“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
— 2 Timothy 2:19, KJV
Let’s unpack this line-by-line with force and clarity.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure” -The Greek verb here is ἕστηκεν (hestēken), perfect active indicative of ἵστημι, meaning to stand, remain firm, be established. The perfect tense emphasizes a completed action with ongoing effect. Despite false teachers like Hymenaeus and Philetus who were overthrowing the faith of some by claiming the resurrection had already occurred (v. 18), Paul insists God’s saving purpose has not budged an inch. His redemptive foundation, laid in the blood of Christ, is immovable, ἑδραῖος, grounded by divine initiative, not human performance.
“Having this seal” - In the ancient world, seals were signs of ownership and authenticity. The phrase in Greek is ἔχουσα τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην, “having this seal.” It means God’s foundation bears an unbreakable mark of His decree. This is covenant branding, a dual-inscribed seal of assurance and responsibility.
“The Lord knoweth them that are his”, This echoes Numbers 16:5, when Moses faced the rebellion of Korah: “The LORD will show who is His.” The Greek verb ἔγνω (egnō) is aorist indicative, meaning God’s knowledge is definite, decisive, and eternal. This is not mere awareness, it is electing intimacy. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep (John 10:14), not just informationally but salvifically. This clause proclaims divine security, if God has chosen you, He has sealed you, and no false teacher or demonic lie can sever that.
“And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” - The second clause of the seal is human responsibility. To “name the name of Christ” (ὀνομάζων τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου) is to publicly profess Him as Lord. That profession demands a lifestyle, “depart from iniquity” (ἀποστῆτω ἀπὸ ἀδικίας), an aorist imperative: a decisive break with sin. This mirrors the moral fruit demanded by regeneration. It’s not perfection, but direction. The born-again believer does not cuddle iniquity, he crucifies it. He departs from it because Christ died for it.
Sooo-
2 Timothy 2:19 stands as a twin-bladed sword: one side declares that God’s elect are sealed, secure, and known by Him, that’s sovereign grace; the other demands that those who claim Christ must depart from lawlessness, that’s Spirit-driven repentance. This verse explodes sinless perfectionism and antinomianism alike. It says: God’s saving work is unshakable, but your life must show you’re His. The cross secures, the Spirit sanctifies, and the seal proves both.
This is not soft doctrine. This is granite theology. The foundation is Christ (1 Cor 3:11), laid by the Father, sealed by the Spirit, and manifested by those who run from iniquity, not rest in it. That’s the mark of the truly born again.
J.
