Paul's talking about his suffering for the gospel. He went out into the world to preach the gospel of God's grace in Christ to the Gentiles. And it brought him a lot of trouble. He'd already told Timothy to not be ashamed of the fact that he was in prison at this time because of his preaching. Because when we preach the gospel that glorifies God and exalts Christ, and puts us where we belong, at His mercy, we don't have one thing to be ashamed of.

And I've thought about this quite a bit going through 1st and 2nd Timothy. You know, I look back on my life, I don't live in the past, so don't think that. But I've done a lot of things I'm ashamed of, haven't you? But I don't dwell on them because why? God doesn't hold them against me. I heard a preacher say the other day on the internet, he was talking about that. He said, why do we remember our sins? Because God doesn't. And he didn't have it right.

Now, God doesn't change. You all know that, don't you? And I'll tell you, we think about the concept of God's attributes. God is eternal. No beginning and no end. That's mind-boggling. We don't even have a language that can really describe and define eternity. That's why a lot of times when you read the Bible, there's a tense in the Greek language called aorist tense. And I'm not giving to you, trying to be smart aleck or anything, But what it is, we don't have any equivalent tense. You know, we've got past, present, and future in our English language. But we don't have any tense to corner eternity. So a lot of times it's just put in past tense.

Like up here where he says in verse eight, look at verse eight. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. That's what we're talking about. According to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling. Now that's past tense. But look, he says, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. And you think about it, in the eternal unchangeable mind of God, that boggles us. I mean, that just, I step back and say, what a God we worship. Because there never was a point in time where God just got up one morning and said, I think I'll choose Brett Smith as one of my elect. You've always been in the mind of God. And every one of you who believe the gospel, you've always been there as his children.

Now we were born, we fell in Adam, and we're born in a state of ungodliness and depravity, Enemies of God? We're prodigal sons and daughters by nature. But He marked us out for salvation before the world began and gave us to Christ. And that's mind-boggling. So you think about that. And so, when we look at this, we have to stand back and, you know, like that song, I stand amazed in the presence. of Jesus the Nazarene.

Now why are you standing amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene? Because that's speaking of God in human flesh without sin. That's amazing. And we're going to talk about that in the message today at 11. But look at what he says. He says in verse 12, talking about, don't be ashamed of me or the gospel for the which cause I also suffer these things, this persecution, nevertheless, I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. So the assurance that Paul has here is not founded or grounded in himself. see what I'm saying? I believe and am persuaded that He is able. How are you so persuaded of that Paul? Well, it's by the Holy Spirit who points me and directs me to Christ, knowing who Christ is.

Now that's key. that's one of the things I'm going to be preaching on at 11. So he says in verse 13, hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

How many times through the books through the first book of first Timothy and second Timothy does Paul direct Timothy to stand firm in the doctrine, the truth of Christ. Don't give in. Don't be led astray. Don't compromise. And what is the first thing that mere professors want to compromise when it comes to fellowship and faith and salvation? The doctrine. And basically what they're saying is it really doesn't matter what you believe. Oh, it matters some. You gotta believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Doesn't really matter whether you're a freewheeler or a sovereign gracer or whatever, but how you live, that's what we're interested in.

they don't understand something I'm going to be preaching in the near future here because I'm going to be talking about self-examination and what how would it do they think well as long as long as you live try to live a good life you're okay you may not you may not have your doctrine right well first of all none of us by nature have our doctrine right But when God works in us by his word through Christ and his spirit, how does our doctrine become right? Who's the teacher? You might say, well, Bill Parker. No, not if you know it and believe it. I can tell you the truth and I beg you as I preached a couple weeks ago, test me on that. Go to the word of God and see if I'm not telling you what God's word says.

But it's God who is the teacher. He sends the spirit to teach us. And Paul's gonna say that in just a moment here. But hold fast, that means stand firm, don't give in. For a moment, keep in your possession and in your charge that truth that has set you free. That truth of the gospel which identifies and distinguishes Christ as the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. God manifest in the flesh. He who is God and He who is man without sin, stand firm there. And when these guys come along and talk about Christ being made a sinner, you stand against that. You did, didn't you? He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Stand firm in the doctrine of his redemptive work. What did he do and how did he do it and what did he accomplish? His righteousness, his righteousness imputed, which is the ground of our justification before God and the source of our spiritual life in the new birth. Bible says in Romans 8, 10 that this body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Whose righteousness? Yours? Mine? No, Christ. That's what he's talking about. Stand firm in it. Stand firm in the obedience of love and faith. fight the warfare of the flesh and the spirit.

And he says, which thou hast heard of me. Timothy knew the gospel. It was taught to him by his mother and his grandmother. And I think it's in here that Paul recognizes that. I've got it here somewhere. Well, second Timothy, Oh, in 2 Timothy 3, I'm sorry. He says, he says, verse 12, but evil men and seducers. I've got my, somebody tell me where this is. I've got, I didn't write it down, but he's talking about Lois and Eunice or Eunice some people. Chapter three, chapter one. Okay, 2nd Timothy 1. Yeah, there it is, we found it Mark, thanks. You guys, you know I need help every now and then.

But he says, when I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice, or Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also, and then Paul taught it. So he says, which thou hast heard of me, which you, the things that I taught you. That's what he's talking about. He's not talking about just hearsay, but he'd been taught the gospel from his youth by his grandmother and his mother. And it was Paul who taught him more of the particulars and the implications of the gospel that equipped him for the ministry. to be the pastor as he was at Ephesus.

And he says, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. These sound words, they're not the words of men. They're the words of God. And that's what we need to understand. Faith and love are gifts which God gives to his people. So holding fast the form of sound words in faith and love. That's what we have to be concerned with. When the truth is challenged, when we're challenged, we need to hold firm. And it's by the grace of God. That's what Paul said there in verse 12. I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed.

Well, look at verse 14. He says, that good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in thee. Now, first of all, what is that good thing? That good thing is that treasure of the gospel. There's nothing to replace that. All the truth that identifies and distinguishes the true and living God from idols, that identifies and distinguishes the true Christ from counterfeits, that identifies and distinguishes the true people of God from false professors. That's what we're talking about.

And if it doesn't distinguish, you know, if a preacher preaches a message that doesn't distinguish those things, you know what that is? Yes, you're right. It can be compromised. But specifically, it's the salt that's lost its savor. That's what it is. There's no distinction. It just blends in. And that's what people like to do because that's a safe space for them here on earth. It's not safe before God.

But you know, we don't want trouble. Well, if I preach that to them, they'd leave. At least they're here. You've heard all that. My friend, if the truth is not enough to keep them here, You see, what happens there is men become so full of themselves, they think they can make the difference. Well, I can't make the difference. I can tell you the truth, but only God can keep you here and give you life. But we're not to hold back on these things. This is that good thing.

Out of all the junk, false religion, all the meanness and sinfulness that we're surrounded with and we have to deal with. You get up, turn on the news, and 12 people killed on Bondi Beach. Remember being on Bondi Beach, Jim? When I was in Australia preaching, I had some of the members of the church took me and Jim down to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. So the 12 people killed. And then up in Brown University, two students killed. I mean, we hear stuff like that all the time.

And of all that, we can say without reservation, at least we have one good thing. And of course we have Christ, we have the Spirit, we have the truth. And it's committed unto thee, Paul said. In other words, it's not just something that you can take or leave. It's something that you have to have. When Christ turned to the disciples, after multitudes left him, they followed him because of the loaves and the fishes and the miracles, and then they left him. Christ turned to the disciples. He said, will you go away also? What did Peter say, you remember? John 6, he said, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life. I've got no place else to go.

Now, you may get mad at somebody and say, well, if I had another place to go, I would. But that's OK. We're all idiots. But he said, I've got no place else to go. This is where the children find bread. This is where the thirsty find water. That's what we need. Oh, that good thing. Wasn't Christ saying the attitudes, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Where are you going to be filled with righteousness? Where it's preached, not where it's ignored, where it's distinguished. When you grab a cup of cold water, you want to make sure that you want to think in your mind anyway that it's pure water, that there's no junk in there. And that's the way I feel about this righteousness in Christ and the gospel, the righteousness of God.

So he says, keep this. How am I going to keep it? By the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. We can talk, we can, the inward work of grace, which begins first at the new birth, which is regeneration and conversion. under the preaching of the gospel, in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in the eloquence of the preacher, but in the power of the Spirit, that inward work of grace is the fruit and effect, the product of the grace of God through Christ and his righteousness imputed. And so that's how it comes. through the preaching of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.

It's the spirit that gives life, spiritual life. As Ezekiel stated it, where God told him, he said, I'll give you a new heart. Now, what is the heart? It's the mind, the affections, the will, the inner person, the conscience. I'll give you a new one, new spirit. new life. And that's when that happens. That's the new birth. You must be born again. And so we can say that God dwells in us. We can say Christ dwells in us. The Spirit dwells in us. How? By the Word implanted on our hearts. He won't cast us out and we can't leave it. It's part of us. And that's what he's talking about, the Holy Spirit.

How do I know the Spirit dwells in me? Now that's a key. And the simplest way, I mean, you can preach several messages on that. But the simplest way to determine that for yourself is this.

When you get into trouble over your sins, You get down, depressed, self-condemning, wondering, you know, am I his or not? They used to quote that song by Newton, which I don't like, you know, "'Tis a point I long to know, oft it gives me anxious thought, am I his or am I not?" Something like that, anyway. How do I know? Well, here's the key.

Whenever you get in that kind of state of mind, and we do now, Where do you find peace? Where do you find relief? If you find it anywhere but in Christ, in the Word of God, that's bad. You say, well, I'll do better tomorrow. I hope you do. But if that's where your peace is, that's bad.

Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He is our comfort. He's our peace. Why do you try to find peace in your own works when you complete the blood and righteousness of the Son of God incarnate? A perfect righteousness.

Verse 15, this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. Paul had some who were with him at one time and then turned against him, we know that. He's mentioned some men back in 1 Timothy who did that and mentioned others elsewhere. They were with him in the ministry and then they turned away.

And we know now they didn't lose their salvation. If they turned away unto apostasy, that means falling away, they never were saved to begin with. We can read that in 1 John 2 and in other places.

Paul said in Hebrews 10, who I believe was the human writer of Hebrews, but not everybody agrees with me, that's okay. But he said, we are not of them who draw back unto perdition. And so whether these men did that or not, we don't know. He doesn't explain everything here. But when he says all those who are in Asia, he's referring to all within a certain circle of people, not all without exception. He's not talking about the whole continent or country of Asia minors turned against him. We know that sinners who are not born again were against him, but he's talking about those who were his companions at one time and then they left. Why they left, we don't know. It may have been love of the present world, it may have been persecution, all kinds of reasons that people leave. We've had people leave here just because they wanted to be at church with their friends, which is love of this present world.

But he said these guys have done that. The implication is that not only had they abandoned Paul, they could have abandoned the gospel. And that's apostasy. That's bad. But we know this, that there are people who can have a profession of the truth, but not a heart faith, God-given faith. And Paul exposes two of them, because these men must have been the leaders, and he was led by the Holy Spirit to name names. Now I know that's not a popular thing to do, But Paul was led by the Spirit through this. Remember, this is the Holy Spirit writing. He's using Paul as an instrument. This is God-written. And he says that over in chapter three. All Scripture's given by inspiration of God. God breathed.

And so he says in verse 17, He says, but when he was in Rome, he sought me out, oh wait, verse 16 right, the Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he off refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. Now one of the things that gives you, kind of clicks you off here, is that these guys in Asia who'd left him was because he was in prison. But not Onesiphorus. He said he refreshed me. That's the fellowship of faith. I'm sure when Onesiphorus, when he came to Rome, he had his options. He could have denied it. He could have tried to be secret about it, but no, he went right to Paul. Verse 17 says, but when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found. He wanted to see Paul. He wanted to see his brother, his teacher, his mentor, Paul.

So God, by God's grace, and that's what this is. Look in verse 18, the Lord grant unto him that he may find what? Mercy. Why didn't Paul say the Lord grant unto him that he might get a bigger reward than you? See what I'm saying? Mercy. Mercy of the Lord in that day. In the day of persecution, in the day of judgment, whatever day that he needs it. Well, we need it every day, don't we? And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest it very well. So he shows the difference there. He shows men who left him, forsook him, forsook Christ, and men who stood with him and by the grace of God, by the mercy of God. And what was it over? That good thing. That gospel. All right.