2 Timothy 2:11-13

Summary retelling of 2 Timothy 2:11-13

Paul tells Timothy that if we died with Christ, then we will live with Him.  If we endure through this life in Him, we will reign with Him.  If we deny Him in this life, then we can expect Him to deny us.  If we become faithless, He will still remain faithful.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Notice that Paul starts with dying with Christ.  Paul doesn’t talk about living with Christ until after he talks about dying with Christ.  It all starts with – everything hangs upon – whether or not we are willing to give up the passions of the flesh and follow Christ.  If we are not willing to die with Christ, we will never live with Him.  Make no bones about it.  For Paul, life in Christ starts with death with Christ.

Why does it have to start with our willingness to give up our fleshly desires?  Why can’t we have any confidence that we can live in Christ unless we are willing to die with Christ?

Second Thought:

After speaking about dying with Christ, then Paul says that we must endure.  Making a decision to die with Christ is often easy because it can be filled with emotions.  However, then comes that hard part.  Enduring life after we have decided to give up the fleshly desires is always difficult.  There are many temptations in this world.  If we are not diligent we find ourselves backsliding without even thinking about it.  However, we know that if we die with Christ and endure life then we will live and reign with Him.

Why is it so hard to endure in the faith?  Do you know anyone who at one point seemed so faithful but at the present time they have fallen away?  Why have they fallen?  Are you any more or less susceptible to falling away than anyone else?  What can help you endure?

Third Thought:

If we deny Christ, we can expect Him to deny us.  Now, this is so much more than a threat.  This is a reality.  We are all guilty of sin.  We are all condemned without the grace that comes through Christ.  So when Paul says that He will deny us, understand what Paul is saying.  If Christ denies us, we depart into judgment.  (See Matthew 7:21-23)  If we demonstrate a lack of faith, He will still remain faithful to God’s plan of salvation and God’s definition of righteousness.

Does the end of this passage scare you at all?  How do you think it would feel to be denied by Christ?  Is anything at all worth being denied by Christ?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Timothy 2:14-15