| And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. |
| —2 Timothy 1:11-12 |
Do you know anyone who has poured himself or herself into some cause without knowing what that cause is all about? Someone who vocally and passionately supports the Penn State University Nittany Lions football team—or any other competitive team—does so because that one has taken the time and invested the effort into knowing as much about the chosen team as possible.
Similarly, if someone has given up time in order to volunteer at the local hospital, that person has done so because he or she believes that helping people in need who seek treatment at that hospital is a worthy endeavor. Over time, the volunteer learns the ins and outs of the processes and procedures at that hospital. This knowledge fuels that one’s devotion to his or her volunteer duties.
In the Christian life, the more we know about Jesus, the more devoted we become to Him. That’s why we study God’s written Word to learn more and more about the Living Word. Jesus is our King. We love Him and enthusiastically serve Him because we have learned more and more about him.
This is exactly what the Apostle Paul intended to convey to the young man he called his “son in the faith.” In writing a second letter to Timothy, Paul wanted to illustrate the source of his personal passion for God through Christ, as enabled by the Holy Spirit. Note these words found in 2 Timothy 1:11-12:
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
Even while he was paying a significant personal price for his devotion to his Savior, Paul insists that such suffering pales in comparison to the joy that has come to him by his abiding in Christ. In the New Testament Greek text of these verses, this last phrase:
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day
appears as an emphatic statement marked by intense passion. This is not some mere hope on Paul’s part. This is something he knows with certainty.
As we begin another day, let’s seek to find a way in our own lives to passionately and emphatically represent the God who loves us. While doing so in a loving, kind, and respectful way, let’s not shrink back from the certainty we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because we do, indeed, know Whom we have believed and are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him until that day when He returns to earth once more.
Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, November 23, 2018
