Suffering and reigning with Jesus

‘If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.’ 2 Timothy 2:12

Suggested Further Reading: Matthew 10:21–33

What must be the doom of those who deny Christ, when they reach another world? Perhaps some will appear with a sort of hope in their minds, and will come before the judge with ‘Lord, Lord, open to me.’ ‘Who art thou?’ saith he. ‘Lord, I once took the Lord’s Supper—Lord, I was a member of the church, but there came very hard times. My mother bade me give up religion; father was angry; trade went bad; I was so mocked at, I could not stand it. Lord, I fell among evil acquaintances and they tempted me—I could not resist. I was thy servant—I did love thee—I always had love towards thee in my heart, but I could not help it—I denied thee and went to the world again.’ What will Jesus say? ‘I know thee not, whence thou art.’ ‘But, Lord, I want thee to be my advocate.’ ‘I know thee not!’ ‘But, Lord, I cannot get into heaven unless thou shouldst open the gate—open it for me.’ ‘I do not know thee; I do not know thee.’ ‘But, Lord, my name was in the church book.’ ‘I know thee not—I deny thee.’ ‘But wilt thou not hear my cries?’ ‘Thou didst not hear mine—thou didst deny me, and I deny thee.’ ‘Lord, give me the lowest place in heaven, if I may but enter and escape from wrath to come.’ ‘No, thou wouldst not brook the lowest place on earth, and thou shalt not enjoy the lowest place here. Thou hadst thy choice, and thou didst choose evil. Keep to thy choice. Thou wast filthy, be thou filthy still. Thou wast unholy, be thou unholy still.’

For meditation: God’s time for us to reason with him about our sin and disobedience is now (Isaiah 1:18), not on the Day of Judgement. Spurgeon urges you to cry this day mightily unto God, ‘Lord, hold me fast, keep me, keep me. Help me to suffer with thee; but do not, do not let me deny thee, lest thou also shouldst deny me.’

Sermon no. 547
3 January (1864)