Serving, Not Fighting

Soldiers of Grace Also Serve God and Others.

While Soldiers Fight, Servants Serve.

Paul adds depth to the picture of the soldier of Grace by describing the soldier as a servant.

A servant is not active for himself, he is adept at serving his master, at serving other people.

Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations The Tongue > Tongue

A biblical writer said, “The tongue can no man tame.” A Greek philosopher asked his servant to provide the best dish possible. The servant prepared a dish of tongue, saying: “It is the best of all dishes, because with it we may bless and communicate happiness, dispel sorrow, remove despair, cheer the fainthearted, inspire the discouraged, and say a hundred other things to uplift mankind.” Later the philosopher asked his servant to provide the worst dish of which he could think. A dish of tongue appeared on the table. The servant said, “It is the worst, because with it we may curse and break human hearts; destroy reputations; promote discord and strife; set families, communities, and nations at war with each other.” He was a wise servant. Solomon said, “Whoso keepeth his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble.”

—J. Whitcomb Brougher

IF You find yourself constantly fighting with other Christians, battling with other people in rhetoric, then you are not serving God - you may be serving yourself.

The Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary v. The Teacher’s Behaviour (2:22–26)

Whereas every Christian is called to be a servant of the Lord, the term is used here in a restricted sense. Anyone called as Timothy was to care for a community of believers has a special claim to the title and for that reason must rule out all striving. It may be that the Servant passages of Isaiah have influenced the apostle’s thought, for if Christ did not strive it is incumbent on his followers to cease from striving.

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (420 ἀνεξίκακος (anexikakos))

Patient = enduring evil:—patient when wronged(1).

The Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary v. The Teacher’s Behaviour (2:22–26)

The right treatment of opponents is an urgent matter for all who hold responsible Christian positions, and the apostle’s advice to Timothy to gently instruct those who oppose is calculated to win them over rather than to antagonize them.

Word Studies in the New Testament Chapter 2

May recover themselves (ἀνανήψωσιν). Lit. may return to soberness. N. T.o. See on be sober, 1 Th. 5:6. A similar connection of thought between coming to the knowledge of God and awaking out of a drunken stupor, occurs 1 Cor. 15:34.

Luke 4:18–19 KJV 1900

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Jude 3 KJV 1900

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Treat People Well. 24

No Fighting and Arguing with People.

New Testament (2:14–26—Persevering versus Heretical Vessels)

2:24. Jewish teachers and philosophers like the Stoics also advised patience in instructing others; in contrast, some moralists, like the Cynics, verbally abused passersby with their “wisdom.” Philosophers typically derided the unlearned (cf. 2:23,“ignorant”, “stupid”) in wisdom who were unwilling to seek knowledge.

Be Gentle with everyone.

Be able to teach.

Those who follow after empty arguments are certainly in need of instruction, both regarding the wrong teaching and the right doctrine. There can be no doubt that the false teachers mentioned elsewhere in the Pastorals are in mind here. It must be the aim of every Christian minister to lead to repentance those who are in opposition. Paul speaks of repentance as a work of God, but this does not absolve the offender from the responsibility of acknowledging his sin. This must be the aim of right instruction, for God is a God of mercy ever ready to forgive. It requires a change of mind to come to a knowledge of the truth. Repentance implies such a change of mind, which delivers a person from being in bondage to error.

Be sure to be patient (Don't become resentful).

Finally, a believer is like a servant, and he is to be gentle to all men. It may seem like we have a contradiction here. The soldier was to fight, but the servant is not to fight. Is this a contradiction? No, it is a paradox. When you are standing for the truth, you are to be definite and let people know where you stand. Don’t be a coward! Someone has put it this way, “It is said that silence is golden, but sometimes it is just yellow!” My friend, stand for the truth. However—

“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.” If you are trying to win a person to Christ, don’t argue with him. If he disagrees with you, let him disagree with you. Just keep on giving him the Word of God.

Know Who the Enemy Is... 25

1. People who believe lies are opposing themselves.

They are able to repent from lies.

They can turn to truth.

2. Satan is the ultimate enemy.

John 8:43–44 KJV 1900

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Lies keep people in bondage.

Too bad many “Fact Checkers” have bias for error.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20, KJV 1900)

New Testament 2:14–26—Persevering versus Heretical Vessels

2:25–26. Judaism emphasized correcting another person humbly and privately before giving public reproof, in the hope of restoring that person to the right way.

Assist People Out of Satan’s Traps. 26

RECOVER = to “come to their senses.” It has to do with sobering up. Lies are intoxicating. Our world is drunk on lies.

The Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary v. The Teacher’s Behaviour (2:22–26)

The devil is portrayed in a double role. He is both intoxicator and captivator of men’s minds.

Arguing Does Not Help Others.

Keep Sharing Truth.

1 Peter 3:15–16 KJV 1900

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

3. Stay Consistent in Your Lifestyle and Values.

4. Other people may be saved because of your kind, gentle, and consistent witness for Jesus.

5. Others may “Wake up” to the Truth.

IF You find yourself fighting with other Christians, battling with other people in rhetoric, then you are not serving God - you may be serving yourself.

Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations (Words)

Forgive me, Lord, for careless words

When hungry souls are near:

Words that are not of faith and love,

Heavy with care and fear;

Forgive me for the words withheld,

For words that might have won

A soul from darkened paths and sin

To follow Thy dear Son:

Words are such mighty things,

dear Lord,May I so yielded be

That Christ, who spake as never man,

May ever speak through me.

Soldiers of Grace Also Serve God and Others.

Treat People Well.

Know the Enemy.

Assist People Out of Satan’s Traps.

D and A

Why is treating people well good advice for the responsible Christian?

Share some examples of “Christian talk” that harms more than helps.

Who and what are the true enemies of truth?

Discuss helping people out of Satan’s traps.

Please take some extra time to pray for Revival Meeting and AWANA.