Paul's Faith, 2 Tim 3:10-12

2 Tim 3:10-12

Paul's Faith

We have been looking at the list of qualities Paul saw in Timothy. The section is titled The Man of God and the Word of God. Timothy had learned these character qualities by observing Paul and imitating him. We looked at 1Cor 11:1 where Paul wrote to all believers that they should imitate him as he imitates Christ. So there is much for us to consider. These are for leaders in the church especially, but they are also items that we are all called to have as a part of us. And, today's characteristic of faith is of extreme importance. Without the right kind of faith we cannot be saved from sin and justified by God's grace. Without faith, and faith in its proper object, it is impossible to please God.

Our text:

1. Carefully FollowedàTo Timothy

¹⁰ But you (Timothy) have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions,

2. Persecutions Endured

which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured.

3. Due Credit for Deliverance

And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Let's look deeper at the next item in our text:

Faith

There are two basic ways the word faith is used. The objective use is the system of doctrine known as the faith. Jude tells us the faith was once for all delivered to the saints. It is the faith that we confess that is a series of statements based on the doctrine found in the scriptures. It is important to have right doctrine in order to confess the faith properly

The second use is the subjective side of faith. It is how we are affected by the faith given to us by God. It is how we live because of God's work in us. It is all encompassing. Paul wrote whatever is not of faith is sin. Faith or the faith touches everything we are and do. The objective side of this sounds a lot like the first item in the list, doctrine. The second item in the list, manner of life, sounds like the subjective side of faith. All of these items overlap to some degree. Faith touches on all of life. Or, at least it should. And, it should it powerful ways. That is why the public means of grace are so important. God has ordained preaching as the means to bring the good news of salvation to people. The content of preaching is the Faith and how to live by faith. Or, in another metaphor to walk by faith and not by sight. There is always more to learn about living by faith. We can have extensive knowledge, but never have exhaustive knowledge. As we learn more about the faith, and ourselves, we apply the teachings of faith to ourselves. It will only end in glory.

The verb to believe and the noun faith come from the same root word. Faith is believing. To use faith as an action it needs a helping verb--I have faith. Otherwise faith is a thing. As J.C. Ryle used an acrostic for FAITH so people would remember. He spelled out the sentence Forsaking All I Trust Him. That is a wonderful definition of real faith. Faith has an object. The object of saving faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. When God gives faith, the recipient forsakes his or her attempts to please God. They stop doing religious works to gain God's pleasure and they trust God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes about this transaction in these words: "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." God made Jesus to become sin for the likes of us that we might receive what we don't deserve in return--to be made the righteousness of God in Christ. God does this by giving those who believe a gift of faith. Listen to Eph 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Faith is the God-given instrument that saves those God calls to himself. He does it so nobody can boast--we can't claim that we have saved ourselves. Salvation is always unconditional and supernatural. God does it by His grace through faith. The act of giving faith to a soul is what makes it spiritually alive.  The dead souls is raised from the dead--Eph 1. It is born again--John 3:3.

All of these wonderful metaphors are used to describe the depth of salvation by faith. As we forsake all to trust him.

In Reformed Theology, there are three kinds of faith that we talk about. The three kinds are significant. The first is called by the Latin word Assensus. It is a mere historical faith a simple assent to facts heard and understood. Many people believe a lot of things about Jesus and Christianity yet they remain unchanged in what they believe and how and why they live like they do. We have mentioned men in the Bible who were like this: Judas, the treasurer of the disciples, Simon the magi and others like those mentioned in Matthew 7 who will claim to have done all sorts of wonderful things in Jesus name only to have Jesus say, Away from me, I NEVER knew you. All of these and more were numbered among the people of God but they did not have saving faith. They had historical or temporary faith. When hard times come they fall away. This is also called demonic faith. Yes, you heard correctly. Listen to James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!

Are demons numbered among the elect? No they are fallen angels. They are monotheists, even. They know a lot of the truth, but it does them no good because they do not receive it with faith, nor can they,

The second kind of faith is notitia. It is where people take note of the truth. They may even profess some truthful ideas. They may have had an awakening experience of sorts that brought them from no belief to historical belief and then wanting to know more took note of more of the truth. People do this all the time. We have had people who had this experience. I've met professors in prestigious places who have forgotten more Christian truth than I will ever know. But, it does not do them any spiritual good. It is a collection of curiosities about Christianity. Perhaps Simon the Magi moved to this level. Or, perhaps Annanias and Saphira. There are plenty of people in the NT epistles who are mentioned and fall into this category. We read of a couple in this little book of 2 Timothy.

The third kind of faith is called Fiducia. When someone ahs a fiduciary trust in something, it is a whole-souled trust that they thing expected will come to fruition. Life Insurance is a fiduciary trust. When you die, if you have it, you expect it to be paid to your beneficiary.  This kind of faith is a whole-souled belief in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you and work in you by his grace. It comes with the expectation that after he completes his work in me in the here and now, that he will take me home to heaven. In order for that to not happen, Jesus would have to fail at his promises.

John 10:28-29 reads 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

What a wonderful picture. Jesus holds the hand of the believer  has his hand and the believer in it held by God, the One who is greater than all.

Did you ever think about the phrase, "little faith?"

In Matthew there are four times where Jesus tells the disciples they are men of little faith. Matt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31 & 16:8. In one of the parallel passages in Mark 4:40, Jesus tells the disciples that they have no faith. How can that be?

The disciples were slow to believe everything Jesus taught them. To have little faith is to have faith that is good as nothing. It is not enough faith. Yet, many read these words and they are content with having a little and simple faith. They miss the point of what salvation really is. It is a whole-souled commitment to follow Jesus in the way he wants to be followed. Near the end of the three years with Jesus the disciples came to understand what Jesus meant. After the resurrection they understood even more.

Yet, right after the resurrection we read this narrative:

Luke 24: 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"

19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."

25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

What a sermon that must have been. Jesus teaching the faith to those who followed him when he was alive. And later or it says, Did not out hearts burn within us…Faith grows through instruction. That is how our faith increases. We hear the Word, we apply it to ourselves in ways even a pastor can't. Then we life by what we have hidden in our hearts. Then we keep preaching it to ourselves. That's what meditation is all about.

So, do you have the faith that saves? Do you have a vital interest in the work of God for you in Christ. Does it humble you when you consider God had no conditions and had to act supernaturally in order to number you among his elect?

Or, do you have some degree of historical faith that satisfies your curiosity and is enough to make you think you are God's child, yet in your heart you are still rebelling against him and his Word?

Don't be like the demons. Be like Paul and Timothy. Imitate their faith and walk by it. AMEN!