Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20120923.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
2 Timothy: God's Directives For Church Leaders Amid Hardships
Part VI: God's True Apostolic Doctrines To Be Upheld Amid Ministry Hardships
(2 Timothy 2:8-13)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though we learned 2 Timothy 2:2-7 gives God's plan for discipling amid ministry hardships, the discipler must hold to the true apostolic Gospel amid false teachers and teaching if he would actually disciple men.
    2. 2 Timothy 2:8-13 reveals God's true apostolic doctrines to be upheld amid ministry hardships as follows:
  2. God's True Apostolic Doctrines To Be Upheld Amid Ministry Hardships, 2 Timothy 2:8-13.
    1. We know that Paul shifted from describing God's plan for effective discipling amid ministry hardships in 2 Timothy 2:2-7 to state true doctrines in 2 Timothy 2:8-13, for in 2 Timothy 2:14-19 he had Timothy remind his hearers of the 2 Timothy 2:8-13 truths in light of the false teachers that plagued the Church.
    2. Thus, Paul urged Timothy to "keep on remembering" (pres. imper. of mnemoneuo, "remember," U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 733; Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T. , 1967, p. 526-527; The Analyt. Grk. Lex. (Zondervan), 1972, p. 271) the true apostolic Gospel that countered false teaching, 2 Tim. 2:8:
      1. Timothy was to keep on recalling that Jesus Christ had been permanently raised (perf. pass. ptc. of egeiro, "to raise up," Ibid., The Analyt. Grk. Lex., p. 112; Ibid., Arndt & Gin grich, p. 213-214) "from among the dead" (Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.). Versus the false teachers who denied the resurrection or that Jesus arose, Paul held He arose as the firstfruits "from among" the dead, "eliminating any figurative interpretation in risen' or dead'"! (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, 1971, p. 1385)
      2. Jesus was "of the seed of David," meaning He possessed true humanity, He was Israel's true Messiah, and He was sovereign versus the false teachings by false teachers that Timothy faced, Ibid.
      3. This Gospel Paul called "my" Gospel, namely, the Gospel God had deposited with him to keep and to proclaim for discipling other people to faith in Christ that resulted in eternal life, cf. 2 Tim. 1:12-14.
    3. Paul added that though he [unjustly] suffered trouble for this Gospel as an evildoer in being bound, the Word of God in that Gospel had not been permanently bound (perf. pass. of deo, "bind, tie," Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., The Analyt. Grk. Lex., p. 85; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 176-177), 2 Timothy 2:9.
    4. Because of this Gospel's value, Paul wrote, "I endure" (hupomeno, Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 853) all things for the elect, that they might obtain the salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory, 2 Timothy 2:10. To Paul, suffering all things to get the Gospel to others was worthwhile in light of its eternal effects!
    5. To reaffirm all of these truths, Paul cited what was likely an early Church hymn in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (Ibid., The Wycliffe Bible Com., p. 1386), and we view it as follows:
      1. If we be positionally dead with Christ in believing the Gospel and thus are justified, forgiven and made dead to sin, we will postionally live with Him, possessing eternal life, 2 Timothy 2:11a,b, Ibid.
      2. If we "endure" suffering in living and serving the Lord, the same verb hupomeno Paul used of his enduring suffering in 2 Timothy 2:10 (Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich) and coming martyrdom (cf. 2 Timothy 4:6-8) we will also reign with Christ in His coming k ingdom, 2 Timothy 2:12a with Revelation 20:4.
      3. If we deny Christ, a reference to Matthew 10:33 in denying Christ as an apostate like a false teacher who is never saved, He will deny us, 2 Tim. 2:12b; Matthew 7:21-23; Ibid., The Wycliffe Bible Com.
      4. As the action of "believe not" in 2 Timothy 2:13a logically differs from "deny" in 2 Timothy 2:12b since no condemnation is given for this negative act, it refers to faithlessness in Christians. Thus, if we believers fail to walk faithfully with the Lord, He stays faithful to us, for He as God can not deny Himself upon Whom our salvation rests, Ibid., 2 Timothy 2:13b. This is a strong assertion of the unconditional salvation security of the believer, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV , 1978, ftn. to 2 Timothy 2:13.
Lesson: The true, powerful Gospel we must proclaim in effectively discipling others asserts that Jesus Christ died for sin, was buried and literally arose from among the dead, and that faith in Him leads to God's unconditional gift of eternal life. This truth is worth upholding due to its priceless effects on those who believe it, and upholding it is worth all that it costs us due to the vast rewards of upholding it.

Application: May we treasure, preserve and proclaim at all costs the true salvation Gospel of Christ.