Part 2 of the True Treasure
What do we think of when we hear the word “treasure”? Undoubtedly many of us picture a chest full of gold, silver, or precious coins. Perhaps we remember a story we once read about pirates burying this chest in the sands of a deserted island. Maybe we think of a map that shows the route to this island, with a big red X marking the exact location of the buried treasure. While this may be the first thing we think of, the truth is that anything that is valuable or precious can be considered a treasure. For a young lady, that treasure might be her bracelet. For a young man, it might be his baseball cap. Adults can have treasures too. A man’s treasure might be his new car, while a woman’s treasure might be her favorite dress.
Although it is not wrong to have a favorite piece of jewelry, clothing item, or car, we must never make too much of these things. The Bible talks about this, for example, in Matthew chapter 6, where Jesus warns us about having the wrong things as treasures. He says: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In other words, do not hold on too tightly to earthly possessions or pleasures. They can break, fall apart, be stolen, or lose value. Rather, cling to the real, heavenly treasure, which never fades away.
In the Psalms, David says that God’s Word is a treasure, even more precious than gold or silver (Psalm 119:72). In Bible times, just as in our day, gold and silver were highly valuable. If someone owned a lot of gold or silver, they were considered very rich. Today, we might think of millionaires and billionaires who own large, successful companies and have a lot of power and influence. Maybe at times we find ourselves wishing we had that kind of money or influence. But what kind of treasure is that in the end? In Psalm 49 we read: “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” Money and fame are vanity! They cannot save you from death or bring you to heaven. But God’s Word endures forever; it is our comfort and treasure even in the face of death. There is nothing more precious!
Further, in the New Testament, Paul tells Timothy: “The good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us” (II Timothy 1:14). Another acceptable translation of the words “good thing” is the word “deposit”. A deposit is a sum of money that someone gives you for safekeeping, usually in the bank. If your parents gave you a monthly allowance, what would you do with that money? Would you just forget about it or throw it away? Of course not! You would take good care of it, using it either to buy something useful or putting it in the bank to save toward your future. That money would be precious to you. But how much more precious is God’s Word, and how much more carefully should we guard it! That is exactly what Paul is telling Timothy: “Guard the truths of God’s Word that you have learned about from me; do not let go of them!”
Now let us think back for a moment to Martin Luther and his 95 theses. Do you remember what thesis 62 said? “The true treasure of the Church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.” We have seen that God’s Word is a treasure, but Luther says it just a little differently. Notice that he doesn’t say that God’s Word is a treasure but that the Gospel is a treasure. What is the Gospel? It is the good news that Jesus Christ has died on the cross to save His people from their sins and that He gives them new life in His resurrection, so that one day they shall live with Him in heaven, victorious over sin and death! That is the central message of God’s Word, and that is what makes it such a treasure to us. God’s Word and the Gospel are really the same thing. They are our treasure.
By Andrew Koerner
Young Calvinists 