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Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, thouart my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderfulthings; thy counsels of oldare faithfulnessand truth.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Romans 3:3
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

he cannot.

Numbers 23:19
Godis not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not doit? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in whichit was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

He remains faithful
This statement emphasizes God's unchanging nature and His steadfastness. In the Old Testament, God's faithfulness is a recurring theme, as seen in His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) and His promises to Israel despite their repeated disobedience (Deuteronomy 7:9). Theologically, this reflects God's immutability, meaning He does not change (Malachi 3:6;James 1:17). In the New Testament, Jesus Christ embodies this faithfulness, fulfilling God's promises and providing salvation (Hebrews 10:23). This assurance of God's faithfulness offers comfort and hope to believers, encouraging them to trust in His promises.

for He cannot deny Himself
This phrase underscores the consistency of God's character. God's nature is inherently faithful, and He cannot act contrary to His essence. This is supported by passages such asNumbers 23:19, which states that God does not lie or change His mind. Theologically, this speaks to God's integrity and truthfulness. In the context of 2 Timothy, it reassures believers that God's promises are reliable, even when human faith wavers. This concept is also reflected in Jesus Christ, who is described as "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), highlighting the unchanging nature of God as revealed through Christ.

• Paul pictures seasons when believers falter, lose courage, or fail to trust. The disciples fled in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56); Peter denied the Lord three times (Luke 22:60–62).

• Such moments do not erase salvation, but they do expose our weakness and need for grace, echoing “All have turned away” (Romans 3:12).

• The clause is realistic, not permissive. Earlier Paul warns, “If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12). Voluntary, settled denial is different from stumbling faithlessness.

• God’s character is the bedrock. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases… great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).

• Even when His people break covenant, He keeps His word (Deuteronomy 7:9;Psalm 89:33).

• In Christ this faithfulness is personal: “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

• Practical comfort:

– Our wavering does not intimidate Him.

– His promises of forgiveness stand (1 John 1:9).

– His purposes for us continue (Philippians 1:6).

• God’s faithfulness is not merely an attitude; it is His very being. “I, the LORD, do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

• To abandon His word would be to cease being God. “It is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18; seeTitus 1:2).

• Therefore His reliability outlasts human inconsistency: “Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not!” (Romans 3:3–4).

• Union with Christ means He has bound Himself to His people; to cast them off would be self-contradiction (Ephesians 1:13–14).

2 Timothy 2:13 reassures believers who stumble: our lapses do not overturn God’s unchanging commitment. While we must repent of faithlessness, our security rests on the immutable character of a God who would have to cease being Himself to break His promises. His faithfulness invites us back to trust and obedience, confident that He finishes what He begins.

Yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.--Those who have understood these words as containing soothing, comforting voices for the sinner, for the faithless Christian who has left his first love, are gravely mistaken. The passage is one of distinct severity--may even be termed one of the sternest in the Book of Life; for it tells how it is impossible even for the pitiful Redeemer to forgive in the future life. "He cannot deny Himself"--cannot treat the faithless as though he were faithful--cannot act as though faithfulness and faithlessness were one and the same thing. The Christian teacher, such as Timothy, and the members of his flock likewise, must remember that, sure and certain as are the promises of glory and happiness to those who love the Lord and try to live His life, so surely will fall the chastisement on all who are faithless and untrue.

With the solemn words of this "faithful saying" St. Paul closes this, the second division of his Epistle--fellowship in the sufferings of Christhere,on this side the grave, and fellowship in the glory of Christthere,on the other side the grave--the one side was the sure consequence of the other; the one could not exist without the other.