2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed… We sometimes believe in men whom we do not know. We think we know them; but we are mistaken. We may inquire; we may observe; we may ask for testimony and receive it: we may even put men to severe test: still we are sometimes mistaken and deceived, and we have to confess, "I did not know the man whom I trusted." The case presented by the text is the opposite of that. In this instance we have trust leading to increased and enlarged knowledge — knowledge strengthening trust, and both producing the expression of full assurance. You observe that the language of the text is somewhat metaphorical. We have certain facts in the Christian life put before us here under the figure of a deposit — A depositor — A depositary, and the confidence of the depositor. I. WHAT IS THIS DEPOSIT? Was it the soul of the writer? Was it the well-being of Paul in his persecution, the getting good out of his sorrow (1 Peter 4:19). Was it the work of his salvation — that work to which he himself refers, when, addressing some of his converts, he says, "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it"? Was it his future crown — the crown of righteousness? Was it his converts, for whom he was perpetually praying? Was it his apostolate? Was it the welfare of the Churches? Was it the truth, and the proclamation of the truth? The great care of a man on a dying bed is himself, and this should be our great care in life; yet to take charge of himself no man is capable. Whatever capacity a man may have had, or human nature may have had before the fall, the loss of capacity which sinfulness and transgression have occasioned is immense; and there is a fearful loss of position. The soul is guilty, and needs pardon, righteousness, and restoration. The spirit is polluted, and it is dark, dim, dull, and deathly, through its pollution — it wants light and life. A physician is needed to whom this soul, conscious of its guilt and of the disease of sin, may commit itself. A priest is needed, who can undertake the work of atonement; and an advocate, who can make intercession. Such an advocate, such a priest, such a physician, Paul had found in Jesus Christ; and to Him, who unites in His own person all that a sinner needs to find in a Saviour, Paul had given up himself. II. THE DEPOSITOR. This is Saul of Tarsus. Did Gamaliel teach him this? Some of Gamaliel's strongest and most prominent lessons were self-reliance. The tendency of his teaching was to lead the young Saul to depend upon himself, and he had, as we know, from the story of his life, an immense amount of self-confidence. There is nothing committed to God to keep — the man only talks of his own virtues and good deeds, comparing himself with another. This is not Saul the Pharisee, it is Saul the Christian. It is Saul, but it is Saul born again, it is Saul born from above, it is Saul a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new! New, this confidence in another; old, that self-confidence. "I can take care of myself," would have been his language a few years ago; "my prayers and alms-giving, and good works will save me," he would then have said; now, he is entirely changed, and he represents the state of his heart in writing, "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." Saul of Tarsus took charge of himself, but Saul the Christian committed himself to another. And who is that other? III. THE DEPOSITARY. Does Paul here refer to God, whose name he mentions in the eighth verse, or to our Saviour, Jesus Christ, whom he introduces to us in the tenth verse? We think he refers to our Saviour, Jesus Christ — not, of course, that we can separate God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ — because "God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." The depositary, mark, is Christ; the anointed Keeper of souls; one upon whom the unction of the Holy Ghost was poured out without measure, that He might take charge of souls; Christ — observe, Jesus Christ, the divine and devoted Keeper of souls. Now, to "Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light"; to the "Word made flesh," "God manifest in flesh," "God over all blessed for evermore," to Him did Paul commit himself. It is in vain that you try to mingle these things — taking the responsibility of life upon your shoulders and committing yourself to another. You cannot do this; you must either madly and vainly try to bear the burden alone, or you must commit the whole to your Saviour, and all then that you are responsible for is, doing what He tells you, and not doing that which He forbids you. But, as to the charge, the charge is His; and as to the responsibility, the responsibility is His; and as to the care, all the care is His. Is there any danger of your abusing these truths? Is it possible that any of you can say, "Well, if this be the case, I have certainly asked Christ to take the charge of my soul, and I may be as careless as I please." When you put yourself into the hands of a physician, you feel that you are accountable for obedience to his instructions, and that his resources are made available to you just as you are submissive to his treatment. Just so with our Saviour Jesus Christ. IV. THE CONFIDENCE OF THE DEPOSITOR. "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." The confidence of Paul relates to four objects: — 1. The general character of the depositary. "I know what He is, and what He can do; I see and I appreciate all the attributes of His nature; I know that He has an eye that never slumbers nor sleeps, an arm that is never weary, a working hand that is stretched out still, a heart of love — the extent and energy of which surpass knowledge. 2. Then it rests in the ability of the depositary with respect to this particular trust. "He is able to keep" — ABLE to keep. Few men had so seen the dangers of this world as Paul. God keeps some souls in a blissful, childish ignorance of their dangers, and they go through life with an amount of simplicity which is extraordinary, and which we cannot account for except upon the principle that God does literally hide them as in His pavilion. But there are others whose spiritual senses are so quickened, that they see almost every thing relating to their religious life — at least the many of the spiritual and evil influences to which they are exposed. 3. This confidence relates to the continuousness of the present assurance. "He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." The fires of that day shall burn the wood, hay, stubble, and shall develop in grand contrast the gold, and the silver, and the precious stones. "Against that day. 'He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him.' He knows what the test of that day will be, and against that day He is able to guard my trust, and nothing that I have committed to His hands, shall even in that day be lost." 4. Further, you observe, the apostle rests very much in the accuracy, and in the soundness of his own experience. "I know," he says, "whom I have believed." And how did he know? Did he know through having received the testimony of the prophets, who all bore witness to the Saviour? Did he know simply through having listened to Christian teaching, or to the teaching of such an one as Ananias? No; from these sources he did derive information, but he knew through following Christ, that He was able to keep that which he had committed to Him — he knew through taking advantage of Christ, that He was able — just as you know what a physician can do, by his attendance at your sick bed, or as you may know what a legal adviser is able to do, by the counsel he gives you in some time of temporal perplexity, or just as you may know a friend by his aid in the hour of adversity. He had, again and again, put Jesus Christ to the proof, and the proof had shown that not even God's words had fully described the Saviour. (S. Martin.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the which cause 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 that which I have committed unto him against that day. |
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