Rightly Handling Truth
2 Timothy 2:14-26
Rev. Brian Bill
July 15-16, 2023
Shortly after I was saved during my sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin, I saw a poster that gripped me so vividly I can still see it in my mind. It showed some Bible scholars arguing and yelling at each other while hovering over some sacred scrolls while people in the background are walking off a cliff into the everlasting fires of Hell. I have done multiple Google searches for this image over the years but have never been able to find it.
The challenge for us today is to make sure we stay on message and on mission by keeping the gospel the main thing. We must resist going off on each other and quit our quarrelsome spirits. We could say it like this: The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
As we begin, let’s get our focus right by praying the Lord’s Prayer. There are versions of this prayer found in both Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 and various renderings have been used over the years. Let’s pray this one together.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Last weekend we considered six portraits from the first half of 2 Timothy 2 to help us see both our identity and our purpose as followers of Jesus. If you know Christ through the new birth, this is who you are…
1. A fearless child.
2. A faithful steward.
3. A focused soldier.
4. A fit athlete.
5. A fruitful farmer.
6. A fervent student.
Let’s continue in worship as we read verses 14-26: “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
We’ll see 8 ways for us to stay on message because the main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
1. Remind people of truth. Because we’re a people who forget, the Bible is filled with reminders about the need to remember. We see this in the first part of verse 14: “Remind them of these things…” To “remind” literally means, “to put into remembrance.” This can be translated as “keep on reminding.”
The word “remember” means, “to recall, to mark, to set aside.” In the Bible, “remembering” is not just bringing something back to mind; it implies a change of behavior, so our lives line up with what we’ve been reminded of. Remembering is not a passive attitude; it’s a proactive activity which leads to action. We’re to ponder and then put into practice. We’re called to remember so we can recalibrate our lives according to what’s being remembered.
Specifically, Paul tells Timothy to not forget what he just wrote in verses 8-9: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” We must continually keep the gospel front and center. In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul writes these words to timid Timothy: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God.” Peter picks up on the importance of remembering when he writes in 2 Peter 1:12-13: “Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder.”
The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
2. Charge people not to quarrel. We live in a caustic, quarreling, and cancelling culture, don’t we? Apparently, this was also a big issue in the Ephesian church according to verse 14: “…and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.” Drop down to verses 23-24: “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome…”
The word “charge” is quite strong and means, “to testify earnestly and admonish.” “Quarrel” refers to “a war with words.” Notice Paul says this “does no good,” amounting to nothing useful. He adds how quarreling actually “ruins the hearers.” This is a strong word which means, “a catastrophe, to pull down or overthrow.”
Previously Paul called out quarrelers in 1 Timothy 6:4-5 but evidently needed to say it again: “He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.” Proverbs 20:3 says, “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.” Romans 14:1 urges us “not to quarrel over opinions.”
If you spend anytime online, you know how social media is far from sociable. This week, I called an Edgewood member to get his perspective about all the friction he sees on Facebook. Chuck moderates three different Facebook pages. When I asked how he handles uncharitable comments and people who are committed to quarreling, his response was insightful, “Everyone has an opinion but very few have facts and those who share their opinions are often emotionally charged.” He’s had to turn off the “comments” feature several times and ban some “keyboard warriors.”
I’m reminded of a Christian who tried to encourage a guy who was feeling low. He started by telling him how much God loved him. This put a tear in the man’s eye. Here’s how the conversation went.
I then asked him, “Are you a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu, or what?”
He said, “I’m a Christian.”
I said, “Me, too, small world…Protestant or Catholic?”
He said, “Protestant.”
I said, “Me, too, what denomination?”
He said, “Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too, Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Baptist.”
I said, “Well, ME TOO, Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.”
I said, “Well, that’s amazing! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Free Will Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist.”
I said, “Remarkable! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region.”
I said, “A miracle! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
I said, “DIE, HERETIC!’ and pushed him over the rail.
Brothers and sisters, we’ve been banned by God from being caustic in our quarreling because the main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
3. Rightly handle God’s truth. The best way not to quarrel or fall into false doctrine is to be tethered to God’s truth as we see in verse 15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” The idea behind “do your best” is to “endeavor eagerly with zeal, to keep working at it until it is accomplished.” We should be eager to present ourselves to God, as if to say, “Here I am God. I’m surrendered to your will and your ways. I’m your worker and I don’t want to be ashamed before you or others.” Incidentally, this is the same word used in Romans 12:1: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Let’s linger on the phrase, “rightly handling the word of truth.” To “rightly handle” comes from two words meaning “straight” and “to cut with precision and accuracy.” It was used to describe what a surgeon does, how a mason builds a wall, how someone cuts a straight path through a forest, and how a father would slice a loaf of bread and distribute it to his family. All believers, and pastors in particular, are called to be straight with Scripture so we can find nourishment from the bread of life.
At Edgewood, we’re committed to handle God’s Word with reverence as we preach straightforwardly from the Bible. We seek God’s approval and as such we are not ashamed of the inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and authoritative Word of God. As we said when going through the opening chapters of Genesis, “When God says it, that settles it.”
In our Growth Group Wednesday night, we went around the room and shared our favorite passages of Scriptures. I was struck by the love for the Bible in our group. One guy said he reads one passage dealing with anxiety almost every night. Another person said, “The book of Philippians is necessary for me because I need to be reminded to not be negative and that I’m called to be a servant.”
Are you aware 2 Timothy 2:15 serves an acrostic for our Awana discipleship ministry?
Approved
Workmen
Are
Not
Ashamed
Pastor Ed started Awana 44 years ago and ran point for 21 years. Sheila Kuriscak is now leading the ministry. Jim Sims and Ed Kight served as commanders for many years. Approximately 150 kids (3 years to 6th grade) attend on Wednesday nights during the school year and over 50 leaders are investing in this gospel-centered ministry. Over the years, thousands of children have been discipled through Awana. When I asked Sheila about its impact, she said, “Awana is the premier child discipleship program out there. We will continue to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and to train them to serve Him for their whole lives. We will also come alongside parents to help them disciple their children as well.”
If you’ve been in Awana as a child or have served as an Awana leader, would you please stand? If you’re looking for a way to serve, would you consider investing in the next generation? During our EVERYONE emphasis this year, we’re encouraging everyone to serve in at least one ministry.
This week, I asked members of our Edgewood Facebook page to share how God has used Awana in their life.
• Pastor Kyle: “It’s where I learned the majority of the Scripture I have memorized today.”
• Jessica Trowbridge: “It’s where I learned almost all the verses I have committed to memory as well as the order of the books of the Bible. I started in Cubbies and still have my vest.”
• Aaron Langworthy: “I got saved in Awana.”
All Christians are either “approved workers” or “ashamed slackers.” To be an approved worker doesn’t happen by accident. You must know the Scriptures in order to grow in sanctification.
4. Avoid irreverent babble. If we want to keep the gospel the main thing, we must not engage in “word wars” according to verses 16-18: “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.” The word “avoid” means, “not to engage, to shun, to be distant.” The phrase, “irreverent babble” refers to “loud, empty, profane, and godless talk.” Paul is reinforcing what he wrote earlier in 1 Timothy 6:20: “Avoid irreverent babble.”
Our words can wound deeply, while false doctrine unleashes a communicable disease. To say it another way, error can make you ill. Gangrene was a consuming sore which ate away at the body, causing body tissue to die, often leading to the loss of limbs. Once again, Paul calls out two false teachers, Hymenaeus and Philetus, who swerved from the straight path of the Scriptures. We don’t know much about Philetus, but we’re told in 1 Timothy 1:20 how Hymenaeus shipwrecked his own faith. These false teachers taught there will be no resurrection for believers and ended up overturning the faith of some believers. BTW, I don’t believe they lost their salvation. Rather, as we read in 1 John 2:19, they never had it in the first place.
Brothers and sisters, false teaching has been unleashed in churches today. Earlier this month a mainline church in Minnesota recited what is known as the “Sparkle Creed.” This irreverent babble is loaded with outright blasphemy. I was initially going to quote part of it, but my spirit won’t allow it because it is so sinfully sacrilegious. I forced myself to watch a video of a minister leading the congregation in it and felt nauseated afterwards. If false teaching used to be subtle, it is now bold, brash, and blatantly unbiblical.
The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
5. Trust in God’s firm foundation. As we watch what’s happening in culture and hear how churches are moving away from sound doctrine, it’s easy to become unsettled. The first part of verse 19 gives us truth to trust in: “But God’s firm foundation stands…” The word “but” can be translated as “nevertheless.” The firm foundation is the church as Jesus said in Matthew 16:18: “… on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
• When Christians are being cancelled in our culture, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you are ostracized for speaking up for the preborn, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you are criticized for holding to a biblical view of gender and marriage say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• As things go from bad to worse, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you hear of churches falling headlong into heresy, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When it feels like our country’s foundations are crumbling, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you experience pushback or persecution because of your faith, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When sin is celebrated, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you are shut down when you proclaim Jesus as the only way to be saved, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
• When you’re fearful about the future, say “But God’s firm foundation stands…”
Let’s be reminded the church is God’s Plan A, and there is no Plan B. 1 Timothy 3:15 says, “…the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
We called this summer series “Standing Firm” on purpose. The church of the living God cannot fail because it rests on the eternal promises of God. God is still on the throne. The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
6. Set yourself apart as holy. We see how salvation brings security and now we’re urged to seek our sanctification in the second half of verse 19: “…bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” God gives His stamp of approval and authenticity of ownership to those who are His.
Let’s head to Numbers 16 to help us get this section of Scripture straight. Here’s the backstory. A man named Korah decided to rebel against the authority of Moses, and of God. Moses proposed a test. Korah and his followers did not pass the test. As a result, God opened up the ground and swallowed the rebels, their families, and all their possessions. Furthermore, “fire came out from the LORD” and consumed 250 men who were part of Korah’s rebellion. With this in mind, Paul draws two applications for Timothy.
• God’s responsibility. The phrase, “The Lord knows those who are his” comes from Numbers 16:5: “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him.” If you are on God’s side, you are secure because He knows who you are. He knows His own and He will not let them utterly fall.
• Our responsibility. The second phrase in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity” comes from Numbers 16:26: “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” While we are secure in our salvation, we must stand aloof from sin by departing from iniquity.
Paul moves from a building to a household in verses 20-21 to show that there are worthy vessels and unworthy vessels: “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”
Some pots were used as bed pans or for garbage bins while more expensive ones were only brought out for special purposes. The point is that no matter what kind of container we are, or how dirty we have been, we can be cleansed for honorable use and “set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” If you’ve been living in the garbage can of life, God can redeem and restore you.
Tim Chester writes: “We think of holiness as giving up the pleasures of sin for some worthy but drab life. But holiness means recognizing that the pleasures of sin are empty and temporary, while God is inviting us to magnificent, true, full, and rich pleasures that last forever.”
7. Flee youthful passions and pursue purity. In order for Timothy to be effective, he must run away from those things that will trip him up according to the first phrase of verse 22: “So flee youthful passions…” To “flee” means, “to escape or move hastily.” The phrase, “youthful passions” can refer to “longings or lusts.”
This reminds us of how Joseph fled when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him in Genesis 39:12: “She caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.” Proverbs 6:5 says: “Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter” and 1 Corinthians 6:18 warns: “Flee from sexual immorality.” We’re not to play around with temptation. The best defense is a good offense – run away as fast as you can.
John Stott writes: “We are to recognize sin as something dangerous to the soul. We are not to come to terms with it, or even negotiate with it. We are not to linger in its presence like Lot in Sodom. On the contrary we are to get as far away from it as possible as quickly as possible.” Sometimes flight is better than trying to fight your youthful passions.
Beth and I recently watched the new film “Sound of Freedom,” which is a true story of a former government agent who embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers.
It was painful to watch as we were reminded of how children are experiencing unspeakable horrors at the hands of perverted and depraved people. In light of this, the film quoted the words of Jesus in Mark 9:42: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”
The International Justice Mission estimates that 50 million people are held in slavery today. Human trafficking generates about $150 billion a year, with two-thirds coming from commercial sex exploitation.
One reason we are repulsed by this sinful wickedness is because we know that children (including the pre-born) are made in the image of God and as such have dignity, value, and worth (Genesis 1:26-17; Psalm 139:13-16). We must protect the most vulnerable and do all we can to rescue them according to Proverbs 24:11-12: “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?”
Friends, we can no longer say, “we know nothing about this.” We must do what we can to hold back this flood of wickedness perpetrated against children made in the image of God. We must stand up and speak out. Here are some ways that come to mind.
• Be aware and informed. Props to the trucking industry, hotels, and airlines for increased training to spot trafficking and report it.
• Parents must be vigilant to protect children. It’s important to recognize that pedophiles are sometimes those we would never expect. Use caution about allowing sleepovers and make sure you teach your children what is inappropriate.
• If you’ve been abused, get help. Edgewood offers Celebrate Recovery every Friday night, with a group for those who have experienced abuse. We can also put you in touch with a trained Christian counselor if that would be helpful.
• Flee from pornography. Studies show that the porn industry often uses underage children. In addition, unbridled lust can lead to all sorts of depravity. I saw a powerful tweet this week: “If you’ve seen ‘Sound of Freedom’ and want to do something substantive about the trafficking of children, the answer isn’t in paramilitary strategy. It’s actually far simpler, but much more difficult for too many men: Stop. Watching. Pornography.”
• Support the efforts of the Quad Cities Missing Person Network. As the chaplain of this group, I see first-hand how important it is to share posts of missing children and to pray for them to be found. Trafficking happens more often than you think right here in this community.
In short, if you see something, say something as we read in Proverbs 31:8-9: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” God’s children are not for sale.
After a negative command, Paul gives a positive imperative in the second part of verse 22: “…and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” The word “pursue” means to “go after.” We’re to chase after what is right, we’re to exhibit faith, practice love, and pursue peace with other believers.
The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing.
8. Correct people kindly. While we don’t see a lot of kindness in our culture today, as followers of Christ we’re called to treat people kindly and gently according to verses 24-26: “…but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
When we get angry about the onslaught of evil in our world, we need to remember the devil is our enemy, not the person who has unbiblical views or lifestyles. Many are held fast in a snare or a trap and can’t get out on their own. They have been caught by Satan and are being held captive to do his will.
I confess that sometimes in my speaking out against what is wrong, I forget that people are made in the image of God and therefore matter to Him. I want to remain convictional about sin, but I also want to be compassionate toward sinners. I don’t want to compromise on truth, nor do I want to clobber those who are being held captive by the evil one.
In short, I want to be more like Jesus who was “full of grace and truth” as stated in John 1:14. Jesus gives us a great model in John 8:10-11 when He ministered to the woman caught in adultery.
• Grace toward the sinner: “Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you…’”
• Truth about sin: “…go, and from now on sin no more.”
We must speak truth in a spirit of gentle graciousness, something I don’t always get right. My college roommate Bruce modeled this. When I was jerk to him, he kept loving me, which eventually led me to Christ.
Let’s summarize what we learned today.
1. Remind people of truth.
2. Charge people not to quarrel.
3. Rightly handle God’s truth.
4. Avoid irreverent babble.
5. Trust in God’s firm foundation.
6. Set yourself apart as holy.
7. Flee youthful passions and pursue purity.
8. Correct people kindly.
In a message called, “When the Foundations are Destroyed,” Ray Pritchard writes: “We need tenacious, winsome courage.”
• Tenacious means we don’t give up loving people.
• Winsome means we don’t lose our temper and say something stupid.
• Courage means we speak up and take a stand for the truth.
Fear not, child of God. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. But our God is faithful to keep every one of His promises because His firm foundation stands.
This week, Beth and I walked through the Beyond Van Gogh Immersive Experience at the River Center. It was incredible. At the same time, I was struck by how lost Van Gogh was. Like the searcher in the Book of Ecclesiastes, he could not find satisfaction under the sun. He could paint the stars and yet he missed out on the One who made each one and calls each of them by name (Psalm 147:4). He was a tormented soul who eventually took his own life, as far as we know never putting his faith in Christ.
There are still people falling off the cliff of sin into the never-ending fires of Hell today. Let’s not be content with being quarrelsome or cantankerous. Instead, let’s rightly handle the word of truth by offering it graciously to those entrapped by the evil one.
The main thing is to keep the gospel the main thing. Are you ready to make the gospel the main thing in your life?
Invitation
