What is “committed” to us?

“Guard what was committed to your trust !”

This was Paul’s command to Timothy as a final exhortation as he closed his first letter to him (1 Tim 6:20). Again in his second letter his swan song was, “That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (2 Tim 1:14). Paul was very zealous about whatever was committed to Timothy.

As Timothys of this generation we need to understand what is committed to us which we must guard. As Paul urged Timothy, the Holy Spirit is urging us today through what Paul wrote then.

“... Sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust” (1 Tim 1:10,11).

It was not just the gospel that was committed to Paul but the Sound Doctrine of the gospel.

God first of all entrusted His people with His Word. “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom 3:1,2). As history advanced to the New Testament days, law gave way to grace. After the visitation of Jesus to the planet earth the oracles of God are primarily the Gospel message. Paul testified, “God has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour” (Tit 1:3). That was no idle boast. Paul considered this stewardship of globalising the goodnews of paramount importance and poured his whole heart into it. He declared, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship” (1 Cor 9:16,17).

As the first step Paul infected his fellow ministers with his own zest. He impressed upon them that it was not just his burden but God had entrusted them as well with that ministry. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given US the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespass to them, and has committed to US the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18,19).

Paul considered what was committed to him a treasure chest, that had to be guarded against corruption by false brothers and fraud teachers. He did not want any of his co-ministers to get confused regarding the message. He handpicked a few of his faithful disciples like Timothy, Titus and the Ephesian elders and started his magisterial teaching, keeping back “nothing that was helpful” (Acts 20:20). Before the ink from his pen had dried, poachers were springing up like poisonous mushrooms everywhere. But wherever he could find faithful disciples like Aquila and Priscilla, he taught them the sound doctrine of the pure gospel, who in turn could take mighty Apolloses aside and explain to them the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26).

Paul admonished each of his students to select a few faithful among their disciples and carefully teach them whatever they had learned from him. They were to handover whatever they had learned to their own followers. “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).

What then is our responsibility in counteracting the horrendous schemes of the evil one to push false teaching? Trouble rings no warning bells. Some day some peddlers of gospel wares are sure to knock at the doors of our friends and flock and attempt to sell them their perverted gospel. Prepare them now to shut the doors against such. We must disciple a few and transmit to them whatever we learn before floods of false doctrine sweep away earnest Christians. The challenge before us is formidable as wrong doctrines are ravaging the lives of thousands of believers. We should not be oblivious to the dangers of false teachings.

In order to keep the law of the Old Testament, I was an ardent observer of Sabbath on the seventh day. I ate only ‘clean’ birds and animals. But after marriage when my husband expounded to me the Book of Galatians, at the snap of the fingers I climbed out of the horrible pit to the mountaintop of liberty. Recently I was talking to a couple who were like me. I sat with them and repeated my husband’s exposition of the Book of Galatians like a parrot. They patiently listened. Suddenly their eyes brightened and they exclaimed, “This is something new to us. We never thought we would fall from grace if we tried to be justified by the law” (Gal 5:4). Yes, truth sets people free. If we are silent, we are opening the floodgates for false teaching.

Jesus, talking about His lightning arrival, discussed about the faithful and the unfaithful servants. The faithful servant would apportion food received from his master to those under him. “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has” (Lk 12:42-47). If the servant is careless about his duty to feed his subordinates and leads a casual living, his master will arrive at an unexpected hour and appoint his portion with unbelievers!

If we knew our responsibility and did not make an effort to do it, for whatever reason, we will be severely punished. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:48).

What a preposterously huge stewardship is committed to us! How then can we be shoddy, lazy, casual, careless and halfhearted in teaching the faithful few whatever we have learned through personal meditation, books, magazines, tapes, radio and TV, seminars and conventions?

If these are just for our own edification it is myopic policy. These are meant to be passed on. Whenever we receive a word that edifies us we must think immediately of how we can pass it on to someone. If we transmit faithfully what we learned, God Himself will add to us from His rich treasures. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful  also in much and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Lk 16:10-12).

The first lesson in stewardship is to be trustworthy in small earthly things like money and our day to day duties. Can we be trusted with money or responsibilities? If we prove ourselves faithful in mundane matters God will entrust us with spiritual matters.

Many of us are too shabby in our day to day discipline and duties. We need to straighten ourselves out. Treasures are committed to faithful people only (Neh 13:13).

The next thing is to delve into the Word of God given in our hand. If we handle so great a treasure off hand we cannot expect God to teach us from His word deep spiritual things. We must seclude ourselves for a time of Bible Study everyday and pour ourselves into it searching, analysing, writing down, meditating, eating and praying the Scriptures.

Thirdly we need to be indefatigable advocates of what is committed to us. Our immediate and ready congregation is our own family. Or find just a friend or two with a desire to learn God’s truths and meet with them once a week or once a fortnight. Even two teenagers will make a good company. Don’t worry that you are short of experience to conduct a Bible Study. You gain experience only by doing. Your raw talent will develop on the streets. You all can individually thoroughly study and work on a chapter at home before you get together. Offer a short prayer and start with the study. Each can share what he has learned. You can discuss, elicit questions, clear your doubts, pray and close. You will find that you not only grow by leaps and bounds in Scripture knowledge but become staunchest defenders of the pure gospel.

God counted Paul faithful and called him to work for Him (1 Tim 1:12). He proved himself faithful. He in turn counted Timothy and us faithful and passed on the baton to us. Shall we prove ourselves faithful to Him who appointed us, as Jesus was faithful to God who appointed Him? (Heb 3:2).

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  Address for Correspondence Contributions

Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
 +91 9843511943
  lilianstanley@gmail.com

Blessing Youth Mission

Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
 +91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
  hq@bymonline.org
  www.bymonline.org

For Donation & Contributions...

Home & NRE donors

Name: Blessing Youth Mission
Account Type: Current Account
A/c No.: 37268642054
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Siruthozhil,Vellore - 632 006
IFSC No.: SBIN0007274

Gulf Donors

A/c Name: T.Dickson Daniel Moses
Account Type: Saving Account
A/c No.: 35374362080
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Siruthozhil,Vellore - 632 006
IFSF: SBIN0007274

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  Blessing Literature Centre

To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address

Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
 +91-44-28450411, 8806270699
  blc@bymonline.org

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What is “committed” to us?

“Guard what was committed to your trust !”

This was Paul’s command to Timothy as a final exhortation as he closed his first letter to him (1 Tim 6:20). Again in his second letter his swan song was, “That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (2 Tim 1:14). Paul was very zealous about whatever was committed to Timothy.

As Timothys of this generation we need to understand what is committed to us which we must guard. As Paul urged Timothy, the Holy Spirit is urging us today through what Paul wrote then.

“... Sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust” (1 Tim 1:10,11).

It was not just the gospel that was committed to Paul but the Sound Doctrine of the gospel.

God first of all entrusted His people with His Word. “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom 3:1,2). As history advanced to the New Testament days, law gave way to grace. After the visitation of Jesus to the planet earth the oracles of God are primarily the Gospel message. Paul testified, “God has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour” (Tit 1:3). That was no idle boast. Paul considered this stewardship of globalising the goodnews of paramount importance and poured his whole heart into it. He declared, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship” (1 Cor 9:16,17).

As the first step Paul infected his fellow ministers with his own zest. He impressed upon them that it was not just his burden but God had entrusted them as well with that ministry. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given US the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespass to them, and has committed to US the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18,19).

Paul considered what was committed to him a treasure chest, that had to be guarded against corruption by false brothers and fraud teachers. He did not want any of his co-ministers to get confused regarding the message. He handpicked a few of his faithful disciples like Timothy, Titus and the Ephesian elders and started his magisterial teaching, keeping back “nothing that was helpful” (Acts 20:20). Before the ink from his pen had dried, poachers were springing up like poisonous mushrooms everywhere. But wherever he could find faithful disciples like Aquila and Priscilla, he taught them the sound doctrine of the pure gospel, who in turn could take mighty Apolloses aside and explain to them the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26).

Paul admonished each of his students to select a few faithful among their disciples and carefully teach them whatever they had learned from him. They were to handover whatever they had learned to their own followers. “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).

What then is our responsibility in counteracting the horrendous schemes of the evil one to push false teaching? Trouble rings no warning bells. Some day some peddlers of gospel wares are sure to knock at the doors of our friends and flock and attempt to sell them their perverted gospel. Prepare them now to shut the doors against such. We must disciple a few and transmit to them whatever we learn before floods of false doctrine sweep away earnest Christians. The challenge before us is formidable as wrong doctrines are ravaging the lives of thousands of believers. We should not be oblivious to the dangers of false teachings.

In order to keep the law of the Old Testament, I was an ardent observer of Sabbath on the seventh day. I ate only ‘clean’ birds and animals. But after marriage when my husband expounded to me the Book of Galatians, at the snap of the fingers I climbed out of the horrible pit to the mountaintop of liberty. Recently I was talking to a couple who were like me. I sat with them and repeated my husband’s exposition of the Book of Galatians like a parrot. They patiently listened. Suddenly their eyes brightened and they exclaimed, “This is something new to us. We never thought we would fall from grace if we tried to be justified by the law” (Gal 5:4). Yes, truth sets people free. If we are silent, we are opening the floodgates for false teaching.

Jesus, talking about His lightning arrival, discussed about the faithful and the unfaithful servants. The faithful servant would apportion food received from his master to those under him. “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has” (Lk 12:42-47). If the servant is careless about his duty to feed his subordinates and leads a casual living, his master will arrive at an unexpected hour and appoint his portion with unbelievers!

If we knew our responsibility and did not make an effort to do it, for whatever reason, we will be severely punished. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:48).

What a preposterously huge stewardship is committed to us! How then can we be shoddy, lazy, casual, careless and halfhearted in teaching the faithful few whatever we have learned through personal meditation, books, magazines, tapes, radio and TV, seminars and conventions?

If these are just for our own edification it is myopic policy. These are meant to be passed on. Whenever we receive a word that edifies us we must think immediately of how we can pass it on to someone. If we transmit faithfully what we learned, God Himself will add to us from His rich treasures. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful  also in much and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Lk 16:10-12).

The first lesson in stewardship is to be trustworthy in small earthly things like money and our day to day duties. Can we be trusted with money or responsibilities? If we prove ourselves faithful in mundane matters God will entrust us with spiritual matters.

Many of us are too shabby in our day to day discipline and duties. We need to straighten ourselves out. Treasures are committed to faithful people only (Neh 13:13).

The next thing is to delve into the Word of God given in our hand. If we handle so great a treasure off hand we cannot expect God to teach us from His word deep spiritual things. We must seclude ourselves for a time of Bible Study everyday and pour ourselves into it searching, analysing, writing down, meditating, eating and praying the Scriptures.

Thirdly we need to be indefatigable advocates of what is committed to us. Our immediate and ready congregation is our own family. Or find just a friend or two with a desire to learn God’s truths and meet with them once a week or once a fortnight. Even two teenagers will make a good company. Don’t worry that you are short of experience to conduct a Bible Study. You gain experience only by doing. Your raw talent will develop on the streets. You all can individually thoroughly study and work on a chapter at home before you get together. Offer a short prayer and start with the study. Each can share what he has learned. You can discuss, elicit questions, clear your doubts, pray and close. You will find that you not only grow by leaps and bounds in Scripture knowledge but become staunchest defenders of the pure gospel.

God counted Paul faithful and called him to work for Him (1 Tim 1:12). He proved himself faithful. He in turn counted Timothy and us faithful and passed on the baton to us. Shall we prove ourselves faithful to Him who appointed us, as Jesus was faithful to God who appointed Him? (Heb 3:2).

  Address for Correspondence Contributions

Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
 +91 9843511943
  lilianstanley@gmail.com

Blessing Youth Mission

Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
 +91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
  hq@bymonline.org
  www.bymonline.org

For Donation & Contributions...

Home & NRE donors

Name: Blessing Youth Mission
Account Type: Current Account
A/c No.: 37268642054
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Siruthozhil,Vellore - 632 006
IFSC No.: SBIN0007274

Gulf Donors

A/c Name: T.Dickson Daniel Moses
Account Type: Saving Account
A/c No.: 35374362080
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Siruthozhil,Vellore - 632 006
IFSF: SBIN0007274

Click here for more options

  Blessing Literature Centre

To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address

Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
 +91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
  blc@bymonline.org