2 Timothy 2:14-18

Sin of forgetfulness - when we get busy in our lives, serving in church etc. We can forget the fundamental things.

Paul using this passage to remind Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:14-

2 Timothy 2:14–18 ESV

Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 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. 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.

“Remind them of these things” - these things have been taught before.

“them” - those who are teaching the Word - those who claim to be elders and teachers

“charge” - serious warning.

charge them before God - held accountable before God - in the presence of God. God is watching what your’e doing.

2 groups

not to/lest in some traslations.

Charge them before God lest they quarrel about words.

Men would sit around argue about things/debates etc.

Eg. how many angels can spin on the head of a pin

Geneologies

Various world views came into the church because of

“ruin”- catastrophe, overthrowing the faith

“hearer” - false believers/converts in the church. Their faith is “lost” because of what they’re hearing.

Regardless of whether you’re right or wrong, don’t quarrel about words because it is affecting those who are hearing. Distracting others from what really matters.

“do your best” - Doing something of immediate urgency.

“present yourself” - getting ready for inspection - like in the army - wake up, do bed and stand and wait for inspection.

how the crops appear - implication of this connotation is that you bear fruit.

“to God as one approved” - if we are presented correctly then we are going to be approved.

present yourself as a faithful person.

Does God approve of who you are as a worker?

A worker who has no need to be ashamed - someone who is a faithful worker

‘rightly handling’ - cutting it straight. rightly dividing.

- farmer plough the field.

divide the Word, expose it to the people and let the Holy Spirit do the work. Not entertain the people.

ground themselves in the Word. Important for anyone.

How much of the Biblical resources do we use? What replaces the Word of truth?

Foolish heart was darkened.

irreverant babble - profane, godless, rebellious conversation.

Flies in the face of God, empty words. If you want to know a false teacher, listen to when he says. If their words are empty, they’re a false teacher.

‘Avoid’ - move away at all cost. The irreverent babble will slow you down.

‘more and more ungodliness’ - spreading of ungodliness

‘gangrene’ - infection - usually results in amputation. If you don’t catch it at the early stages, the harder it is to treat and it spreads fast.

‘Hymanaeus’ - referred to in 1 Timothy - who was kicked out of church and he continued talking and spreading his teaching.

Paul has named these people - like amputating the gangrene.

There is a place for naming and shaming false teachers - not to hurt them but to treat the gangrene.

‘Resurrection has happened’

when Adam sinned, it brought spiritual and physical death

when Christ died for sin, he brought spiritual life and bodily resurrection.

Separating the Gospel

Ngostic - divine supernatural being trapped in this realm. Whatever we did was not sinful. Spirit is saved and what is done in the body does not matter even if it’s sinful.