For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12.
Dear God and King, what a privilege is ours to know you. Therefore we do not fear the coming of that great Day when You will return to give to each one what we deserve. For we rely not on our merits (we have none). We know that it is Christ who will see us through; and for this we give You thanks. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This is a very important portion of Scripture. This entire second letter of Paul to Timothy, Paul’s “true son in the faith” carries a certain urgency. Paul is beginning to recognize that if this second trial in Rome does not go well he will die for the sake of the gospel.
Therefore, he calls upon his young ministerial associate to be bold for the sake of the gospel, and makes this request of him, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (8-10).
He realizes that the time has come for him to pass on the gospel torch, and he wants to be sure that the flame of the gospel will not go out. One of the ways he hopes to encourage young Timothy is with the word of his testimony:
“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
He will be brave in the face of death because he wants to leave his successor an example worthy of emulation. So he builds upon his confidence in the faithfulness of God! I know the judge! He knows all about me! I am sure, beyond the shadow of any reasonable doubt, that everything that I have given to Him for safekeeping is in good hands!
Every sin confessed, every doubt expressed, every weakness of the flesh forsaken. He was sure that he served a faithful and just judge. He could do nothing to save himself, so he had left everything in the hand of a faithful and loving God.
Paul knew to whom he could commit his salvation. He knew the Judge. Do you?