Paul's Epistles – II Timothy – Part 4: Warning Against Quarreling About Words

Paul's Epistles – II Timothy – Part 4:

Warning Against Quarreling About Words

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org | Online Audio Files

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SERMON INTRODUCTION

This second letter from Paul to Timothy will be the next “epistle” we examine.

After writing his first Epistle to Timothy, Paul left Corinth, and set sail with Titus for Crete, where he left him to set the Church in order (Titus 1:5).

The key-word in II Timothy is “Ashamed.”

“I must not be ashamed of my Lord, His Gospel, or His suffering saints (II Timothy 1); How can I become a workman that “needs not be ashamed” (II Timothy 2 & 3.), and then the Lord will not be ashamed to own and stand by me (II Timothy 4).

PREVIOUSLY

Introduction to II Timothy

Appeal for Loyalty

Remaining Loyal to Christ and Paul’s Teaching

TODAY’S SERMON

Warning Against Quarreling About Words

  

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

II Timothy 2:14-26 (66 AD, approximately one year after the first Epistle to Timothy)

Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ¹⁶ Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

The overall message of this epistle to the church is;

Loyalty to the Lord and Truth in the view of persecution and apostasy

I. HOW TO BE LOYAL TO CHRIST AND HIS TEACHINGS

a. Keep reminding God’s people of these things

                                                                 i. Speaking of previous verses about loyalty to Christ and His teachings

b. Warn them

                                                                 i. Against fighting about words

                                                              ii. Arguing about words has NO VALUE

                                                           iii. and it only causes the faith of those who hear to be ruined

c. VS 15 - (LIT) Be diligent to present thyself true to God

                                                                 i. Diligent - hard working, industrious, meticulous, attentive, careful,  thorough

                                                              ii. “Study to show yourself approved”

                                                           iii. A worker who does not need to be ashamed

                                                            iv. and correctly handles the Word of Truth

d. Also;

                                                                 i. Avoid godless chatter (false teachings, false doctrines, “adding” to the Word, etc)

                                                              ii. Those who chatter just become more and more ungodly

                                                           iii. Their teachings spread like gangrene (or cancer)

II.      PREPARE YOURSELF (CHOICE) BY CLEANSING YOURSELF

a. In a house there are many items

                                                                 i. Not only gold and silver, but wood and clay as well

                                                              ii. Some of these are for special purposes and some are for common

b. Just as there are in our body (God’s Temple)

                                                                 i. Our body is the house (temple) of God’s Holy Spirit

                                                              ii. If we cleanse ourselves of the common, we will prepare ourselves for the special purposes

c. Then, we will be made Holy

                                                                 i. and useful to the Master

                                                              ii. and ready to do any good work

                                                           iii. How do we “cleanse” ourselves of the common?

III.   PURSUE (CHOICE)  RIGHTEOUSNESS

a. Flee from evil desires of youth

                                                                 i. Flee is a choice of direction

                                                              ii. evil desires means desires of the flesh rather than spirit of God

                                                           iii. Youth is speaking of “spiritually young, or immature”

                                                            iv. Choose a direction away from the desires of flesh, and use your spiritual maturity to recognize the desires of the Spirit...run to those

                                                               v. This IS to pursue righteousness, love (I Corinthians 13), and peace with those (other followers of Christ) who call on the Lord with a pure heart (right motivation and intention)

b. Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments

                                                                 i. Because you know all they do is cause fights and achieve nothing

c. The Lord’s servants must not be quarrelsome

                                                                 i. but MUST BE kind to everyone

                                                              ii. Able to teach

                                                           iii. not resentful (angry, bitter offended)

CONCLUSION – In meekness instruct those opposing you

in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth

and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

As followers of Christ, we must remain loyal to Him and His teachings.

We do not need to “spice” things up, sugar coat His truth, or make it more palatable.

We study it, to show ourselves to God as one who is approved, and does not need to be ashamed because we can correctly handle the Word of Truth.

We make the choice to prepare ourselves by cleansing out the common, and the choice to pursue righteousness, once we make those decisions God’s Holy Spirit will do the rest in us!

 Next week Paul warns Timothy about the coming terrible times

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