2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; [12] If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; [13] If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
The word “deny” can also be accurately translated as “contradict,” and I believe using the word contradict would give a better sense of what the apostle Paul is trying to convey here. Looking at the grammar and the intent of Paul, let me give you an amplified translation of these three verses.
“ For if we were crucified with Him we shall also live in union with His life; if we consistently abide in Him under every circumstance we shall also reign in life with Him; if we contradict Him and His faithful adequacy, He will also contradict us; it’s not about our faith but His faithfulness; for He cannot contradict Himself (He cannot stop being who He is).”
What is faith? Faith is merely abiding in and trusting His faithfulness, and He will always be faithful, for He cannot stop being who He is. We make so much of faith in the Christian life because the Scripture tells us the “just shall live by faith” and “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Romans 14:23 goes so far as to say, “That which is not of faith is sin,” therefore, obviously, faith is the most important thing for the Christian to walk in. The problem is we’ve turned faith inward and made it about us when the whole time it is about His faith and His faithfulness. That’s what faith is! Faith is looking away from us and trusting and resting in His faithfulness. There are times in my life when I seem to struggle to believe, but in those moments, if I will just trust in His faithfulness, then I can get my eyes off of my trying to believe. The nature of faith is rest. It is trusting in what someone else has already accomplished and will manifest as we simply abide. This is the Sabbath rest offered to us in Hebrews 4. Christ and His finished work is our Sabbath rest.”