2Timothy 1:12
Certainty
Everyone needs at least one sure thing in their life. Unfortunately,
life is very uncertain.
1. Jobs come and go.
2. Markets rise and fall.
3. Sad to say but even most families don’t seem very sure these
days.
4. James tells us that even life itself has no promise of
tomorrow.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on
the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and
then vanisheth away.
Yet, the Apostle Paul expresses certainty here. Not certainty in his
friends, his wealth, his position, or his education. In fact, Paul’s
certainty was with a Person whom he could not see or touch. Paul was
certain about Jesus Christ.
In this verse, I see three levels of certainty that Paul had learned
about in Jesus. Let me share them with you.
I. First, Paul believed. "…I have believed…"
A. Those words by themselves do not mean much but they do express
that Paul had the ability to believe.
1. He was calling himself a believer.
2. Any relationship we have with Jesus, must be begin based
on our ability to believe.
B. Believing has three stages:
1. There can be NO BELIEF.
a. Sadly, when it comes to Jesus, many have no beliefs at
all.
b. They do not believe that Jesus is God, that He died,
that He rose, that He can save, that there is life
after death, that there is salvation.
c. That is sad for two reasons.
(1) That is sad because NO BELIEF in Christ insures
damnation.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God.
(2) That is even more sad because everyone has to
believe in something spiritual by faith.
(a) Humanity doesn’t know everything.
(b) I have chosen to take by faith the existence
of an infinite and eternal Being who is
good and loving rather than to take by
faith that nothing can produce something
and that all we are and see is the result
of infinite number of impossible
coincidences.
(c) Think about it that for a while and tell me
whose belief system takes the greatest leap
of faith.
(d) I really do not think it is mine.
2. There can be HEAD BELIEF.
a. HEAD BELIEVE is having a head knowledge with no
passion.
b. Head believers may even be mostly correct in their
facts, but they leave Jesus in the church.
(1) They don’t personally study their Bible.
(2) They don’t seek God, His presence, or His will.
(3) They don’t see sin as "their" problem.
c. What head believers don’t know is that having a
knowledge of Jesus is not all that is required to be
saved.
3. Then there is SAVING BELIEF.
a. Saving belief is a head acknowledgment with a soul
commitment.
b. It is a "belief" that impacts everyday life.
c. When you have that kind of belief, it becomes a faith
that guides your whole life.
C. Paul’s certainty in God came from a SAVING BELIEF in Him.
1. Paul believed and Paul was saved, the same way you and I
must believe and be saved.
2. Even so, believing in Jesus to the point of salvation is
just the beginning the rock-sure certainties Paul had
about Christ.
a. Do you remember the story of the father whose son was
possessed with a demon and he brought him to Jesus?
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the
child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I
believe; help thou mine unbelief.
b. Here a father believed enough to bring his son to
Jesus; yet, he acknowledges that his belief was
incomplete.
c. His initial faith was enough to begin a walk with
Christ, but he knew that he needed to go farther.
3. So it was with Paul’s saving belief. He was not content
with believing and being saved.
4. His relationship with Jesus went farther.
II. Paul not only believed in Christ, he knew the Christ in whom he
believed. "…I know whom…."
A. Paul knew the Jesus in whom he believed.
1. This is not just a play on words.
2. The need was taught by Jesus to His disciples.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so
long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the
Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the
Father?
B. This occurred in the upper room the night that Jesus was
arrested.
1. These disciples had believed on Jesus for at least three
years.
2. They had forsaken their nets, their tax tables, their
shops—-everything to follow Jesus. That is a greater
faith than most of us have.
3. They had traveled like gypsies and vagabonds to serve
Jesus. That is more of a commitment that most of us
have made.
4. They had publicly preached the name of Jesus, cast out
demons, healed the sick, and gave sight to the blind.
That is more work than any of us will render.
5. Yet, Jesus chides them. "Do you not know me?"
C. WHAT WAS MISSING?
1. Jesus did not want the disciples to just believe ON Him.
a. He wanted them to believe IN Him.
b. Jesus wanted them to know Him and to trust Him.
2. To know Jesus is…
a. …to be familiar with Jesus.
b. …to understanding of Jesus.
c. …to anticipate to some degree what is on Jesus’ mind.
d. It is to be comfortable with Jesus.
3. When a young man first dates a young lady, he has some
uncertainty. Does she like Chinese or Mexican? seafood or
fresh water fish?
a. Eventually, he will become familiar enough to know
what she likes.
b. He may even be able to anticipate what she will want
or do in advance.
D. This kind of rapport between a sinful human and the holy God
would require:
1. Time - This kind of knowledge probably won’t be
instantaneous.
2. A close fellowship together
3. A great sensitivity to God
4. Much change on the part of the human
E. Yet Paul was implying that this was not only possible, but
that he had achieved some level of it.
1. Paul knew Jesus’ character, His desires, His thoughts.
2. Where did Paul get this kind of knowledge of Jesus?
a. From years of abiding with Him.
b. It started in the desert of Arabia when Paul spent
a year or two or maybe even three in the wilderness
with just him and God.
c. It continued through the visions and revelations he
had as he ministered for Jesus.
3. Where will you and I get that kind of knowledge of Jesus?
a. by abiding in His Word
b. by abiding in prayer
c. and by abiding amongst His spirit-filled people
F. The knowledge (familiarity) that Paul developed with his Lord
gave him two great abilities:
1. The ability to love Him.
a. I don’t think you could spend the time and make the
sacrifices required to get to know someone like Paul
did unless you loved Him.
b. Love grows between people who spend time and share
experiences together.
2. The ability to completely trust in Him.
a. Paul was not just trusting in what Jesus said He would
do.
b. Paul was trusting in HIM.
c. Christians who KNOW Jesus do not get the assurance of
a sure thing as much as they get a relationship with
a SURE ONE.
G. Yet Paul had another plane of certainty with Jesus.
III. Paul believed on Jesus, he knew the Jesus he believed on, but he
also had committed to the Jesus he knew. ‘…I have committed
unto him…."
A. Commitment is a step of certainty far beyond believing or even
being familiar with.
1. Few relationships make it to the place of commitment to
one another.
2. Many couples are familiar enough with each other to
live together, but they never make a commitment to one
other.
3. In like manner, many Christians are familiar with their
church, but never make a commitment to it.
4. So it is possible to be familiar with Jesus, but not be
committed to Him.
B. Commitment is the highest certainty two beings can share.
1. I believe there are several levels in a relationship and
Paul was mentioning some of them.
a. Believe them
b. Know them
c. Trust them
d. Love them
e. But the highest of all is to be committed to them.
2. Commitment is seen in what God did for us. When God
committed Himself to us, He determined to do whatever was
necessary to save us.
3. Commitment measure your level of determination to a
relationship.
a. Commitment is a determination to trust—no matter what.
b. Commitment is a determination to stand with someone—no
matter what.
c. Commitment is a determination to invest in someone—no
matter what it takes.
d. Commitment is a determination to continue—no matter
what.
C. Believing, knowing, trusting, and loving are all good, but
have limits.
a. Commitment is love without limits.
b. That is why a committed marriage is an important step.
c. That is why church membership is an important step.
d. And that is why commitment to Jesus Christ is an important
step.
If you are having a hard time committing to Christ, let me remind
you: Jesus is more committed to us than we will ever be to Him.
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