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Your Deposit

Paul said, “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

In the context Paul is urging Timothy not to be ashamed of the word of God nor its faithful defenders (2 Tim. 1:8-11). Paul’s lack of shame with regard to these things brought him a great deal of suffering and was leading to his death (2 Tim. 4:6-8). Still, he had confidence in God. It was He that Paul believed in and knew to be faithful.

Paul made a commitment. The original Greek word here is parathēkē and means “a deposit, a trust or thing consigned to one’s faithful keeping” (Thayer). Paul had committed his soul to God. In a sense he had deposited his soul with the Lord for safe keeping.

It used to be many people had “safe deposit boxes” at the bank (some still use them). Valuable papers, jewelry, and cash were often stored in them. The idea was that the bank is a secure location and the safe deposit box room was fortified against fire and other potential disasters. So it is with the soul’s safe keeping with God.

There is nothing more valuable than the soul. In fact, Jesus said that it would be a losing deal to trade your soul for the whole world (Mark 8:36). With such a high worth, what better place to “deposit” your soul for safe keeping than with the Almighty God? Paul was confident God could preserve it until the Judgment. We need that confidence too.

Jesus made a similar argument in John 10:27-29. When a man or woman places their soul into the keeping of the Lord, no one is able to steal them away. Can a person leave the Lord’s safe keeping? Yes. However, as long as a man stays committed to God, as Paul did, his soul is secure.

Insecurity of the soul comes when we do not have it safely deposited with the Lord. Many are not truly committed to Him. It is like the man who believes his money is secure on the blackjack table. He is convinced his money will return to him…usually in abundance. He does not see the inherent risk and ultimate loss. Still, he confidently places his bet.

Many gamble with their soul. Some deposit it with themselves by following their own dictates, which only leads to destruction (Prov. 14:12). Others put their treasure into the safe keeping of the doctrines and traditions of man, which will be uprooted in the last great day (Matt. 15:7-14). The security they suppose they have is just an illusion—just like the chips on the blackjack table.

When your soul is on deposit with God, you will be able to endure tremendous trials and suffering. Paul was able “to suffer these things” because he entrusted his soul to the Lord. A committed Christian can be ridiculed, mocked, scorned, cursed, beaten, threatened with death, and even endure it, without reservation (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7-18; 11:23-33). There is nothing to intimidate a child of God because he knows Who is on his side. “Do what you will, I know the Lord will be with me,” is his declaration.

Where is your soul deposited? Have you entrusted it to the fleeting things of this world? Have you in your finite wisdom decided to guard it yourself? Or, is it in the protection of the Creator? One is secure, the other inherently insecure.

In this section of Revelation, Christ addressed each of the seven churches of Asia about their situation. There are a few things that stand out in these letters that will help us as we examine the churches of today, including the one of which we are a member.

Interesting Observations

The seven churches of Asia are really representative of all churches of all time. A church today may not be the exact duplicate of one of these churches, but the principles and or facts found among them are found today. For instance, there are churches today that feel they are rich and faithful, but are actually lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-17). Another church stands on its past reputation while it is spiritually dead (Rev. 3:1, 2). We might find a church, though, that is spiritually active in trying to do what is right, but is tolerating a false doctrine or the teachers of it (Rev. 2:14, 15). Any combination may exist.

There is no collective organization among the churches of Asia. They had no headquarters and no entity that tied them to one another. Each church acted independently and was addressed individually by the Lord. In other words, there were no denominations in the first century. There were no collective works, projects, or ministries joined in by multiple churches like we find today.

The churches were addressed publicly. Inasmuch as the Revelation would circulate not only among the seven churches, but also to all other churches, the Lord did not hesitate to openly address their situation. Some of what the Lord said was “positive.” But, He also had “negative” things to say as well. He both commended and condemned. Such action was right and needed; it is still right and needed.

A basic pattern is followed by Jesus as He speaks to each church. It is:

Addressee (church)
Identity of Christ (i.e. He who holds the seven stars)
“I know”
The good, if any.
The bad, if any.
Warning and/or exhortation.
Promise.

Though each letter describes Jesus differently, He is still the only One addressing each church. Too, though the promises are worded in various ways, they all mean the same thing – heaven. That is, eating from the “tree of life” (2:7) is the same as the “crown of life” (2:10) is the same as the “hidden manna” (2:17) is the same as “power over the nations” and the “morning star” (2:26, 28) and so on.