Real Things

Joe R. Price

Some of you remember Coca-Cola’s advertising slogan that told us Coke is “the real thing”. (I am definitely dating myself here!)

Real things endure; they have authenticity, substance, value and character. Counterfeits are forged, fake, fraudulent and deceptive; they do not last.

The apostle Paul possessed genuine faith in Christ. He suffered much in his life as “a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles” (2 Tim. 1:11-12; Acts 9:16). Yet, confidently Paul said, “nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

His declaration of faith assures us of several real things:

1) God is real (“I know whom I have believed”). Men have made many gods he worships as if they are real. Yet, there is only one God (1 Cor. 8:4-6; Acts 17:22-24). The apostle Paul taught the Athenians in Acts 17 that the true and living God is a creative God (17:24) He is a self-sustaining God (17:25), He is the ruling God (17:26), He is a purposeful God (17:27-28), He is a merciful yet authoritative God (17:29-30), and He is a God who judges mankind (17:31). The fool says in his heart, “there is no God” even as the evidence of His power and divinity fills the world (Psa. 14:1; Rom. 1:20).

Jehovah God must be real in your life. If He is, then you will “fear God and keep His commandments” (Eccl. 12:13).

2) Faith is real (“I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able...”). Paul knew the true and living God. He was fully persuaded God would guard His soul as he lived by faith (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 8:31-32). The sufferings Paul experienced did not deter and weaken his faith; he was strengthened in them (2 Cor. 12:10). Here is the essence of saving faith: a full and firm assurance that trusts God’s way is right and His power is real (Heb. 11:1). It is this persuasion that joins with obedience to complete or perfect one’s faith: “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” (Jas. 2:22). Saving faith is obedient (1 Jno. 5:2-4). This is the faith that is real, alive and fruitful (see Jas. 2:17-20).

Paul was fully persuaded that the Lord would deliver him “from every evil work and preserve (him) for His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:18). His unwavering faith caused him to serve and praise God instead of doubting Him when trials and death came because of his faith (2 Tim. 4:6, 16-17). 

Examine yourself to see whether your faith is real (2 Cor. 13:5). Do you take Jesus’ word as true and do whatever He says (Lk. 6:46)? Do you obey God’s word and trust that by doing so God will accomplish His will in you (Phil. 2:12-13)? If you do, then your faith is real. If not, it is counterfeit (Jas. 2:17).

3) The soul is real (“what I have committed to Him”). Paul, like others, had committed his soul to God (1 Pet. 4:19). Paul knew he was more than flesh; we are, too (2 Cor. 4:16-5:4). The reality of the inward man’s existence beyond the grave is affirmed by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. His resurrection forever settles the fact of life after death (Jno. 11:25-26; Matt. 28:6-7).

Your soul is real and more valuable than the whole world (Matt. 16:26). Do not entrust your soul to this world; it will always let you down and leave your soul empty, destitute and lost (1 Jno. 2:15-17; Lk. 15:11-19).

4) The day of Christ’s return is real (“until that Day”). Paul refers to “that Day” three times in 2 Timothy (1:12, 18; 4:8). He views “that Day” as a time of vindication, mercy and reward. Christians will share in Christ’s glory when He returns (2 Ths. 1:10; Col. 3:4). That day is real, the Christ who is coming is real and the reward He is bringing is real (see 2 Tim. 1:9-10).

There are additional “real things” that deserve our attention:

Truth is real. Pilate skeptically asked, “What is truth?” because he was not committed to any truth – even as Jesus, the embodiment of truth, was standing right in front of him (Jno. 18:38; 14:6; 1:14; Eph. 4:20-21).

In our text of 2 Timothy 1:12, Paul went on to exhort Timothy to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). The apostles taught truth. It is a pattern we must hold fast and follow. God’s word is truth, sanctifying those whose faith is built on it (Jno. 17:17). 

Sin is real. Sin is the transgression of God’s law—God’s truth (1 Jno. 3:4; Matt. 7:23). Men have redefined sin out of their thinking, but not out of existence. To many people sin is merely a lifestyle, or a genetic predetermination, or a disease – anything that removes their personal accountability and responsibility for violating God’s word of truth. By calling evil good and good evil, men and women try to avoid and evade the reality of sin (Isa. 5:20). All such efforts are ultimately futile; the soul that sins shall die (Ezek. 18:4, 20; Rom. 6:23).

Hell is real. We will all answer to God for our lives, and His judgment will be just, according to truth, and impartial (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:1-11). Hell’s agony is eternal and its corruption is never-ending. Hell is “the fire that shall never be quenched— where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’” (Mk. 9:43-44; Matt. 25:46). Hell will be real justice with real pain and anguish; hell is real punishment for real sin. The truth of hell should compel every sinner to repent (2 Cor. 5:11; Rom. 2:5; Rev. 20:12-15).

Heaven is real. The habitation of holiness prepared for God’s people is not the figment of foolish imaginations. Heaven is the real, eternal home of the soul (Rev. 21-22). Heaven was real to Jesus, to His apostles and to early Christians (Jno. 14:1-3; 20:17; Acts 1:10-11; 2 Cor. 5:1; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 8:1; 1 Pet. 1:4). Is it real to you?

It is left up to us to choose “real things”, not the counterfeit gods, fraudulent faiths and false, deceptive hopes of sinful error (2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Jno. 4:1-6).

Come what may, commit your soul to God with a living faith that trusts and obeys His word. The Christian’s hope is living, genuine and real (1 Pet. 1:3-5). When Christ returns, you will receive “the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:7-9). The gospel of Christ is real (2 Pet. 1:16). Do not be ashamed to believe (2 Tim. 1:12; Mk. 8:38). 

We have been reminded of the brevity of life this past week by untimely, tragic deaths. Today we “weep with those who weep” and offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones (Rom. 12:15). Let us, the living, go to the house of mourning at such moments and take to heart that death “is the end of all men” (Eccl. 7:2).

Death can come accidentally. The daughter of a dear friend lost her life last Sunday in a car accident. Her life was gone without warning. Left are a son and a daughter, along with unfinished business. During the most mundane and ordinary events of the day our life can end suddenly. Death comes to us all, but will we be ready if it comes to us accidentally?

Death can come because of the actions of others.  A South African Olympian shot and killed his girlfriend through a closed door, saying he thought she was an intruder. The man “told a packed courtroom Tuesday that he shot his girlfriend to death by mistake, thinking she was a robber. The prosecutor called it premeditated murder” (cbsnews.com). Whatever the outcome of his trial, the young model is dead. Our life is not always under our control. Many forces are at work around us that can take away our life in an instant (Jas. 4:13-14).

Death can come because of our own choices. A country music singer was found dead last Sunday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound (USAToday.com). In and out of the justice system and drug rehabilitation, she ended the possibility of any future healing and help. Alcohol and drug addictions distort reality, often leading one to feel hopelessness and helplessness. There is hope and help in Christ (Matt. 11:28-30). When the soul is saved the problems that sinful choices brought to one’s life can be addressed and overcome (Rom. 6:16-23; 5:1-5).

Death comes to the young as well as to the old. Whatever your age, now is the time to live for God. By doing so, your exit from this world – whenever it comes – will take you to restful glory (2 Cor. 4:16-5:1). 

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Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated.  02/21/2013