1 Tim 6:20, “O Timothy, protect*~ what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called ‘knowledge.'”
If there were many false notions infiltrating the church in the first century, how much more must there be after two thousand years of church history!
Hundreds of thousands of believers have been brutally persecuted simply because they believed some basic doctrines of Scripture—-for example, only God should be worshipped and not man; only believers should be baptized; salvation is by faith and not by works; or the word of God should be translated into the common language of the people. Clear truths in Scripture must be protected, even if it costs your life.
Timothy had the privilege of handling the original copy of the texts of Scripture that would be compiled into the New Testament and become the basis of all faith and practice among believers. No higher responsibility could be placed on a mortal man than to care for and teach the word of God.
The psalmist wrote, “For You have magnified Your Word above all Your name” (Psa 138:2). The mark of God’s man is his respect for God’s word: “To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word” (Isa 66:2).
Jude urged his readers to protect God’s word, to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Paul reiterates this command: “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you”
(2 Tim 1:14).
The word protect means to “keep valuables in a safe place,” and the phrase “what has been entrusted” means a “deposit.” Paul wrote similarly to the Thessalonians, “For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts” (1 Thes 2:3–-4). We all share this responsibility.
We must “avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so–called ‘knowledge.’” It is useless to spend time arguing with false teachers. “Avoid” means to “turn away from,” and “profane chatter” means “fruitless speaking.” The danger of these teachings is that “their message will spread like cancer” (2 Tim 2:17). We must explain the Scripture exhaustively so the hearer will know the whole truth. This is how to protect the text. Are you learning to teach the word?
“The riches of Your word thrill my soul and are more valuable than gold. Let nothing distract me from Your word today.”