This Sunday, October 14, 2007 has the following 3 assigned readings: Ruth 1:1-19a (Your God, my God); 2 Timothy 2:1-13 (Die with Him; Live with Him) and Luke 17:11-19 (10 Lepers). Three verses from 2 Timothy 2:11-13 make up our study: “This is a faithful saying. For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

Verse 11 does not say, “If we will die with Him” but rather “For if we died with Him.” That is a past referring therefore not to our future physical death but our spiritual death which began with His death on the accursed tree and led to our death in the waters of baptism (Romans 6:4-5). That is a sure promise insofar as verse 12 reveals that we endure.

The point of enduring only makes sense if there are those who do not endure to the end. Thus, “once saved, always saved” is a false teaching. What occurs in those who do not endure to the end? Verse 12 continues, “If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” The consequences of such denial is clearly stated by Jesus Himself in Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” This refers to the only unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit which is unbelief.

On the other hand, verse 13 states that “If we are faithless, He remains faithful.” How is faithlessness different from denial? Denial is the sin of unbelief while faithlessness consists of our daily sins of thought, word and deed. As God reveals in Jeremiah 3:6, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.” This refers to idolatry which happens in light of the First Commandment which is broken every time we sin according to the other nine.

But listen to God’s response in verses 12 and 13, “Return, faithless Israel. I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious. I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity.” And what happens to those who repent? Verse 14 reveals, “And I will bring you to Zion.”

The Law is clear. Unbelief (denial of Jesus) leads to eternal perdition. The Gospel is also clear. Sincere repentance, which includes faith in the true God, results in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And that repentance is itself a gift from God so that looking at the big picture, God and He alone gets all the credit for your salvation!