Rightly Handling Truth Series

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.”