THE SCARLET PATH

    BIBLE STUDIES

                                               "THANK GOD I KNOW SOMETHING!"

                                                              2ND TIMOTHY 1:8-12

 INTRODUCTION:

           TOO MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE SEEM TO BE ASHAMED OF THE THINGS OF GOD.    I HAVE LISTED A FEW THINGS THAT I AM NOT ASHAMED OF AND THEN I WILL GIVE THE REASON WHY IN THIS STUDY.

           1. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY GRACIOUS SALVATION.

           2. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY WONDERFUL SAVIOR!

           3. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY LOCAL CHURCH!

           4. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY SPIRITUAL FAMILY!

           5. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE OLD PATHS OUR FATHERS TROD!

           6. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE INERRANT, INFALLIBLE, INSPIRED, PERFECTLY PRESERVED WORD OF GOD, (KJV BIBLE)!

           7. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF BEING DIFFERENT FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD!

           8. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF BEING A FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST BELIEVER!

           9. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF OUR MISSIONARIES!

           10. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

          I AM NOT ONLY "NOT ASHAMED" OF THESE THINGS BUT I ALSO KNOW WHY I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THEM.

          1.  I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE!

           THIS IS NOT WHAT THE TEXT FOR THIS STUDY SAYS BUT I BELIEVE THAT, AFTER SALVATION, WE NEED TO GET UNDER THE "TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU" AND FIND OUT WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS.

           GOD PLACES NO IMPORTANCE ON IGNORANCE!

           OUR TEXT SAYS, "I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED."

           I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY LORD JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE OF "WHO" AND "WHAT" HE IS AND DID FOR EACH OF US.

           NOW, LET US LOOK AT THE VERSES OF OUR TEXT IN ITS CONTEXT; PAUL WAS NOT ASHAMED OF HIS SUFFERINGS FOR CHRIST BECAUSE OF HIS PERSONAL FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

           A. "I" IS PERSONAL!

 PHILIPPIANS 3:9-10, (9)"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:"

 (10) "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING MADE CONFORMABLE UNTO HIS DEATH;"

           BEING DISCOVERED TO BE UNITED TO HIM AND IN UNION WITH HIM.     SUCH UNION WITH CHRIST IS REAL, VITAL, AND FRUITFUL.     ONE IS EITHER IN CHRIST OR OUT OF CHRIST!

          THIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS DERIVED FROM GOD, OBTAINED BY FAITH, AND IS OF INFINITE VALUE.

          "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM": NOT SPECULATE ABOUT HIM, BUT KNOW HIM.     PAUL DESIRES, (AS ALL BELIEVERS SHOULD) A FULLER AND A RICHER EXPERIENCE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.

          "AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION": THAT POWER EXERCISED WHEN GOD RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.     SUCH POWER IS AVAILABLE, EPHESIANS 1:19-20, AND IMPARTED BY THE INDWELLING, RISEN CHRIST.

           CHRISTIANS ARE TO LIVE AS THOSE WHO DIED WITH CHRIST, ROMANS 6:6-8, AND WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED TO A NEWNESS OF LIFE, ROMANS 6:4; 2ND CORINTHIANS 5:17.

            I MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS AN IGNORANT AND UNLEARNED MAN BY SOME BUT WHAT I BELIEVE COMES FROM MY KING JAMES BIBLE AND DOES NOT DEPEND UPON THE OPINIONS OR WRITINGS OF MEN!

           THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DO NOT KNOW BUT THIS ONE THING I DO KNOW: I KNOW THE LORD AND AM NOT LOST AND HEADED FOR HELL!

           B.  "KNOW" IS POSITIVE!

 1ST JOHN 2:3-5, (3) "AND HEREBY WE DO KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS."

 (4) "HE THAT SAITH, I KNOW HIM, AND KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM."

 (5) "BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: HEREBY KNOW WE THAT WE ARE IN HIM."

           WE COULD TRANSLATE VERSE 5 AS, "IN THIS WAY WE KNOW THAT WE REALLY KNOW HIM" OR "BY THIS WE MAY BE SURE THAT WE KNOW HIM".  

           EVERYONE WHO TRULY KNOWS CHRIST KEEPS HIS COMMANDMENTS.     ANYONE WHO DOES NOT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR VERBAL CLAIM THAT THEY TRULY KNOW HIM IS SIMPLY A LIAR.

           THE SALVATION THAT I HAVE IS A "KNOW SO" SALVATION.     I DO NOT THINK I AM SAVED;     I DO NOT HOPE I AM SAVED;     I AM NOT STRIVING TO BE SAVED;     I AM SAVED BY HIS GRACE!      PRAISE THE LORD!

           C.  "WHOM" IS PRIVILEGE!

 EPHESIANS 3:18-19, (18) "MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL SAINTS WHAT IS THE BREADTH. AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT;"

 (19) "AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD."

          VERSE 18 MEANS THAT WE MAY BE STRONG TO COMPREHEND, OR LAY HOLD OF EFFECTUALLY, (SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT).

           THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PRIVILEGE.     EACH BELIEVER COMPREHENDS A LITTLE; ALL TOGETHER WE FATHOM THE UNFATHOMABLE.     OUR COMPREHENSION IS PARTIAL AND PROGRESSIVE.

           WE ALSO SEE IN VERSE 18 THAT THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS IMMEASURABLE.     THE BREADTH EXTENDS TO ALL PEOPLE;      ITS LENGTH EXTENDS TO ALL TIME;     ITS DEPTH EXTENDS TO THE LOWEST CONDITION OF HUMAN NEED;     AND ITS HEIGHT EXTENDS TO THE HIGHEST HEAVENS.

          "AND TO KNOW" BY EXPERIENCE THE UNKNOWABLE, THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN ALL ITS DIMENSIONS MENTIONED ABOVE!      THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS BEYOND KNOWING THE KING OF KINGS;     THE LORD OF LORDS;     THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS;     THE ETERNAL JEHOVAH GOD;     THE SINNER'S SAVIOR;     THAT WE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH HIS PRESENCE AND POWER AND THE FULLNESS WHICH GOD IMPARTS.      WELL GLORY!            

           D.  "PERSUADED" IS PROMISE!

 1ST JOHN 2:25 "AND THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT HE HATH PROMISED US, EVEN ETERNAL LIFE."

           "ETERNAL LIFE" -- A PERSON'S NEW AND REDEEMED EXISTENCE IN JESUS CHRIST WHICH IS GRANTED BY GOD AS A GIFT TO ALL BELIEVERS.

           ETERNAL LIFE REFERS TO THE QUALITY OR CHARACTER OF OUR NEW EXISTENCE IN JESUS CHRIST AS WELL AS THE UNENDING CHARACTER OF THIS LIFE.

           THE EMPHASIS IS UPON THE BLESSED CHARACTER OF THE LIFE THAT WILL BE ENJOYED ENDLESSLY IN THE FUTURE.

           JESUS MADE IT CLEAR THAT ETERNAL LIFE COMES ONLY TO THOSE WHO MAKE A TOTAL COMMITMENT TO HIM, MATTHEW 19:16-21; LUKE 18:18-22.

           JOHN EMPHASIZES ETERNAL LIFE AS THE PRESENT REALITY AND THE PRESENT POSSESSION OF THE BELIEVER, JOHN 3:36; JOHN 5:24;1ST JOHN 5:13.

           MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THEY CAN LIVE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MERIT GOD'S ETERNAL LIFE, BUT THEY ARE SO WRONG.     WE ARE ALL SINFUL AT BEST AND IT TOOK HEAVEN'S BEST TO PURCHASE AND KEEP US.

           I AM GLAD THAT I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE AND IT IS ETERNALLY SETTLED!

          E.  "HE IS ABLE" IS POWERFUL!

 1ST PETER 1:3-5, (3) "BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVELY HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD."

 (4) "TO AN INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE, AND UNDEFILED, AND THAT FADETH NOT AWAY, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU."

 (5) "WHO ARE KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH UNTO SALVATION READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME."

          PETER IS EXPRESSING A DESIRE THAT GOD SHOULD BE PRAISED BY ALL BELIEVERS EVERYWHERE!

          ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE FROWNED UPON IN SOME (MANY) CHURCHES WHERE GRAVITY IS A VISIBLE VIRTUE, PETER SAYS IN EFFECT "PRAISE GOD".

          THE THING FOR WHICH PETER WISHES TO PRAISE GOD IS THE VERY FOUNDATION OR BEGINNING OF OUR SALVATION, "THE NEW BIRTH".

          IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD PRAISE GOD FOR BEING "BORN-AGAIN".

          THE SECOND RESULT OF THE "NEW BIRTH" FOR WHICH WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD IS CALLED OUR "INHERITANCE", COLOSSIANS 1:5,12.

          THIS INHERITANCE IS DESCRIBED AS "UNDEFILED", WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAS NO SPOT OF DIRT OR POLLUTION ON IT; IT IS PURE.

          THIS INHERITANCE IS DESCRIBED AS "FADING NOT AWAY", WHICH MEANS IT WILL BE LASTING FOR ALL ETERNITY.

          THIS INHERITANCE IS DESCRIBED TO BE "RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU", WHICH MEANS IT WILL NOT BE GIVEN TO SOMEONE ELSE BY MISTAKE.    IT CANNOT BE DEVALUED AND TITLE INSURANCE IS PROVIDED BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.     IT WILL BE YOURS AND ALL BELIEVERS FOR ETERNITY!

          BELIEVERS THEMSELVES ARE DECLARED TO BE "KEPT" BY THE POWER OF GOD!

          THE THIRD RESULT OF GOD'S GRACE IN GIVING US NEW LIFE IN CHRIST IS CALLED "SALVATION".     THIS DOES NOT REFER TO THE INITIAL EXPERIENCE OF ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR, BUT TO THE FINAL, INCLUSIVE RESULT OF SALVATION;     ETERNAL BLISS IN THE PRESENCE AND SERVICE OF GOD.

          THE WORD "REVEALED" MEANS THAT EVERYTHING IS FULLY PREPARED AND ACCOMPLISHED, BUT REMAINS TO BE UNVEILED UNTIL THE MOMENT OF REVELATION WHICH IS CALLED "THE LAST TIME".

          THIS CORRESPONDS TO THE "DAY OF THE LORD" OR THE "SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST".

          ALTHOUGH A PERSON IS TRULY SAVED WHEN THEY GIVE THEIR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST,     AND ALTHOUGH THEY EXPERIENCE THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION EVERY DAY,     THESE ARE ONLY THE PLEDGES OF THAT GLORIOUS SALVATION TO WHICH THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE "DAY OF CHRIST".

          F.  "AGAINST THAT DAY" IS PERMANENT!

 JOHN 10:28-30, (28) "AND I GIVE UNTO THEN ETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND,"

 (29) "MY FATHER, WHICH GAVE THEM ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; AND NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND".

 (30) "I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE."

          THE SHEPHERD KNOWS AND GIVES "ETERNAL LIFE" AND HE PROMISES THAT THEY "SHALL NEVER PERISH".     FOR ALL ETERNITY THEY SHALL NEVER "PERISH".

          NO ONE CAN TAKE THE CHILD OF GOD OUT OF CHRIST'S HAND!     BESIDES BEING IN THE HAND OF CHRIST, THE BELIEVER IS IN "THE FATHER'S" HAND.

          GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON ARE IN AGREEMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE BELIEVER'S ETERNAL SECURITY.   

          NO ONE (GENUINE CHRISTIAN) SHOULD EVER DOUBT THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THEIR SALVATION.

          ONCE A PERSON IS GENUINELY SAVED, THEY ARE SAVED FOREVER!

          CONCLUSION:

          THANK GOD I KNOW SOMETHING!

               I AM BORN-AGAIN!          SAVED BY GRACE!          POSSESS ETERNAL LIFE!

          CAN YOU SAY THAT?     DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HIM?

          DO YOU KNOW HIM?

          HAVE YOU BY FAITH ACCEPTED JESUS AS SAVIOR?

          YOU CAN KNOW HIM AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE BY PLACING YOUR FAITH IN HIM TODAY!

           IF YOU ARE LOST IN SIN, WILL YOU COME TO HIM TODAY?

           AMEN!