#DailyDevotion Jesus Is The God Whose Word Comes True

2 Tim. 2⁹For this I’m suffering and am even chained like a criminal. But God’s Word isn’t chained. ¹⁰That’s why I can endure anything for the chosen people so that they, too, may receive salvation in Christ Jesus and everlasting glory. ¹¹ You can depend on this: If we have died with Him, we’ll live with Him. ¹²If we endure, we’ll rule with Him. If we disown Him, He’ll disown us. ¹³If we’re disloyal, He remains loyal because He cannot be untrue to Himself.

For the good news Jesus is Son of God and Son of David, for the world, Paul is suffering and is willing to endure anything for those who will called by God through this gospel so they can receive salvation in Christ Jesus and everlasting glory. God mercy, love and kindness is plenteous. It is not enough for our Father to save us so we do not enter eternal torment, he wants to give us his glory as well. Peter tells us, 2 Pet. 1:4 “you might by these promises share in the divine nature.” This divine nature in what we share or participate Paul says here is everlasting glory. Elsewhere Paul writes in Romans chapter nine, ²³“so as to show the riches of glory He has in store for those He’s merciful to and long ago prepared for glory.” He has prepared us for his glory before the foundation of the world.  In 2 Corinthians chapter four he writes, ^17“The light trouble of this moment is preparing for us an everlasting weight of glory,…” Paul writes in 2 Thess. chapter two, ^14“For this purpose He called you by the good news we tell; He wants you to have the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This should not be surprising that we would participate or share in God’s glory with our Lord Jesus Christ. After all before we fell into sin at the beginning of creation, we were made in the image and likeness of God. Part of that likeness was being clothed in the glory of God. Besides that we also participated in his holiness, righteousness, and knowledge in which we are presently being renewed in through faith in Christ Jesus. It is hard to even imagine the immeasurable riches of God’ grace we have in Jesus Christ. For such things Paul is willing to endure all things, not only for himself but for those who hear the good news and believe. We too are encouraged to bear all things for such marvelous promises that are our in Christ Jesus.

Paul then quotes most likely was a hymn in the early church based no doubt on things Jesus had taught and would later be written in the gospels as the apostles and their associates wrote them down for us for posterity. “If we have died with Him, we’ll live with Him. ¹²If we endure, we’ll rule with Him. If we disown Him, He’ll disown us.” In Matthew ten Jesus says, ³²Whoever will confess Me before other people, him will I confess before My Father in heaven. ³³Whoever will deny Me before others, him will I deny before My Father in heaven.” Here we have both promise and threat. Jesus is making a claim on us like he did the Israelites at Mt. Sinai and before the Israelites entered the Promise Land. So too we have this promise if we endure we will live and rule with him, with at least the dominion we had at creation but God being generous and the Lord Jesus raising our nature to God’s right hand even greater as we rule creation with him as participants in his nature. Yet we also have this threat if we deny him he will deny us. Oh the terror of that threat! May we always remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus however is always faithful. He is faithful to us and he is faithful to himself. He cannot deny himself. Jesus tells us of himself in Numbers 23, ^19“God is not a man who lies or a mortal who changes His mind. When He says something, will He not do it? When He promises, will He not keep it?” Paul writes in 2 Cor. 1^20“For all God’s promises He[Jesus] is the “Yes” that makes them come true” Jesus is God who does not lie, whose every word comes true. He is always true to himself, true to his word. You can count on it.

Heavenly Father, you have given us such great and wondrous promises of your generosity towards us in Christ Jesus. Give us your Holy Spirit always that we may endure to the end and receive through Jesus Christ eternal life and glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.