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Tuesday, September 17, 2024
"I Know Whom I Have Believed"
Message summary: “I Know Whom I Have Believed” is far more than just a Bible text and the title of a hymn. It's a statement of faith based upon Scripture, and it is one that is written in the first person so we can personalize it making it our very own testimony today.
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“For
this reason I
also suffer
these things;
nevertheless I
am not
ashamed, for I
know whom I
have believed
and am
persuaded that
He is able to
keep what I
have committed
to Him until
that Day” (2
Timothy 1:12).
We are
studying 2
Timothy in our
Adult Bible
Fellowship
class. This
last Sunday we
considered one
of my all-time
favorite
verses. It has
also been put
to music in a
hymn many of
us
"old-timers"
will recall.
In fact we may
have learned
the Scripture
verse from
singing the
hymn:
But I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.
The hymn was written by Daniel Whittle who had enlisted in the 72nd Illinois infantry during the Civil War and headed into the bloodiest conflict in America’s history. He was badly wounded in the Battle of Vicksburg and then taken prisoner. He tells of his conversion experience:
“I read right through the book—Matthew, Mark, Luke, to Revelation. Every part was interesting to me; and I found to my surprise that I could understand it in a way that I never had before. When I had finished Revelation, I began at Matthew, and read it through again. And so for days I continued reading, and with continued interest; and still with no thought of becoming a Christian, I saw clearly from what I read the way of salvation through Christ.
“While in this state of mind, yet still with no purpose or plan to repent and accept the Saviour, I was awakened one midnight by the nurse, who said: ‘There is a boy in the other end of the ward, one of your men, who is dying. He has been begging me for the past hour to pray for him, or to get someone to pray for him, and I can’t stand it. I am a wicked man, and can’t pray, and I have come to get you.’
“’Why,’ said I, ‘I can’t pray. I never prayed in my life. I am just as wicked as you are.’ ‘Can’t pray!’ said the nurse; ‘why, I thought sure from seeing you read the Testament that you were a praying man. And you are the only man in the ward that I have not heard curse. What shall I do? There is no one else for me to go to. I can’t go back there alone. Won’t you get up and come and see him at any rate?’
“Moved by his appeal, I arose from my cot, and went with him to the far corner of the room. A fair-haired boy of seventeen or eighteen lay there dying. There was a look of intense agony upon his face, as he fastened his eyes upon me and said:
“’Oh, pray for me! Pray for me! I am dying. I was a good boy at home in Maine. My mother and father are members of the Church, and I went to Sunday School and tried to be a good boy. But since I became a soldier I have learned to be wicked. I drank, and swore, and gambled, and went with bad men. And now I am dying, and I am not fit to die! Oh, ask God to forgive me! Pray for me. Ask Christ to save me!’
“As I stood there and heard these pleadings, God said to my soul by His Spirit, just as plainly as if He had spoken in audible tones, ‘You know the way of salvation. Get right down on your knees and accept Christ, and pray for this boy.’
“I dropped upon my knees and held the boy’s hand in mine, as in a few broken words I confessed my sins, and asked God for Christ’s sake to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me, and that I was Christ’s child; I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet, and pressed my hand as I pleaded the promises. When I arose from my knees he was dead. A look of peace was upon his face, and I can but believe that God, who used him to bring me to my Saviour, used me to get his attention fixed upon Christ and to lead him to trust in His precious blood. I hope to meet him in Heaven.”
Years
later Whittle
penned the
words to “I
Know Whom I
have Believed”
as an
expression of
his testimony
of faith in
Jesus Christ.
The Psalmist
expressed,
“Commit thy
way unto the
LORD; trust
also in Him;
and He shall
bring it to
pass”
(Psalm
37:5).
Committing and
trusting is
God’s will for
each of us. In
our class this
last Sunday we
sang the hymn,
“I Know Whom I
Have Believed”
which is far
more than just
a hymn.
It is a
statement of
faith based
upon
Scripture, and
it is one that
is written in
the first
person so we
can
personalize it
by making it
our very own
testimony
today. Let’s
confess, along
with
hymnwriter
Daniel Webster
Whittle, that
while there is
much we don’t
know there is
One whom we do
know; and that
is the person
of Christ who
redeemed us
for His very
own.
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, there
is so much
more that I
don’t know
than that
which I
do know, but
that which
matters most
is that I know
Jesus, Your
Son,
gave His all
to ransom me
from my
sins. I
don’t know if
I’ll meet Him
in the air or
when I cross
over at the
time of my
death, but I
know His
Spirit will
guide me. I
don’t know why
I
have been
chosen among
the elect to
receive
Christ, but I
am eternally
grateful for
His Spirit
that convinced
me of my need
for
salvation.
All I have
need of Your
hand will
provide, and
all
that I entrust
to You will be
safely guarded
until the day
that I find
my resting
place in
Heaven, the
New Jerusalem.
Thank You for
sending
Jesus to make
it possible,
and it's in
His name that
I pray. Amen.
Brooksyne’s
Note: As
regular
readers know
for many years
I have enjoyed
studying hymn
backgrounds
and their
authors.
I am touched
by our story
today and
though it is
not included
in the account
we shared I
have read of
Whittle’s
mother’s
devout faith
and her
earnest
intercession
for her son to
be saved. It
reminds me
that when we
pray for our
loved ones to
be saved, it’s
not always in
the most
innocent or
sweetest of
circumstances
that our
prayers are
answered. Dan
Whittle lost
his arm and we
can only
imagine how
dark the times
were for those
in battle and
those at home
who lost touch
with their
loved ones.
Surely
families,
depending on
where they
lived and the
political
positions they
supported,
turned against
one another.
And yet when
we read a
historical
story such as
that of Daniel
Whittle’s in
the darkest of
settings it
reminds us
that the light
of Christ
permeates the
darkness. His
Spirit reaches
within the
hearts of
humankind to
reveal His
love and
salvation to
those whose
hearts are
wounded, weary
and worn from
the ravages of
sin.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"I Know Whom I Have Believed" Listen on YouTube Marshall Hall
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
Refrain:
But “I know
Whom I have
believed,
And am
persuaded that
He is able
To keep that
which I’ve
committed
Unto Him
against that
day.”
I know not
how this
saving faith
To me He did
impart,
Nor how
believing in
His Word
Wrought peace
within my
heart.
I know not
how the Spirit
moves,
Convincing men
of sin,
Revealing
Jesus through
the Word,
Creating faith
in Him.
I know not
what of good
or ill
May be
reserved for
me,
Of weary ways
or golden
days,
Before His
face I see.
I know not
when my Lord
may come,
At night or
noonday fair,
Nor if I walk
the vale with
Him,
Or meet Him in
the air.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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