| Paul begins this section of his letter to Timothy by telling him to hold on to what he already knows to be true. Paul knows Timothy is living in a culture where Truth is being challenged and distorted. We live in the same type of culture today; one that values “new” over “true”. We must “hold on” when biblical Truth becomes unpopular, when obedience becomes costly, and when our feelings contradict what we know. When you can’t see God’s hand in the moment, hold on to His Word. Timothy is challenged to hold this Truth “in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus”. In other words, Truth without love becomes harsh; and love without Truth becomes hollow. Paul was not just interested in what Timothy preserved, but also in how he preserved it. He was to guard it. The gospel isn’t just something that we believe- it is something that has been entrusted to us. Verse 14 says, “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” In this context “good” means “beautiful”. The stewardship of the Truth he had received had now been passed along into the hands of Timothy, who was to pass it on yet again to other faithful Christians, who were to pass it on to still others. The same goes for us today. We must protect the gospel from intruders, wolves, and heretics who want to add to or take away from the purity of it. We must keep studying the gospel, and we must keep teaching the gospel so that we can know it and communicate it to a world that so desperately needs to receive it! We don’t change the gospel to fit the culture; we carry the gospel faithfully into the culture. Paul then gets personal by speaking about how a man named Onesiphorus refreshed him, wasn’t ashamed by his chains, and searched for him earnestly. We know some people disappear when following Jesus becomes inconvenient. Onesiphorus moved closer. He wasn’t ashamed of Paul even though being near Paul hurt Onesiphorus’ reputation. A faithful friend remains when association with you costs them something. According to the Bible, only two things will last: - God’s Word (Isa 40:8; Matt 24:35)- memorize Scripture
- The souls of people- invest into friendships
Questions to Consider: - Paul tells Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to him (v. 14). What has God entrusted to you? How do you “guard” your faith?
- What does it look like to “refresh” someone who is discouraged or struggling?
- Paul says Onesiphorus was not ashamed of his chains. Are there times when we might be tempted to hide or be embarrassed about our faith? What could courage look like at school, work, or with friends?
- Who is someone you know who could use encouragement this week? What is one specific thing you could do for them?
| 
