Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 2nd Letter Volume 20

Paul tells Timothy to be a Good Soldier of Christ Jesus Part 7

2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. KJV

Assured by this fact and truth and reality that the devil cannot chain or capture or confine the Word of God, then Paul is motivated to keep on speaking and teaching the truth of the Gospel of Christ and of Grace which declares all men equally evil and sinful in need of the only remedy for sin being the Blood of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul then with this as his springboard is courageously willing to suffer anything as he declares to Brother Timothy with these words, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (2 Timothy 2:10) (KJV). Paul had been motivated (before his own new birth/redemption/salvation) to destroy every believer in Jesus Christ by imprisoning them or even killing them, but now Paul has a new motivation and that being to declare the Gospel of Grace to every soul on the earth within his reach personally and within the reach of every believer in every Church he founded. The English word 'endure' Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word hupomenō meaning (as used here) figuratively to undergo, that is, bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere: The little English phrase 'all things' is translated by the Greek word pas meaning exactly what we know our English dictionary says and that is, every thing or any thing or all things. The little English phrase 'elect's sakes' is translated by the Greek word eklektos meaning select; by implication favorite: - chosen, elect.

In other words, the chosen children of God who were out in this world still 'in their sins' was the motivation for the Apostle Paul to persevere and bear or undergo all trials, terror, and test brought to him by our enemy the devil and his invisible devils as well as his visible two-legged devils. The Gospel needed to reach everyone of God's elect sons and daughters, so Paul was made by God one of the vessels being used to distribute His Word to their hearing. This is why Paul would not compromise the truth of the Word of God at anytime, for he knew that any twisting, or tweeking, or tampering with the truth would cause the elect to be delayed from their inheritance in Christ, and he told the Colossian Church with these words what we have and who we are in Christ, "And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in whom also you were raised through the faith of the working of God, raising Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:10-15) (Modern King James Version).

The English word 'salvation' (is one we have declared and defined many times) is translated by the Greek word sōtēria and it means rescue or safety (physically or morally): - deliver, health, salvation, save, saving. This is what we have in our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blood sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, rescue and safety from eternal punishment and torment in hell and the lake of fire, therefore, Paul made it his purpose and mission to get the true Gospel to everyone that God the Father has chosen, even before the world was founded by Him, just as Paul declared to the Ephesian believers in the very opening of his only letter written to them, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ; according as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He has made us accepted in the One having been loved." (Ephesians 1:3-6) (Modern King James Version).

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say concerning Paul's enduring all things for the elect's sake, "There is a certain number of persons whom God has chosen in Christ from everlasting unto salvation, who shall certainly be saved; for these Jesus Christ suffered and died; and on their account is the Gospel sent, preached, and published to the world; for their sakes are ministers fitted and qualified for their work, and have their mission and commission to perform it, and suffer what they do in the execution of it; and since it was for the sake of such, whom God had loved and chosen, that the Apostle endured all his reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, he was the more cheerful under them; and the consideration of it was a support unto him: as well as himself, and other chosen vessels of salvation, who were called by grace already; for the Apostle is speaking of such of the elect, who were, as yet, in a state of nature." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about God's elect obtaining salvation which is in Christ Jesus, "To the salvation of our own souls we should be willing to do and suffer any thing to promote the salvation of the souls of others. The elect are designed to obtain salvation: God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:9. This salvation is in Christ Jesus, in Him as the fountain, the purchaser, and the giver of it; and it is accompanied with eternal glory: there is no salvation in Christ Jesus without it. The sufferings of our Apostle were for the elects' sake, for their confirmation and encouragement."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…