"O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called 'knowledge,' for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you." 1 Timothy 6:20-21 ESV
I taught a class last night and when preparing to approach an academic theological subject you need to have 'all your ducks in a row.' The class was slated to be just shy of two hours long so we covered a fair amount of material in that time. I prayed it wouldn't be just knowledge and yet at the same time it was an academic setting. It was a faith adventure for me.
It made me think of this charge. We are guardians of truth and investment not peddlers of knowledge.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV
Lucifer had a self knowledge that brought him low.
"You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries" Ezekiel 28:14-18a ESV
Looking into the heart of darkness we see a salesman. He sold Himself a lie dazzled by beauty given to him but claimed as his own. He was able to draw away 'a third of the stars of Heaven' with his tail (see Rev 12:4) dooming them to share his fate.
The truth is given not sold. It is a guardianship. The Gospel of Grace is a pearl of great price.
"Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." Proverbs 23:23 KJV
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" Titus 2:11-13 NKJV
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:16-17 NKJV
Grace has become our teacher. Love is the lesson we learn. We are guardians of a gift that we give to others. The truth is never for sale.
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