2 Timothy 2:14-26 (1)

How can we live faithfully as Christians?  It will certainly help if we can take a reminder along the way (v14).  One of the most effective ways to end a conversation is to say, I already knew that.  And it is one of the most effective ways to set yourself up for a fall spiritually.  If you ever walked out of a church service complaining because the preacher didn’t say anything new (as in, I’ve heard that all before; let’s find a church where the preacher knows more than I do), then you are in trouble in terms of faithfulness.  We need to be reminded of the gospel, the death and resurrection of Christ, in order to be faithful.  

Connected with Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to remind people of these things (2:1-13) is a charge to Timothy to warn believers not to strive about words to no profit (v14), to shun profane and idle babblings (v16) and to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes (v23).  The importance of this warning is bound up in its spiritually disastrous effect: failure to do this will ruin the hearers (v14), increase ungodliness (v16), overthrow faith (v18) and generate strife (v23).  In other words, this is a profound issue of faithfulness.

Take a moment to note how this passage fits together.

·        2:14-18: Paul encourages Timothy to be a diligent student and teacher of God’s word lest he get off on ruinous doctrine that will destroy people’s faith.

·        2:19-22: On the matter of people’s faith, Paul reminds Timothy that the solid foundation of God (the gospel of salvation in Christ alone) stands firm.  God knows those who are His; and those who are His will depart from iniquity.  Thus Paul reminds Timothy of sanctification (living a holy life).

·        2:23-26: Paul comes back to the issue of foolish disputes because Timothy needs to know how he, as a pastor, can deal with those who err.  The answer is a wonderful statement of the gentle but firm Shepherd who does all he can to help the sheep escape the snare of the devil.

I can tell you from church history and personal experience how important this is for us today.  How did Jehovah’s Witnesses come to the strange conclusion that Jesus returned in the early 1900’s?  How did Mormons conclude that Jesus and Satan were brothers and that you are a better Christian if you never let go of your underwear?  How did a Pentecostal conclude that a preacher who could do levitation was a true miracle worker?  Or another who had a word from God in which God felt the need to apologize for what He did to His Son on the cross?  The answer to these and many more strange ideas is that they did not heed the warnings in this passage.  They were not satisfied with just giving out reminders to people; they longed for something more interesting or intriguing or exciting.  And what did it do?  It ruined those who heard!  It overthrew the faith of some!

More on this tomorrow.  For today let us acknowledge and accept the importance of finding satisfaction in the word of truth!