Four Timely Reminders

Text: II Timothy 2:14-19

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (04/15/01)

Introduction:   

more trouble is stirred and brewed by words than by any other act. This fact alone stresses the importance of this passage:

I. Reminder One - Do not argue and strive over words that do not profit the hearers.

That is, do not argue and strive over petty matters nor over religious theories, speculations, and ideas. Time is short, and we are not able to fellowship nor to be together that much. Therefore, when we are together, we must be communicating and sharing words that profit us all. However, this is often not the case.

Too often, our words are useless and unprofitable, and sometimes they are even upsetting and destructive. Picture both the unprofitable and the upsetting words that go on in the church and among believers, the arguments and strife of words that do not profit the hearers.

There are essentially three kinds of unprofitable talk that go on among believers.

First, there is the trivial talk that passes the time away, talk that fails to build up the believer. WORDS RE. PETTY MATTERS

·the words about trivial day-to-day matters.

·the words that waste and pass the time.

Second, there is the talk that engages in criticism and gossip, talk that tears a person down. WORDS RE. PEOPLE

Third, there is the talk that enjoys discussing & debating the theories and speculations of theology. WORDS RE. POSITIONS

·the words over pet ideas and theories.

William Barclay has such an excellent discussion of this fact that it merits being read by every believer, especially by the students and teachers of the gospel:

“Discussion can be stimulating and invigorating for those whose approach to the Christian faith is intellectual, for those who have a background of knowledge and of culture, for those who are characteristically students, for those who have a real knowledge of, or interest in, theology. But it sometimes happens that a simple-minded person finds himself in a group which is tossing heresies about, and propounding unanswerable questions, and it may well be that the faith of that simple person, so far from being helped, is upset....And it may well happen that clever, subtle, speculative, destructive, intellectually reckless discussion may have the effect of demolishing, and not building up, the faith of some simple person who happens to become involved in it. As in all things, there is a time to discuss, and a time to be silent” (The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, p.197).

1 Tim. 1:4 “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do”

1 Tim. 6:4 “He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings”

2 Tim. 2:23 “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes”

Titus 3:9 “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain”

The point is this: the preacher and teacher must remind believers—do not argue and strive over words that do not profit the hearers. Do not upset or tear down people with your words.

II. Reminder Two - Study to be a true teacher of God’s Word.

By study is meant to set your heart upon—be diligent, hurry, rush, and seek the approval of God. Note that it is the approval of God that is to be the believer’s concern.

A believer is a fool if he does not seek the approval of God. To be disapproved is to be displeasing and unacceptable to God.

How then can we secure the approval of God?

By being a workman—the idea is a diligent worker who toils and labors to the point of exhaustion.

But note: our work is pinpointed and identified. We are to study the Word of God and rightly divide it. The words “rightly divide” mean to cut straight.

Believers are to cut straight to the truth; they are not to take crooked paths and side tracks to the truth. We are to study the truth and rightly divide it.

We are not to teach...

·our own ideas.

·the theories of other people.

·what we think.

·what other men think.

We are not to mishandle the Word of God: twist it to fit what we think or want it to say; over-emphasize or under-emphasize its teachings; add to or take away from it.

Any person who mishandles God’s Word is not approved of God.

This is the believer who will not be ashamed when he faces the Lord Jesus Christ in the great day of judgment.

Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”

2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

1 Peter 2:2-3 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious”

Deut. 8:3 “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live”

Job 23:12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food”

III. Reminder Three - Keep away from godless chatter and discussion.

This is descriptive language picturing so much talk that goes on among people.

So much talk is “profane” (bebeôlos): common, irreverent, and godless talk.

So much talk is vain: empty and meaningless.

So much talk is babbling: nothing more than empty voices chattering away in empty and godless discussions.

The charge is direct and forceful: avoid, shun, keep away from godless and empty talk.

What are some examples of talk that is godless and empty? There is such talk as...

Note that such talk is not only ungodly and empty, it leads to more and more ungodliness. Such talk actually increases or multiplies ungodliness in the heart and life of a person.

In fact, the picture could be no more descriptive: ungodly talk eats away at a person just like a cancerous growth.

This is often ignored and neglected by most people, for most people want to go about doing their own thing. And if we took this charge seriously, just think how it would affect the control of...

This charge affects every form of communication and relationship imaginable. Imagine—no communication and no talk is ever to take place that is ungodly and empty.

 “Here then is the test. If at the end of our talk and discussion, we are closer to one another and closer to God, then all is well. But if at the end of our discussion, we have erected barriers between each other and we have left God more distant and our view of Him befogged, then all is wrong. The aim of all Christian discussion and of all Christian action is to bring a man nearer to God” (William Barclay. The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, p.199).

Note that an example of two men who were engaged in godless talk or teaching is given: Hymenaeus and Philetus. Apparently, these two men were church members who spiritualized the coming resurrection of believers.

They were probably saying one of three things: that the resurrection was a spiritual experience that took place...

·at conversion when a believer is counted by God to be raised with Christ.

·at baptism when a person is lifted up out of the water.

·at the birth of the believer’s children; that is, his life was being resurrected and living on in the lives of his children.

The point is this: all such godless talk, whether false teaching or just meaningless and empty talk, is to be shunned, and turned away from.

Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise”

Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away”

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him”

Rev. 2:4 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love”

IV. Reminder Three - The foundation of God’s house is sure.

Some may turn away from Christ; the faith of some may be overthrown and undermined by godless teaching and talk. “Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure.”

What is meant by the foundation of God? It means the household of God or the household of faith.

It is the family of God—the true family of God. Note two facts about the great house of believers.

1.The great house of God has two inscriptions written upon it that seal and guarantee its security.

a. The first inscription is this: “The Lord knows those who are his.”

There are no false professions and no hypocrites in God’s household—not in His real household. No one fools God.

Within the earthly church, there are both wheat and tares, both believers and unbelievers. But when God looks upon us, He knows those who are truly His. He knows those who have really entered into His household and those who are only saying that they have entered.

God is not taken by surprise by any of us. God knows those who are His, and those who are His will remain faithful and loyal

John 10:3 “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out”

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine”

b. The second inscription is this: “Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity [unrighteousness].”

The sign that a person is of the household of God is a pure and righteous life. A person who follows Christ does not live in sin. If a person lives in sin, he is not following Christ.

Therefore, if we name the name of Christ, we must depart from iniquity. If we continue in sin, then we are only making a false profession. We are not of God’s household—not really. Our sinful behavior proves the fact.

Everyone that names the name of Christ repents and departs from iniquity (unrighteousness).

This is a fact; it is an eternal principle established by God. His household is built upon righteousness. Righteousness is the inscription that is written across the face of His household.

Therefore, if a person is a member of His household, they have forsaken and departed from iniquity. They do not live in sin.

Hebrews 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Ephes. 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts”

1 Peter 2:11 “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul”

2.God’s earthly house (the church) has a variety of vessels, both noble and base.

The church has some vessels or people who are like gold and silver; that is, they honor Christ. But the church also has some vessels or people who are like wood and clay; that is, they dishonor Christ. The church has a mixture of people...

·some are good and some are bad.

·some are true and some are false.

·some are genuine and some are counterfeit.

·some are clean and some are dirty.

·some are pure and some are tarnished.

·some are clear and some are stained.

·some illuminate light and some illuminate darkness.

Note what it takes to become a noble vessel: it takes a purging. A person has to cleanse himself from...

·behavior that is dishonorable and unrighteous.

·words that are corruptible and dirty.

·talk that is unclean and contaminating.

·teaching that is false and cancerous.

A person who purges himself from these will become a vessel unto honor...

·sanctified, that is, set apart unto Christ and His service.

·fit for the Master’s use; that is, Christ will be able to use him.

·prepared to every good work; that is, Christ will be able to use him for any
work.

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”

Conclusion:     (Review)