2 Timothy 2:11-13
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will 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.
“The saying is trustworthy.” This is how Paul introduces this portion of Scripture as he pens down a few truth statements. Notice that all these statements are meant to be conditional sentences as evidenced by the use of ‘if’ at the beginning. However, this only applies to the first three statements that can be rephrased as follows: if you want to live with Christ, then you must die with Him; if you want to reign with Christ, then you must endure; do not deny Christ of you don’t want Him to deny you. One would, therefore, expect that the next and last statement would likewise follow, but that is not the case.
The contrast is deliberately set here because this last statement follows the same grammatical sequence, “If we are faithless…” It follows then that the second part of the statement would read, “He will also be faithless.” But that is not the case because the very opposite truth is established, “He remains faithful…” In other words, the Scriptures assert that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our own faithfulness. Rather, it is the very nature of who He is. Put differently, a God who is not faithful is not God. This year, look to the faithfulness of God and, therefore, have hope. There are times when you might be found to be unfaithful and faithless, but praise be to God because He does not change based on us. As Malachi 3:6 encourages us:
For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
Reflections
1. If this is just how faithful God is, then what kind of Christian life should you live?
