2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed… I. THE OBJECT OF FAITH — "I know whom I have believed." Well, now, whom have you believed? Have you believed Juggernaut? Have you believed the Hindoo Brahmins? The glorious covenant Head of His Church — I have believed Him. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not hath not life." Where there is no believing of a saving description upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no salvation. It is in vain to tell me of all the excellencies of the creature, of all the attainments of moral philosophy, and of all the pride of superstition, it only just makes a pious road to hell for those who pretend to pursue it. There is no such thing as salvation, no such thing as safety, for time or for eternity, but by believing on the Son of God. "I know." I beseech you to mark the positive nature of the assertion. It is not, "I hope, or trust"; it is not, "I can, or shall, or may, believe in Him"; but, "I know whom I have believed." I do not like anything less than "I know," even in things temporal. If I were to ask my servant whether such and such a matter is safe, or right, or done properly, and I were to receive for an answer, "I think so," or "Probably it may be so"; "Do not tell me that," I should say, perhaps somewhat angrily; "Do you know it? is it really so?" Surely, then, if I should require this in temporal matters, what should I look for in things spiritual You tell me God is merciful, and I shall do as well as others in the end. "I know whom I have believed." The question might be put to the persons who make such an assertion, "What do you know of Him?" "Well, I will tell you. I know very well that He is truly, properly, essentially, eternally God. I know enough of Him to be quite sure that He is truly, and properly, and sinlessly man. I know for certain of Him, that He is, in His complex character, as God and man, Mediator, Surety, Daysman for His Church, in official standing." Do you know all this? Do you know Him personally? Can you say, "I know that in His office He has accomplished all that is requisite for the salvation of His Church." Look at the word "believe" before we quit this part of our subject. "I know whom I have believed." What is believing? In the margin of our Bible we read "trusted." Well, believing is trusting, and trusting is believing. II. THE NATURE OF FAITH'S ACTINGS — "that which I have committed to Him." There is something about this which enters at once into the daily experience of a child of God, and I think if it were more extensively practised in our experience, we should be happier Christians — the committing of everything to Him. I have committed to Him my soul's concerns; I have committed to Him the affairs of time; and I committed to Him His visible Church, which neither legislators nor monarchs care anything about, but to distract and to destroy. Look at these things for a few moments. I have committed to Him my soul's concerns. And these are of two descriptions; my soul's concerns for security, salvation, eternal life; and my soul's concerns in regard to spiritual existence, and spiritual prosperity, in my way to glory. I commit both to Him. Now the nature of faith's actings is to commit all to Jesus, in both these respects. If the filthy effluvia of human nature's risings annoy me, I shall cry, "Lord, subdue all my iniquity." I commit them all to Him; cannot do anything without Him, and I am sure it is no good talking about it. "Lord, conquer my depravity. Lord, fulfil Thy promises, that 'sin shall not have dominion.'" Then go on to mark, that it is faith's province to commit the affairs of this life to Him. They are not too little, they are not too mean for Him to notice, nor for Him to manage, and it may be viewed as the peculiar privilege of the Christian to carry to the throne of grace, and commit to Christ, every arrangement He may make, every bargain into which He may enter, every association He may form, and every companion He may choose. So with all His successes — to commit them all to Him, remembering that it is He who giveth power to get wealth. So, again, with regard to losses and crosses, painful events. III. THE EXPECTATION OF FAITH. "He is able to keep "it; and that is the point which fixes upon my attention. Blessings on His name, that He is as willing as He is able! He is interested in it. But this statement implies great danger or difficulty, or the Divine keeping would not be necessary. It implies that our beloved Zion is surrounded with every description of enemies and dangers, or it would not be said that it needs Divine keeping. Moreover, there seems in this expectation of faith enough to nourish assurance itself. "He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him." Well, then, assurance may lift up its head, and say, "If it be the soul's concerns, I have nothing to doubt — I trust it all in His hands. If it be the affairs of my family, or my business, I have nothing to harass me concerning them." One word more. "Against that day." We might mention the day of the termination of that trouble, the day of the accomplishment of that desire, the day of the consummation of a certain purpose or scheme in God's providence, relative to our spiritual or temporal affairs; but I must hasten to that day the apostle had immediately in view, "that day" when Christ shall claim His own; "that day" when all the election of grace shall appear before Him, and be presented to the Father "a perfect Church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." (J. Irons.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
    |