‘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

An Affectionate Appeal for Truth

In a time of rising false doctrines and endless debates, Paul’s closing words to Timothy remain as relevant as ever. His final charge is not just a warning—but a tender plea. The apostle concludes this first letter to Timothy in a tone that expresses his affectionate love and concern for the young and upcoming servant of God. “O Timothy” conveys that. Eugene Peterson renders that thus: “And oh, my dear Timothy” (The Message). The Passion Translation’s footnote say Paul uses an endearing variation of Timothy’s name; it could almost be read “Oh Timmy.”

What was so important that Paul appealed to the deep connection he had with Timothy to pass across? It was the very crucial matter of guarding what had been entrusted to him. Was it money or some precious stone like gold? No, it was something more precious than gold. The Amplified Version says, “guard and keep safe the deposit [of godly truth] entrusted to you. The call of God on anyone’s life is itself a trust. One of its greatest gifts is his word—the truth. It is this truth that the knowledge thereof brings freedom (John 8:32). This truth makes one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2Timothy 3:15). Sanctification is wrought by this very word (John 17:17).  It is by it that the servant of God can war a good warfare (1 Timothy 1:18). This word is a lamp and a light (Psalm 119:105). Is there any wonder why Paul would urge Timothy to guard it?

The truth in anyone’s life is a trust from God.

The Act of Guarding

Guarding usually involves deploying a barrier to protect by watching over and preventing unwanted access. Paul’s prescription to Timothy on how to guard the deposit of godly truth entrusted to him is to avoid. To avoid is to keep away from, to shun. That is an interesting way to guard something. Paul’s advice may seem counterintuitive. But it is rooted in godly wisdom. He is not being told to flex his muscles in order to protect what has been entrusted to him. He has been told to protect by keeping clear of, staying clear of or steering clear of. Protection by avoidance is it.

Irreverent Babble

The enemy of entrusted godly truth that Timothy is to avoid is what Paul names as ‘irreverent babble’. Irreverent is an adjective that describes something that is lacking in proper respect or seriousness. Irreverent doesn’t show proper reverence for the holy or sacred. It is synonymous with blasphemous, impious and profane.

Irreverent babble may sound intellectual, but it’s spiritual poison.

Babble on the other hand means to talk enthusiastically or excessively or to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds. The Amplified Version calls it worldly and godless chatter with its profane, empty words. This is conversation that is without God and doesn’t bring glory to him, which should be the end (goal) of all things. This kind of talk profanes or debases the things of God. Those who push forward these things think to themselves as wise. The Bible says they are rather ‘contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge.”’

This so-called knowledge is nothing but false doctrine. Any knowledge that opposes the truth of the gospel is false; if it were true, it would approve of the gospel and consent to it.

A Contemporary Problem as Well

In this age, it has become more common than you would think. It ranges from those who are outrightly atheistic to those who are within the Christendom but do not revere God or the things of God. They question the existence of God – a group that the Psalmist describes as fools (Psalm 14:1). Some question the deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They mock the truth of the incarnation and the virgin birth; the second coming and various manifestations of the work of the Holy Spirit. Within the church, there are arguments about genealogies; the relevance of water baptism; whether the New Testament should begin in Matthew or in Acts, and the like.

Not every argument is worth your engagement—some are designed to derail your faith

In this internet age, it is common to find online discussions, theological controversies and outright insults against various sections and practices of the Church of God and ministers of the gospel. Some are bold while others are more subtle, but they both originate from the same root. Believers, some with good intent to ‘defend the faith’, are sucked into these discussions. Their comments generate traffic for such topics, making them viral and exposing the things of God to even more ridicule, the very thing they set out to stop. Something goes ‘wrong’ in a church and the members are quick to make online posts about it, setting up the body of Christ to worldwide mockery. That does not show reverence. Consider that the Church is the body of Christ and you are a part of it. If a part of your body, say your mouth, has a bad odour, do you post that online? I thought so too. That should be the way you treat the body of Christ too.

You would think that the way to deal with it is to enter into arguments with its promoters and show them how wrong they are and how true the truth of scripture is, or how doctrinally-sound a particular practice is. I have seen well-intentioned believers, some as though they are magnetized to such forums, straining to prove a point. Paul’s counsel to Timothy and to us however, is to avoid it altogether. That is the way to guard the deposit of truth in you and preserve the purity of the gospel doctrine.

 A Faith-Endangering Adventure

Words are indescribably powerful, after all the heavens and the earth were created by them, have been deluged before by them, are being preserved by them and would be destroyed by them. But even our human words are powerful, even if to a lesser extent.

The reason for Paul’s counsel to Timothy to avoid irreverent babble is because of its inherent harm. He said, “By professing it some have swerved from the faith.” The involvement in empty, profane and meaningless talk is not harmless chatter – it targets one’s faith to wreck it. The inane chatters are thieves and enemies who while men sleep, sow tares amidst the good seed that Jesus has planted. What Paul is warning about is not without precedence – it has its casualties. History backs this with examples of those who have erred, missed the mark and strayed from the faith by involving in seemingly harmless, intellectual arguments. Those discussions are like a long rope that Satan uses to gradually but steadily drag them away from the faith. Whatever you hear and engage over time you are likely to believe. Faith after all comes by hearing, and that is not limited to faith in Christ. The New Living Translation says, “Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness.” When the arguments were raging, I guess the involved parties felt they were displaying their wisdom, but scripture calls it foolishness, and it is a lethal kind.

If you look beyond the immediate context of this scripture, you would observe that unclean conversations, particularly of a lustful nature, listened to and involved in, have the same effect. They linger in the mind, create unclean images and provide fodder for temptations.

Staying Safe

What then, in the wisdom of the word of God, is the way to guard one’s faith and the deposit of truth one has been entrusted with? It is not to argue and prove right from wrong; it is to avoid this godless chatter.

There will be some contexts, like discussing with genuine seekers of truth, where you may have to make a case for the gospel. That is acceptable. Other than that, however, avoid irreverent babble, for if you don’t, you run the risk of swerving from the faith. Paul also told Titus to “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9). Again, the counsel is to avoid.

Arguments may feel like a defence of truth, but they often lead to its erosion.

Jesus exemplified that in his conversation in Sychar, Samaria with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in John 4. When he asked for a drink, the woman brought up the long-standing ethnic prejudices that existed between Jews and Samaritans: “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews do not use dishes Samaritans have used). Jesus didn’t take the bait, he moved on to a higher issue – the matter of forever-satisfying, thirst-quenching living water that becomes a spring, welling up to eternal life. The Lord refused to be entrapped in pointless arguments.

So dear believer, guard your faith and the deposit entrusted to you. Heed the counsel of scripture and stay away from useless and empty conversations. Follow the example of Christ and spare your energy for higher things.