Perhaps your life is like mine. My life is bombarded with what seems like a ton of information. To make matters worse, that endless stream of data from many sources contains many conflicts. "This _____ is good." "No, it is not good." And now with the political machines beginning to really crank up, the conflicting mass of information (disinformation?) is about to explode. It's enough to make a person cynical about ever uncovering truth.

Although Paul was not addressing the concerns of our pluralistic context, his message found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 is like a draft of fresh air bursting into a stale room. To paraphrase him, he starts off by saying, "this is a trustworthy saying." My ears perk up. Is this a reliable message? Something worthy of more than a passing glance? Something which I can depend upon and which will not fail me when I need it most? Yes Paul, tell me something reliable.

"If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;

if we have endure, we shall also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful because he can not deny himself."

In the midst of information overload and confusion, comes the sane and assured words of an apostle of Jesus Christ.

If Self has died with Christ so that I have now been raised up from my baptism to daily carry my cross as I live for God, I can be assured that I will live with him. This is indeed good news, a drink of cool refreshing water that sets one's heart at peace.

If I will continue to hang on to Christ and serve him irregardless of what others might believe about Jesus, irregardless of what others might do to me, etc. I can know that I will also reign with Christ.

However as a word of warning, if I decide to try to hide my allegiance to Christ by denying I know him (perhaps I want to avoid ridicule, perhaps I am afraid of what people might think, etc.), I can be assured that he will also deny I belong to him.

Furthermore, if I allow the attacks of the world to cause me to lose my faith, I can also know that this will not alter who Christ actually is - he remains the same.

For those who are enamored with human authored pluralism, who relish the uncertainty of having no solid answers, who apparently desire to imbibe our post modern environment's values these words must painfully grate on their ears. Frankly, I am thankful to be able to have something reliable in my hand. I am grateful for a real answer which I can know will always be true regarding what difference it will make to have Jesus in my life.

Barry Newton, Copyright © 1999

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