If we died with him, we will also live with him
If we died with him, we will also live with him
2 Timothy 2:11-13 - He always remains faithful
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13 NIV
Today’s verses come from the letter of Paul to Timothy, and he’s trying to describe the Gospel to his young friend in a way that Timothy will remember it. You know how we can get a worship song stuck in our minds? That kind of “ear worm” is not a bad thing as you’re praising God the entire time it is repeating endlessly in your brain! This “trustworthy saying” of Paul’s is an early hymn of Christians of the day, and the Apostle is expressing his desire to have Timothy remember the song.
It begins with the promise of resurrection to those who have died with Jesus, and there are two ways to die with Jesus that are described in the Bible. The first is illustrated by our commitment to faith, the point where we die to our old sinful lives and gain our new life that began with Him being raised on the cross. The second way is not so pleasant, involving a death through martyrdom.
When Paul wrote this epistle, he was awaiting his execution in Rome, so thoughts of his impending martyrdom were foremost in his mind. He’s telling Timothy that the believer who dies with Christ foremost in his or her heart and mind, then lives with Christ for eternity — they have died in the flesh, but live with Jesus!
The second verse reassures the faithful believer that whatever suffering they are going through at the present time is worth enduring. The reward of endurance — an eternal reward — is infinitely greater than what would be gained by quitting. We will reign with Him in the coming world, and our troubles are simply training us for our future role.
This verse goes on to remind us that our faith needs to be forever — if we deny Him, He will deny us. Jesus told us this in Matthew 10:33 (NASB95): “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Enduring Word notes that:
By doctrine or manner of living, one may deny who Jesus is, deny what He has done for us, or deny what He commands us to do.
The final verse of Paul’s song reminds us that if we do fall away from God, He always remains faithful. This commentary from Enduring Word contains many good examples of His faithfulness:
i. It is a terrible thing when people who name the name of Jesus show themselves unfaithful; many have been turned off from Jesus because of the hypocrisy of those who take His name. But all the faithlessness of man doesn’t disprove the faithfulness of God.
ii. “Our faithlessness cannot in any way detract from the Son of God and His Glory. Being all sufficient in Himself He has no need of our confession. It is as if he had said, ‘Let all who will desert Christ, for they deprive him of nothing; when they perish, He remains unchanged.’” (Calvin)
iii. But the Christian can stand faithful as God empowers them. Even if one has been wavering, they still have time — as the Spirit of God calls to them even now — to turn back to the faithful God. We can be like the prodigal son, who came to his senses, saw his faithlessness, and came home to his father who had been faithful to him the whole time.
iv. When one Christian in the days of the ancient Roman Empire was commanded to give money to the building of a pagan temple, he refused; and though he was old, they stripped him practically naked, and cut him all over his body with knives and spears. They started to feel sorry for him, so they said, “Just give one dollar to the building of the temple.” But he still would not. “Just burn one grain of incense to this pagan god,” they asked — but he would not. So, he was smeared with honey, and while his wounds were still bleeding, they set bees and wasps upon him until he was stung to death. He could die; but he could not deny his Lord. The Lord can give you the same strength to live for Him, even as this man died for Him.
That last story is a sign of great faith!
Barb and I know section iii (above) to be true — we both wavered from the faith for many years, yet God was always faithful and there to welcome us back to His fold. He waited to us as we “came to our senses, saw our faithlessness, and came back to our father who had been faithful to us the entire time”.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I thank You that I have been saved by grace through my faith in Your Son, Jesus. May the words of Paul serve as a reminder to keep my faith strong and steadfast through whatever this human life may subject me to. Help me to live according to Your will so I may someday stand before You and hear the words “well done, good and faithful servant”. AMEN.