2 Timothy 2:14-19

Urgent Matters In the Midst of Doctrinal Error

Paul charged his son in the gospel with reminding those who would listen to him of the truths listed in the previous verses. Any charge placed before one with the reminder that the Lord is witnessing the proceedings should cause one to take the matter seriously. Useless arguments over things not revealed in scripture cannot be resolved to anyone's satisfaction and most often result in causing many of the listeners to have weakened by faith. In place of that, the faithful proclaimer of the word should “study,” or give his all, to present himself in God's presence in an acceptable condition. This is done by being the best worker in God's service that one can be. The word translated "rightly dividing" literally means to cut a straight path. If one would have God's approval, he should cut a straight path through the gospel, or word of truth (2 Timothy 2:14-15; James 1:12).

The wise student of God's word will walk all the way around senseless arguments about words. Such only encourage those involved to be less like God. Much like a gangrene that eats at the flesh and infects the bone, false doctrine and arguments about things that cannot be resolved poison the spiritual man. The church had already disciplined one such false teacher, Hymeneous (1 Timothy 1:20), yet he continued to dispense false doctrine. A part of his error, along with another man named Philetus, was the teaching that the resurrection was already past. Their doctrine had caused some to stray way from the truth (2 Timothy 2:16-18).

Despite the fact that some false teachers have ruined their own faith and taken others with them, God's foundation holds firm. Men used to put an inscription on the foundation stone of a new building. Paul uses that imagery to describe the foundation of our hope. First, we can be sure in the knowledge that God can readily identify his faithful people (compare Numbers 16:5). Second, those who have put on God's Son in baptism and wear his name should abandon all sinful ways (2 Timothy 2:19; compare Numbers 16:26; Isaiah 52:11).