2 Timothy 2:11-15
 
2 Tim 2:11 (KJB)
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
 
There are two possible interpretations for this verse and both are to the benefit of the believer. (Col 3:3 KJV) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  In Colossians 3:3, we are told that the true believer is dead and our life is hidden with Christ in God, which means that we are totally sealed and secured, therefore, no one or nothing can ever remove us from that hiding place. (Psa 119:114 KJV) Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. When we received our resurrected souls, we became dead to this world and the system of evil and being dead with Christ and in God, means we are protected from anything which could possibly remove us from that position.  The second interpretation is that Paul knew of his impending home going and he was reassuring Timothy that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Since we are dead with Christ to this world, we will be with Him in eternity in Heaven at the moment of our physical death. (2 Cor 5:8 KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
 
2 Tim 2:12 (KJB)
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
 
Suffer - Endure
Deny - Renounce or disown
 
(Mat 10:22 KJV) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Paul knew well the meaning of Matthew 10:22 because he was well hated by the religious establishment but he held his testimony to the end of his life which was tremendous evidence that he was saved. What is in view in Matthew 10:22 are those who fall away from Christ which gives evidence that they are not saved. (1 John 2:19 KJV) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. The evidence of being a true believer is to follow Christ in truth, no matter what the earthly consequences are such as Paul faced which was execution. The reward of the believer for faithfulness in this life is that we will reign with Him. (Rev 5:10 KJV) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. As to what capacity or what we will reign over, at this time we do not have that information but someday we will.
The second half of this verse speaks about those who deny Him. This is not speaking about the true believer because there will be times when we have lapses of testimony. The word used here is much stronger than an occasional silence on our part and that is those who claim to be Christians but are really not. One such person in the Bible is Demas. (2 Tim 4:10 KJV) For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Demas was previously mentioned as a faithful brother but by time of 2 Timothy which was Paul’s final book, Demas had forsaken Paul which tells us that Demas was not a true believer. So he renounced Christ and that means he will be denied by Christ on the last day. (Mat 7:23 KJV) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. He desired the things of this world rather than Christ and in this manner he renounced or disowned Christ.
 
2 Tim 2:13 (KJB)
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
 
This verse should be a comfort to Christians. There will be times in our lives when we are not faithful to the Lord and that lapse of faithfulness will spring out of unbelief at that moment. Now this is in contrast to the fact that even though we may have a lapse of faithlessness, Christ is always faithful to His word and faithful to His commitment to all His true children. If He has spoken something or promised something, it will come to pass whether we are faithful in the situation or not because He is faithful in all that He spoke. (Heb 10:23 KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) The words “without wavering” in Hebrews 10:23 speaks of being inflexible or unbending in our commitment to Christ. Then the verse states that He is faithful which promised whatever is in view. The bottom line is that God is always faithful to His word and will bring about what He promises.
 
2 Tim 2:14 (KJB)
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
 
Strive about words - To wrangle about trivial matters or dispute over words
Subverting - Destruction, catastrophe, or overthrow
 
The words “put in remembrance” is in the Imperative Mood making it a command. Paul is commanding Timothy that he is to bring to the remembrance of his hearers the subjects we just previously spoke of concerning the faithfulness of God, the future life of the believers, and the future of those who renounce Christ. Paul wants to make sure that these believers under Timothy’s care do not strive or dispute over trivial matters or over words which have no profit. Paul wants them to continually focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and not to be diverted into peripheral arguments which do not lead to salvation, instead they subvert the minds and diversion will overthrow the believers and cause them to go after other teachings. The word for “subverting” in the Greek is the same word we get for “catastrophe.” It is always a catastrophe when a believer is diverted from the true teachings of Christ to other nonessential teachings which will cause no growth in the believer. There is very rarely ever a time when even the most inconsequential teachings will not lead a believer from the central teachings of Christianity. All religious or theological arguments will produce some type of split, even if it is the most minute one. This is what Paul wants to avoid. Just as a mustard seed of faith grows up into a large tree of faith, a mustard seed of discord will grow up into a mighty tree of discord. If these type of arguments can be avoided it will not derail any of the hearers.
 
2 Tim 2:15 (KJB)
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 
Study - Be eager or diligent
Approved - Acceptable or tested
Workman - Laborer or doer
Rightly dividing - Rightly handling or cutting straight
 
The word behind “study” in the Greek is in the Imperative Mood making this a command to all believers. The word “study” does not necessarily mean to study like one studies for a test, yet, that is part of it. We continue to study the Scriptures and as we understand more of them by the indwelling Holy Spirit, there will be an eagerness in us to share the word with others. As this verse teaches, we are diligent in our Christian walk so we may be approved unto God. This does not mean we are working for salvation because that would mean you are unsaved and no unbeliever trying to work their way to Heaven will ever be approved by God. This command is to true believers who have an eagerness to become strong Christians. Now we are approved unto God as workmen, and those workmen are not just sitting around but are busy in the sending forth of the Gospel.
 
(James 2:20 KJV) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James teaches us that what good is having faith if you never act on that faith? How could others know your faith is true if you do not act on what you claim is true? We become ashamed if we do nothing for the Kingdom of God. There are countless numbers of Christians who have done nothing but go to church and think that is all God requires. These would be ashamed in comparison to the many others who have vibrant ministries. Not only are we to have a vibrant ministry, but it is to have a ministry of the word in truth. We are to rightly handle the word of God by interpreting it correctly and rejecting any fanciful interpretations which may divert believers from the central teaching of the Bible which is Christ.
 
Today there are so many who have ministries according to wrong interpretations of the Bible. They are teachings like faith healing, because they do not know that healing was a miracle which ended in the first century and they do not realize that all healing, even in unbelievers is done by God. There is prosperity teaching because money is their central theme by incorrectly teaching vows and tithing. There is date setting by those who believe they can manipulate the Scriptures to give them a date of Christ’s return and they have all been wrong. These are just three erroneous teachings which have diverted believers from Christ. This is why we are to rightly divide by rightly understanding the Word of God and only then we will not be ashamed before the Lord.

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