O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 1 Timothy 6:20
As mentioned, the word “entrusted” was used of keeping valuables in a safe place.8 This refers back to 1 Timothy 6:12 where Timothy was commanded to “Fight the good fight of the faith.” Timothy was to protect or guard the Christian message that had been passed on to him. He was to keep it from corruption and tampering and pass it on to others.
How can believers guard the faith that has been entrusted to them?
1. Believers guard the faith by treasuring it.
Job 23:12 says, “I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion.”
The reason most Christians don’t read or study the Word of God is simply that they don’t treasure it. They treasure other things over the Word of God—entertainment, social media, education, work, friends, etc. If we are going to guard something, we must first treasure it.
Do you treasure God’s Word?
2. Believers guard the faith by believing it.
This should go without saying, but many Christians don’t believe in the Word
John 3:32-33 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
They don’t believe what it says about creation, gender-roles, abortion, homosexuality, or a host of other topics. If we don’t believe the Word, then we can’t guard it.
3. Believers guard the faith by obeying it.
If we don’t obey the Word, we push people away from what we profess. We scatter instead of gathering people to Christ (Luke 11:23). Are you obeying God’s Word?
4. Believers guard the faith by studying it.
If we don’t know what it teaches, it cannot be guarded.
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
God approves those who study and meditate on his Word. He blesses them and makes them like trees which bear fruit in season and prosper in everything (Psalm 1:2-3).
Do you faithfully study God’s Word?
5. Believers guard the faith by passing it on to others.
2 Timothy 2:2 says, “And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.” In this passage, we see four generations of Christians: Paul, Timothy, reliable people, and others. The faith is always just one generation away from being lost. If we don’t teach it to others, then we are not guarding the faith; in fact, we contribute to it being lost.
Are you passing God’s Word on to others?
6. Believers guard the faith by contending for it against false teaching.
Jude 1:3 says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
Satan has attacked and twisted God’s Word since the beginning in the Garden of Eden, and he still seeks to do so. He denies the inerrancy of Scripture—teaching others that it is full of errors and not to be trusted. He teaches that faith alone cannot save someone—they need baptism, giving, or other good works.
Believers guard the truth by confronting the lies of Satan and delivering others from them. Paul declared that anyone who proclaimed another gospel was accursed (Galatians 1:8). He did not compromise like so many today who guard nothing, as they declare tolerance or unity—opening the door for the enemy.
Are you guarding the Word of God? In order to be a faithful steward, you must.
