296. Reign with Christ
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.
This promise sounds like a conditional promise: if you suffer, then you will reign with Christ. But it is not really conditioned as a cause and effect condition. Suffering does not result in, or cause, reigning. The “if” is really a “when,” because we all will suffer. Suffering is endemic to the human condition; it is built in; it is already a given. We will suffer because of sin. Sin always causes suffering, whether it is our own sin or the sin of others. Sin causes death; all suffering is a precursor of death; Any kind of suffering is a death of something; it is a lessening of a full life. “Suffering happens.” We do not intentionally try to suffer; it just comes upon us.
The promise for the sufferer (which is everyone) is that we shall reign with Him. The word is: “Endure the suffering for a short time; the reigning will come and it will be for a long time.” Reigning outlasts suffering; Life outlasts Death. That is the real promise. 2 Corinthians 4:18: “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Both the seen temporal things and the unseen eternal things are present in our daily life. The only question is this: “Which one are you looking at and trusting in?” Faith sees the unseen. Hearing with faith receives the promise. God gives faith; God gives the gift of seeing the unseen.
But what does it mean to reign with Him? In this context “reigning” is a synonym for living eternally with Christ. Reign = Live. Reigning with Christ means ruling with authority over the Enemies of Life: Sin diminishes life; Death takes away life; and Satan destroys living to the full, as much as he is allowed to, that is, up to limit set by the Lord. But the Good News: we shall reign with Him. We rule over the Enemies of Life. After we die, we shall rule over all enemies that fight against Life; and we will always overcome because these enemies of life are no longer present. However, now, before we die, we “reign with Him” by faith. By the power of the Word and Spirit we may take authority over our spiritual enemies, drive them out, and enjoy the gift of abundant life. We take that authority by hearing the Gospel with faith.
Meanwhile, we suffer, but at the same time, while we are suffering, we reign with Christ. Jesus suffered for us and by faith we suffer with Him; Jesus reigns in life for us and by faith we reign with Him. And for believers that promise is unconditional.