Let's look back in our text in 2 Timothy chapter 1. My main text today is from verses 7 through 12. And here we find Paul admonishing Timothy to stand fast in the face of adversity and hardship, both of which Paul was intimately acquainted with. This man, Paul, had been through many, many trials, many trials. He talks of the beatings he took by the hand of the Jews. Five times he received 39 lashes. His back, no doubt, was a mass of scar tissue. That's 195 lashes across this man's back spread out over five beatings. He had been imprisoned. He had been shipwrecked, falsely accused of heresy and narrowly escaped.

We read one time when the Jews lay in wait for him to kill him, but he encourages Timothy to become a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. Those afflictions, which had been visited upon the apostle Paul numerous times. And he lists some of those trials in second Corinthians chapter six. He says, but in all things, approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching and in fasting. Then in verse nine, He reminds Timothy of the goodness and the power of God toward redeemed sinners, including himself. And notice the wording here in verse nine. The sequence of those things that occur in the salvation of God's chosen ones who has saved us.

Past tense, this happened before Christ ever spoke this world into being. This was determined when we were found in Christ from the far ages of eternity past. God's elect have always, always been secure in Christ. His death, obviously, was the act that actually bought our redemption. But we, as God's chosen ones, have always been saved in the mind and the purpose of God. That is why Christ is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

And since God saved us, the inevitable result of that is then in due time, He calls us with what Paul calls a holy calling. And Paul once again reminds Timothy of something that he already knew. He reminds him that our saving and our calling are not according to anything done by us, but rather it is according to God's own purpose and grace, we're told, toward us in Christ. And he tells Timothy when that occurred. It was decided when we decided to give our heart to Jesus, make Him our personal Savior. When we decided to turn over a new leaf and get our spiritual life in order. When we decided to get right with God. No, no, no, a thousand times no. Those things occurred and those were decided upon in the purpose of God before the world began. But how can they be given us before the world began when the world or us did not exist?

You can't give something to someone who doesn't exist. I can't give a gift to my great, great grandson because he doesn't exist. But all the blessings that we have in this life, and certainly in that life which is to come, we have always had. because we have always been in Christ. Can I explain that? I wouldn't begin to even try.

And there are some mysteries of God that are so profound that they defy any explanation and certainly defy any understanding by our puny, finite minds. But because God has said it, we believe it to be true. We are given faith as a gift. to believe that what God says is true and it shall indeed come to pass. And that is when we were saved before the world began. Certainly there was a time when we became conscious of God's grace toward us in Christ. And certainly there was a time before we were ever born that our salvation was accomplished in time when our savior hung on that Roman tree. And even though these mysteries of God cannot be fully comprehended by our finite mind, Paul tells us in verse 10 of our text that they are revealed, that they are made manifest by the incarnation of God in the flesh by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This one who Paul declared has abolished death, meaning it is wholly done away with. It is made void. It is annulled. It does not exist any longer for the elect of God.

But how can we say that? How can we say death doesn't exist when every believer dies? Everyone we know or have ever known will one day die. But we can say that it doesn't exist because of what we read in John 11, 26, when our Lord said this to Martha, Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." That's pretty plain, isn't it? This body will most certainly die, but it is the soul that our Lord is speaking of in this text, never dying, because it is preserved in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This body must die. Think about that. There is no other way to rid ourselves of the old man that plagues us every minute of every day. The way out, the way to finally be rid of the old man is for this body of flesh to breathe its last breath and to be put in the ground. Then we will be rid of that old man who plagues us every moment of every day.

And Paul further tells Timothy that our Savior not only abolished death, but he has also brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. The gospel that we preach is the power of God unto salvation, Paul said, to everyone that believes. If you have God's salvation, you have immortality. You are the possessor, we're told, of eternal life in Christ.

And then we come to the reason that Paul endured all the things that he suffered, yet he was not ashamed. He said this, for I know whom I have believed in, not what I have believed in. You can believe all the right doctrines. You can know this book and recite it cover to cover. You can know all about the Lord Jesus Christ and still be lost. Salvation is not a doctrine. Don taught us that for 40 years. Salvation is not a doctrine. It is not a set of beliefs. It is not acquired knowledge.

It is a person, and that person's name is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Philippians chapter 3, Paul begins with a warning about those who put much emphasis on the outward things of the flesh. And then he lists his lineage as a perfect Jew, perfect outwardly. But then in verse 7, we read this, But what things were gained to me, those I count loss for Christ.

Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. Paul used to have some prestige and some standing in the Jewish community. He gave all that up. Did he miss it?

No, no. But I count all these things but dung, he said, just a manure pile out in the field, that I might win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God by faith, that I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, that I might know Him, know Him in whom I have believed."

Know Him in faith. Know Him in the power of His resurrection. Know Him by being made like Him in all things. And there's only one way that's going to happen, folks. That's when we are made to be like Him, to see Him as He is, when we see Him in heavenly bliss, we will then be like Him.

But what is it, we have to ask, what is it that Paul believed about this One to whom he had committed the safekeeping of his eternal soul? Turn over with me to Romans 10. Romans 10. First and foremost, Paul believed that all righteousness, all justification, all redemption were found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10, we'll read the first 10 verses.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it. For Moses described with the righteousness, which is of the law, that the man which do with these things shall live by them. But the righteousness, which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, say not a nine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is, to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what sayeth it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Now, these 10 verses deal with righteousness, how it is obtained.

It is certainly not by works of righteousness, which we have done, not by the works of the law, Paul says. But he writes in verse four that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone that believeth. But please understand that our salvation is most certainly obtained by works. But they're not our works, rather the works of him who God sent to this world in human flesh. This is why our Paul, that's why Paul didn't just leave it with saying that our salvation was not by works and leave it there, because our righteousness, as I said, is most certainly accomplished by works. But Paul clarifies that those works are not works which we have done but rather those of the Lord Jesus Christ done on our behalf.

Now we know this from what our Savior said in His prayer to the Father in John 17. He said this, I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. There is nothing more to be done to obtain righteousness, to obtain a holy standing before God, to be seen as perfect, Nothing more that can be done other than what Christ has already accomplished. This is how he was able to cry out from the cross, it is finished.

And then after Paul declares that he knows whom he has believed, he says, and am persuaded. Persuaded is synonymous with being thoroughly convinced beyond any doubt. Now, Paul wrote of several places in which he was persuaded of things that God was able to perform because he had promised to do them. When it comes to the believer's security in Christ, Paul wrote in Romans 8, 38, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God. which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul was completely convinced that there was no more sure place to be, no more secure place to be found than to be found in Christ.

And if you are ever found in Him, you are found in Him forever. I know I was raised in Baptist religion, and they used to say, once saved, always saved, but they didn't really believe it. If you didn't tow the line, you could eventually be lost again even though supposedly you were saved. It's like Don used to say, it depends on who does the saving.

And Paul also wrote of Abraham in Romans 4, how he believed the promise that God was able to give him a son even though he and Sarah were in their old age. And in verse 21 of Romans 4, he says that Abraham was fully persuaded that what he had promised He was able also to perform. God can never make a promise of any kind that he's not able to perform. Nothing.

And in Romans, or I should say in chapter 11 of Hebrews, it lists many of the forefathers of what we call the fathers of the faith. And it speaks of their faith and what God had promised him. And in verse 13, Paul writes, or whoever wrote the book of Hebrews, I think it was Paul, It says, these all died in faith, not having received the promise, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. These heroes of the faith all had one thing in common. They were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, as was Paul, that when God makes a promise, it's as good as done, even though it hasn't come to pass. They were sure, as was Paul, that he is able.

And that's our next word I want to look at. The word able, that Paul uses here, means that one has sufficient power and ability to perform a task, a required task. And we know that our blessed Savior has sufficient power to accomplish any task. How do we know that? Because of what He said in Matthew 28, All power is given unto Me, in heaven and in earth. Now, if one has all power, he certainly has sufficient power to accomplish any task that is required, in this case being the saving and the keeping of our eternal souls.

Now, throughout the Word of God, we find two words that are used again and again and again, will and shall. Not try and maybe, but will and shall. There's an old saying It ain't bragging if you can do it. And it most certainly stands to reason that one who has all power can certainly perform any task required, any task that we find promised in His Word. We don't have to doubt and wonder, was God able to do that? Because He has proven time and again that He is able. That's why Paul uses this word, God is able.

He told the Corinthians to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. Now, any good work that we perform. I was talking to my neighbor last night about some of these things. He goes to a Baptist church and he's hung up on that verse in James. Faith without works is dead. And we had a long, long discussion. But Paul told the Corinthians, God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

And I especially like what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. Turn over to Ephesians 3 with me. Ephesians chapter 3. We're looking at the word God is able that Paul used here, writing to Timothy. And in Ephesians 3, starting in verse 16, Paul wrote this, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height and to know the love of Christ which passes understanding that you might be fulfilled with all the fullness of God.

Then he writes now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the word or to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all the ages world without end. Paul writes here that our God is able to do exceeding abundant above all we think or ask. I can think of some pretty lofty things. And Paul tells us here that no matter how lofty your thoughts of heaven or how lofty your thoughts of the God that we serve, that they don't even come close to reality. The writer of Hebrews wrote of this concerning the sure ability of the Lord Jesus Christ to secure the salvation of His elect.

In Hebrews 7.25, he wrote this, Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. And of course, those two blessed verses in Jude, Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God, our savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

Amen. And then lastly, we read in the last part of our text here in second Timothy chapter or verse chapter one, verse 12. It's writing Paul's writing concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. And he says that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, to keep, to retain in one's possession, to have control of, to cause to continue in a given position or state.

Throughout the scriptures, we find God keeping certain things for his chosen people. In Exodus 34, there's an account of Moses on the Mount the second time, to make two tablets of stone to replace the ones that he threw down and broke originally. And we read in Exodus 34 verse 5, it says, And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands. That is what our God does, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the Children and upon the Children's Children under the third and fourth generation. God keeps abundant mercy stored in Christ, and he dispenses that mercy and that grace that is required in times of need.

And Daniel also spoke of something that our God keeps in Daniel nine four. I really like this. And he said, and I prayed unto the Lord my God and made confession and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him and to them that keep His commandments.

This covenant is spoken of in Hebrews chapter 8. Turn over there with me. Hebrews chapter 8. Speaking of the covenant, of our God that Daniel wrote of here in Daniel nine Hebrews chapter eight beginning in verse six. But now we have obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is a mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. This can only be talking of the elect of God, not of the nation of Israel. And he continues, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

And that he saith the new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. The keeping of this covenant by our God is 100% his work. We have nothing to do with it. And that's a good thing, because if it was up to us, That covenant wouldn't last a minute. But I'm convinced that when Paul wrote that he knew Christ was able to keep that which he had committed unto him against that day, that he was speaking mainly of his eternal soul. If our soul is not kept safe and secure in Christ. There's really nothing else worth keeping. It is the eternal soul of man that is kept held firmly by the sovereign grace of God, by the ruler of this universe, the Lord Jesus Christ.

David wrote this in Psalm 37, 28. For the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints. They are preserved forever. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. And Jude wrote in verse one of his letter, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Preserved, kept by the power of God and the grace of God in Christ.

And David gave us this assurance in Psalm 97, 10. He said, Ye that love the Lord hate evil. He preserveth the souls of his saints. He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked, that wicked one that our Lord told Peter desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat. He keeps that which we have committed unto him against that day, according to our text.

And all of God's elect believe as did the apostle Paul. We know whom we have believed. His name is Jesus Christ, the righteous. And like Paul, we are totally convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt, we are persuaded that our glorious Savior is fully capable of keeping our eternal soul secure both now and in that life which is to come throughout all ages of eternity until that day when we shall see him as he is and worship him as we are in a glorified body and crystal clear eyes. We will no longer see through a glass darkly.

But in closing, let me say a word to those who may hear this message and have not yet been given faith in Christ, this One who is able to keep His saints from falling. The Word of God has numerous, numerous warnings concerning the fate of those found outside of Christ. And the Scriptures use a different word to describe the lost in the day of judgment. They are not preserved by the grace of God. Rather, the Scripture tells us they are reserved to eternal suffering and terror.

Peter wrote of this in 2 Peter 3, 7. He said, But the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. And Jude wrote of the faith or the fate, I should say, of the ungodly, whom he described thus. He said, clouds they are without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, and then he writes, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Make no mistake, people, God will not be trifled with. He's not anxiously awaiting and hoping that some wretched sinner will decide that he's worth following. God is holy beyond anything we can imagine, and sin will be punished either in Christ or in the sinner himself. But it is sure, judgment is sure, and sin will be punished. And it will be terrible beyond anything that we can imagine.

So I would encourage any lost sinner who hears this message, that if you're able to petition our God for mercy, be as that publican in the temple. Cry out, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And if you're able to do that, And there is perhaps hope that our Lord has begun a good work in you, and given you the grace to know you are lost and undone, and given you the grace to petition for mercy, and perhaps He will do for you what He's done for untold millions in the past, and grant you salvation in Christ. That would be my prayer today. Billy, come lead us in a song.