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God's True Church Survives
"Although error is being taught and promulgated in today’s church, and people’s faith is being seriously undermined, does that mean that the true church of God will ultimately be destroyed? The answer Paul gives to that is a resounding ‘No’.
‘Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his”, and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” ’ (2 Tim. 2:19).
By ‘God’s solid foundation’ Paul has in mind the true church which consists of all those who confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and have turned from wickedness to a holy life.
That church will never be destroyed, however much it is plagued by the poisonous teaching of men like Hymenaeus and Philetus. That church will stand and be triumphant as Jesus promised...We must imagine the gates of hell being thrown wide open and all the demonic forces led by Satan himself rushing out to destroy and batter down the witness of the true church, only to fail because it is built on the solid foundation of God’s truth.
On that foundation is written the twofold description: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’ (2 Tim. 2:19). In the final analysis, the Lord alone knows the state of the heart, and can tell who truly belongs to him, and who those are who hold a spurious confession. But from the human perspective we ourselves are able to recognize those who belong to Christ by their holiness of life." [1]
God's True Church Survives
"Although error is being taught and promulgated in today’s church, and people’s faith is being seriously undermined, does that mean that the true church of God will ultimately be destroyed? The answer Paul gives to that is a resounding ‘No’.
‘Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his”, and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” ’ (2 Tim. 2:19).
By ‘God’s solid foundation’ Paul has in mind the true church which consists of all those who confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and have turned from wickedness to a holy life.
That church will never be destroyed, however much it is plagued by the poisonous teaching of men like Hymenaeus and Philetus. That church will stand and be triumphant as Jesus promised...We must imagine the gates of hell being thrown wide open and all the demonic forces led by Satan himself rushing out to destroy and batter down the witness of the true church, only to fail because it is built on the solid foundation of God’s truth.
On that foundation is written the twofold description: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’ (2 Tim. 2:19). In the final analysis, the Lord alone knows the state of the heart, and can tell who truly belongs to him, and who those are who hold a spurious confession. But from the human perspective we ourselves are able to recognize those who belong to Christ by their holiness of life." [1]
[1] Peter Williams, Opening Up 2 Timothy, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2007), 59-60.
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