14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
2 Timothy 1:14 ESV
Verve 14 of the first chapter of 2 Timothy comes on the heels of one of Paul's four-verse sentences with multiple pronouns, prepositional phrases, and conjunctions. For this layman, the "good deposit" reference was unclear, so I headed to the commentaries.
Even among those more learned than me, there was a lack of consensus/clarity as to what was the "good deposit". But the more common explanation was the "good deposit" is the Gospel message. And that was a sobering thought.
God has left the message of His peace, salvation, and eternal life up to, as the Hulk would say, "Puny humans."
Distribution of Bibles- puny humans. Sending of missionaries- puny humans. Sharing of the Gospel message- puny humans.
The Truth which God has entrusted to us has eternal consequences. What a sobering thought. Whether a stranger spends eternity praising God or writhing in agony may depend on a Bible purchased by your gift to the Gideons. A wasted life of despair or a purpose-filled life might hinge on your workplace invite to church.
God has entrusted the Gospel message to each of His children whether we like it or not. It is not up to the preachers or deacons or evangelists. Each individual believer has a responsibility to share. Our obedience, or lack of, can have eternal ramifications.
That truth could be overwhelming unless you reread the first part of verse 14. "By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. . ." God has not left us unequipped. He indwells each believer to empower and guide. He has equipped His elect. We have but to call on the Holy Spirit and He will answer.
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