Let's read verse 12, 2 Timothy
chapter 1 verse 12. For the which cause I also suffer
these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed. Saving faith is
not a shame to own the gospel. For I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day. So in that verse we see knowledge
of Him, confidence in Him, and a commitment, total sellout,
to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm taking a title from that
verse, Our Lord is able, I'm persuaded, Saving faith is persuaded
that He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is able. He's able to do all
that is promised. He's able to save to the uttermost.
That is a very good study for us to look at, is just the word
able. What is our Savior able to do? Well, He's able to do all things.
according to His power. True saving faith then is confident
in who? True saving faith doesn't look
to yourself. True saving faith always looks
to the Lord Jesus Christ. We put it this way, saving faith
is objective. That is, we look to the Lord
Jesus Christ, looking unto Him who is the author and finisher
of our faith. Every sinner saved by the grace
of God is confident that He is able, almighty, and powerful. Therefore, we have no confidence
in the flesh. Our confidence is in Him. I'm
persuaded, aren't you, that He is able. He is the able Savior,
Son of God, to redeem them that were given to Him. Our Lord Jesus
Christ has all an absolute ability and power to accomplish all of
His purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus from the foundation
of the world. He works with all things out
of the counsel of His own will. He has all power in heaven and
in earth. The gospel of God is all about
who He is and His glorious redeeming work. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He is God. God Almighty in all
things. Turn back just a couple of pages
to 1 Timothy. Chapter 3, verse 16. Another one of these verses that
just jumps out at you. 1 Timothy 3, 16. Without controversy, great is
the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, were vindicated, declared by the Spirit
of God to be the Son of God, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into
glory." Remember we read, he said, no man takes my life from
me. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it up again.
This commandment have I received from my Father. The Gospel of
God is all about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We call the gospel the blessed
gospel of the glory of God. Paul said, I'm separated unto
the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord
has all power in heaven and in earth to accomplish His will,
His purpose, with absolute sovereign power over all things. Remember
the scripture from Daniel chapter 3, where all the inhabitants
of the earth are reputed as nothing, and He does according to His
will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of this
earth, that none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, Lord God
Almighty, what doest Thou? The Father hath given Him power
over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many
as the Father hath given Him. Saving faith is persuaded that
He is able. He's the able Savior. Now, we
come to verse 12. And in verse 12, we have a good
definition of true saving faith. True saving faith. Basically,
four or five things we see in verse 12. True saving faith. Now, let me ask you this. How
important is faith? How important is faith? Well,
our Lord said this, without faith it is impossible to please God.
It's not difficult. He said it's not difficult, it's
impossible to please God without faith. He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son
shall not see light, but the wrath of God abides on him. He that heareth my word and believeth
on me has everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation. There
is therefore now no condemnation that is in the Lord Jesus Christ."
So saving faith is essential, isn't it? It's essential to salvation. That's how we receive the Lord
Jesus Christ. Faith is a gift of God. And saving
faith receives the Lord Jesus Christ who accomplished salvation
for us. Now I want to look at four things
found in verse 12 that describe saving faith. The faith of God's
elect that glorifies God for the which cause. Let's read verse
11 and 12. Where unto Paul says, I'm appointed
a preacher, I'm appointed an apostle, I'm appointed a teacher,
a teacher of the Gentiles, teaching sinners the way of salvation
in Christ. For the which cause I also suffer." He suffered many
things, didn't he? Beaten and hated, chased from
town to town, persecuted. Nevertheless, he says, I'm not
ashamed. Now that's the first thing. Saving
faith is not a shame. to own the Lord Jesus Christ,
not ashamed of the gospel. Truth-saving faith is not ashamed
of Him. The page there in 2 Timothy chapter
1, remember what Paul, when he writes to young Timothy, he says
in verse 8, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be a partaker of the afflictions
of the gospel according to the power of God. the power of God
who saved us, and the power of God who called us with a holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to God's
own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. So first of all, saving faith,
the faith of God's elect, is not a shame to own the Lord Jesus
Christ. We sang just a moment ago, and
Jesus, shall it ever be, a mortal man ashamed of thee? Ashamed
of thee whom angels praise, whose glory shines through endless
days, we're not ashamed to own thee, Lord Jesus Christ. Our
Lord said this in Mark chapter 8, Whosoever shall be ashamed
of me and my words in this sinful generation, of him shall the
Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory. So we're
not ashamed to own the Lord Jesus Christ as everything in our salvation. I want you to turn to a couple
of Scriptures with me. Turn over here to Romans chapter
10. You remember, and this is quoted from Isaiah 28, where
it said, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation of stone, a
tried stone, a precious cornerstone. He that believeth on him shall
not be forced to flee, shall not be confounded. Look at Romans
10 verse 11. Let's read verse 10. Romans 10,
10. And then verse 11, For the heart man believeth unto righteousness,
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the
Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. We're not ashamed to own the
Lord Jesus Christ. And that's true of saving faith.
Saving faith is not ashamed to own Him as everything in our
Salvation. And that's an amazing thing.
But I want you to turn to Hebrews chapter 2. Saving faith, the
faith of God's elect that acknowledges the truth, is not ashamed to
own Him as our God and as our Savior. I love the confession
of Thomas. When Thomas was faced with the
risen glorified Lord, he said, My Lord and my God. Hebrews chapter 2, look at verse
10. For it became him, for whom are all things, verse 10, by
whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make
the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For
both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of
one, for the which cause He is not ashamed to call us brethren. Now, it's a miracle of God's
grace that we are not ashamed to own Him as all of our redemption,
as all of our righteousness, as all of our salvation. But
what is a greater miracle is He's not ashamed to own us. He
called us His children, His bride. He said, I lay down my life for
the sheep. Now that's love. Here it is love,
not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the sacrifice for our sin. So look back at the text now.
2 Timothy 1 verse 12, For the witch cause I also suffer these
things, nevertheless, boy, I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed
to own the sovereign God that's revealed in the Word of God.
Now, the second point is this, for. You see that word for? It can also be rendered because. know whom I have believed. I know whom I trust. I know whom
I am looking to. I know whom I have believed. Here is knowledge of Him. Saving faith has knowledge, saving
knowledge of who the Lord Jesus Christ is. I know whom I have
believed. Now notice carefully, He doesn't
say, I know what I believe, nor when I believe. but I know Him,
I know whom I have believed." Who is he talking about? The
Lord Jesus Christ who saved us and called us according to His
own purpose and grace. He that hath the Son hath everlasting
life. So a spiritual knowledge of Christ
is necessary and given with saving faith. True saving faith is not
born of lies nor the tales of men, The wise tales of men, but
rather from the truth of the Word of God. You see, faith comes
by hearing, and hearing what? The Word of Truth. The Word of
Truth. The Word of God. You see, it's
the Word of God that's the power of God unto salvation. How shall they hear? Accept the
Lord. Send them a gospel preacher.
If you want to turn with me, you can. Look back to Romans
10 one more time. Romans 10, one more time, verse
13, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved. How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
somebody sending them a gospel preacher? How shall they preach
except they be sent as it is written? Isaiah 52.7, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, that bring
glad tidings of good things. And the message is, Behold thy
God, He does reign. The more we know of Him, The
more we know of Him, who He is, what He's done, the more we trust
Him, don't we? The more we know of Him, the
more we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
more we trust Him and look to Him. The foundation of our faith
is not feeling, not emotion. The foundation of saving faith
is the Word of God. The written Word of God. You
cannot trust an unrevealed and unknown God. True faith is not
blind and ignorant. True faith rests in the revelation
of the knowledge of Christ revealed in the Scripture. Turn one page,
2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 15. 2 Timothy 3, verse 15. And that
from a child. Remember he's writing to young
Timothy. He's writing from a prison cell in Rome. Paul's in jail.
Thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. One more verse. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, perfect, truly, completely furnished
under all good works, all good deeds. So, back to the text. This is a good definition of
what saving faith is and what saving faith does. Number one,
I'm not ashamed to own Him as everything in salvation, the
true sovereign Christ of God. And then secondly, I know whom
I have believed. You see, what you believe is
determined by who you believe. If you believe Him, you believe
all His teaching. I know whom I have believed.
And then the third thing is this, I'm persuaded, I'm persuaded
that It's not I'm persuaded that I'm able. I'm persuaded that
He is able. He's able to perform everything
that God has given Him to do for us. I'm persuaded that He
is able. True saving faith is confident
and fully persuaded in the Savior's willingness and power and ability
to justify the ungodly. I'm persuaded of His ability. Remember He said, No man can
come unto Me, except the Father which sent Me draw him. We are
the true children of God, which worship Him in the Spirit, that
rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have no confidence in
the flesh. None whatsoever. I'm persuaded that He is able. The only just God and Savior. He is able. Let me give an example
of that. Turn over to Matthew chapter
9. Matthew chapter 9. I'm persuaded that he is able. Here's two men blind. Matthew
chapter 9 verse 27. Matthew 9 verse 27. And the Lord
Jesus departed thence, and two blind men followed him, crying,
Say thou son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was coming
to the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them,
Believe ye that I am able to do this? And they said unto him,
Yes, Lord. Now, who were they trusting?
Who did they think was able to make them to see? He touched
their eyes, saying, according to your faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were opened, and
Jesus straightly charged them that they see that no man knoweth."
He said, don't go tell it, just know that I made you to see.
We are persuaded that He is able. He is the able Savior. True saving
faith always looks to the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is able. I'm persuaded, aren't you? What
persuasion are you? I'm persuaded. Turn to Romans
chapter 4. There's a question sometimes
that goes around in religious circles, among mixed religious
circles, and they say, well, what persuasion are you? Are
you Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal? They mean, that's
what they mean by that question. What persuasion are you? Well,
I'm persuaded like Abraham was. Here's my persuasion. I'm persuaded
he is able. He is able. Romans chapter 4,
look at verse 21. Being fully persuaded that what
God had promised, He is able to perform. I'm persuaded that
He is able to perform all that He promised. And boy, He promised
a lot. I'm persuaded that He is able
to perform all that was promised of God. Therefore, it was imputed
to him for righteousness. Romans 4.23, Now it was not written
for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also
to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised
up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. I'm persuaded that he is able
to do all that he had promised for us. All the promises of God
turned to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. All the promises
of God in him are yes, and in him, and amen, and to the glory
of God by Jesus Christ. Romans chapter 8. Look at verse 35. Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
Romans 8, 35. You got it? Or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, peril, or sword, as it is written. For
thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep
for the slaughter. Nay, in all things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us, for I am persuaded. You see it there? Verse 39, I
am persuaded, 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 the Lord Jesus Christ. So I am persuaded that He is
able. He is able. Turn back to the
book of Hebrews again. Find Hebrews chapter 7. I am
persuaded that He is able. He's the able, willing Savior
of sinners. The willing and able one. Able
Savior. Look at Hebrews 7, verse 25. Verse 24 talks about our great
High Priest who continues forever. He has an unchangeable priesthood.
Hebrews 7, verse 25, Wherefore He is able. He is able to save
them. You say it? To the uttermost.
that come to God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession
for them. For such a high priest became
us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher
than the heavens." I'm persuaded that He is able. I'm persuaded. How about you? Turn to one more
Scripture there in the book of Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter
11. Verse 13, 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
they were pilgrims and strangers in this earth. We are persuaded
of all the promises and we embrace them. Now turn over just a few
pages. over here toward the book of
Revelation, to the little book of Jude. And this is probably
one of my favorite Scriptures right here. Jude, there's just
one chapter, so verse 24, right before the Revelation. Now unto
him, verse 24, that is able. Now who's able? He's able. Now unto him that is able, I'm
persuaded he's 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 and dominion and power both now and forever."
And what do you say to that? I say, Amen. He's able. He's able. This is what He gives
us as the definition of saving faith. Now look at 2 Timothy
1.12. For the witch cause, I suffer these things, nevertheless, I'm
not ashamed, I know whom I believe, and I'm persuaded He's able.
He's able to perform all that He has promised. Now, the last
one is this. I'm persuaded that He's able
to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day. I am persuaded and I'm committed
Committed. Saving faith is totally sold
out to the Lord Jesus Christ. Committed to Him. Totally committed
unto our blessed Savior. True saving faith always and
only and exclusively looks to the Lord Jesus Christ and we're
committed, sold out to Him. Now, what part of salvation have
we committed unto Him? Now, careful now, what part of
salvation have we committed unto Him? We've committed all of our
salvation unto Him. He is the Savior. He's able to
save to the uttermost. Therefore, we commit everything
we have to Him. All things are His. In Him we
live and move. In Him we have our being. All of it, the whole of our redemption
is in His hands. Well, He has mighty hands. He
has all power to save those given to Him in that covenant of grace.
The whole of redemption is in His hands. Who cannot fail, He
is mighty to save. As long as you're trusting something
you've done, something you've given, some righteousness you've
brought, you have not fully sold out and committed to the Lord
Jesus Christ. We've committed the whole of
our salvation to Him, not a part of it, all of it. He is the only
Savior who saves His people from their sin. He is a willing Savior,
the able Savior, and the Savior who has all power to save. Now you remember the story in
the book of Ruth of the kinsman-redeemer. His name was Boaz. Boaz. Boaz was a personal type of the
Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. To be a kinsman Redeemer, you
had to meet three qualifications under the law. You had to be
near kin, you had to be willing to redeem, and you had to be
able to redeem. Boaz met all three of those things,
and he was the willing and able and near kin Redeemer to Ruth
and Naomi. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
our near kin Redeemer. He's near kin to us. The Word
was made flesh and dwelt among us. He was the real man who was
tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. And He is indeed the willing
Redeemer, isn't He? He said, I came down here not
to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this
is the Father's will that has sent me, that all that He has
given me, I lose nothing, but raise Him up again at the last
day. He is indeed the near kin's Redeemer. He is indeed the willing Redeemer.
And He is indeed the able Redeemer, right? He's able to save. He came to seek and to save that
which is lost, right? This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save who? Sinners. He said, I didn't come
to call the righteous. I came to call sinners to repentance. He is a willing and able Redeemer. Now we can be assured of this
Bible truth. We are totally depraved sinners,
right? Guilty. With no ability to save
ourselves. We cannot redeem ourselves from
our sin. Salvation is not by our obedience. Salvation is by His obedience
unto death. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy. He saved us. Now look back to that verse again.
What is the definition of faith? We're not ashamed of Him. We know whom we have believed,
and we are persuaded that He is able, and then we've committed
everything unto Him. That's a good definition of saving
faith. The disciples asked the Lord
one day, They said, well, who then can be saved? When that
young rich ruler came to the Lord seeking salvation upon the
deeds of the law, and the Lord gave him the strictness of the
law, and that man turned and walked away. And the disciples
then said, well, who then can be saved? He said, with men it
is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible. With God. Anything too hard for
the Lord? No. He's able. He's able to save. Able to keep. Able to do all that He promised
according to His riches in glory through the Lord Jesus Christ.