SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/10/2025 9:36 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1
“Warn Them About False Teaching”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 2 Timothy 2:14a
Message of the
verse: “Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the
presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless.” “Of these things put them
in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words
to no profit,” (AKJV).
I’m having a little trouble about the word “wrangle”
so I decided to look up this verse in different translations to help me
understand it better.
The purpose of what Paul was doing
here was to motivate and to encourage Timothy to keep a firm grasp on that
truth himself was to pass on to others who would do likewise as seen in
2:2. “The things which you have heard
from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who
will be able to teach others also.” It
is only with a thorough knowledge of God’s truth that falsehood and deceit can
be recognized, resisted, and opposed.
Now it is for that reason that Paul
introduces this passage about false teaching with these words “Remind them of these things.” Now as mentioned in the things written in the
previous chapter the word remind translates an imperative, as do many other
verbs that Paul uses in 2 Timothy. Here
are a few examples “be strong’ (v. 1), “entrust” (v.-2), and “consider” (v. 7),
“be diligent” (v. 15), “avoid” (v. 16), and “abstain” (v. 19). Now because of the present tense in the
Greek, remind carries the further idea of persistence.
Them refers to the whole congregation in Ephesus where
Timothy was preaching, as well as to “faithful men” mentioned in 2:2 as seen in
an earlier paragraph where I quoted it.
This is the positive responsibility to pass on God’s truth to others,
who will, then in turn, pass it on to still others; to work diligently in the Lord’s work like a
soldier, or an athlete and also a farmer mentioned in earlier verses Paul wrote
to Timothy, in order to remember that Jesus is alive, risen from the dead; and
to remind them of our Lord’s preeminence, the power of God’s Word, and the
purpose of His work. It is the call to
continually preach the truth, sound doctrine, so that it cannot be
forgotten. “But
as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” “These things speak and exhort and reprove
with all authority. Let no one disregard you” (Titus 2:1, 15).
I will close this portion of my SD with a quote from
John MacArthur.
“Peter was committed to this very
duty, as he expresses in his second letter.
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind
you of these things, even though you already know them, and have
been established in the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly
dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly
dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15
And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be
able to call these things to mind.
Spiritual
meaning for my life today:
I see the word remind a number of times in this SD, and I have to day that there
are some things that I have a hard time remembering so that means it is more
difficult for me to remind others of the truths that I have been learning for
the last 50+ years of walking with the Lord.
Paul was reminding Timothy of some very important truths in his letter
to him, things that were very important as this was perhaps the last time that
Paul would ever be involved with him before the Romans would kill Paul, and so
it was important for Timothy to pay attention to what Paul was writing to him.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: Pay attention to the things that Paul is
reminding Timothy in order to aid me in living for Jesus Christ.
2/10/2025 10:09 AM
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