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FOR THE SAKE OF THE ELECT. II Timothy 2:8-13. 10/09/2022. #5.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 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.
11 This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
1. Proclamation and persecution
a. Paul centers everything on the truth of the gospel
a1. Jesus is the promised Messiah
a2. He fulfilled all the prophecies
a3. Jesus is of the seed of David
a4. Jesus’s resurrection = final proof of deity
b. Since Jesus proved that he was the Son of God
who takes way sin, Paul will pay any price to
share this news so some may come to faith
a1. Evil men reject Christ and Paul’s message
a2. Evil men persecute message bearers
c. One of the unique concepts of the founding of the American republic is freedom of religion
a1. Everyone should be allowed to freely worship or not according to choice
a2. Men will not tolerate freedom to believe and share the gospel (hatred of God)
d. Paul suffered trouble (endured hardship) because he shared the gospel with others
2. Worth the cost
a. The Word of God is not chained, even though Paul was put in chains
a1. The gospel spread despite persecution
a2. God uses the testimony of the persecuted
b. Paul states that he suffered for the elects’ sake
a1. To bring people to Christ = worth the price
a2. Paul expected persecution, considering it a small cost to pay for eternal dividends
c. The cost does not seem trivial at the time of trials
a1. Pain is short-lived compared to eternity
a2. Eternal view is important (Romans 8:9-18)
d. Paul endured (“remained under”) all things so that some would come to Christ
a1. A predetermined conviction to pay whatever price was necessary to preach Christ
a2. Paul focused on the task and not the cost
a3. The joy of spiritual gain swallowed up the suffering of fleshly pain
e. Paul’s concern for the lost outweighed the concern for his own safety (Christ and other focused)
f. To be saved is to die with Christ (Romans 6:1-12) and to also live with Christ
a1. To endure hardship is to be able to reign with him in his kingdom
a2. Matthew 24-25 rewards attend faithful service
3. Denial peril
a. To deny (renounce, reject, or repudiate) Christ is to make manifest we don’t know him (Matthew 10:32-33)
a1. Could be a backslidden state as when Peter denied that he knew Christ (later repented)
a2. Could be as a false Christ (I John 2:19) as with Demus, false teachers, or cultists)
b. Christ will deny (reject, not acknowledge) any who deny him (no secret believers allowed)
a1. Even when persecuted saints hide, they do not deny Christ when found out
a2. To be embarrassed by Christ and fearful of men is to deny him so that he denies us
c. Timothy is warned not to deny his Lord
d. Christ remains faithful, even if we are faithless
a1. He forgives the repentant (David, Mark)
a2. The pretender is lost with no hope
e. The test of our faith in witness before scorners
f. Being hesitant or shy doesn’t mean that you are not saved, but outright denial of Christ does
Key verse: Romans 8:9-189 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 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. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.