We all face suffering sooner or later. We react to suffering in different ways such as anger, despair, or like Paul, the Apostle embrace suffering knowing he had more than the suffering.
"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12, NIV.
SUFFERED
Paul suffered much for the gospel. He was betrayed, stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and the list goes on ending in martyrdom. Paul had a focus in his life, and it wasn't himself, his problems, or his trials; but it was a focus on Jesus.
KNOW
He said, "I know." he had the confidence and assurance that comes out of knowing; not just a knowledge born from books, or classroom learning- he had something different. When you say, "I know Joe," you don't mean you recognize Joe's face but that you are acquainted with Joe, that you are friends, or companions or more.
Paul had both kinds of knowledge; he knew intellectually who he believed in and he knew personally who he believed in. He knew Jesus as a friend and Savior. Paul knew Jesus as Savior; that as God he was sufficient to take our sins on the cross and pay completely their debt. Paul knew that only a holy God could have done that.
ENTRUSTED
Paul's knowledge of Jesus gave the greatest conviction of eternal heaven; he could have argued it from doctrine, or he could have rationalized it, but because he knew Jesus as Lord personally he knew Jesus was sufficient to the task. He had no doubts about who it was he was trusting his soul to, and he had no doubts that trusting his soul to Jesus was sufficient and more to assure his salvation and good standing in the day of judgment.
We are given strong words of assurance and confidence in this verse; we have "know", "believed," and "convinced." Knowing Christ is powerful in giving our faith strength to overcome the doubts of our eternal future. The activating word in this verse is the word "entrusted" Paul gave complete trust in the Lord Jesus to save him. The challenge that we must consider for ourselves is whether we, like Paul, have entrusted our future to Him who is able, and have trusted him have we grown to know him.
To find out how you can believe in Jesus as your Savor follow this link: click here.
(c)Adron Dozat
"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12, NIV.
SUFFERED
Paul suffered much for the gospel. He was betrayed, stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and the list goes on ending in martyrdom. Paul had a focus in his life, and it wasn't himself, his problems, or his trials; but it was a focus on Jesus.
KNOW
He said, "I know." he had the confidence and assurance that comes out of knowing; not just a knowledge born from books, or classroom learning- he had something different. When you say, "I know Joe," you don't mean you recognize Joe's face but that you are acquainted with Joe, that you are friends, or companions or more.
Paul had both kinds of knowledge; he knew intellectually who he believed in and he knew personally who he believed in. He knew Jesus as a friend and Savior. Paul knew Jesus as Savior; that as God he was sufficient to take our sins on the cross and pay completely their debt. Paul knew that only a holy God could have done that.
ENTRUSTED
Paul's knowledge of Jesus gave the greatest conviction of eternal heaven; he could have argued it from doctrine, or he could have rationalized it, but because he knew Jesus as Lord personally he knew Jesus was sufficient to the task. He had no doubts about who it was he was trusting his soul to, and he had no doubts that trusting his soul to Jesus was sufficient and more to assure his salvation and good standing in the day of judgment.
We are given strong words of assurance and confidence in this verse; we have "know", "believed," and "convinced." Knowing Christ is powerful in giving our faith strength to overcome the doubts of our eternal future. The activating word in this verse is the word "entrusted" Paul gave complete trust in the Lord Jesus to save him. The challenge that we must consider for ourselves is whether we, like Paul, have entrusted our future to Him who is able, and have trusted him have we grown to know him.
To find out how you can believe in Jesus as your Savor follow this link: click here.
(c)Adron Dozat
