Articles
A Trustworthy Statement
“It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him;
If we endure, we shall also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13
There is a fourfold charge in this passage that gets to the very heart of our relationship with Christ Jesus. Not unlike when God called Israel from slavery and promised to make them His own special possession, we see that we are both deeply connected and sharply contrasted with the Lord.
First we are told that if we “died with Him” we will also have life. This could mean several things, beginning with possible martyrdom. While it might not be a daily concern for us, the potential is always there on the horizon. Have you really weighed this cost in your discipleship? There is also the connection to baptism (Romans 6). If we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, according to the apostle Paul, we shall also share in His resurrection and life.
Next, the passage points to our endurance and the promise of reigning with Him. See also Revelation 22:5. This means that the glory He possesses, He shall share with His people in heaven (Col. 3:1ff). We are citizens of a Kingdom that endures forever, if we endure until the end (Matt. 24:13, Reve. 2:10).
Now Paul places a warning in this little “poem” about the dangers of denial. Echoing Jesus Himself in Matthew 10:33, the apostle wants his readers to be fully aware of the importance of owning up to our confession in a world that is desperately trying to undermind confidence and fidelity to its Creator. Remember, there are consequences to our actions, both good and bad.
Finally, he affirms one of the great themes of the Bible: God’s faithfulness. Through thick and thin, in spite of everything, God kept His covenant with Israel. He kept His ancient promises to Abraham. He fulfilled prophecy. He remained true to His “marriage vows” to adulterous Israel. And He will always be faithful! This doesn’t mean we’re allowed to be faithless -- it just means that if any breakdown occurs, it won’t be on God’s side of the relationship!
