Protecting the Treasure

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1Tim 6:20).

Imagine guarding America’s gold at Fort Knox. How about the assignment to protect the crown jewels in Tower of London? Hey, no pressure. You’re only in charge of protecting some of the world’s most precious assets. It’s not yours. But it is your responsibility. 

You might find this hard to believe but 2,000 years ago, a young pastor named Timothy was given a treasure even more valuable to defend. His mentor Paul has written Tim some critical instructions about getting the church of Ephesus back on track. Near the end of that letter, the apostle reminds him of the central purpose of his mission. “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (v20). Don’t fall for distractions. Protect the treasure.

While on divine assignment in Macedonia (1Tim 1:3), the man from Tarsus gets personal with his protege. “O Timothy” (v20). In essence, Paul grabs Tim by the shoulders and wants his full and undivided attention. He gets raw. He gets real. Look me in the eyes, young man. It’s no surprise, really. The apostle considers the young buck from Lystra his spiritual son (1Tim 1:2). 

Not long after they met (Acts 16:1), Tim moved inside Paul’s circle of trust. Starting in Acts 16, Dr. Luke repeated mentions Tim as a key player in the spread of the Gospel around the Mediterranean rim (Acts 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4). The apostle drops his name throughout his letters (Rom 16:21; 1Cor 4:17; 16:10-11; 2Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:1; 1Th 1:1; 3:2; 2Th 1:1; Phm 1). Paul goes so far as to tell his Philippian friends, “I have no one like him” (Phil 2:19-23). I don’t know about you, but I certainly wouldn’t mind having that on my resume!

Now that the apostle has Tim’s full attention, he instructs him to “guard the deposit entrusted to you” (v20). Paul uses a Greek verb here (Gr. phulasso) that paints a picture of keeping watch over someone or something, protecting them, keeping from harm, or even defending them. When Paul tells the story about the dark day before Jesus saved him when he ran the coat check table at Stephen’s stoning, he says he was “watching over (Gr. phulasso) the garments of those who killed him” (Acts 22:20). (Gr. phulasso) in Herod’s praetorium” (Acts 23:35). The apostle tells the Thessalonians how we can be sure Jesus will “guard (Gr. phulasso) you against the evil one” (2Th 3:3).

Tim is to focus his energy on protecting the “deposit entrusted to you” (v20). Just what is this deposit he’s supposed to guard? What could it be? Gold? Jewels? Cash? Paul’s collection of Bible trading cards that includes his Methuselah rookie card? Nope. Not even close. Something much more precious. Something much more valuable. Truth. Specifically, THE truth. God’s Truth. The capital “T” Truth of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice for you and me. Trust me, there’s no greater treasure to protect. 

That’s because guarding the Gospel hasn’t exactly been a top priority at the Ephesian church. A team of spiritual hucksters duped folks from following Jesus with all sorts of goofy stuff. A quick check of this letter tells us they taught everything from crazy myths to complicated family trees to outright lies to demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-4; 4:1-2). Anything and everything BUT salvation by grace through faith. Get back to Gospel. Jesus lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to the new life we don’t deserve. Preach that truth. Protect that treasure.

Once we get back to the true message of God’s grace, we need to steer WAY clear of the cotton candy that’s too often make a regular part of our spiritual diet. “Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (v20). Pretty much gives you Paul’s take on the gobbledegook the false teachers have been spreading. One very important way of protecting the treasure is putting distance between you and anything that leads me away from a deeper relationship with Jesus. 

I actually think the original language here is actually tougher than most of the modern translations. Paul takes the gloves off and starts punching bare knuckle. According to the apostle, the false teachers have gone WAY too far. “Irreverent” is the Greek word bebelos, which literally a “step over the threshold.” We see the very same term when Paul gives Tim very similar instructions. “Have nothing to do with irreverent (Gr. bebelos) silly myths” (1Tim 4:7). We all know someone who’s constantly right up to the line and going over like an athlete who doesn’t realize he’s gone out of bounds.

If that’s not bad enough, their counterfeit message is a complete waste of oxygen. The ESV translators use “babble” which is actually kenophonia. It’s a compound word the apostle uses to paint an incredibly descriptive picture of empty talk. Remember Charlie Brown’s teacher? “Wah-wah-wah-wah.” Their lips are moving but nothing’s really coming out. Their babble is just unbiblical blah-blah-blah. In his followup letter to Tim, Paul uses both of these words together again. “Avoid irreverent (Gr. bebelos) babble (Gr. kenophonia), for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (2Tim 2:16-17). Well there’s a lovely image.

It gets worse. Their teaching simply doesn’t make sense because it’s loaded with “contradictions” (v20) It should come as a surprise to no one that the Greek word here is antithesis. They actually disagree with themselves. The only thing consistent about them is their inconsistency. A person who takes one position today and then does a 180 tomorrow. You know people like that, don’t you? Of course you do. They’re called politicians. When a church leader constantly changes their position on an issue based on the shifting political and cultural winds, run away. Run away fast. Run, Forrest, Run!!

And just because someone tells you something is the real deal, don’t take it at face value. Folks in Ephesus have been falling for “what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (v20). They’ve been selling lies under an assumed name. That’s exactly what the original language tells us. “Falsely called” is the word pseudonumos. Look familiar? Well, it should. It describes someone using a fake name or an alias. They’ve slapped a label over their snake oil and sold it as the truth. 

Take a page out of the Bereans playbook. Remember them? Back when Paul first told Jews in Berea that Jesus was the Messiah God had long promised, they didn’t just take it at face value. “They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Be a Berean. Do your research. Just because somebody says their teaching so-called “knowledge” (by the way, use “air quotes” if it helps), don’t just accept what they say without seeing if the Bible backs it up. Otherwise, I’ve got bad news about that email you just received from the Nigerian prince.

How does this 2,000-year-old letter apply to you and me? So very glad you asked. We need to carefully “guard the deposit” given to us. We must protect treasure that is the truth of the Gospel. Every follower of Jesus has that responsibility. While this is especially important for those in ministry, it applies to all of us. Paul tells the believers in Corinth that we’re all “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1Cor 4:1). The apostle reminds the Thessalonian church how his team guarded the message of Jesus and “entrusted with the Gospel” (1Th 2:4). Protect the treasure. Guard it with your life.

One very specific way to do that is avoiding useless discussions about things that seem religious on the surface but are really a spiritual black hole. You know what I’m talking about don’t you? Stuff like Bible codes, dinosaurs on the ark, who were the Nephilim, and Jesus’ alleged marriage to Mary Magdalene. Don’t go there. Don’t even go anywhere near there. It’s a total waste of time. Concentrate on what matters. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the Founder and Finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. 

Forget Fort Knox. Don’t worry about the crown jewels. If we’re going to guard anything, guard the Good News of grace. Let’s protect the treasure.

It Makes No Sense

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

There are just some things that don’t make any sense. The popularity of the Kardashians. Why do we call it a pair of pants when there’s only one? We drive on the parkway and park in the driveway. What’s so “fun-sized” about candy in smaller packages? Michael Brooks even wrote a book called “13 Things that Don’t Make Sense.” Paul says we can add God’s peace to that list of things we can’t wrap our minds around. “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (v7). 

Through our relationship with Jesus, God’s peace acts like an impenetrable force field protecting us from anxiety’s attacks. Nobody can figure how it happens. You can’t look at it under a microscope. You can’t recreate it in a lab. But you’ve seen it yourself firsthand. A friend who’s absolutely unshaken after a horrible diagnosis. A coworker who remains calm despite being downsized. A neighbor who keeps their cool in the face of the loss of a loved one. The only thing they all have in common is Christ. His presence in their lives doesn’t mean their pain isn’t real. They should feel like they’re under attack. But they have His peace protecting their hearts and minds. It just doesn’t make any sense.

There’s every reason the apostle should be personally freaked out. He’s in a Roman lockup for telling people about Jesus. And he’s been there for about five years. I don’t know about you, but I would probably be throwing myself a personal prison pity party. But not Paul. Why? Because he’s got the peace of God. And he’s writing to a bunch of friends in Philippi who aren’t exactly living in the lap of suburban luxury. It wasn’t that long ago when the message of Jesus ignited riots in the city (Acts 16:19-23). In a letter to the Corinthian church, we read about how tough things are for the Macedonian churches, which includes the Philippians. They’re facing a “severe test of affliction” and “extreme poverty” (2Cor 8:1-2). Both the author and his recipients have every reason to gripe and complain. Instead we see peace. And not just any peace. It’s the peace of God. It just doesn’t make any sense.

We’re in the homestretch of Paul’s letter and he’s giving the Philippians specific instructions. He’s spent nearly all of the first three chapters reminding them of who they are in Jesus and the unbelievable value of an intimate relationship with our Savior. Here he shifts gears and gives us application. Once we realize who we are in Christ, he tells us what to do as His followers. The indicatives lead to imperatives. The facts lead to actions. The apostle reminds us to rejoice, repeat, and rejoice again (Phil 4:4). Make sure we have a rep for sacrifice and humility (Phil 4:5). Instead of freaking out about anything, we pray to God about everything (Phil 4:6). 

Here in verse 7, we see the very practical benefit of dropping off all our worry at the feet of Jesus. God’s mind-blowing peace defends our thoughts and emotions. “The peace of God” (v7) is so much more than a lack of warfare. There’s no doubt that Jesus puts an end to our rebellion against God’s kingdom. But that’s just the start. Both the NT Greek word eirene and the OT Hebrew term shalom describe something SO much more than an end to fighting. We’re talking about total harmony and perfect order. Everything fits together. Life makes sense. Think back to the description of God’s perfect creation…before we broke it, of course. Every time the Almighty stopped to check things out, He made a point of saying just how awesome things were (Gen 1: 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). Why? Because everything was working in shalom. Perfect, God ordained rhythm. 

In his book “Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be,” Cornelius Plantinga describes shalom as “the webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight…Shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be…the full flourishing of human life in all aspects, as God intended it to be.” 

Pump your brakes and ponder that thought for a moment. Universal flourishing. Wholeness. Delight. In the light of just how jacked up our world is in the 21st Century, shalom absolutely doesn’t make sense. God’s peace is WAY beyond our limited human understanding. Flip on CNN or Fox News for just a few minutes. War. Murder. Poverty. Corruption. Entertainment news. Is there any doubt the world is spinning down the porcelain bowl? But it’s the thought that Jesus is on His way back not just to rescue you and me but to redeem our broken universe. Justin Timberlake may be bringing sexy back, but Christ is bringing God’s peace back. 

Can you think of anyone better for the job than the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6). Right before His own betrayal and murder, Jesus tells His posse, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:27). The prophet Isaiah praises God for the amazing shalom He blesses on those who lean on His goodness. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Is 26:3). Paul prays for the Thessalonians that “the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way” (2Th 3:16). The apostle has a similar prayer for Colossian believers to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Col 3:15). Don’t settle for substitutes. Don’t be fooled by imitators. There’s no better source for God’s peace than the God of peace. 

His peace does something that nothing else can or will do. His shalom “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v7). Paul uses a word here (Gr. phroureo) that describes the correction officer just outside his cell. It can be used either to keep someone in custody or to protect from harm. The apostle tells us that God’s peace isn’t holding us hostage but shielding us from assault. Think of the detail of Secret Service agents who protect the President. God’s peace acts in a similar way, completely surrounding and shielding our hearts and minds. 

What is He protecting us from? Fear. Worry. Panic. Why do you think they call it an anxiety attack? I don’t know about you, but it’s not the full-on front assault that worries me. It’s those emotional terrorist raids that knock me for a loop. That’s why I need to be in a continual state of prayer with and dependence upon Jesus. His peace is always on high alert. His shalom remains at DEFCON 1. His protection brings me His peace. The world around us may be spinning out of control. But His shalom keeps us calm. King David had a hit song all about how God’s protection keeps us safe when we’re strolling through Death Valley (Ps 23:4). How does it work? I dunno. It makes absolutely no sense. Kind of like why a round pizza comes in a square box and is cut in triangles.

Groundhog Day

Do you ever feel like your life is the movie “Groundhog Day”? Do you feel like that what you’re facing today is the same stuff you dealt with yesterday? Last week? Last month? Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that Nehemiah’s feeling more than a little like Bill Murray’s character from the movie. I’m not sure if his alarm clock is playing Sonny and Cher, but each day he wakes up he’s facing the same old situation. For the fourth time in just a short period of time, he has to deal with a gang of thugs who are trying to bully God’s people to not rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. In a show of humility, Nehemiah responds with trust and dependance in prayer to God. He then backs up that faith with plan of action. What a great reminder that prayer plus action is prayer in action.

So just how did Nehemiah end up in this repetitive cycle like Murray’s Phil Connors? Well, the scene is Jerusalem. This once spectacular city of God looks more like Beirut, Detroit, or Sarajevo. At one time, dazzling, now destroyed by war. Massive city walls used to protect the citizens from attack but they collapsed under the Babylonian blitzkrieg of Nebuchadnezzar. The pagan king hauled trashed the town and hauled most of the people back to Babylon as slaves. But after 70 years, God orchestrates the return of His people through a succession of Persian dictators. Not too long ago, the man the LORD sent to rebuild the city walls was working as a lowly wine steward to King Artaxerxes (Neh 1:1, 11). God miraculously choreographs the situation so that he’s not only heading up the reconstruction but also has the king’s full resources to do it (Neh 2:1-7). Nehemiah tells everyone who will listen that the only way this is happening is because God has a firm grip on what’s going down (Neh 2:8, 11, 18, 20).

Fast forward a few months and the mammoth rebuilding project is well underway. Just about everybody has grabbed a hard hat and swinging a hammer (Neh 3:1-32). Before you know it, they’ve reconstructed the walls to half of their original height (Neh 4:6). That’s good news to the Israelites but bad news for their enemies. A team of bullies has joined forces to intimidate the Jews and shut their project down. And it’s not the first time. Sanballat and his toadies repeatedly try to terrorize God’s people (Neh 2:10, 19; 4:1). Here we go again. It’s “Groundhog Day” in Jerusalem.

Once again, the bad guys freak out when they get word of the progress of the project. “But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry” (v7). A closer look at the roster of the opposition tells us that it’s growing. Let’s go down their starting lineup for a closer look. Well, leading off is Sanballat. This native of the village of Horonaim in Moab is clearly the leader and evil genius behind the opposition. Batting second is Tobiah, another local ruler who’s consistently a royal pain in the Hebrew backside. Next we see the Arabs. Their leader Geshem has already made his presence known (Neh 2:19). Hitting cleanup are the Ammonites. This is Tobiah’s gang that he’s brought to provide muscle. 

Now we see the newest members of their team, “the Ashdodites” (v7). These are residents of a once proud Philistine city (Josh 13:3). You may remember Ashdod from the “Ark Incident.” After the Philistines stoke the Ark of the Covenant from the Israelites, the put it in Ashdod. It wasn’t long before their idol to Dagon was destroyed and the Ashdodites were growing tumors (1Sam 5:1-8). So you can imagine that folks in Ashdod have a significant axe to grind with the Jews and their God. The list of enemies also tips us off that the city is now surrounded. There’s Sanballat to the north. Tobiah and his Ammonites to the east. Geshem with the Arabs to the south. The Ashdodites to the east. Yeah, those walls are going to come in VERY handy. 

When Sanballat and his posse get a status report on what’s happening in Jerusalem, the get “very angry” (v7). This is the Hebrew term charah, which actually means to burn, kindle, be incensed. The enemy is hot when they hear the news! The latest news stokes the fires of their hatred of the Hebrews. They are totally hot and bothered when the walls hit the halfway point.  Again, this is nothing new. We’ve seen it before. Earlier, Sanballat grew “angry (Heb. charah) and greatly enraged” when somebody told him about Nehemiah’s wall project (Neh 4:1). We also see the author use this very same verb when Nehemiah finds out the Jewish people are acting like loan sharks against their friends and neighbors. He loses his cool and “was very angry (Heb. charah)” (Neh 5:6). You can almost see the steam coming out of the ears of Sanballat and the boys at the latest news.

It’s at this point that enemy makes the decision to amp up their tactics. “And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it” (v8). They come up with a three-point plan. Plot, fight, confuse. Since this will be a clear violation of King Artaxerxes’ authorization of the project, they can’t use overt military force. So they put their evil heads together and come up with a plan. Their conspiracy cooks up a plot to terrorize and confuse the Israelites. It’s almost like they lifted their plot from the lyrics of one of Asaph’s hit songs. “They lay crafty plans against Your people; they consult together against Your treasured ones. They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!’ For they conspire with one accord; against You they make a covenant” (Ps 83:3-5). So Sanballat and his cronies are not just enemies of Jews but their God as well. Let’s just say that things NEVER go well when you poke your finger in the chest of the Sovereign God of the universe. Give it a try. See how it goes.

If you’ve been following along with Nehemiah’s story, his response will come as no shock. “And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night” (v9). He prays. He acts. Just as we see Sanballat and his thugs consistently intimidate God’s people, we see Nehemiah consistently call on the LORD in prayer. He prays when he gets the heartbreaking news from his brother about the crisis in Jerusalem (Neh 1:4-11). He prays when God gives him a divine appointment with King Artaxerxes (Neh 2:4). He thanks God for giving him the passion to rebuild the walls when he faces Sanballat’s opposition for the first time (Neh 2:12). He trusts the LORD when Sanballat’s gang talks trash about the project a second time (Neh 2:20). He prays the third time their enemies taunt and laugh at them (Neh 4:4). 

While Nehemiah is a man of prayer, he gets up off his knees and does something. He “sets a guard as protection against them day and night” (v9). Nehemiah establishes a schedule of overnight security. This apparently was not in place before. This comes as the direct result of prayer. You see, Nehemiah is someone who prays and then takes action. Once again, his prayer is followed by an act of faith. What he does is the direct result of the One he trusts.  Nehemiah humbly responds with a practical demonstration of faith in God as the result of his prayer. He then backs up that faith with plan of action. When faced with the same attack over and over again, Nehemiah prays to the LORD over and over again. It’s Groundhog Day in Jerusalem. Nehemiah knows that God is more than able to handle the same old, same old from the enemy.

Prayer plus action is prayer in action.

A Spiritual BOLO

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand; take care that you are not carried away with the error lawless people and lose your stability” (v17).

“Calling all cars. Calling all cars. Be on the look out for…” The cops call this a BOLO. That’s short for “be on the look out.” It’s the warning to every officer to keep their eyes peeled, usually for bad guys. Known suspects or criminals are in the area. Law enforcement hopes they can spot ’em and stop ’em before they commit another crime and do more damage. As he wraps up his second letter, Peter issues a spiritual BOLO. He sends out one last alert for folks to keep their eyes peeled for a crew of con artists. Don’t fall for their flimflam. Don’t let them knock you off your pins. 

Be on the look out.

The apostle warns his readers because they are very dear to him. For the fourth and final time in this letter, he calls them by his favorite nickname (3:1, 8, 14). “Beloved” (v17). It’s a term of endearment for his deep affection for them. This letter hasn’t shown up addressed to “occupant” or “current resident.” Pete knows these folks. He has a soft spot in his heart for them. Chances are he traveled through this part of Asia Minor at one point and planted churches in places like “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythina” (1Pet 1:1). The term also tells us that these are followers of Jesus and loved by God. The Lord loves them so much that He not only rescued them from their own sin but sends them a warning this former fisherman. He saves us because He loves us. He warns us because He loves us.

Be on the look out.

Pete not only warns us but hands us a scouting report for this team of spiritual snake oil salesmen. He spends an entire chapter telling us all about them. Now he wants us to use this intel and keep our heads on a swivel, “knowing this beforehand” (v17). This is the Greek verb proginosko, which means to know in advance or to have foreknowledge. It’s where we get our word “prognostication.” He’s no psychic or palm reader. He can predict the future because it’s already happened to other churches. And he wants us to be warned.

Be on the look out.

Once more, Rocky points to the purpose of this letter. He’s sounding the alarm about a posse of false teachers who infiltrated local churches and destroy them from the inside out with their malignant message (2:1-3). They’re money-grubbers looking to bilk believers for an easy score (2:3, 14-15). They’re viscous sexual predators (2:2, 6-7, 10, 14, 18). The apostle doesn’t want his friends to be caught off. He desperately wants them to know in advance that these con artists are on their way. Pete’s made it clear that the Great Shepherd will defend His flock from these wolves (2:9). 

While Christ will most certainly come to the rescue of His church, we need to know ahead of time that trouble is on the way. We’re suckers for these hucksters if we take the attitude of “what I don’t know can’t hurt me,” we’re in BIG trouble. Two thousand years later, false teachers are still sneaking into local churches and doing damage. If they haven’t hit your doors yet, it’s only a matter of time. Get your head out of the sand. Pete’s given us a scouting report. He’s sent out an ABP. Be ready. Be on your guard. 

Be on the look out. 

So what do we do when these false teachers hit town? “Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (v17). I’m not crazy about the ESV’s use of “take care.” That sounds very passive and wimpy compared to what we’re called to do. The original text uses the Greek verb phulasso. This is the idea guarding closely, protecting, defending with vigilance. Picture an armed guard standing watch at crucial military installation. He wont’ just “take care.” This sentry is on high alert. He’s locked and loaded. He’s more than ready for whatever his attackers have in store.

The apostle also lets us in on the consequences of a spiritual security breech. Our enemy could sweep us away with and cause us to doubt in the very Gospel that Jesus used to save us in the first place. Don’t get “carried away” (v17). Don’t “lose your own stability” (v17). Our foundation gets shaky when we fail to follow Jesus’ commands. “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Mt 7:24). False teachers dupe believers into disobedience. When that happens, our foundation begins to crack. If we’re truly followers of Jesus, it doesn’t mean we lose our salvation. But it does mean that we won’t live the overflowing life of goodness that God has for His followers (Jn 10:10). Don’t get carried away. Don’t lose your foundation.

Two thousand years later, this BOLO is still in effect. False teachers are out there. They’re still up to their same old con. Be on guard. Be locked and loaded. Be on the look out.