A Warning Sign on the Banks of Denial

“If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (2Tim 2:12).

The Nile is the longest river in the world. It runs through eleven countries. And just about every mile on the Nile is loaded with danger. Crocs. Hippos. Snakes. This might make for a fun ride at Disney World but an extended swim in the real Nile is ultimately fatal.

In the same way, a long swim in denial can also be killer. Specifically, when it comes to the longterm rejection of Jesus. (See what I did there?) In a letter to his young friend Timothy, the Apostle Paul warns, “If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (v12). By “Him” and “He,” the man from Tarsus is talking about Jesus. By “we” and “us,” he’s talking about you and me. 

Think of Paul’s words as a warning sign along the banks of denial. A lifetime of rejecting Jesus will make killer crocs seem like the least of your worries. Continually shoving away our Savior with a spiritual stiff arm eventually results in Him giving us the eternal Heisman. That’s because God will give us what us want. If we don’t want Him, He won’t force Himself into our lives. If we reject Jesus here in this life, it would be incredibly cruel for Him to drag us to heaven to spend eternity with Him. As the old saying goes, the gates of Hell are locked on the inside.

Paul sure knows a thing or two about being locked up. He’s writing to Timothy from behind bars (2Tim 1:8, 16; 2:9). Historians tell us he’s a prisoner inside Rome’s Mamertine Prison. It’s a tiny terrible dungeon that’s home to the empire’s Death Row. The apostle knows the clock is rapidly running out (2Tim 4:6-7). He pleads with his young friend to make one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21).

Why is all that background important? Well, if we don’t know the original reason why the human authors wrote these individual documents we call the Bible, we won’t know how to apply them to our own lives. Otherwise, we’ll make the mistake of pulling stuff completely out of context and totally misuse it. Think of the label that reads “apply as directed.” When something is misapplied, it’s not going to work like it should. Scripture is no different.

One cool tidbit about 2 Timothy 2:11-13 is that these verses contain lyrics lifted from a first century worship song. The apostle’s inclusion of these words lets us know they contain God’s truth. It also makes me wonder if he has this song stuck in his head while he walks the Green Mile. Do you have go-to tunes that you sing, hum, or whistle when times are tough? Seems to be what the former Pharisee is doing here. Call it an ear worm from Jesus.

Paul cuts and pastes four lines of lyrics loaded with great theology. First we see that following Jesus is a matter of life THROUGH death (2Tim 2:11). Second, life with Christ doesn’t come with an easy button but it hold the ultimate in delayed gratification (2Tim 2:12a). Third, we see this warning sign on the banks of detail (v12b). Fourth, Jesus has the faith we need when we have none (2Tim 2:13). Anybody know Chris Tomlin? If so, see if you can get him to cover this tune on his next CD.

Let’s be honest, that third line carries scary stuff: “If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (v12). It SHOULD freak us out. It’s SUPPOSED TO! My rejection of Jesus guarantees His rejection of me!! Is Paul telling us that anytime my faith wobbles and I turn my back on Christ, I’ve booked my ride in a hand basket headed straight to Hell? Considering my rather sketchy track record when it comes to following Jesus, it’s something I need to look into.

The key seems to be the repeated use of “deny.” This is the Greek verb αρνεομαι, which means to refuse, reject, renounce, or repudiate. Think of these four “Rs” as tributaries of denial. We see this word used when we walk down the Hall of Faith in Hebrews and read Big Mo’s plaque. “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused (Gr. αρνεομαι) to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter” (Heb 11:24). He renounced his royal connection in order to lead God’s people to freedom.

Later in this same letter to Timothy, we read how lazy slacker who fails to provide for his own family “has denied (Gr. αρνεομαι) the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1Tim 5:8). In other words, if someone so self-absorbed that he refuses to care for those God has put under his care, that’s proof he’s never tasted the grace of Jesus in the first place. He’s renounced his faith in a very practical way.

But is there a better place to check out rejection of Jesus than Peter’s denial of our Lord in the early morning hours of Good Friday? Each one of Jesus’ biblical biographers use αρνεομαι when describing the moments when the apostle called the Rock crumbled when questioned by a middle school girl (Mt 26:70, 72; Mk 14:68, 70; Lk 22:57; Jn 18:25, 27). He didn’t just do it once. Not just twice. He went for the triple crown of denial. The rooster crowed when Pete chickened out. 

In one of the most amazing examples of mercy you’ll find anywhere, we later see the resurrected Jesus lovingly restoring the fallen leader of the disciples. Who would have blamed Christ for taking Pete to the woodshed, chewing his apostolic tail, and personally kicking him to the eternal curb? But that’s exactly what did NOT happen. 

Strolling along the beach of the Sea of Galilee, the Lord restores a repentant Rocky (Jn 21:15-19). Matching the same number of denials, Jesus asks Peter if he truly loves Him. Three times the broken apostle says he truly does. Three times our Savior showers him with grace and puts Pete back in the game.

This means there is forgiveness for short term seasons of rejecting Jesus. I mean, if Christ can bring back a three-time denier like Peter, what kind of mercy is there for you and me? The risen Carpenter/Rabbi didn’t stop there. He transforms this cowardly three-time denier into the brave leader who will stare down the Sanhedrin! 

What have you said and done that makes you think you’re disqualified from His love? If you’re like me (hopefully you’re not but probably you are), there have been those times you’ve punked out during a conversation when people are trashing those goofy Jesus Freaks. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Taken the t-shirt to Goodwill. Whatever you’ve done, I’m pretty sure you haven’t denied personally Christ in His physical presence three times in 15 minutes. 

If and when we reject Jesus, there’s just one thing left to do. Repent. Make a 180. Turn back to Him. He’s right behind you. He’s waiting for you. If or when you ever do deny Jesus, repent and ask for His forgiveness. It’s NEVER too late on this side of eternity to return to Him. Rejection. Repentance. Restoration. Do not pass “Go.” Do not collect $200. Do it now.

So Rocky’s rejection is NOT what Paul is talking about here. The apostle writes about those who spend their entire lives declining God’s free gift of salvation. Jesus tells His Twelve, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) Me before men, I also will deny (Gr. αρνεομαι) before My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:32-33). Dr. Luke records a similar warning using very similar language (Lk 12:8-9). Can you imagine something more terrifying? I can’t deny Jesus my entire life and expect Him to vouch for me when I meet His Dad. 

Over and over and over, Jesus plants warning signs on the banks of denial. It’s His big close to the Sermon on the Mount. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven…And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Mt 7:21, 23). Check out the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt 25:1-13). Now flip over to the Parable of Narrow Door (Lk 13:22-29).

And we don’t just read these warnings in the Gospels. Paul tells Titus to look out for anyone who’s all talk and no action when it comes to following Jesus (Titus 1:16). Christ’s best friend John wants us to keep our distance from liars “who denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) that Jesus is the Christ. No one who denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1Jn 2:22-23). And who better to listen to on the subject that Peter (2Pet 2:1).

Don’t make the mistake of thinking Jesus makes a single invitation of salvation to each one of us. Yes, it IS a limited time offer only because it’s limited to the time we spend above dirt. God pursues us our entire lives. Chases us. Hunts us down. The English poet Francis Thompson referred to our relentless Redeemer as the Hound of Heaven. 

It turns out God is the ultimate Seeker. King David wrote a song all about how there’s no escaping our Savior’s never-ending pursuit (Ps 139:1-8). Jesus says He won’t rest if just one runaway sheep from His flock of 100 is on the loose (Mt 18:12). And He doesn’t chase us down to hurt us. Or in the words of David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps 23:6). We’re chased by grace in order to save us from ourselves.

Despite being relentlessly and lovingly pursued our entire lives, many of us make a career of rejecting Jesus. The result is not good. Not good at all. “If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (v12). Our lifetime of denial ultimately leads an eternity of His denial. Here’s the deal. We may think there’s always time left to turn back to Jesus. But the bottom line is we really don’t know how many ticks are left on our clock. Could be a decade. Could be a year. Could be a month. Could be a week. I think you get my point. 

That’s exactly what Paul is trying to get across. So he plants a warning sign on the banks of denial. And you thought killer crocs were the problem.