All Scripture
passages are from the King James Version, unless where I have stated
otherwise.
PAUL’S
FAITHFUL SAYING EXPLAINED
2 Tim. 2: 11–12a
Let's jump right in!
The first part of the faithful saying as I earlier explained is
for those who have believed in Christ already.
As I said, in my previous post, the word FAITHFUL here implies that these things Paul
is saying from here onward are already settled facts. They’re not subject to
debate or speculation.
The first part of the “FAITHFUL SAYING” says that; “...For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:”
The tense of the conditional clause “IF” used here, from vs. 11 to 12a is in the first class aorist condition. In Greek grammar, the “IF” clause that states a condition is known as the protasis (i.e. the clause expressing the condition in a conditional sentence, or making the proposition), and the result or effect of that stated condition is the apodosis (the clause expressing the result or consequence in a conditional sentence), and is usually expressed by the “then” clause. A sort of “if” this “then” that statement. In other words, if this is true, then the other which is the result, automatically becomes true or becomes the case.
A clear example
would be “If therefore thine eye be single [the protasis], then thine whole
body shall be full of light [apodosis]." (Matt. 6: 22, 23 emphases added).
But because the “IF” here is in the first class aorist condition,
it implies that it is stating a settled fact, and should better be rendered as “since”
or “being that.” It’s not an assumption.
So Paul is not using the “IF” to state something that is assumed,
optional, or that is yet to take place but has already occurred, and is a
settled fact, and will continue that way forever, and as such the result is
also a settled fact.
A better reading would be, “Since together
we have died with him, together we shall also live with him:”.
This is true of
every Believer in Christ, being that we are one with the Lord (1 Cor. 6: 17).
Spiritually speaking, it is a fact that we died with Christ, and rose with Him,
and through the New Birth, we now live with Him, and will forever continue to live
with Him forever. (Rom. 6: 5, 8; Col. 2: 20; 3: 3, 4).
Paul did not say
we should die to "self" as religionists say so that we will be able to live with
Him. Instead, he says “We died with Him already.” (Rom. 6: 5, 6; Col. 3: 3). And since our dying with Him is already
something concluded, then our living with Him forever is already a concluded fact as well.
Paul then goes on to say “If we suffer,
we shall also reign with him:”. The term “SUFFER”
here is from the Greek word “hupomeno” and means; persevering, enduring.
Here also the “IF” is in the first class aorist perfect condition, and as such
should read “since.”
Therefore, a
better reading of that statement would be “Since we
are persevering, also together we shall reign…”. This assurance is a powerful encouragement for Believers who are
already persevering and enduring tough times in this present world; knowing
that we’re reassured of our eternal reign with Christ.
This perseverance
or endurance has to do with our fighting the good fight of faith as we live the
faith life and serving the Lord despite the persecutions and problems of this
world. (1 Tim. 6: 12).
Religionists have taught their members that our reigning in life
with Christ will begin when we get to heaven. But that’s contrary to the
Pauline revelation.
Paul tells us that
we have already started reigning with Christ already, here on earth, and will
continue to reign with Him for all eternity. (Rom. 5: 17; 1 Cor. 4: 8).
This is really fantastic news.
The life we have in Christ now is a victorious life, a reigning
life, and one that’s capable of withstanding (enduring, persevering) all odds
and remaining victorious even through the toughest of times. It’s an
indestructible life. Therefore, we are not just going to reign someday when we
get to heaven; we are already reigning here on Earth, right now. This is an
already established reality.
All that matters
now is for you to awaken to this truth, to begin exploring the
limitlessness of your victorious life in Christ.
THE SHIFT
Now the shift comes. Paul now shifts his focus from the FAITHFUL
SAYINGS he has been speaking about Believers, and our unbreakable union with
the Lord and its eternal benefits that accrue to us because we are already in
Christ.
He now shifts his
attention to the second part of the FAITHFUL SAYING, which is the part that
addresses his fellow Jewish kinsmen who have never believed in Jesus and anyone
else who denies or refuses to believe in Christ.
This second part of the FAITHFUL SAYING begins from 2 Tim. 2:
11–12b. It says “...If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”
You remember as earlier stated, by using the expression FAITHFUL
SAYING, Paul is also using this statement to indicate facts concerning those
who keep denying or rejecting Christ.
Now concerning the above statement of Paul, there is something we
have to understand here. The tense of the protasis (i.e. the clause expressing
the condition in a conditional sentence, or making the proposition) introduced
by the conditional clause “IF” changes to future continuous. Implying an action
continued, i.e. a continued act of denial or rejection.
The pronoun “WE” here as I’ve previously explained in the Part 2
of this post cannot be referring to Believers. This is clearly understood from
the apodosis (the clause expressing the result or consequence in a preceding
conditional sentence) which says here; “...He also
will deny us.” The “US” cannot be referring to Believers
because such a notion “that the Lord will deny us” contradicts the body of
revelation that Scripture has unveiled about the unbrokenness and unbreakableness
of our eternal union or relationship with the Lord.
This is where religious mongers miss the point because they fail
to realize this unbreakable union we have with the Lord through the New Birth.
Many do not believe in it. They’re always taking it lightly or undermining it. That
is where their problem lies. But the following points I’m about to make here, if
understood will cure anyone of their unbelief in this area.
Now realize the
following.
Once a person has
been Born Again, the Lord can no longer deny him or her. The Lord cannot deny a
Believer in Christ because He cannot deny someone He already knew, who was
already joined to Him in the New Birth (1 Cor. 6: 17). The Lord cannot
say He no longer knows that person. He cannot deny or reject someone He already
accepted unconditionally. That would make Him a total liar.
The payload or
burden that keeps our relationship with the Lord running doesn’t lie on us but
on the Lord Himself.
Another thing we should also realize here is in what the Lord said
in Psalms;
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I
not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
From the above scriptural verse, we are told GOD doesn’t break His
covenant, nor revoke His promises. Since GOD doesn’t do this in any way, how
then can He turn around and deny, break, or revoke His eternal relationship (which
is higher than just a covenant) with the Believer in Christ? This is absolutely
unthinkable. We have to recognize that the New Birth in Christ is far greater
than any covenant. As a matter of truth, it’s actually not even a covenant. It’s
more than just that. It’s a Father and Child relationship. A sort of the same
blood relationship.
Let me explain further with the marriage covenant; take, for
instance, that you are married. Being married implies that you are in a marriage
covenant (agreement) with your spouse, right? But then you’re not in any
covenant with the children that will be born to you both. They’re products of your
very life and blood. That’s greater than being in a covenant with anybody. This
is how our relationship with GOD is. It’s more than a mere covenant. So if GOD
doesn’t break His covenant with the unregenerated Jews under the Old Covenant,
how then will He break or revoke the eternal relationship He has with us in
Christ, a relationship that is far greater than any covenant bond He ever made
with any man or nation.
We are His very
own children, who are forever carrying His very own DNA. Truly speaking, the
family bond in Christ is far greater than any covenant bond.
It is therefore guaranteed that GOD will never deny, break, or
revoke His eternal relationship with any Believer.
In the light of this, we can see why the “US” in the statement “...He also will
deny us:” (2 Tim. 2: 12b), cannot be referring to Believers.
Therefore, if the “US” in the apodosis isn’t referring to Believers, then it stands clear that the “WE” in the protasis “...If we deny Him,” isn’t referring to Believers either, following the rule of agreement between the “collective pronoun” in the protasis and the “collective pronoun” in its corresponding apodosis. Both must be in agreement. Hence, the "WE" and "US" of 2 Tim. 2: 12b are both not referring to Believers in Christ.
Checkmate on religion!
Click here to continue to the Part 4 (Final Part)
Click here to continue to Part 2
1Click here to continue to Part 1
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