Sunday 14th January
Read 2 Timothy 2:11-13
“Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.” (NIVUK)
Whilst the first half of the poem speaks to what faithfully following Jesus means, the second half speaks to the consequences of falling away. Some have interpreted the second clause of the second couplet as offering hope for the faithless. Jesus will remain faithful to those who have fallen away because graciousness in the face of rebellion is foundational to who He is. This is rather unlikely given the nature of ancient poetry.
The poem echoes the words of Jesus Himself. “‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) (NIVUK). Where the poem Paul quotes for Timothy declares that ‘he remains faithful’ the most likely meaning is that He will faithfully disown them. He can’t but be true to His word, ‘for He cannot disown Himself’ (v13c).
All of us, like Timothy, face precisely this choice. To follow Jesus wholeheartedly and endure the risks and rewards that follow, or to disown Him and face the consequences. Those challenges arise each day. Hence Jesus teaches us to pray for daily bread and to not be led into temptation. It should be at the heart of our prayer life.
