True North

True North
Words of Faith 7-17-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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2 Timothy 2
[11] Here is a trustworthy saying: If we die 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 will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Sometimes we need a focus, a center point, to find our bearings. Such a point will often take the form of scriptural truth upon which we can stake everything and see where we are going. Paul tells us that, in Christ, this is the cross of Jesus. The Cross of Jesus is our Spiritual True North.
In just a few phrases, Paul clarifies many of life's questions. Here is what it is all about. This is what you can trust-- True North: "If we die with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself."
Most scholars identify these phrases as an early Christian Hymn. We don't have the tune or the chords, but the power of these phrases is not muted even slightly. Paul reminded Timothy of phrases that were likely very familiar to him. There are four "if" clauses. Two are positive, and two are negative, but the last gives great hope.
"If we died with Him, we shall also live with him"-- declares profoundly our identity and life in Christ. Life for us begins at the cross. Paul wrote these similar thoughts to the believers in Rome: "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin (Romans 6:3-6). Now if we die with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him (Romans 6:8).
"If we endure, we will also reign with him"-- is a powerful call to perseverance in the face of adversity. The phrase expresses a decisive continuing action and a tremendous reward that will come. If we continue enduring to the end, we shall reign with him in victory. Jesus said something similar: "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).
"If we disown him, he will also disown us"... gives us a sobering reminder that our choice to disown Christ goes both ways. This is a severe warning. We cannot reject Christ and then expect not to be rejected ourselves. Does this mean such sin is "unforgivable?" Simon Peter is proof that we can recover, but this is a stark word of caution.
"If we are, if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." This final verse speaks of God's amazing grace. God is bigger than the failings of our faith. He is more significant than our questions and doubts. He will remain faithful to pursue us even when we have serious faith questions. Because we are organically connected to the Body of Christ, even when we fail, He does not, and He cannot disown Himself.
God cannot disown us. We can disown God... and in doing so, we have chosen to be disowned by God. He respects our choice. But we will not be disowned because we have struggled to believe, floundered in our faith, or made too many mistakes. Not many of us would make it. He does not disown himself. We are his.
Jesus said it this way: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:28-29).

Father God, give me my bearings. Focus me on the true north of the Cross of Jesus. I profess that I have died with him; I rejoice that I will also live with him; I commit to endure and so also to reign with Him. I refuse the call of the world to disown Him, period. I trust He will remain faithful when I am faithless, for he cannot disown Himself. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.