If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him.
–2 Timothy 2:11–12
We can experience real, radical transformation in our lives right now because we have participated in both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as He died and was raised to new life, so we, too, have died to our old way of living and have been raised to a new way of living. The third reason we can be transformed now rather than later is that we are also participating in the glorification of Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:4 says, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Just as He will be glorified and rewarded by God, we, too, will be glorified and rewarded by God.
Any losses we experience or pleasures we give up by saying no to our old sin nature will be more than compensated for when Jesus Christ returns. On that day, “every knee will bow, . . . and . . . every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11). Those of us who are in Christ will return with Him. And if we follow Him in this life, then the rewards that God gives His Son for His obedience will be ours as well. That’s why Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:12, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”
To receive those rewards, we have to say no to sin. I’ve heard preachers say, “Sin is so distasteful. It just makes you miserable!” But notice what the Bible says about sin. Hebrews 11:24–26 says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” The writer didn’t say Moses chose to endure ill-treatment rather than enjoy the emptiness of sin. No, the writer said sin is pleasurable–for a season. Moses was willing to say no to the pleasures and treasures of this world because he was looking forward to a greater reward.
That’s the decision we have to make. If we say no to sin right now, God will more than compensate us for that choice in the future. We may be misunderstood, ridiculed, and even persecuted by this world. But one day, when Jesus Christ returns and we return with Him, the entire world will understand why we chose to say no to sin because we will share in the riches of Jesus Christ for all eternity.
