Doubting is not Denying

Sept. 30

Read: 2 Tim 2:8-13, Matt 10:33

Doubting is not Denying

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. - 2 Tim. 2:11-13

Lacking faith is not the same as denying Christ. When we face fear or doubt, the enemy wants us to think it is a denial of Christ. Bur the scriptures tell us otherwise. Counter to what we may think, in our moments of lacking faith, Jesus remains faithful… he carries us through! In our moments of fear, doubt, or when we simply do not trust that there is a way forward - The Lord continues the work he began in us. (v. 1:12)

Indeed, if a person denies Christ - rejects him, despises him, ignores him, refuses what Christ is giving to him - then it is true that Christ will reject him before the Lord. (Matt. 10:33) You cannot reject Christ and receive eternal life. It seems simple enough, but you would be surprised at some of the teaching that makes its way around Christian circles. Denial is at its heart a matter of relationship. James tells us that “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4,5) If we deny him, he will deny us.

What is the POSITIVE flip-side of this saying from Paul? There are so many good things for the children of God. Know this brothers and sisters… when your old-self died with Christ a new-self was born that now lives in him. (cf. Gal. 2:20, Rom. 6:8, 2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10 etc.) You are a new creation in Christ. We can endure the trails of this life confident that one day - WE WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST. Jesus is sharing his glory with us as his younger brothers and sisters:

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Rom. 8:16,17)

“The glory that you (God the Father) have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” - Jesus (John 17:22,23)

This future hope and present reality helps us as Christians to press on in this world… to be “strong and courageous” as “good soldiers”. (2:3) This spurs us on as we “run with patience and endurance” the race that we have been given, as athletes competing for the prize. (cf. 2:5 etc.) These words were life to Paul as he waited in prison. Jesus is ALWAYS be faithful. Press on brothers and sisters!

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.

Love you guys. - JDP