2 Timothy 2:10
10 Therefore [dia] [touto] I endure [hupomeno] all things [pas] for [eklektos] the elect's [eklektos] sakes, [dia] that [hina] they [autos] may [tugchano] also [kai] obtain [tugchano] the salvation [soteria] which [ho] is in [en] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous] with [meta] eternal [aionios] glory. [doxa] KJV-Interlinear
10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. NASB
For this reason, because of the things that Paul has just said and has been saying for some time now, he is more than willing to suffer, not for believers per se, or those who have already believed, but for those who are ‘elect,’ or better stated, for those who are still unbelievers, but will one day believe in Christ and thus obtain salvation.
The word for may obtain, ‘tugchano,’ means future potential. Of those who have not yet believed, but may yet still believe.
In eternity past, God looked down through the tunnel of time and saw all who would believe. Thus, by their faith, they are called the elect, or those who have elected to believe in Christ.
But no person has believed in Christ unless or until they have first heard the gospel. Otherwise, they would not have anything to believe in unless they first hear of it. You cannot believe in something that you know nothing about, or have never heard of.
There are some who believe that evangelism is not necessary because they believe that God has already chosen those who will be saved, and rejected others who He decided will not be saved.
That of course runs contrary to all that God represents. God wants all to believe, but all will not.
Paul preaches and lives and suffers by his association with Christianity, because he wants others to hear the gospel, and thus believe in Christ. If the elect were already determined, then what purpose would there be for faith, for belief, for history, or even for mans free will to make decisions?
That would also imply that there is no need to obey Gods mandates, or make any kind of effort to live the spiritual life, let alone an honest life. And of course that would mean that no one would need to be responsible in life.
But such is not the case.
The spiritual life teaches one to study, to learn, to grow and to be responsible, because we are all going to be held accountable before Christ. Unbelievers for their choice in refusing to believe, and believers for their choices regarding their daily life.
Your life too, has an impact on history whether you know it or believe it or not. Most all of us are nobodies in history. And as far as the world is concerned, being a nobody, means that you are a nothing.
However, we have had numerous studies that point to your individual worth to God. That this world, in fact this whole universe was created in order to sustain humanity. This universe belongs to God, and therefore to Gods family and to no one else. All blessing comes into this world because of believers.
Whether the believer lived long ago or will live in some future generation makes no difference. God maintains and sustains history for the sake of the elect – all who have or will believe in Christ, throughout history. And as such, your belief has an impact on history.
Likewise, your life probably has an impact on someone else in this world as well. Whether they be family or neighbors, children or friends or even distant acquaintances, your life will make an impression on others for better or for worse.
Even countries have an impact on history and people from other countries. Our USA is the wealthiest nation on the earth, despite the many political and economic difficulties that exist from time to time, both now and in our history. We are the destination of choice by most of those people around the world who will leave their country.
And despite the many attempts to make our country into a non-Christian nation, we still have very deep roots in Christianity and thus most of the prosperity, most of the innovation, most of the technology in this world, originates from here.
Certainly we ship our manufacturing of products overseas, and that too is a blessing to others overseas, but it is merely the assembly of things invented here. If things were never invented, then a lot of people throughout the world would not have jobs.
But, of all of the countries in the world, of all of the products in the world, of all of the reputations of countries in the world, which country stands out above all else? And as such, which faith stands out?
And that final answer as to faith is Christianity.
So, regardless of your personal views of yourself, you have an impact on history. Perhaps more so than you realize. And yet no one in this world will ever know your name, nor know your face.
But for the sake of salvation for innumerable numbers of people in history, for the sake of glory (all blessings after salvation even into eternity), for the sake of all that God offers each one of us, offerings that exceed the imagination, then any suffering or inconvenience or insult or injury we might experience during our short life on this planet, is well worth the price paid now, for blessings for ourselves, and opportunities made available to others.
For the blessings in Christ far, far, far exceed the small nuisances we will have in this life.
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