Not Ashamed Of The Testimony of Our Lord

2 Timothy 1:8-10

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

Paul informs Timothy that the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ pertains not only to Him but to Paul and Timothy as well. If it pertains to Paul and Timothy, it surely is profitable for instruction toward righteousness for every man of God!  All in Christ Jesus must understand this calling!

Interestingly, this holy calling was given to "us" before time began, revealed to "us" through the Savior Jesus Christ who abolished spiritual death and brought life. It always was the Father's plan that Jesus would be the "firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29).

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as SHEEP for the slaughter. Yet in all these things "we" are more than conquerers THROUGH HIM who loved us." (Romans 8:35-37)

For the Father's sake and His Lamb's we are accounted as SHEEP. We must understand that Jesus Christ's calling by the Father is our calling. Through this understanding we function IN HIS NAME!  It is not a physical destruction necessarily (as Jesus' was), but the removal of all soulish rubbish that would keep us from experiencing Him to the uttermost, and that others may see.