“Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds (chains); but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I (Paul) endure all things for the elects (body of Christ) sake, that they (body of Christ) may also obtain the salvation (from sin & deception) which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:9-15)
Paul suffers trouble because he preaches Christ’s true ministry from heaven (gospel of the grace of God). Because Paul did not preach Christ’s ministry on earth (gospel of the Kingdom), he has been falsely labeled an “evil doer” and is even and bonds (prison chains). But the word of God is not bound. Paul is in a dungeon to shut him up or silence him from preaching the word of God. But the true word of God was still going out. This letter is proof, plus many believers were sharing the gospel and copying Paul’s letters in all the churches and sending them out.
Besides our dear Lord Jesus Christ, Paul labored and suffered more for the church than anyone else (1 Cor. 15:10). Paul is enduring a cold dungeon in Rome and has endured many other things as partially recorded in (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Paul endures all things for the sake of the body of Christ so they may obtain salvation which is in Jesus Christ, his life now, and eternal glory later. Salvation of many from sin and their salvation to the true doctrine (from deception) Generates eternal glory for Christ.
The body of Christ was the elect or chosen agency that God picked “before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9), not each individual believer. But God, who is outside of time, in his foreknowledge knew who would believe. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow (God in his foreknowledge knew who would decide to believe him and be saved, he also did predestinate (predetermined) to be conformed to the image of his Son (His Spirit uses His word in us to conform our inner man to the image of His Son, (1 Cor. 2:16), that he might be the firstborn (Christ was the first to rise from the dead in a glorified body) among many brethren (believers will also receive glorified bodies).
“Moreover whom he did predestinate (the body of Christ is the agency that was predestinated for the heavenly places), them he also called (by the gospel Paul preached, (2 Thess. 2:14): And whom he called, them he also justified (declared righteous): and whom he justified, them he also glorified (we will have glorified bodies at the rapture)” (Rom. 8:28-30). We are on this side of the cross (2 Cor. 5:19), Many believers still ignorantly repeatedly ask God to forgive them. God answers, “I already have.” Instead, we should just say thank You Jesus, for dying for THAT sin too. Once a person has trusted what Christ has done, God sees the blood of His Son applied to our account and imputes His righteousness to us (2 Cor. 5:21). We are complete in Him (Col. 2:10). However, those who do NOT trust Christ will be judged for their sins in order to determine the degree of eternal punishment they will receive (Rev. 20:12, 13).
11. “It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us: if we believe not, yet he abided faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim. 11 ,12)
Here is the third faithful and concise saying in the early church which Paul records for all posterity (all future generations) in the pastoral epistles. There are four “ifs” end this faithful saying: “For:
1. If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 2. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: 3. If we deny him, he also will deny us: 4. If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.
These “ifs” have to do with SUFFERING IN SERVICE, NOT our sure salvation (Eph. 1:13).
1. if we have identified with Christ’s death by faith in him, then we will also be raised in newness of life in this life and are guaranteed to take part in his resurrection to eternal life and live with him (Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 2:20).
2. If we suffer for preaching Christ’s doctrine through Paul, then we will be rewarded with a position of responsibility in the heavenly places.
3. If we deny Christ ministry through Paul by not teaching it, then Christ will deny that we are worthy of a position of responsibility at the judgment seat of Christ.
4. If we do not believe Paul’s gospel or teach it but have believed in Christ we will still be saved to eternal life. However, if we do not believe the testimony of the Lord through Paul (the mystery), he will still be faithful to the truth. He cannot deny his own words. Christ’s gospel to Paul is still true even if we don’t believe it.
Are we suffering for giving out to truth for the benefit of the church and Christ? Paul suffered greatly and will have an important position in the government of the heavenly places with Christ (what about you?)
14. These things put them (body of Christ) in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Timothy is to remind the faithful men and charge them before the Lord not to strive (argue) I’m bad words of no profit (the words of the false teachers). Christ sound words to Paul are profitable and should be taught. We fight Satan’s lies with God’s truth. Charge or command them not to waste their time arguing about words to no profit which just turned the hearers away further (2:23). Timothy is to remind the faithful men that if they want positions of importance in the heavenly places that they should share Paul’s true doctrine now. Paul’s words are the words that profit. 2 Tim. 2:15
Colman J. Gilliland 