TODAY MEN ARE THROWING AWAY THEIR PRICELESS INHERITANCE FOR SAVAGE ANIMALISM

• God has given us great natural treasures through creation, and we are polluting and destroying them.
• God has given us great eternal spiritual treasures through salvation, and this is being lost.
• God has permitted us great social treasures through Christian heritage - U.S.A., and is wasting
• Unless we exercise great care, we shall lose everything committed to our trust!  Let's study three ways!

AN EXPOSITOIN OF II TIM 1:14, 7

The good thing which was committed unto us is described in V. 7 as God's gift.

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER!

• Men today have power - nuclear, jet, hydraulics, transistor - every power available today.
• Yet, the "Black Power," "Flower Power," "Pot Power," "Student Power" - has us frightened.
• Paul from prison wanted Timothy to know the power in Christ - Phil 3:10 of resurrection.

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF LOVE!

• The world knew erotic lust, Phileo friendship, but Jesus brought the agape love - gift to man.
• Today, sex power - like nuclear power, is exploited for man's purposes, and brings chain reactions.
• But the person who accepts God's love - salvation - and who lives it has Christian victory!

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF A SOUND MIND.

• Timothy knew philosophy, aestheticism, and also mind-destroying drugs - sorcery - but God spoke.
• Today the "sound words" are debunked, and humanism is substituted in our schools - no peace.
• In Christ we can think soberly, have our minds renewed, and can have inner peace and a sound mind.

We must hold fast to these positive features of the Gospel, or our loss is great!  V.13

A TOPICAL STUDY OF "KEEP"

There are many cross references to the words "hold fast" and "keep" - study and gain greatly.

• I Tim 6:20 "Keep that which is committed to thy trust" - the eternal gospel of salvation
  • The threat was science (knowledge) falsely so called - and we have evolution
• II Tim 4:7 "I have kept the faith" - this experience has been stolen from us - Keep Faith
  • The threat today is from those who would pollute faith in God with faith in man!
• I Tim 5:22 "Keep thyself pure" - not personal sin, but from other men's sins!
  • The threat was showing preference - approving the sins of special friends - ministers
• James 1:27 "Keep himself unspotted from the world" - here it is personal worldly sin!
  • The threat was the pollution of worldliness that saps the virtue of the Christian
• Eph 4:3 "Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of of peace" - positive Christianity
  • The threat was the fault-finding spirit - warring with Christians
• John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep My commandments" - very practical from Jesus -
  • The threat was a hypocritical lip service to Jesus without living His will
• Jude 1- Thank God that we are preserved (kept) in Jesus Christ - but we have a job too!
• Rev 3:11 - If we do not hold fast, some man will take our crown - we will lose our joy.

THE PRACTICAL MESSAGE - SOME THINGS WE MUST KEEP, OR LOSE THEM

EVERY AGE HAS ITS DETRACTORS FROM THE GOSPEL - Judaisers, liberals, modernists - or new evangelicals

WE NEED TO KEEP THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE FAITH - 9 principles

AND OUR CHURCH COUNTS PRECIOUS THE BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES - WE ARE NOT ASHAMED TO BE BAPTISTS

WE NEED PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP US KEEP THE GOOD THINGS COMMITTED INTO OUR TRUST - WILL YOU?

• If you do not want all that made America great destroyed - start by accepting Christ as your Saviour.
• The best way to be a "conservative" - keep what is tried and proven - is to be a Church Member
• The only way to conserve what the Lord has given to you is to serve Him faithfully!