Where Have You Deposited Your Faith?

-
Where Have You Deposited your Faith? 

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:12b But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 

Observation:

Paul strongly affirms that he is not ashamed of being a Christian. Even if other people think of him as a lunatic on account of his work, he will not turn back. He has given everything that he has for the sake of the gospel. Some of the older translations use the word “deposit” to refer to Paul’s putting his complete trust in God. Other translations us the word “commended,” or what Paul has commended to God. Augustine suggests that Paul is saying that he has commended his faith to God for safe keeping. Others might say that Paul has deposited his faith into God’s bank, and that he is entrusting everything, his mission, and all that he holds dear, to God. When that is done, then no amount of questioning on the part of others will cause him to withdraw his deposit. 

Interestingly, when we think about this deposit into God’s bank, we discover the role of stewardship. In return, God entrusts to Paul his own treasure. There is mutual trust in this relationship and that’s why all of this is possible. It’s about a relationship. Paul has come to know the one in whom he is placing his trust. He has no doubt that his faith will be well-protected because he knows the protector. 

There was no need for anyone to try and convince Paul to turn his back on God. No matter how crazy his faith may have seemed to others, he would never be ashamed of the one in whom he had put his entire trust. 

Application:

We don’t sing a lot of the old hymns much anymore. Sadly, I think we’re missing out on some good theology and reminders of God’s great grace and power. This passage of Scripture obviously brings up this old hymn, “I know Who I have believed.” Let’s revisit the words: 

  1. I know not why God’s wondrous grace (I have no idea what God graciously reached out to me, a sinner)
    To me He hath made known, (    He let me see his grace in action, revealing himself on the Damascus road)
    Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
    Redeemed me for His own. (    Who was I, but a sinner. Jesus died for me when I was making fun of those who followed him) 
    • Refrain:
      But “I know Whom I have believed, (      But I have come to know the one in whom I have put my trust)
      And am persuaded that He is able
      To keep that which I’ve committed
      Unto Him against that day.” (      The Saviour I have come to know, is able to safely hold my faith until I get to see him again, face to face) 
  2. I know not how this saving faith
    To me He did impart, (    I can’t explain how all of this happened to me, but I know that I’ve been transformed!)
    Nor how believing in His Word
    Wrought peace within my heart. (    It was by my on-going study of the Word that the peace of Christ continued to grow in my heart. I’m not sure how that happened, but it’s been a miracle) 
  3. I know not how the Spirit moves, (I know the Spirit moves, but I can’t explain to you how)
    Convincing men of sin, (    Yes, it is the Spirit who convicts us of our sin)
    Revealing Jesus through the Word, (    The Spirit helps us see Jesus revealed through the reading of the Word)
    Creating faith in Him. (    And somehow this develops within me a faith that I didn’t know I was capable of embracing) 
  4. I know not what of good or ill
    May be reserved for me, (    I have no idea what my future looks like. There may be good days, or there may be bad)
    Of weary ways or golden days,
    Before His face I see. (    I still have time to live my life, in weariness from the journey, or strengthened by the golden sunshine) 
  5. I know not when my Lord may come, (I don’t know when Jesus will come back again)
    At night or noonday fair, (    Maybe it’ll be during the night while I’m sleeping, or in the middle of the day for all to see)
    Nor if I walk the vale with Him,     (I don’t know if I’m going to walk this earth with Jesus)
    Or meet Him in the air. (    Or whether I will meet him in my death)
It doesn’t matter, because I have come to know the one in whom I have put all my trust. I have deposited everything I have with my Lord, and I trust him fully. 

Where we have deposited our trust will greatly influence the way in which we will live our lives. Singing the old song of our faith is a gentle reminder of entire consecration. Becoming completely sold-out for Jesus Christ means that we deposit every part of our life  with the Lord. Nothing is held back — everything is put into the bank. The beauty is that in return God releases the treasures of heaven, and we become stewards in the kingdom. The hitch in all this, is that we must truly know the one in whom we place our deposit! 

Prayer:


Lord, thank you for your precious promises and faithfulness to us. Amen. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more