by: George Feldmann
The Apostle Paul, in his second epistle to Timothy, was very much concerned that a chain of faithfulness be continued in the preservation and continuation of the truth. The epistle will bear out that Paul had a very particular and special body of truth in mind when he wrote.
Literally, from the language of the original, this is better known as The Deposit. This was to be guarded, kept and defended as 1:12 tells us. This deposit is referred to further in the words HOLD FAST THAT FORM OF SOUND WORDS, in verse 13. And once again in verse 14 with the words THAT GOOD THING. The word form means a word picture or an outline.
Teaching concerning this form of sound words, or the deposit, can be found only in the Prison Epistles. Doctrinally, it is set forth most specifically in the epistle to the Ephesians.
The teaching embodied in this good deposit is distinct in that it teaches that those who are members of the dispensation of the mystery body have their blessings in the heavenlies, or super-celestial places. This is not the future home of all believers as it is commonly taught today. There are 3 distinct families and spheres of blessing set forth in the Scriptures. *Some will be resurrected to inhabit the new earth, and others will be resurrected to inhabit the land promised to Abraham’s seed Israel with the New Jerusalem at the center. God in His sovereignty has determined which believers shall inhabit these three spheres of blessing. There is nothing we can do to deserve the least of God’s blessings, and the most any of us can do is to believe God; and believing God isn’t any kind of good work that we can boast about!
Naturally there are many enemies of the truth, especially of the truth mentioned above. The most subtle opposition comes from those who accuse the dispensation of the mystery believers of having an exalted opinion of themselves. And the irony of it all is that Satan does his work so well thru those who profess to know the Lord. Another avenue of opposition comes from those reputed to be dispensational teachers, who even recognize the Acts 28:28 boundary line, yet fail to distinguish the epistles written before and after this line.
The loyalty we devote to the good deposit will largely determine whether we reign with Him, and the extent of our rewards.
*by MarvinDXN
