#DailyDevotion Sound Teaching i.e. Doctrine Is To Be Defended

2 Tim. 1¹¹To tell about it, I was appointed a preacher, apostle, and teacher. ¹²That is why I suffer as I do, but I’m not ashamed, because I know Him whom I trust, and I’m sure He can keep for that day what I have entrusted to Him. ¹³With a faith and a love in Christ Jesus keep what you heard me say as an example of sound teaching. ¹⁴With the help of the Holy Spirit living in us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Paul was appointed a preacher, apostles and teacher of the good news to tell about it. That good news being what he said in verse ten, “He [Jesus] took away the power of death and by the good news brought into the light the life that can’t be destroyed.” And what good news that is that Paul tells about it! Death has been defeated by Christ Jesus. The light of the world has been brought by Christ Jesus and his life have been given to the children of men freely. For such a message Paul was willing to suffer all in bringing that message across the world and indeed he suffered all unto death for bringing that good news across the world. Paul was not ashamed of being the preacher of a crucified and risen God.

Paul had put his trust in Christ Jesus. He knew the power of Christ Jesus and the promise of Jesus Christ. He believed Jesus could keep for the Last Day what he entrusted to Him, that is eternal life for his body and soul. Paul knew this life was transitory but the gift of eternal life and the resurrection to eternal life. He trusted in Jesus Christ to keep safe that gift of eternal life no matter what man did to him. For the Lord Jesus had promised, Luke 9:23 “If you want to follow Me, deny yourself, take up your cross every day, and come with Me. ²⁴If you want to save your life, you will lose it. But if you will lose your life for Me, you will save it. ²⁵What good does it do you to win the whole world and destroy or lose yourself? ²⁶If you’re ashamed of Me and what I say, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.” Do you believe Jesus like Paul believes Jesus?

Paul exhorts Timothy with “a faith and a love in Christ Jesus keep what you heard me say as an example of sound teaching.” A lot of people don’t believe in sound teacher or that you can have sound teaching. They believe doctrine divides, which well sound doctrine will. But sound doctrine also unites those who have faith in Christ Jesus. Some wicked people say the gospel doesn’t need to be defended. They are deluded souls. We all, like Timothy, are to fight for and contend for sound teaching and Paul’s letters are examples of that sound teaching.

Paul further tells Timothy, ^“With the help of the Holy Spirit living in us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” On the one hand we entrust ourselves to and our salvation to Christ Jesus. On the other hand, with the Holy Spirit we are to guard the good deposit entrusted to us. Some may understand the sound teaching just mentioned. Others may think it is the same thing Paul entrusted to Jesus. Well I guess it could be both. While salvation is a gift of God it is something we are called to use. The writers of the Solid Declaration in article of election have written, “That He will also strengthen, increase, and support to the end the good work which He has begun in them, if they adhere to God’s Word, pray diligently, abide in God’s goodness [grace], and faithfully use the gifts received.” (SD XI, 21) Indeed, these things we are told to do here Paul is encouraging Timothy to do. We too, with the help of the Holy Spirit, are to be busy doing also to guard the good deposit entrusted to us.

Heavenly Father, always give us your Holy Spirit, that we may persevere in the faith and sound teaching to the end we may receive the salvation of our souls and bodies on the day of Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.