Morning Musings-Guard What Was Entrusted

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




When we read the two epistles that Paul wrote to his spiritual son Timothy, we get the impression that Timothy is a rather young-ish sort of man.  In those days, 'young' may have been anywhere from 20-39 years of age.  So saying, Timothy was not that young nor was he that old.

Verses like 1 Timothy 4:12 

"Don't let anyone look down upon you because you are young..." 

and fatherly admonishing such as:  1 Timothy 4:14-15 

"Do not neglect your gift..."; "Be diligent...";

 1 Timothy 5:1-2 which we covered in an earlier blog about how to talk to older men/woman and younger women; 1 Timothy 6:20

"...guard what has been entrusted to your care...";

 and then here in 2 Timothy 1:3-7 especially verses 6-7 

"...fan into flame the gift of God...for God did not give us a spirit of timidity...";

 and then 2 Timothy 1:14, 

"Guard...that [which] was entrusted..." 

reflect that father-son type relationship.  Admonishings and encouraging words for Timothy to be faithful in his service to God could never be said enough.

I really like to see this and my sons, I would encourage each of you along in your spiritual growth and service to God and His Son Jesus Christ the Savior of your souls.  Steady on...Be faithful to Him.  You've had a godly upbringing at home and among the brothers and sisters in Christ at church, many of whom have faithfully taught you God's Word.  This is very similar to Timothy's training so I want to dedicate the same injunction to you. 

 "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."  (1 Timothy 1:14).

Read 2 Timothy 2:1-13

I believe that due to his 'youngish-ness', Timothy must have felt some what inadequate and timid to speak up and to use the gift God had given him (2 Tim 1:6, 7 and 1 Tim 4:12-14). Perhaps he did not want to seem arrogant or appear to know more than his elders.  However he was to embrace it, use it and develop it, and guard it.  He didn't have to do this on his own strength as he was reminded in 2 Timothy 1:14; the Holy Spirit who lived in him would help.

As we read 2 Timothy 2:1 we see Timothy was encouraged to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus".  He would need a lot of that as he then passed on and entrusted to reliable men all the things that his mother, grandmother and Paul had taught him.

He was to teach "reliable men".  Advice was not to waste time on unreliable ones, the type who would engage in controversies.  He was to entrust the teachings to these "reliable men" so that in turn these men would be qualified to teach others."  (1 Timothy 2;2). 

When people aren't taught foundational truth they will be more easily swayed by false teachers.  They need to be taught, and taught how to guard the truth and pass it on to more reliable people in their own generation as well as to the next.

Timothy was going to need the strength of grace to endure hardship.  Basic training is said to be tough for soldier recruits.  Nevertheless, as "a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (vs 3, 4), God was his commanding officer;  Timothy would need to please Him no matter the cost.

Timothy would have to endure much and "compete according to the rules"; guard and pass on the entrusted truth to reliable men and lead a blameless and holy life.  He was to reflect on these things and gain the Lord's insight into it all (vs 7).

Suffering, persecution, unfair treatment and even possible imprisonment were on the menu yet Paul's positive note was that a person could "be chained like a criminal but God's Word would not be" (vs 9).  All these needed to be endured for the sake of those who were to come to Christ in the present generation and subsequent ones in the years ahead.

Some rewards are divulged in verses 11-13:

                          "if we died with Him   >   we would live with Him"

                          "if we endured             >   we would reign with Him"

                          "if we disown Him      >   He would disown us"

        "if we're faithless         >   yet, praise the Lord, He will remain faithful." 

All of these would mature Timothy personally and spiritually.  In the end, a "victor's crown...&...a share in the crops," so to speak, when he had endured and become strong in grace.

We too could have the same result if we would rely on Him and accept help from the Holy Spirit as we endure in a holy and blameless life; using and developing our gift from God; entrusting God's Word and message of salvation through Jesus Christ God's son, to those who in turn would be reliable and pass on the same to others to, in turn, pass on.  My sons, even if you are considered 'young-ish' as was Timothy, espouse this commission for your own as the Holy Spirit leads.  Guard what God entrusts to you all the days of your life til He comes.

                                                                       ~ERC  2016~