422 - WHICH BELIEVER WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST?December 9, 1975
Henry F. Kulp
II Timothy 2: 7 - 13 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Paul, in II Timothy is concerned with the deposit that God has given him. This is the special deposit that God gave to him. It is called the mystery or the secret and it has to do with the dispensation of God, and the Gospel of the grace of God.
1/ Paul’s great concern is that Timothy would take a stand for this truth, for Paul is going to die. He wants Timothy to stand for it and then pass it on to men who have the gift of teaching and are faithful.
2/ Verse 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
He compares them with soldiers, and the soldier is to be steadfast, unmovable. Then he compares him to an athlete who knows discipline. But then with the farmer who has great patience, but then he adds another principle. The farmer must be first partaker of the fruits. The word, first, is PRO-TOS that means a file leader—the first of the group, and the word, fruits, is benefits or profits. So even though we will suffer if we stand for the truth, God has guaranteed us benefits. Therefore we should be glad to suffer for this truth.
3/ This is a very interesting verse and one we must spend some time with. It is the Greek word, NO-EH-O and it is present, active imperative. And it means you are to consider and concentrate.
4/ However, if you look at the English word, consider, it comes from a Latin word that has to do with the stars, and you put the word, CON, in front of it, and it means WITH THE STARS. In the days that Paul wrote this, many men would not start out on a journey without considering the stars for guidance. There are those today who believe the stars and the planets shape our destiny. Those folks are constantly looking at horoscopes. Astrology is one of the most foolish things that man has ever invented. The stars and their constellations are not constant today. Man today talk about the dawning of the age of Aguarius. But in China it is the day of the dog. With many this is a religion, and how foolish they are. You read your horoscope for guidance and you will read of double talk that is truly amazing.
5/ Do you know what the word, disaster means? It is an ill star. Some people will not move until their stars are just right.
6/ The word comes to us with the idea of LOOKING UNTO THE STARS FOR GUIDANCE. But Paul tells us we are to concentrate on what he says. Here is a guiding principle. WHAT I SAY. You don’t consider the stars, you consider what I say.
7/ It is active voice—that means, you must do this, you must initiate the action, you must concentrate on what Paul says, and it is imperative mood, and it means it is a command. You don’t take it, or leave it, but you must obey it.
8/ Now, we have something that is very interesting. If we consider what Paul says, the Lord will give you understanding in all things. Let’s make a comparison with another verse.
Luke 24: 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Here, Jesus Christ in His resurrection is talking to His disciples, and He, the Lord, opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. If God doesn’t open your understanding you might as well forget it. The word, give, is in the future tense, and so you must first hear Paul, and then the Lord will give you understanding. For who opened their understanding? The Lord. Who will open your understanding? The Lord. It is not a matter of brilliance that a man may possess.
9/ If this were not written by the Holy Spirit, you would say, what a boaster! Let me give you another Scripture that teaches this same truth.
I Corinthians 14: 37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
If you want to be spiritual, you listen to me.
10/ I am going to say something very bold this morning, and I hope you will consider it in the light of the Scriptures. If you don’t consider what Paul says, the Lord will not give you understanding. You can see how mixed up the church world is. Someone called me up this week and said she was just saved, and why were there so many different teachings among believers. The answer is right in front of you.
11/ The word, understanding is very interesting. It is SOON-A-IS. And it means, the junction of the streams or where all the streams come together. So it means to fit together, to bring it together, you must listen to Paul. Actually, the word means, mental putting together.
12/ If you want to understand your Bible there are four things you must do.
1/ II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: All Scripture is by inspiration of God. All Scripture holds together by the inspiration of God.
2/ Then we must put three principles to work.
a/ We must test the things that differ.
Philippians 1: 9, 10 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. We must recognize there are different things taught in the Bible, and until we see the differences, we will not have understanding
b/ II Timothy 2: 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We must rightly divide the Word. After we see the differences, we must rightly divide the differences. Put them where they belong in the right places. We must see the earthly program of Israel, where God is king, and then we must see the church the Body of Christ which is Heavenly.
c/ We must compare spiritual with spiritual, and then we must bring the whole together.
13/ Verse 8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
Paul starts with the word, remember. This is very important for word for memory and forgetfulness play a big part in the experiences of he believer.
Psalms 106: 7, 13 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:
After Israel was brought out of Egypt they lusted after the things of Egypt and they remember the leaks, onions, garlic and fish, and they wanted to go back.
14/ They forgot their bondage, what slavery was like, but remembered the eating. And they forgot all that the Lord had done for them.
15/ Ephesians 2: 11, 12 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Paul wants us to remember our bondage. He wants you to remember what you came out of.
16/ Timothy is asked to remember, two particular facts about the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are to be vital in his ministry.
1/ Jesus Christ was of the seed of David.
2/ He was raised from the dead.
17/ These two truths were the center of attack and denial. Those who said that Jesus Christ was not a real Man, and they denied He was raised from the dead. These teachings are even with us today. Look at the sects around you.
18/ Just look at II Timothy 2: 17, 18 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
They were teaching spiritual resurrection—not a literal physical one.
I Corinthians 15: 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Paul says if Christ is not resurrected from the dead we are of all men most miserable. This must be believed.
19/ These two facts are embodied in the hope of Israel and the hope of the church the Body of Christ.
1/ Compare Acts 2: 29 - 31 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in her, neither his flesh did see corruption. Christ is to sit upon a throne in a physical, resurrected body is a necessity for the hope of Israel.
2/ Romans 1: 3, 4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Here, Paul says our hope depends upon Christ being a literal man and being physically raised from the dead.
20/ II Timothy 2: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
This is to encourage Timothy. He says, I suffer trouble as an evil doer, but that really means malefactor or criminal offense. Anywhere you went in the Roman Empire it was a criminal offense to believe the teaching of Paul. You would suffer the same fate that he was suffering. But then he makes a marvelous statement. Even though I am bound, the Word of God is not bound.
21/ Verse 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Here he says, I endure all things for the elect’s sake. That they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory, and don’t misunderstand this verse. All believers have salvation by grace, eternal life. But not all believers have salvation with eternal glory, which means age-abiding glory, and we want you to see that it will be your privilege not just to have salvation, but to have salvation with age-abiding glory, and this is connected with suffering and reigning.
Verse 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
AMEN
Ref: 12/09/1975 / 422 - WHICH BELIEVER WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST / 09/18/2021
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