Two Sides Of Commitment

Serving – June 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Two Sides Of Commitment

For which cause also I suffer these things; but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep for that day the deposit I have entrusted to Him. Have an outline of sound words, which words thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Keep by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted. —2 Timothy 1:12-14 JND

In the face of afflictions and persecutions for Christ’s sake, bound in prison and anticipating martyrdom, the vibrant joy of the apostle Paul is seen beautifully in his second epistle to Timothy. What believer can fail to admire the calm magnificence of his witness in verse 12 above? No tremor of fear or discouragement can penetrate the armor of his confidence in the living God. It was not a matter of what he had believed but whom . True doctrine is good, but only as it springs from Him who is true, the person who is the fountain of all truth, the living Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Upholder of all things.

To Him Paul had “committed” (KJV) everything that concerned his well being in its every possible aspect, whether for the present time or eternity. This commitment, or committal, involves trusting a blessed person – the Lord Jesus Christ. How can we say we trust Him for our eternal welfare but then fail to put this confidence into practice as regards our present life? Paul had deposited unconditionally with God everything concerning himself; therefore no possible doubt could exist as to its being securely held. In fact we may say more, “Who can doubt that in such hands the interest from this deposit will multiply immeasurably?”

It is told of John Wesley (1703–1791) that in the midst of his diligent labors for Christ, he was falsely made the object of a cruel scandal. However, he made no mention of it in his preaching, as he went on in service for the Lord. He was chided for this, as to why he did not publicly refute these charges. He simply answered, “When I committed my life to the Lord, I committed my reputation to Him too.” It was not long before the scandalous charges ceased.

Second Timothy 1:12 is a solid basis upon which Paul addressed to Timothy the stirring exhortation of the next two verses. Verse 14 speaks of commitment of a different kind, that which is “committed” by God to Timothy, or a “deposit entrusted” (JND). As it is impossible for God to fail in His trust, how stirring an incentive this is for the young man to prove faithful in his!

We have been entrusted with the true riches – that which are of infinite value. Since what is entrusted to God multiplies with immeasurable interest, is it not only right and becoming that God should expect some interest on His great deposit in us? Consider Luke 19:23, which says, “And why didst thou not give my money to the bank; and I should have received it, at my coming, with interest?” At least in this parable of the minas – a mina was possibly three month’s wages – one servant could say his mina had gained ten minas, another acquired five.

If we should feel insufficient and helpless in responding to such a trust, let us remember the power of the Spirit of God is present in every believer to enable his keeping this precious trust. He – the holy, abiding Presence – dwells in us. Let us therefore allow Him His own place and the exercise of His power in relation to us. The one effective way of keeping this trust is by using it for the Master.

In considering the preceding and following verses, we can surely readily discern the vital importance of 2 Timothy 1:13. To be rightly held, the deposit entrusted to Timothy should be understood by him in some real measure; he was to hold a clear outline, or pattern, of sound words. Paul had communicated these things to him, but he was not to take them merely as a disjointed, unrelated collection of good words. To hold them in the soul in orderly form as sound words forming a united pattern is of great importance, for the truth of God is one.

It is true that one believer may see those things connected in a little different way than another sees. Also, no formal creed is here advocated for the acceptance of everybody, no mere Bible course. Instead, the apostle sought for the exercise of the individual in having sound words formed in his soul in a pattern consistent with the entire Word of God.

This personal enjoyment and comprehension of the Word can be likened to honeycomb. The Word itself is “sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:10 KJV). Honey is symbolic of the ministry of the Word, and the honeycomb would speak of ministry stored up for use in orderly form – just the thing Paul urged upon Timothy.

Sound words are not to be dry or cold. They are to be liberally mixed with “faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” Faith, the reality of confidence in the living God, will effectually banish dryness; and love, the warmth of sincere and genuine affection, is the total opposite of coldness. More than this, being “in Christ Jesus” lifts the whole matter as high as heaven is above the earth, giving precious balance and substance, making for a fullness which lacks nothing.

Let every young believer who desires to be of help to others pay serious attention to this counsel to Timothy. Search the Word to:

• Discern its perfect unity,
• Properly understand the character of each book and its place in relation to other books,
• Rightly connect its parts in consistency with the whole, and
• Know how to rightly divide it so each part is kept in its proper place.

Again, however, let us insist that we must have no thoughts of conforming simply to a system of interpretation, which would make our “outline” a mere stereotyped creed. Each must have his own outline in living and fresh power of the Spirit of God. This will make for wonderful diversity in the understanding and ministry of various saints – though certainly it will not produce contrary thoughts. The Spirit of God cannot contradict Himself.

If two believers have conflicting views, then at least one of them is wrong. In such a case, I must closely check my own thoughts by the Word of God, with lowly, earnest exercise to correct what may be lacking. This in itself may be of great value in more properly forming an “outline of sound words” for myself, and to be of use to others. The exercise to rightly assess and value the deposit entrusted will have much to do with keeping it.

By Leslie M. Grant