2 Timothy 1:8-12 - Unashamed and Resolute

2 Timothy 1:8-12

Not Ashamed of the Gospel

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

We are to imitate the apostle (1 Corinthians 11:1) as he initiated Christ and was unashamed of his testimony with a strongly resolute resolve to fight the good fight for the truth that sets men and women free from sin’s penalty.  These words to Timothy are equally applicable to us as we are reminded never to be ashamed (Mark 8:38, Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:12) or fearful (Matthew 10:26, Hebrews 13:6, 1 Peter 3:14-15) of our standing in Christ in the face of ridicule or aggression for speaking out for our Lord and His salvation in which we stand.  We bear witness of God’s goodness of grace in forgiveness of all our sin, inherited and ongoing, the salvation for our due wrath of judgment that is sin’s penalty which we all deserve.  We bear witness of the grace based on God’s calling to holiness in Christ’s righteousness that justifies us before the Father forever, once and for all (Romans 3:25-26, Hebrews 7:27, 10:10) and forever.  It is not our works we boast in or rely on even on the least for our stand before the throne of God in Christ because we acknowledge and tell all who have ears to hear of the call of God in His purpose by grace to choose us in Him from before we were born and even before the creation of the universe!  This predetermined purpose of goodness to forgive and wipe our our sins (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, 21:4) and their eternal consequences is the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord that we bring before those who may ridicule or threaten us for exposing their need for grace and utter uselessness of their own efforts to do good to earn heaven.  God alone in Christ has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” which we bear witness to as the truth and only way to God. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 10:43, 1 Timothy 2:5-6).  We therefore who know the terror of the Lord against our sin (2 Corinthians 5:11) do choose to willing suffer for the gospel without shame of His name or fear of reprisals as we proclaim the truth that alone can set people free from sin’s penalty of eternal death and suffering and persuade them to listen and turn from sin to Him who suffered and died for them as a substitute for their just punishment and reprieve from certain judgment.  Since we are persuaded that our salvation is irrevocable in His mighty hand (John 10:28-29) that holds us forever, we can suffer for His sake and the gospel’s because we have believed in the only true God and His Son (John 17:3) Jesus the Christ as we tell others that they may join us to one day stand before Him (Revelation 21:3-4, 22:3-4), unashamed and eternally grateful to praise and worship Him forever!  Until that time, we remain unashamed and resolute in the proclamation and defense of the gospel that alone brings hope to the world in the midst of turmoil and chaos.