“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” – 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)
What was that “good deposit”? It was not a retirement nest egg, but it was the gospel of Jesus Christ. The teaching had a sound pattern to it and was based on fact. The pattern was in God’s redeeming grace throughout history. Paul and the Apostles beared witness to Jesus Christ as the Messiah who died and rose from the dead. They met strong resistance and even imprisonment, stonings, and beatings. The commitment to the spread of the gospel came at a cost. While basic fact of salvation rests on the person and work of Christ, it requires us to take up our cross and follow Him. The response was to repent and acknowledge His Lordship over every area of life.
I fear that the culture of “name it, claim it” is in essence cashing in on His Lordship. In that way, it’s a “defame it” consumerism that plagues the materialistic gospel. Rather, we should seek to serve Him by using the gifts He gives us. God’s blessings on this earth far pail in comparison to what lies in store for those who find heavenly treasure.
Our claim to the gospel comes from knowing Him. As our Creator, it is He who can lay full claim on our lives. It is also presumptious to think that we should seek earthly riches from God when He knows all of our needs. If He takes care of the little things, isn’t He sufficient to take care of the big things in our lives? God speaks to us in a variety of ways, but it is often when we have little and are weak that we trust in Him a little more.
So, guarding the good deposit involves laying up treasure in heaven and taking a stand for His Lordship over all creation. Like the apostles did in times of old, we need to bear witness to Him as the only way of salvation. Our postmodern culture needs an authentic and deeply convicting absolute standard by which we live our lives. Outside of God’s grace and mercy, our lives are as meaningless as it says in Ecclesiastes. You can’t live on both sides of the fence. It’s an all-or-nothing principle. Seek the truth and it will set you free.
