THE SKILLED WORKER
Opening Prayer
Lord, mold me into a lover of truth.
Read 2 TIMOTHY 2:14–26
Dealing With False Teachers
14 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.
New International Version (NIV)
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Meditate
Thank our Heavenly Father that you are his child and also a worker in the “family business.”
Think Further
A salient thread running through 2 Timothy is the importance of teaching the truth. Read the entire letter and note each mention of this mandate. This theme is particularly prominent in the passage for today and then the following two days. Today we’ll look at upholding the truth during disputes within the church; tomorrow we’ll look at how a culture can be unreceptive to the truth; and on Saturday we’ll look at the importance of Scripture as the basis of truth.
Note the many expressions emphasizing the serious nature of false teaching (e.g., “ruins,” 14; “godless,” 16; “gangrene,” 17). Wrong teaching leads to an erroneous belief system, which in turn leads to ungodly behavior (16). The example cited is the doctrine of “resurrection” (18): Hymenaeus and Philetus are teaching that Christians have already received the fullness of their resurrection. Such an idea contradicts the New Testament doctrine of the new birth in Christ, followed by a literal bodily resurrection into the new heaven and new earth.
The teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus might “destroy the faith of some” (18). Such serious error must be overcome, both by reminding God’s people of the truth (14) and by opposing false teachers kindly and gently (24,25). Note also the imperatives which Paul addresses to Timothy (e.g., “Keep reminding God’s people,” 14; “Do your best to present yourself to God,” 15; “Avoid godless chatter,” 16). Do one or two of these speak particularly to you at the moment?
Apply
There are matters on which Christians may disagree. How would you distinguish between an error to be opposed and a difference of opinion to be accepted? Pray that you will “correctly handle the word of truth” (15) in situations where you have the opportunity to share the Gospel message or to pass on the faith.
Closing prayer
Lord, sharpen my discernment against the sneaky entrance of serious error into my personal belief system.
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