July 7, 2014
II Timothy 2:19
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
I am going to continue taking a break from What Will The Millennium Be Like? I may get back to it in future blogs because I have always found prophecy about the coming Kingdom very interesting. But two days ago in my Bible reading I came across II Timothy 2:19, and thought, “Now that would make good blog material!” So let’s have a go at it – looking at A Sealed Foundation.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord
knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.”
There are several companies in our area of southwestern Pennsylvania that are in the business of waterproofing foundations. It seems that if a building’s foundation is not sealed and is letting in water in the wrong places, that foundation can crack, bulge, and eventually collapse! We need a good and sure foundation in our lives generally and in our Christian lives in particular! Jesus addressed this issue in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24 though 27:
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken
him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended,
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it did not
fall, for it was founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these sayings
of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house
upon the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.
Of course, the Rock upon which we are to build our lives is Jesus Christ! Paul tells us in I Corinthians 3:11, “…no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” He’s writing to Christians, and so Paul is here saying there can be no other foundation laid on which to build – that is, to live out – the Christian life!
In our II Timothy passage above, the apostle – at the very end of his life – looks at that foundation from another angle. And he sees two seals upon it – one apparent only to God and one that will be readily apparent to the eyes of man.
• “The Lord knows those who are His…” – Obviously God knows those who are His! To be His – His child – you must be born again by God’s Holy Spirit into His family (see John 1:12 and 13; John 3:3 through 8). You are given a new nature, according to II Corinthians 5:17, called “a new heart” in Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.” And God told Samuel in I Samuel 16:7, “…the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” You can never fool God! As it says in Hebrews 4:13, “…there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
• “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Iniquity is sin! The opposite is called holiness! And holiness is not often enough preached or taught in our modern churches! That’s too bad, because it is so important for the Christian to manifest holiness in his or her life! How important is it? In Hebrews 12:14 God plainly says, “Pursue…holiness, without which no one will see the Lord….”
And just what is holiness? It may be best described as separation unto God and His will – separation from the ways of the world, the society of which is under Satan’s control (see Luke 4:5 through 8; I John 2:15 through 17). Separation is also consecration and dedication to wholly follow God’s leading. It is taking your cross and following Jesus – dying to self so you can live for God. It is constantly praying the prayer – and meaning it – that Jesus prayed in the garden: “…nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42). It is letting Jesus Christ live His life through you by the power of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 2:20).
Such holiness will show forth brightly in this dark world, and be readily evident to the eyes of man!
Do you have A Sealed Foundation?