Paul is exhorting Timothy to embrace hardship for the sake of the gospel (1:8; 2:3). If you want to endure to the end of the marathon, to stand firm for the truth through hardship and even persecution, you must be able to say with Paul, “my gospel.” God saved me from my sins by His abundant grace. But, for some reason they just could not do it and released them instead. And, you are missing the main motivation to proclaim the gospel in the face of hardship and rejection, namely, that God will save His chosen ones through the gospel. But, rather than complain, Paul rejoiced in the fact that no one can imprison the power of God’s Word. 5:9). John 10:26-28: “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. Several years ago, Bible translators Bruce and Jan Benson and their 14-year-old son were driving down a mountainside in the Peruvian Andes. Often God puts us in difficult trials for the very reason that He wants the power of the gospel to shine through our joy in Him in circumstances where the world can only complain. Paul’s gospel was the reason that he suffered “hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal.” Then he adds the triumphant note, “But the word of God is not imprisoned.” The word “criminal” is used elsewhere only of the two thieves on the cross (Luke 23:32, 33). Proud member They attain to life and reigning with Christ. One year later, the Bensons were living in the capital for safety. Timothy was under pressure to compromise the gospel. To endure hardship, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel” (2:8). Jesus repeats the truth that no one is able of his own ability or “free will” to come to Christ, unless the Father has granted it. Their eternal destiny is secure. His timid personality shied away from conflict and controversy. Be steadfast! Men jumped out of the truck brandishing automatic rifles, surrounded the Benson’s car, and ordered them to get out. Endure hardship for the gospel now so that you will be on His side when He returns. But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. But, no one can believe unless God first opens their blind eyes (2 Cor. 8:30): “and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” In other words, those whom God saves, He keeps. Thus I would fit Judas Iscariot under line 3, as one who finally denied Christ and was lost. A third clue is, “descendant of David.” Why does Paul use this unusual phrase here (used elsewhere only in Rom. I am afraid to fail. As they came around a switchback, they came bumper to bumper with a truckload of terrorist rebels known as The Shining Path. 3. To endure hardship, remember Jesus Christ, the risen Savior. The terrorists took them to a nearby town. But if, through the pain and the tears, the joy of the Lord shines forth, the same powerful gospel that saved you may transform others. 10:33). When Faith Passes the Test (Gen. 22:1-19). With Luther, Paul could have sung, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever.”. That is His sovereign right. Paul was in Corinth and was afraid that he was going to be harmed. Salvation rests in God’s sovereign purpose and might, not in your feeble, fallen will or efforts. If you do that, you will miss a key truth in understanding your salvation and a key component that you need to endure hardship for the sake of the gospel. She said, “It began as a trickle, a presence that said, ‘The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.’” She protested, “But Lord, I don’t know how to praise You right now.” “Sing,” came the answer. As Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:36), “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”, So Paul is making the point that because Jesus in His humanity suffered shame and death on a cross for our sins, God highly exalted Him (Phil. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. - Hebrews 12:1-3, To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. Note also that Paul viewed the gospel as his personal treasure.

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