II Timothy 1:8-12 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause 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 that which I have committed unto him against that day.
There are some things we ought to be ashamed of. Our sin: we needed no lessons on how to sin. It came naturally. We should be growing in grace; this is a command. We do it by studying the Bible and being faithful to the house of the Lord. Are we doing all we can for the Lord? However, we should never be ashamed of Jesus Christ. He died for us. He’s our dearest friend. Never be ashamed of the gospel. The Bible doesn’t need to be defended. It needs to be used. There is power in the Word.
This scripture reminds us that salvation is a matter of grace. In II Samuel we have the story of David showing grace to the house of Jonathan when he took his crippled son into his own house and allowed him to eat at the king’s table. He helped the helpless for someone else’s sake–Jonathan was David’s dear friend. He loved him like a brother. After Jonathan’s death David sought a way to do something in his friend’s honor. God should have let us go to hell but he saved us for Christ’s sake. It resulted in us having a place at the King’s table. Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son, an outcast, but overnight he left nothing and was sitting at the king’s table. One day we’ll dine at THE KING’s table.
It also shows us we have assurance of salvation. It reminds us that death has been abolished. I know God is able to keep me. I know that we will absent ourselves from this body when we die and go to be with Christ. You see, the saved person dies once. The unsaved die twice. Revelation tells us the unsaved are raised to a second death in the lake of fire. I choose to be with Christ in eternity, not in hell. I choose Christ.
We know the story of Snow White. In a deathly sleep from eating the wicked witch’s apple, a prince awakened here with a kiss. If we are dead when the Lord returns, our Prince of Glory will awaken us from the grave. Our bodies will be released from their sleep and we’ll be raised to meet the Lord in the air. Our Prince will come. Never doubt it!
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 