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No One Is Left Out


Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (II Timothy 2:8-10) 

            The theme in Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning  is “if you know your why you can survive any how.” He was a psychiatrist who spent part of World War II in a prison camp. Today’s passage reminds me of that idea. Paul knew his whys. Reason number one why he suffered? For Jesus Christ. [1] Because of Jesus Christ. How did he suffer? Through Jesus Christ. By Jesus Christ. Elsewhere, he says that to live is Christ, but to die is gain.
           Then he moves on to reason number two. Why did he suffer? For the sake of the elect. That covers the people for whom Timothy was responsible. I believe that Paul suffered for a reason that he doesn't mention. He suffered because of and as a witness both to and against the world. Those who rejected his message and who oppressed and persecuted him could not claim innocence. In not mentioning it, he shows his love, because it is not his desire that his witness against them should be needed.


[1] Interestingly, Paul refers here to Jesus Christ. Most of the time, he refers to Christ Jesus.  I haven’t learned the significance of this but my theory is that he didn’t meet Jesus and discover Him to be the Christ, like the other disciples did. He met the Christ, and discovered Him to be Jesus.
 

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