the disciples who ‘walked with Jesus’ struggled for some time trying to figure out who He really was. Clearly he was fully human, they could see that, and Jesus had the same characteristics of humanity that they had. But the miracles not only amazed but initially confused them! No human being had the power to turn water into wine without touching it (John 2) or heal many people and even cast demons out of people (Mark 1) or walk on the waves (Matthew 14) and multiply a little boys lunch to feed more than 5000 people! Do you remember once after Jesus calmed a storm they asked each other “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.” (Luke 8:25) After many months together, Jesus’ resurrection even left some of his disciples doubting when they were looking right at Him! (Matt. 28:17)
In the years immediately following Jesus’ return to heaven, the debate of Jesus’ true identity continued, and wherever Paul took the Gospel one of the most difficult challenges that he faced was explaining and convincing people that salvation from sin and eternal life with God was available through Jesus Christ only BECAUSE Jesus was fully God and fully man. That His sinless life, His atonement death on the cross and His resurrection set Jesus apart from anyone who has ever lived AND qualified Him ALONE to be Savior for anyone who would believe in Him.
Timothy was facing this great debate in Ephesus and so Paul addresses it again in this letter. Let’s look at chapter 2 verse 8: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my Gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s Word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
Do you hear echoes of Paul’s letter to the Romans and his clear declaration of Jesus’ humanity and divinity? Paul wrote “…regarding His Son, who as to His human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:1-6)
Do you also hear echoes of the prophet Isaiah speaking about the power of God’s Word? “The grass withers and the flowers fall but the Word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) And while for Timothy the book of Hebrews had not yet been written, you and I can add Hebrews 4:12 here, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than a double edged sword it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
This is an important discipline my friends. As you are reading God’s Word, continually link verses together from different portions of God’s Word and you will see continuity and consistency of God’s Truth.
Verses 11-13 is probably printed in your Bible as though it is a quote from some Old Testament passage, but it isn’t. While it’s content is found in other places in the Bible, this is believed by Bible scholars to have been a first century song or saying that the Christians often spoke, but it is not a direct quote from Scripture. You see it is a ’cause and effect’ series of statements which focus on now and the future. “IF we died with Him, we will also live with Him….” of course celebrates the promise of eternal life for those who have trusted in Christ before death (John 3:16; 5:24).
“If we endure we will also reign with Him.” was one of Paul’s frequent challenges to endure in the difficulties and even persecution in life here, anticipating the day that we will reign with Christ. (Ephesians 2:6,7; Romans 15:4-6).
It’s important we link the next two phrases together: “If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.” There are two types of people here. Those who refuse to believe Jesus is who He claims to be and refuse His salvation; and those who’s faith in Jesus wavers, after trusting in Him for salvation. For the first there is no Savior other than Jesus. For the second, Jesus will remain faithful to those who have trusted Him, even when their faith falters.
Timothy in Ephesus in 64ad, and you and I, wherever you live in the world, in February 2020 face the very same challenge of trying to hold on to God’s truth and ‘walk with Jesus’ faithfully, when surrounded by every possible contrary and confusing opinion about Jesus, Salvation, God’s truth, moral right and wrong etc. Therefore Paul wrote verses 14-19 to encourage Timothy to prioritize his ongoing development in deeply understanding God’s Truth, and teaching other Christians to do the same.
Paul also challenges Timothy and us to be on guard against those who distort or deny God’s truth, and those who try to denounce those who are trying to walk faithfully with Jesus. That sure sounds like the world you and I live in today doesn’t it? So look closely my friends at what Paul wrote to Timothy and let’s receive it as Paul writing to you and me!
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of Truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say the resurrection has already taken place and they destroy the faith of some.” (2:15-18). Paul was no coward, would you agree? He was never afraid to call out those whom he felt were disruptive to what the Holy Spirit was trying to do in spreading the true Gospel of Jesus Christ across the Roman Empire, in the first century. Truth distortion was a very serious problem then and it still is today. Here Paul even names two ‘spiritual criminals’ and their crime. My friends, are you learning God’s truth well enough that you can identify and defend against false teaching when you hear it?
I suppose some of you wonder does Paul’s statement that they have “wandered from the truth” mean they have lost their salvation or God has thrown them out of His family? Paul answers that in verse 19 “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Do you remember this powerful truth from Isaiah 49:13-16 “Shout for joy,O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song,O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones. But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands…”
Oh my that’s powerful and comforting isn’t it? God calls all creation as His witness. He appeals to human experience of the bond between mother and her baby. God’s faithfulness to Himself, His promises and His people will NEVER fail. If you have authentically trusted fully in Jesus Christ to save you from your sin, can you see the picture of YOUR name engraved on the hand of God?
May I link this powerful picture with one other in closing today, which I hope will help you celebrate the power of your Redemption by Jesus, Adoption by God the Father and Regeneration by the Holy Spirit? It’s found in Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The nail scars in Jesus’ hands have your name and mine in them, for as Jesus was hanging on the cross, “the joy set before Him…” was the forward look He had to see the millions of people who would be redeemed, rescued from their sin condemnation, by His sacrifice. That is all those who have trusted in Him alone for their Salvation, that is why He endured the cross!
And now as Jesus reigns, “…at the right hand of the throne of God.” He and the Father both know who are the people He has Redeemed and have been ‘born again spiritually’ (Regenerated) by the Holy Spirit and are Adopted sons and daughters of God the Father, all around the world! Celebrate that my friends, if you are among those of us who have trusted Jesus to be our Savior! If you aren’t sure, I urge you to talk with Jesus right now, or look more closely at our “Walking with Jesus” web site which has a clear explanation of Salvation, or write me and I’d be happy to help you.
Lord Jesus we praise You today and we recommit ourselves to be men and women who know Your truth and handle it correctly in a confusing world of wrong opinions. We commit ourselves again to walking faithfully with You and we are so grateful YOU are always faithful.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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