2 Timothy 1:12

Then when he says, for which cause I also suffer these things, he shows what he is suffering as a result of being faithful to his office, saying, I suffer these adversities, namely, chains and ennui, and this for the faith of Christ: I labor …

I suffer for preaching to the Gentiles. I suffer not as an evildoer. At the same time he makes his speech more credible: if, he says, I did not believe that death has been destroyed, I would not suffer so. Do you see how he …

How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?" There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship ( Luke xvi. 2 ), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

For the which cause I also suffer these things,....

I am not ashamed--neither be thou (2Ti 1:8). for--Confidence as to the future drives away shame [BENGEL]. I know--though the world knows Him not (Joh 10:14; 17:25). whom--I know what a faithful, promise-keeping God He is (2Ti 2:13).

AN ASSURANCE of our safety in Christ will be found useful to us in all states of experience. When Jesus sent forth his seventy chosen disciples, endowed with miraculous powers, they performed great wonders, and naturally enough they were somewhat elated when they returned to tell him of their deeds. Jesus marked their tendency to pride; he saw that in the utterance—“Behold even devils were subject to us,” there was mingled much of self-congratulation and boasting.

AN ASSURANCE of our safety in Christ will be found useful to us in all states of experience. When Jesus sent forth his seventy chosen disciples, endowed with miraculous powers, they performed great wonders, and naturally enough they were somewhat elated when they returned to tell him of their deeds. Jesus marked their tendency to pride; he saw that in the utterance—“Behold even devils were subject to us,” there was mingled much of self-congratulation and boasting. What cure, think you, did he administer; or what was the sacred lesson that he taught them which might prevent their being exalted above measure? “Nevertheless,” said he, “rejoice not in this, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” The assurance of our eternal interest in Christ may help to keep us humble in the day of our prosperity; for when God multiplies our wealth, when he blesses our endeavors, when he speeds the plough; when he wafts the good ship swiftly onward, this may act as a sacred ballast to us, that we have something better than these things, and therefore we must not set our affections upon the things of earth, but upon things above; and let our heart be where our greatest treasure is. I say, better than any lancet to spill the superfluous blood of our boasting, better than any bitter medicine to chase the burning fever of our pride; better than any mixture of the most pungent ingredients is this most precious and hallowed wine of the covenant—a remembrance of our safety in Christ. This, this alone, opened up to us by the Spirit, will suffice to keep us in that happy lowliness which is the true position of the full-grown man in Christ Jesus. But note this, when at any time we are cast down with multiplied afflictions, and oppressed with sorrow, the very same fact which kept us humble in prosperity may preserve us from despair in adversity.

IN the style of these Apostolic words there is a positiveness most refreshing in this age of doubt. In certain circles of society it is rare nowadays to meet with anybody who believes anything. It is the philosophical, the right, the fashionable thing, nowadays, to doubt everything which is generally received. Indeed, those who have any creed whatever are by the liberal school set down as old-fashioned dogmatists, persons of shallow minds, deficient in intellect, and far behind their age.

IN the style of these Apostolic words there is a positiveness most refreshing in this age of doubt. In certain circles of society it is rare nowadays to meet with anybody who believes anything. It is the philosophical, the right, the fashionable thing, nowadays, to doubt everything which is generally received. Indeed, those who have any creed whatever are by the liberal school set down as old-fashioned dogmatists, persons of shallow minds, deficient in intellect, and far behind their age. The great men, the men of thought, the men of high culture and refined taste consider it wisdom to cast suspicion upon Revelation, and sneer at all definiteness of belief. "Ifs" and "buts," and "perhaps" are the supreme delight of this period. What wonder if men find everything uncertain—when they refuse to bow their intellects to the declarations of the God of Truth? Note then, with admiration, the refreshing and even startling positiveness of the Apostle—"I know," says he. And that is not enough—"I am persuaded." He speaks like one who cannot tolerate a doubt. There is no question about whether he has believed or not. "I know Whom I have believed." There is no question as to whether he was right in so believing. "I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him." There is no suspicion as to the future. He is as positive for years to come as he is for this present moment. "He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." Now there is a positiveness which is very disgusting—when it is nothing but the fruit of ignorance and is unattended with anything like thoughtfulness. But in the Apostle's case, his confidence is founded not on ignorance, but on knowledge. "I know," says he. There are certain things which he has clearly ascertained, which he knows to be fact. And his confidence is grounded on these ascertained Truths of God.

OUR Apostle was in prison. If he was confined in the Mammertine, those of us who have shivered in that dark underground dungeon may well pity him. And if he was confined in the prison of the Praetorian Guards, he fared no better, for the near company of such rough and cruel soldiers would involve much suffering. The Apostle was not only a prisoner, chained by his right hand to a soldier both day and night, but he was, to his intense sorrow, forsaken by his friends. The encouragements of Christian communion are exceedingly great and the loss of them is very bitter. Those who ought to have gloried in the Apostle for his fervor, his self-sacrifice, his courage and his zeal, had turned against him. He writes to Timothy, "This you know, that all they which are in Asia have turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Her-mogenes." It would seem that these two notable persons were ashamed of Paul's chain and, to their endless disgrace, turned against him. Deserted in his utmost need, deprived of his liberty and treated as a breaker of the laws, we could not have marveled if the Apostle had been somewhat dispirited. Active spirits are apt to fret in confinement and tender hearts bleed under desertion. Beside that, the man of God was in daily danger of execution by the tyrant's sword. He was not likely to be spared by the monster who occupied the Roman throne and already he had the sentence of death in himself. Any morning he might be awakened by a rough summons to come forth and die.

THE text is wholly taken up with three things—with knowing, with believing and with the Person who is known and believed. And upon both the knowing and the believing, Paul is very decided. He puts in no, "if," no word of change. He does not say, "I hope so," or, "I trust so," but, "I know I have believed and I know whom I have believed." It is all assurance and not a shadow of doubt!

THE text is wholly taken up with three things—with knowing, with believing and with the Person who is known and believed. And upon both the knowing and the believing, Paul is very decided. He puts in no, "if," no word of change. He does not say, "I hope so," or, "I trust so," but, "I know I have believed and I know whom I have believed." It is all assurance and not a shadow of doubt! Let us imitate the Apostle, or ask for Grace to be able to imitate him, that we may shake off the dubious phraseology which is so common among Christians, nowadays, and may be able to speak with Apostolic confidence upon a matter upon which we ought to be confident if anywhere at all, namely—our own salvation! As the text is thus taken up with knowing and believing, these two matters will be the subject of our meditation at this time. My first remark drawn from the text shall be— I. THE ONLY RELIGIOUS KNOWING AND BELIEVING WHICH ARE OF A SAVING CHARACTER CONCERN THE PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. "I know," says the Apostle—not, "what"—but, " whomI have believed." He does not say, "I know the Catechism which I have believed," nor, "I know the Institutes of Calvin," nor, "I know the body and system of theology," but, "I know whom I have believed." Both the knowing and the believing center around the wondrous Person who for our sakes left His starry Throne and became a Man. Knowing whom is a saving knowledge and trusting whom is a saving trust—of which all other knowing and believing fall short! Observe, then, that all other knowledge may be useful enough in itself, but if it does not concern Christ, it cannot be called saving knowledge. Some persons know a great deal about Doctrine.

I am not ashamed - Though I suffer for the Gospel, I am not ashamed of the Gospel; nor am I confounded in my expectation; his grace being at all times sufficient for me. For I know whom I have believed - I am well acquainted with the goodness, mercy, and power of Christ; and know that I cannot confide in him in vain. That which I have committed unto him - This is variously understood.

For the which cause I also suffer these things - That is, I suffer on account of my purpose to carry the gospel to the Gentiles; see the notes at Col 1:24. Nevertheless I am not ashamed - compare the notes at Rom 1:16. For I know whom I have believed - Margin, “trusted.” The idea is, that he understood the character of that Redeemer to whom he had committed his eternal interests, and knew that he had no reason to be ashamed of confiding in him. He was able to keep all that he had intrusted to his care, and would not suffer him to be lost; see Isa 28:16. And am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him - That is, the soul, with all its immortal interests. A man has nothing of higher value to intrust to another than the interests of his soul, and there is no other act of confidence like that in which he intrusts the keeping of that soul to the Son of God. Hence, learn: (1) That religion consists in committing the soul to the care of the Lord Jesus; because: (a) We feel that we cannot secure the soul’s salvation ourselves. (b) The soul is by nature in danger. (c) If not saved by him, the soul will not be saved at all. (2) That the soul is a great and invaluable treasure which is committed to him. (a) No higher treasure can be committed to another; (b) In connection with that the whole question of our happiness on earth and in heaven is entrusted to him, and all depends on his fidelity. (3) It is done by the true Christian with the most entire confidence, so that the mind is at rest. […]