Introduction. For many years, soft drink and milk companies reused their bottles. Each bottle had it’s own deposit created to motivate people to return them. Buy a soft drink, pay a deposit, and get it back when you returned the bottle. Later, ways were found to make a plastic bottle that did not need to be returned. They were labeled: “No deposit, no return” because they had no value.
The idiom “no deposit, no return” caught on and became a proverb. It proclaimed that the more you put into something the greater your return. At the bank, if no deposit is made, there is no return to write checks with. If we don’t “deposit” time into study, there is no “return” when we take the test. Similar proverbs also teach this lesson: “No pain, no gain” and “you get what you pay for.” The concept is timeless and is found many times in the Scriptures.
The idiom “no deposit, no return” caught on and became a proverb. It proclaimed that the more you put into something the greater your return. At the bank, if no deposit is made, there is no return to write checks with. If we don’t “deposit” time into study, there is no “return” when we take the test. Similar proverbs also teach this lesson: “No pain, no gain” and “you get what you pay for.” The concept is timeless and is found many times in the Scriptures.
"Where your treasure is". This is a clear example. “Where your treasure is there will your heart be,” because the more money, time and effort we deposit into His kingdom the greater the return in our interest and zeal. He also said, “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Mt 6:21; Lk 16:9). If we don’t deposit time and money into spiritual things, there will be no return either here or in eternity!
Every choice — A deposit. God revealed we make a deposit toward our future with every decision we make. We either sow (deposit) to the flesh or to the Spirit, and “he who sows to his flesh will reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will reap everlasting life” (Gal. 6:7-8). Our time and energy will focus on the fleshly desires of this world or the spiritual realities revealed in Scripture. Our deposit into the flesh will bring a return of corruption, while all we deposit to the Spirit will bring a return of eternal life. We must never forget, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body, ... whether good or bad” (2Cor. 5:10). We can’t escape the return we will receive for the deposits we make here.
"By faith Moses" deposited his entire life when he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” (Heb. 11:24-26). For thousands of years he has been receiving a return.
"Let them who suffer" “according to the will of God commit (deposit) their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.” (1Pet. 4:19). “Commit” is “to deposit; to entrust, commit to one's charge” (Thayer, 3908). We are all in the same position as Moses. We have to choose our deposit. Since God will “never fail or forsake us,” and “there is nothing to hard for the LORD,” we can trust his “precious and exceeding great promises.” Our deposit is only not safe and secure, but will bring an infinitely greater return.
"He is able to keep". Paul knew “he had suffered the loss of all things” and all outward results made it appear he had made a foolish choice. Yet while others mocked, he felt no shame. He was confident: “for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed (deposited) to Him until that Day." (2Tim. 1:12). Paul knew God would keep all he had given into His care and Paul was willing to make any sacrifice to deposit more.
It is our turn — to make a choice. Just as men deposit seed into the soil expecting a return, every choice we make is a deposit for which we can expect a return. As we sow to the flesh or the Spirit, we will see a return. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5), “he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward” (Pr. 11:18), “he who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,” (Pr. 22:8) and those who “sow the wind,” will “reap the whirlwind.” (Hos. 8:7) Truly, “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7). Never forget “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward,” so “you know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.” (Rom. 8:18; 1Cor. 15:58).
Every choice — A deposit. God revealed we make a deposit toward our future with every decision we make. We either sow (deposit) to the flesh or to the Spirit, and “he who sows to his flesh will reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will reap everlasting life” (Gal. 6:7-8). Our time and energy will focus on the fleshly desires of this world or the spiritual realities revealed in Scripture. Our deposit into the flesh will bring a return of corruption, while all we deposit to the Spirit will bring a return of eternal life. We must never forget, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body, ... whether good or bad” (2Cor. 5:10). We can’t escape the return we will receive for the deposits we make here.
"By faith Moses" deposited his entire life when he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” (Heb. 11:24-26). For thousands of years he has been receiving a return.
"Let them who suffer" “according to the will of God commit (deposit) their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.” (1Pet. 4:19). “Commit” is “to deposit; to entrust, commit to one's charge” (Thayer, 3908). We are all in the same position as Moses. We have to choose our deposit. Since God will “never fail or forsake us,” and “there is nothing to hard for the LORD,” we can trust his “precious and exceeding great promises.” Our deposit is only not safe and secure, but will bring an infinitely greater return.
"He is able to keep". Paul knew “he had suffered the loss of all things” and all outward results made it appear he had made a foolish choice. Yet while others mocked, he felt no shame. He was confident: “for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed (deposited) to Him until that Day." (2Tim. 1:12). Paul knew God would keep all he had given into His care and Paul was willing to make any sacrifice to deposit more.
It is our turn — to make a choice. Just as men deposit seed into the soil expecting a return, every choice we make is a deposit for which we can expect a return. As we sow to the flesh or the Spirit, we will see a return. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5), “he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward” (Pr. 11:18), “he who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,” (Pr. 22:8) and those who “sow the wind,” will “reap the whirlwind.” (Hos. 8:7) Truly, “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7). Never forget “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward,” so “you know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.” (Rom. 8:18; 1Cor. 15:58).