The Faithful Saying of 2 Timothy 2:11-13

The Faithful Saying of 2 Timothy 2:11-13 1. This is one of four faithful sayings that Paul gives. The others are found in 1TI 1:15; 1TI 4:8-9; TIT 3:8. 2. These verses comprise the faithful saying that Paul introduces in v. 11. A. faithful: Full of or characterized by faith, believing. 5. Of persons and their actions: That may be believed or relied upon; trustworthy, veracious. Also of things: Reliable. 6. True to the fact or original, accurate. B. This saying sums up God's faithful dealings with His elect for whose sake Paul labored. v. 10. C. This faithful saying is divided into four circumstances with each circumstance having a certain counterpart. Hence, “it is a faithful saying.” 3. “...For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him” (v. 11). A. These words declare the eternal salvation of everyone represented in the death of Christ. B. Christ took on the nature of the elect and bore their sins in His body. HEB 2:13-17; 1PE 2:24. C. He died under the curse of the law FOR the elect representatively. GAL 3:13. D. The elect are thus reckoned by God as dead with Christ. GAL 2:19-20; ROM 7:4; 6:6; 2CO 5:14. E. The crucifixion of the elect with Christ is stated just as factually as His own crucifixion. ROM 6:6 c/w LUK 23:33. F. Those who are dead with Christ SHALL also live with Him. (1) There is no equivocation, condition or doubt about it. They shall live with Him or God would not be faithful and this saying would be faithless. (2) They are quickened together with Christ. JOH 5:25; EPH 2:4-5; COL 2:13. (3) Therefore they shall live forever. JOH 11:26. (4) Their bodies also shall be made alive forever at Christ’s return. ROM 8:10-11; 1CO 15:51-54. G. The elect shall live with Christ! (1) Apart from Christ, there is no life. 1JO 5:11-12; 1TI 6:16. (2) The elect shall live forever with Christ, in His presence. JOH 14:2-3. (3) How blessed shall be the constant presence of Christ instead of the now constant presence of evil. ROM 7:21. H. Those who live unto righteousness give proof that they are dead with Christ unto sin. They can claim this promise. ROM 6:10; 2CO 5:15-17; 1PE 2:24. 4. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him...” (v. 12). A. “Suffer” is in the present tense. This is addressing the believer’s present experience. B. This refers to suffering for righteousness’ sake, not for the sake of sin or poor judgment. 1PE 3:17; 4:15-16; PRO 19:29. C. This passage treats of the believer’s obedience for which he SHALL suffer. 2TI 3:12. D. Obedient believers who suffer are assured of future glory: “...we SHALL reign with him.” ROM 8:17; REV 2:10; 22:5; 2CO 4:17. E. Those who disobey so as to avoid suffering for obedience remove themselves from the comfort of this promise. 5. “...if we deny him, he will also deny us” (v. 12). c/w MAT 10:32-33. A. There is a denying of Him that the wicked do and they shall certainly be denied by the Lord. 1JO 2:22-23; TIT 1:15-16; MAT 7:21-23. The Faithful Saying of 2TI 2:11-13 11-22-15 Page 1 of 2 B. A child of God may also deny the Lord as in the case of Peter. LUK 22:54-62. (1) Such will not be denied eternal salvation. ROM 8:29-39. (2) He will, however, be denied as one who walks in the light. 1JO 1:6-7. (3) He will be denied answers to his petitions. 1JO 3:22 c/w PSA 66:18. (4) Christ will deny him the honor of being declared to the Father an overcomer. REV 3:5. (5) In Peter’s case, denying that he was one “of them” (Jesus’ disciples) was denying the Lord Himself. Ponder this soberly. (6) A child of God may not believe that Christ could possibly deny him in any way. a. v. 13 would apply in such a case. b. God is faithful to His threats as well as His promises of deliverance. C. They who confess Christ and identity with His disciples remove themselves from the threat of this verse. 6. “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (v. 13). A. There is also comfort for God's elect in this verse. B. Scripture gives examples of God's elect who do not believe. MAR 4:40; 16:14; ROM 11:26-31; HEB 3:17-19. C. There are some whose belief is marred by unbelief. MAR 9:24. D. However, Christ’s faithfulness to save His own remains unmoved by their unbelief. ROM 3:3; JOH 10:27-29. E. God the Father has sworn to honor the Son's representation of the elect. PSA 89:29-34. F. “...it may be understood of true believers, whose faith sometimes is very low, as to its exercise on Christ, and with reference to their future glory and happiness; but Christ is faithful to all his covenant engagements for them, to bring them to glory, and to every word of promise concerning their happiness, and to every branch of the faithful saying above mentioned; and he is ever the same in his love to them, and in the efficacy of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; and his salvation is an everlasting and unchangeable one; nor do the saints' interest in it, and security by it, depend upon their acts of believing, or their frames, but upon the firmness and unchangeableness of Christ, the object of faith.” (John Gill) G. Were Christ to revoke His promise of eternal life to His elect because of their unbelief, He would deny Himself. TIT 1:2; HEB 6:17-19. (1) Jesus Christ is “...the faithful witness...” (REV 1:5). (2) “A faithful witness will not lie...” (PRO 14:5). H. There are certain promises of God which are not conditioned upon our faith but rather His faithfulness. HEB 9:27-28 c/w 1TH 4:14. I. Those who would abuse God's declaration of His faithfulness to save His own should remember another faithful saying. ROM 3:8. The Faithful Saying of 2TI 2:11-13 11-22-15 Page 2 of 2