Paul comforted believers, that the sufferings of this world are nothing compared to the glory to be revealed in us at the return of Christ!
Paul's personal salvation testimony was intricately tied to the union of Christ with His people in suffering. On Paul's way to persecute believers in Damascus, the Lord Himself confronted Paul with the reality: "Why are you persecuting ME!" Jesus declared that He treated Paul's assaults against the church as a personal afront and attack against Himself!
Paul reminded Timothy how much persecution the apostle had suffered during his ministry, yet God had delivered him from them. Indeed, Paul taught that all who live godly in Christ will suffer persecution.
Recall how the Savior warned us before He went to the cross, that the world hated Him, and therefore hated His people also, because we follow and believe on Jesus.
Paul went on to declare his utter assurance of the power of his Redeemer to save him to the end from all persecution. He wrote, that for the cause of Christ and the gospel, "I suffer all 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!"
Paul also assures his converts of their privilege to suffer with Christ!
To their adversaries who persecute them, their steadfastness in Christ, and their refusal to back down under terrorist attacks, proves they are doomed and hopeless fools.
But to believers, that steadfastness in faith is a proof, that God will save us as He has promised.
That faith, like the suffering, is a gift from God to all His people who He loves, not of our own making or sustaining!
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
