Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, (9) for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. (10) Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. (11) This is a faithful saying: “For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. (12) If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. (13) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself”.
The second letter to Timothy was written by the Apostle Paul to his faithful disciple Timothy who was serving as Paul’s representative in Ephesus while Paul was in chains in a Roman dungeon. in our verses today Paul expressly mentions two things: the doctrine he wishes to be preserved uncorrupted – that Jesus was truly man (The seed of david) and truly God and that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Everything hinges on the resurrection of Christ – if He is not risen our faith is worthless
PAul’s gospel and consequential imprisonment means that he was a faithful minister. Some thought less of Paul because he was in prison but Paul makes it clear he was not there because of a criminal act but for Christ and he felt that his Imprisonment only affirmed his testimony. Human circumstances cannot confine the word of God
Scripture also teaches god’s elect in our verses – the point being that natural man is incapable of understanding spiritual truth and it is God who opens the eyes and hearts of some. Paul quotes what was probably a hymn about God is trustworthy and will not fail to keep His promises. There are four “if” clauses referring to the faithful who will have eternal life. The second 2 clauses refer to those who deny Christ and the consequences of that denial. Paul’s point being that if we endure hardships with Christ we will experience glory with Him in eternity. And our denail of Christ denies those men the eternal reward that could have been theirs.
Our denial and faithfulness affects only us. It will not change Christ at all. But the consequences for faithless man are the saddest words in Scripture. In Matthew chapter 7, verse 23, Christ speaks these terrible words: And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’.