What’s the worst miscalculation you ever made? What blunder do you most want to hide from other folks? We’ve all made them, haven’t we? I don’t know anyone who never fouls up. We may call them “mistakes” — and sometimes they are. But more often they should be called what they really are — sins. They may not be intentional efforts to pull the wool over someone’s eyes. But deliberate or not, and regardless of our motives, we’ve all “sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
A phrase the apostle Paul had some fondness for, found at 2 Timothy 2:11 is “Here is a trustworthy saying.” It’s found four other times in the New Testament (1 Tim.1:15; 3:1; 4:9; and Titus 3:8). Each context is intended to encourage trust in God and his word. Please think with me briefly about the one in 2 Timothy.
The context of 2 Timothy 2:11-13 is the suffering Paul and other Christian disciples are called to endure. “If we died 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.”
Without any fear of contradiction, I suggest the worst error; the absolute most horrible offense we can commit against God is that of disowning or denying the Lord. Think about it. If we refuse to acknowledge the Son of God, how can there be any hope for us? Compare Hebrews 10:26.
One of the apostles, Peter, was so surprised when Jesus forewarned that he would disown his Lord, he ironically denied it. Denial may not be “a river in Egypt,” but it is a stream that runs through the backyards of our minds, and out of which we all drink occasionally.
Not only did Peter deny Jesus, to his own dismay, he did it without hesitation. Compare Matthew 26:35 with Matthew 26:75.
How do we disown or deny Jesus? We can do it literally, of course, as Peter did. But I propose that we do so every time we sin. Each time we do what the apostle John calls “the transgression of the law,” we deny the Lord (1 John 3:4). Every lie, theft and murder is sin. Every time a tongue is allowed to run loose, God is offended. Whenever someone is unfaithful to his or her mate, that person acts as an enemy of the creator of the universe (James 4:4). Every time I mistreat others, I sin against them and God.
When we find ourselves in sin, we ought to turn to Jesus in repentance and faith, be immersed in obedience to him, and never worry again about our eternal destiny (Mark 16:16; Act 2:38; etc.).
If I can help you better understand God’s will for you, please give me a call.