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"It is a faithful saying; for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him:
If we patiently endure, 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."
Here we have two subjects, allied, but distinct. The first is a question of dying and
living. The second is a question of enduring and reigning. The one essential for LIFE is
having died with Christ. Subsequent faithfulness cannot make that gift of grace more
secure, and subsequent failure cannot remove us from the place that grace provides. The
essential for REIGNING is patient endurance. Here, faithfulness and faithlessness count.
Here, should we deny Him, He will deny us. The crown will be withheld, nevertheless,
He abideth faithful, "saved so as by fire" will prove that to be true. For the sake of
clearness we set out the theme as follows:--
II Tim. 2: 11-13.
A
| Living with Christ.
B | Reigning with Christ.
B | "Reigning" may be denied. OUR faithfulness counts.
A | "Living" cannot be denied. HIS faithfulness alone counts.
External conditions change, but essential terms remain. We may not be able to draw
up a sliding scale, nor would such a thing be tolerable, nevertheless it is a comfort to
know that in these dark days, when the helpful guidance of true apostles, prophets,
bishops and deacons is withdrawn, and the encouragement of standing shoulder to
shoulder in the fight is no longer ours, that He who searches the reins and hearts can
interpret the conditions with perfect accuracy. Paul calls Him "The Lord, the righteous
Judge" in connexion with the "crown" to be bestowed "in that day".
#3.
II Tim. 2: 15
a Separating Principle.
pp. 91 - 93
We noticed in our last article the distinction which is drawn between living, and
reigning with Christ (II Tim. 2: 11, 12, 13). A few verses further on in the chapter the
idea is repeated:--
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord
knoweth them that are His. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ (some
readings have "Lord") depart from iniquity" (19).
The good soldier must be clear from entanglement in the affairs of daily life, that he
may please Him Who chose him to be a soldier. The athlete must observe the rules if he
would gain the crown. The husbandman must labour before he can taste the fruits. The
believer who would reign with Christ must patiently endure. So also on the foundation of
God the seal is dual. Not only does it say, "The Lord knoweth them that are His", which
is parallel with the words of verse 11, "If we died with Him, we shall also live with