In the middle of Paul’s last letter, he quotes what is believed to be lyrics from an ancient hymn-

“For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.”
(2 Tim 2:11-13)

I wonder if he sang the words as he wrote them.

And I love how music sticks with us like it does. As Paul sat in that dark prison, this hymn was playing in his mind.

Sometimes, the songs from Sunday morning will hit me on a rainy Wednesday at just the right time.

Of course, that eighties music I listened to in high school – Madonna, Rod Stewart, those lyrics are still stuck in my head too 😩…. it’s so important to pay attention to what we listen to…but I digress.

Lets read again those true words of the song playing in Paul’s mind,

“For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.”
(2 Tim 2:11-13)

The faithlessness of man does not erase the faithfulness of God.

Please read that again.

The faithlessness of man does not erase the faithfulness of God.

In these days, where we are seeing people we once counted strong in the faith falling away— compromising with our lost culture, and giving in to very public sin, we have to guard our hearts and minds in the truth that, the faithlessness of man absolutely does not erase the faithfulness of God.

Maybe we need to sing this truth, as Paul did, to keep reminding ourselves to look up at God rather than around at others when we are tempted to let our faith be impacted by the sin failure of others.

The truth is, we are all flesh. Christians have all been given the way out of every temptation, but we don’t always take it.

Let’s be diligent to recognize and immediately flee sin. Let’s don’t play with sin or be foolish enough to think we can handle it.

Because the truth is, sin will take us further than we ever thought it would. When we play with it, we are playing with destroying fire.

No one ever said, “I’d like to be a drug addict.” “I’d like to blow up my family with this affair.” “I’d like to go to jail with this illegal business deal.” “I’d love to ruin my reputation and my ministry and become addicted to porn.”

God’s Word tells us, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13-15)

Of friends, let’s flee sin. Every time. Let’s run to Jesus daily. Let’s look to Him alone for He is faithful and the sin failure of men does not change this! No, not ever!

readTimothy

Kimjaggers.com