The Reformed faith emphasizes the sovereignty of God in salvation. What practical implications does that have in terms of your confidence?

As a young pastor, Timothy is to set the Word of God before the people. In encouraging Timothy, Paul refers to his own calling and work as an apostle and the reason for the sacrifice and hard work. Paul makes a comparison of sorts between bodily exercise and godly exercise. The effect of one is brief, but the effect of the other is far-reaching and eternal.

When Paul referred to a statement dealing with the basic gospel, he would speak of it as "a faithful saying." The basic fact here is that Christ came to save sinners. That is a faithful or trustworthy fact. To use that saying is simply to put a special emphasis on the fact that what he has said, the particular message from God, is reliable and it is a reliable fact held to by the Christian community.

This is something that is important, perhaps more than ever before. The basic approach to knowledge these days is that nothing is for certain. Something might work for a time, but then it changes. Or it might work for you, but what works for someone else is totally different. In setting before people the truth of God and exposing the falsehood of "myths," Paul says you can be sure that when you set before God's people this truth, it is reliable.

What is "trustworthy" here is the message as well as the means. Those who today believe that everyone has to find God in his own way fail to understand God's work of salvation. Part of the message to Timothy and to the church today is to "proclaim the message." You can trust that the way in which people will respond to God is by the message proclaimed.

Finally, it is reliable in terms of what it says to you. You as an individual can personally put your trust in the message. When you put your trust and hope in Christ as your Savior, look to God, seek His face, and it will be beneficial to you. As believers we still struggle with issues; we have ups and downs. We struggle with sin. But here is the reality: it is God and His message which gets you through that struggle.

The very purpose for Timothy's call, for his being trained in the words of faith and the good doctrine, is to exhort and comfort believers in this life before God. It is, as well, to call the sinner who is in rebellion to God to repentance and faith.

It is this work which Paul says has "promise for the present life that now is and of that which is to come." This is what he is talking about when he speaks of labor and suffering reproach. As the Church proclaims the truth, by those called to the ministry, it is engaged in a work which is reliable.

Our culture is very much success-oriented. We do things based on being able to succeed. Think for a moment about the task we are talking about here. The task of ministering the Word of God is calling weak, fallen people in the Church to live a life of thankfulness in the midst of all of the temptations that are so prevalent. And further, the task is to tell someone who hates God that he is a sinner, that he is under the curse of God for his sins, and that he needs to repent, confess Christ, and change his life.

This task, toiling and striving, is probably from a human perspective the least likely task to succeed in. How can it be done? How can anyone step in the pulpit and talk to a brother or sister about dealing with life; how can you speak the gospel? This ministry can go forward because there is hope in the faithful saying. Keep in mind that the word "hope," in connection with the gospel, is not wishful thinking-it is a certain trust.

No one has given of himself more than Paul for the sake of the kingdom. Why? Not because he trusted in his ability or in the goodness of man, but in the fact that God said He would accomplish salvation through Jesus Christ.

Now what specifically is the reason why Paul should have this hope-one that people will believe? Why should we believe that all of our toil is worth it, that people will believe and the church will continue and grow? In spite of everything that points against this, we can be confident with Paul that our toil is not in vain. Why?

Well, he says it very simply: "because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe." You might wonder about this statement. In what sense is God the Savior of all people? And how can He be a Savior especially of those who believe? Is He kind of a general savior and then also a special savior?

In this context we are speaking about refuting irreverent, silly myths and putting forth the truth. The truth says there is only one God. Those who say that there are many paths to salvation are in fact telling silly myths.

There is a general way in which we can say that God is the Savior of everyone. Who provides life, rain, sun, light, food, etc. so that all the people of the world can live? It is the God of creation, none other. It is God who upholds this world and every person and creature in it. We know that God alone is the sovereign God. We know that He is able to provide for all His creation, specifically for the needs of every person. Therefore, we can be confident that the God whom we proclaim to the lost is the only God-all others are myths.

So Christianity is not in competition; it is not one of many equals. The God of the Scriptures is the God of salvation, and Him we proclaim to the lost. This is the God that must be made known; only in Him can there be salvation.

Yet God is not simply the only God in whom there is salvation, He is the God who does actually save. He saves those who believe. This is again part of the trustworthy statement. When God says that He will save you through Jesus His Son and you put your faith in Him, you can know that it will most certainly be so. We send out missionaries. We pray for and contribute to the work of the Church, both in feeding the sheep and calling the lost. From a human perspective that would appear to be utter foolishness and a waste of time and money. Except for this reason, we rely upon God for that toil to have results. He has said that He will save His own, those who believe in Him.

The prophet Jeremiah preached because God called him to preach. For fifty years he spoke what God gave him to speak. Fifteen other prophets refuted him. Was his toil worthwhile? Did his preaching accomplish anything? All the false prophets were proven to be false; they spoke myths. His word of the salvation of the remnant was accomplished. Why? Because God is the Savior of His people.

Obviously, God does not spell out for us the specifics of His purpose. God does not specifically tell you that if you go to your next door neighbor and tell him/her about Christ, that God will save them. But He does say that if you are faithful in making known the Word of God, His people whom He has called will come to know Jesus as their Savior. And if you are faithful in serving God as He has equipped you, then the kingdom of God will be built.

Of that you can be certain-you can take that to the bank.