“Keep Reminding Them of These things.” (2 Timothy 2:14)
Our rapidly-changing society is enamored with the new and novel. We prefer “thought-provoking” messages that “capture our attention”, and I confess that I am just as prone, in my sermon-construction, to seek out that which intrigues me first. On the one hand, you are likely to hear content that has also impacted your pastor, and it is more likely coming with heartfelt conviction. On the other hand, the pastor may unwittingly be passing over key thoughts that congregants need to hear, or may assume that the congregation already knows!
There is a considerable emphasis in scripture for the people of God to remember what God has already done in the past, both in the Old Testament and in the New; both for the people of Israel, and the Jewish-Gentile churches. Repetition is used throughout, not only for a reminder of truths, but also for emphasis! In a day that had less literacy, but longer attention spans, the churches were encouraged to memorize doctrine, often in song, and church leaders were taught to prioritize it. Let’s look at one example from 2 Timothy 2:8-14.
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 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 will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
“Keep reminding them of these things.”
Salvation comes through a willful submission of faith to the Gospel of God revealed. Christians going through times of persecution and struggle will need mutual encouragement to stay strong on the course and not give up. So here we have a simple set of easily-memorable phrases that many scholars believe was one of the early Church hymns that were passed around, that Paul is quoting and reminding Timothy.
Backing up Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:22 & 24:13, that “He who stands firm to the end will be saved”, Paul wrote to the first century Church reminding them of the spiritual realities that were theirs. In light of Philippians 1:6 and others, we know of the “Preservation of the Saints”: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” If you are truly in Christ Jesus, you will endure to the end because Jesus Himself is fighting for you:
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25). We also know that those who give up in the race for Christ never really had Him: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:19) Paul and John are writing, then, to a Church comprised of both true believers and false ones. By the Spirit of God, the earliest Christians would have had their eyes open to who Jesus is and what they have in Christ, and have surrendered to Him completely. There were plenty of others who had left Judaism for a time, but when times of persecution hit, wondered whether or not to turn back. That is the theme of Hebrews, to convince wavering seekers that what they would have in Christ is far better than what they had left behind.
We too need constant encouragements and the assurance that every choice made for Christ is the better one! These decisions made are done through the “eyes of faith”, trusting not in what we can see right in front of us, but having faith in what was promised to us by God Himself. We need to be fully aware of both the warnings and the blessings: Warnings for those who turn away, and blessings for those who continue to the end. So let’s take this song for the church very seriously: “If we died with him (crucifying our selfish desires), we will also live with him (eternally in Heaven, in Person); if we endure (all the way to death), we will also reign with him (over the New Heavens and New Earth). If we disown him (like Judas), he will also disown us (If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us – Luke 9:26); if we are faithless (do not trust Him), he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
God cannot and will not go against His own character. That means He cannot be swayed from His Plan, and He will never break a single promise. This is exactly what we need to be assured of salvation in our walk with Him, to the very end. He will intercede for you! We know exactly where and to Whom we must look! Oh Church, be reminded of these things…live by them, and keep your eyes on Him!