The Good Dishes

“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. 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” (2Tim 2:20-21).

The so called “good dishes.” Just about every family has them. That very special set of china you use for very special occasions. For us that means big holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Occasionally we even bust them out when we’re putting on the dog for certain special guests.

At our house, we only use the good china when we eat in the dining room. Garden variety meals are at the kitchen table with the everyday plates. But when my wife makes the announcement that a particular dinner rises to the level of the dining room, it’s a done deal that we’re using the good dishes.

When those meals are over, we don’t just give them a quick rinse and chuck the good china back in the hutch. We take the time to carefully clean each and every piece. It needs to washed and ready for the next special spread. The last thing you want to see on when you’re loading your plate with a delicious piece of Christmas ham is a crusty chunk of Thanksgiving turkey. They go back in the hutch clean and ready for the next time.

That’s what Paul tells Timothy here in the second chapter of his second letter to his young protege. “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. 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” (v20-21). Just like the good dishes, we need to be clean and ready for the next time God wants to use us.

Interestingly Paul couldn’t be any further from throwing a dinner party in the dining room with the good dishes. That’s because he’s locked up on Death Row in Rome waiting for his execution date (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). The apostle fires off what will be the last letter of his life. He writes to Timothy, his spiritual son he’s left to lead the church in the Ephesus (1Tim 1:2-3; 2Tim 1:2) with a pair of purposes. One, he desperately wants Tim to do whatever he can to see him one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21). Two, Paul passes the torch of spreading the Good News of Jesus to the young pastor (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

A huge part of anyone being a spokesperson for our Savior is doing everything within your power to keep yourself legit and credible. Don’t get suckered into a war of the words over stuff that doesn’t matter (2Tim 2:14). Understand how to safely and effectively use God’s razor-sharp word (2Tim 2:15). Sometimes that means carefully cutting out the cancer of false teachers who drive people further away from Jesus instead of closer to Him (2Tim 2:16-18). Ultimately you must be confident that God and God alone is in total control of who is on His roster (2Tim 2:19a).

Before he gets to his analogy of the good dishes, Paul tells Tim to take a closer look at the cornerstone of God’s immovable foundation, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity” (2Tim 2:19b). If we claim to follow Jesus, we must do what we can and ruthlessly eliminate sin from our lives. If we say we are His, we must constantly “do the dishes.” That means being clean and ready.

From his cold, dark cell in a Roman dungeon, the apostle paints a picture of a dinner party at a mansion. He wants us to imagine a “great house” (v20). He chooses words (Gr. μεγαλη οικιαι) literally depicting a “mega house.” It’s giant joint in the good part of town. Every believer receives an invitation to this particular palace that symbolizes the kingdom of God. Jesus tells His crew that His Dad has a crazy good crib where all His followers will live (Jn 14:2). This party is what is actually the wedding reception for Christ and His church (Rev 19:7, 9). This isn’t just the can’t miss event of the season but for all eternity!

Paul tells Tim all about what to expect once you get inside. “There are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay” (v20). If you’re a Star Trek fan, you know Chekov always says “wessel” when he sees another starship headed toward the Enterprise. But in the NT, the word “vessels” (Gr. σκευος) is  a generic term for any utensil or item like jar, jug, plate, tool, or even piece of equipment.

For instance, the resurrected Jesus tells Ananias how He’s transforming murderer Saul into missionary Paul. “He is a chosen instrument (Gr. σκευος) of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul goes on to write the folks in Corinth how Christ loves to shine His light through cracked pots. “But we have this treasure in jars (Gr. σκευος) of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not us” (2Cor 4:7). The apostle reminds Roman disciples that our relationship with our Creator is like that of a craftsman and his creation. “Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel (Gr. σκευος) for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” (Rom 9:21).

In this case, the apostle uses σκευος to describe plates and dishes. It’s almost like he’s looking at a wedding gift list for a couple registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond. (I don’t know know about you, but I’ve NEVER found the “Beyond” section when I go there. Is there some sort of wormhole to another dimension on the far side of the bed linens I need to know about?) These are “vessels of gold and silver” (v20). In other words, the fine china and flatware for special occasions. They’ve also listed casual dinnerware made of “wood and clay” (v20) on their registry. That’s their everyday dishes.

Paul makes the distinction between how certain pieces of dinnerware have specific uses. “Some for honorable use, some for dishonorable” (v20). No, he’s not trying to help us out by telling us which one is the salad fork. The apostle wants each of us as followers of Jesus to see ourselves as plates for a particularly important purpose. “Honorable” (Gr. τιμε) describes anything of high value and usefulness.

He’s not so much pointing out the difference between the good china and the everyday plates but items used for serving a delicious banquet and those used for household maintenance. For whatever reason, the “dishonorable” dishes aren’t good enough for eating meals. Maybe it’s the cup you now use to scoop gunk out of the gutters. Or the glass you keep in the garage for cleaning paintbrushes. It’s like using your trash can as a punchbowl (Not that anybody’s every done that back in the day at a college party!). You’d never even consider putting them on the table at dinnertime.

We can make ourselves available to Jesus by doing what we can to regularly scrub away the crud. “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use” (v21). In other words, I can go from the shelf in the garage to a place setting on God’s dining room table.

Paul uses the word “cleanses” (Gr. εκκαθαιρω) which means to wash thoroughly or completely purge of any impurity. The only other time we see it in the Bible is when the man from Tarsus reminds the Corinthians to make sure they’ve carefully removed the filth of their former lifestyle. “Cleanse out (Gr. εκκαθαιρω) the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened” (1Cor 5:7).

Let’s be clear about what the apostle is NOT saying. He’s NOT saying I have to clean myself up before Jesus will save me. Not possible. Remember the criminal crucified next to Christ (Lk 23:40-43)? In the agonizing moments before death, he simply asks Jesus not to forget him. Our suffering Savior surprises everybody by promising him a spot in Paradise! Jesus doesn’t make him get cleaned up before coming to church. Come as you. Repentant. Broken. In need of rescue.

The kind of cleansing Paul is talking about is to stop messing around with those who not only teach error but encourage sin. Stop playing footsie with folks who are a bad influence (Prov 1:10-19; 13:20; 1Cor 5:6, 11; 15:33; Titus 1:16). While we must never quarantine ourselves from the rest of the world, we need to be careful. We live in a culture that constantly coaxes us to compromise what we believe. The OT story of Daniel is a great example. As Mike Lee says, if you choose to be a person of integrity, God will use you because light cannot be ignored when it’s in the darkness.

Just like Dan-o refused to budge in order to be used by God in a foreign land, we can be “set apart as holy, useful to the Master of the house” (v21). What a powerful reminder of how the Lord can use each and every one of us no matter who we are. Worried about what might come up on your background check? Concerned about your spiritual credit report? Once we trust in Jesus, there’s no reason to be. He knows you and your history better than you do. And He has a special purpose for you. He’s set you apart. He’s made you holy. As the Host with the Absolute Most, He’ll make sure you have a special spot on His table, “ready for every good work” (v21).

God wants you to be part of His good dishes. For that to happen, we have to do what we can to clean ourselves from the daily grime. That comes from regular repentance from sin and daily dependance on Him. Remind yourself of His Gospel everyday because we need His Gospel everyday. It’s all about being clean and ready for use.

Check out the Message paraphrases these verses. “In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to His guests for their blessing” (v20-21 The Message).

If Jesus is going to use us to be serve and be a blessing to others, we need to be clean and ready for use. Just like the good dishes.

Something's Gotta Give

“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’” (2Tim 2:19).

The Irresistible Force versus the Immovable Object. It’s THE classic battle. A clash of the titans. In sports, you see it when a record-setting offense goes against a shutdown defense for the championship. The greatest hitter stepping in against the greatest pitcher. Something’s gotta give.

In a letter to his protege Timothy, Paul gives us a lesson in biblical physics. Nothing moves God or His Gospel. Skeptics, doubters, and false teachers can dig deep into their bag of dirty tricks but it won’t do any good. “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’” (v19).

Something’s gotta give alright. But it won’t be God.

One look at Paul’s situation as he writes this letter and you might think is faith would be wobbling. He’s not just behind bars but in full restraints (2Tim 1:16; 2:8). The apostle knows his days are numbered as he sits on Death Row in Rome (2Tim 4:6-7). If that’s not enough, there’s big trouble back at the church in Ephesus. A cancer of heresy is spreading throughout the body of Christ and driving folks away from Jesus (2Tim 2:16-17). That happened when a pair of goofballs shot a total air ball when it comes to the resurrection and turned the faith of many believers upside down (2Tim 17-18).

There would be more than a few cracks in the foundation of my faith if it were me. But the apostle has complete confidence. Not so much in Timothy. But in what God can and will do THROUGH Tim. Paul knows that the young pastor can use God’s Word as both a sword to defend the truth or a scalpel to remove the tumor (2Tim 2:15). Ultimately he knows that even the most destructive nuclear attack can’t quake the unshakeable base of God’s grace.

Something’s gotta give alright. But it won’t be God.

In the previous verse we read that a couple of con artists named Hymenaeus and Philetus have spread the word that Ephesian believers have missed the resurrection of the dead. Think about that for just a minute. That’s a huge part of what Jesus predicted would happen at His Second Coming. In other words, THE Big Event of your faith went down and you had no clue. They’ve been peddling a lie that’s totally turned people’s trust in Christ upside down.

Paul reassures us that none of this changes the end of the story. “But God’s foundation stands” (v19). You might not realize it but a huge part of what the apostle writes to Tim here is found in that first little word: “but.” The man from Tarsus dusts off a term (Gr. μεντοι) that indicates the strongest possible contrast in Greek. It means however or nonetheless. The author wants his readers to know that whatever you’ve just read doesn’t matter once we see what he has to say next.

Forget Sir Mix-A-Lot. There’s nothing better than a great big “But God.” Nevertheless God. However God. In other words, God is the ultimate Game Changer. He’s the cosmic Trump Card. Nothing that happens that doesn’t change when He shows up. Or to tweak the quote from “Animal House,” it’s not over until He says it’s over. Despite all the garbage false teachers like Hymenaeus and Philetus might stir up, God’s rock solid foundation isn’t going anywhere. But God.

Something’s gotta give alright. But it won’t be God.

Scripture is loaded with “but God” moments. A quick search reveals a minimum of 41 times we see the phrase “but God” in His Word. Old Testament. New Testament. You see it everywhere. There’s no situation so bad, no day so dark, no sin too deep that doesn’t get changed with a “but God” moment. Joseph knew his brothers tried to throw him under the bus BUT GOD turned it into blessing (Gen 50:20). We’re terrorists against His kingdom BUT GOD still drenches us in His grace (Eph 2:1-10). We’re total train wrecks of sin and disobedience BUT GOD loves us by giving us His Son (Rom 5:8).

Same idea here in 2 Timothy. While it looks like these two snake oil salesmen are destroying the church from the inside out, Jesus won’t let that happen. “But God’s firm foundation stands” (v19). What Christ has built isn’t going anywhere. Paul says this supernatural structure is “firm” (Gr. στερεος), a word that describes it as solid, compact, strong, steadfast, stiff, and stubborn. The term here is in huge contrast to something squishy, soft, or ooey gooey.

Check out a few other uses of this word in the NT. Pete tells us Jesus gives us the strength to dig in against Satan and stand “firm (Gr. στερεος) in your faith” (1Pet 5:9). The writer of Hebrews uses it to describe the high protein of the biblical ribeye as “solid (Gr. στερεος) food” (Heb 5:12, 14). Those who tried to get spiritual footing on the soft-serve stuff sold by Hymenaeus and Philetus would slip and fall.

Anybody in the building and contracting business knows that the strength of any structure starts at the bottom. Great buildings that stand the test of time always have great foundations. Same with God. He’s built an immovable “foundation” (v19). The apostle uses construction lingo by choosing the word θεμελιος. He’s describing the footings or base on which a structure is built. In the first century, this is the stones beneath the walls.

Jesus uses θεμελιος when talking about how we should construct a foundation of obedience to protect our lives from the storm surge of life (Lk 6:48-49). Paul tells the Corinthians how he’s made it priority one to build skillfully on the base of grace, “for no one can lay a foundation (Gr. θεμελιος) than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Cor 3:10-12). When the Apostle John gets a sneak peek at New Jerusalem, he reports that “the wall of the city had twelve foundations (Gr. θεμελιος)” (Rev 21:14).

Paul wants us to come closer and read what’s written on cornerstone of God’s rock solid foundation. There are twin inscriptions. “‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity’” (v19). Just about every Bible commentator agree that the apostle is digging deep into the OT for a couple of quotes from the Book of Numbers.

They come from what’s known as Korah’s rebellion. It seems there was dude named Korah who led a nasty attempt to overthrow Moses and his leadership team (Num 16). The Big Mo made it clear to this rebel without a clue that he was making a HUGE mistake.“The Lord knowns those who are His” is paraphrase of Numbers 16:5. God’s not confused. He won’t accidentally pick the wrong people for His team and mistakenly leave someone off His roster. God’s Word reassures us of that consistently (Jer 1:5; Nah 1:7; Jn 10:14, 27-28; 1Cor 8:3). That’s inscription number one.

The other one reads “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity” (v19). It’s a rewrite of Numbers 16:26 when Moses warns folks to steer clear of that dingbat Korah before it’s too late. It doesn’t take a seminary degree to figure out what God wants us to do here. If you say you follow Jesus, start acting like it. Stop slapping His name on your sin and trying to justify your disobedience.

The original language here reveals a cool use of words that gets, shall we say, lost in translation. “Depart” (Gr. αφιστημι) means to go away, desert, leave, keep away but can also describe to rebel, reject authority, or event incite a riot. Instead of starting a revolution against God and His authority like crazy Korah, rebel against wrongdoing in the name of Jesus! Reject the authority sin no longer has over you. Incite a riot of righteousness. We must fight the power! Fight the power of sin!!

So what does all this have to do with you and me 2,000 years later? Much as we’ve tried, people are still spreading all sorts of distortion and lies when it comes to Jesus. Remember the craziness and controversy Dan Brown caused with “The DaVinci Code”? The current rage against our faith is led by the self-described Four Horsemen of Atheism: Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens. Like wrecking balls, their teaching slams against the core of our faith in Christ. It causes lots of us to question what we believe. But just because a bad teaching has left our faith in a shambles, we can trust that the foundation of God’s truth never moves. Despite all of these fierce attacks, God’s foundation never wobbles.

Something’s gotta give alright. But it won’t be God.

You see, God is not only the ultimate Irresistible Force, He’s also supreme Immovable Object. Jesus tells Peter that on the of rock of his faith in the Son of Man He “will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). My faith my wobble at times but God and His Gospel never wavers. Just read the inscription on His unshakable foundation. Here’s how it’s paraphrased in the Message. “Meanwhile, God’s firm foundation is as firm as ever, these sentences engraved on the stones:
God knows who belongs to Him.
Spurn evil, all you who name God as God” (v19 The Message).

In other words, something’s gotta give alright. But it won’t be God.

Resurrection Airball

“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” (2Tim 2:17-18).

 

Ever totally missed something you had really looked forward to? Maybe you completely forgot about that awesome party until you saw the pictures later on Facebook. Possibly you totally blanked on the concert by your favorite band that you paid too much for tickets to see. Did you drop the ball on your spouse’s birthday or your anniversary (If this is you, I pray that either the couch has been somewhat comfortable or at least Duke has snuggled you in the doghouse)?

Those are nothing compared to the garbage a couple of troublemakers tried to stir up in the Ephesian church. Two fellas freaked out the followers of Jesus by telling them they totally missed resurrection of the dead. Paul writes to his protege Timothy all about it. “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” (v17-18).

Hymenaeus and his sidekick Philetus are spreading a destructive rumor that’s driving folks to doubt their trust in Jesus. According to them, He’s already come back and they totally missed it. They missed Christ’s countless followers walking out the cemetery in their resurrection bodies. That would be hard to ignore. Imagine being a lifelong Cubs fan and finding out they’ve won the World Series while you were out of town last weekend. Okay, I apologize. Let’s keep this grounded in some sort of reality. In other words, the event you’ve built your entire faith around has come and gone…and you missed it.

Let’s back up a bit for a little context. What we know as the New Testament is actually a collection of First Century documents written to the people who placed their trust in the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee as God. A handful are biographies written by some of His inner circle we call the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Many are letters. Some to local churches who needed help getting past sticky situations. Others are notes to individuals who either need encouragement, specific guidance, or correction.

Second Timothy is a letter from the Apostle Paul to his spiritual son Timothy from Death Row in Rome (2Tim 1:16; 2:8; 4:6-7). On one hand, he desperately wants Tim to do everything he can to get his tail to the Mamertine Prison for one final visit (2Tim 4:9, 21). On the other, he frantically scribbles down as much critical information as he can to help the young pastor shepherd the flock in Ephesus and keep God’s tsunami of grace rolling throughout the world (2Tim 2:1-4:5). In other words, don’t forget that this is a REAL letter from a REAL person about REAL problems in a REAL place. So as we read, we’d better get ready to get REAL.

It’s at this point that the apostle introduces us to a pair of rabble rousers by the names of Hymenaeus and Philetus. His mention of the H Bomb is a big hint that Tim is still in Ephesus when he gets this letter. Hymenaeus was a big problem in E City back in the day when Paul first planted this church. The man from Tarsus kicked this goober to the curb along with his buddy Alexander so they might learn their lesson not to talk trash about Jesus (1Tim 1:20).

Apparently the apostle’s plan for their remedial education didn’t work. He’s baaa-aaack! Once again, Hymenaeus is patient zero for the spiritual cancer that’s spreading throughout the body of Christ in Ephesus (2Tim 2:16-17). He’s returned and he’s brought along a new partner in crime named Philetus. This is the only time we see his name in the Bible. There are a couple of main ways to get your name in Scripture. One is to be a broken and repentant sinner that God uses to humbly make an impact in the lives of others. The other is to be the bad example. Don’t be Philetus. Don’t be the bad example.

Paul tells Tim that this despicable duo has “swerved from the truth” (v18). In others words, they were originally headed in the right direction. They used to be rolling on the straight and narrow. But something happened. The apostle uses a word here the ESV translates as “swerved” (Gr. αστοχεω). It literally means to aim at the wrong target. It's missing the mark because you put the wrong bullseye in the crosshairs. You may be a crack shot but if you nail the wrong target, you lose.

Unfortunately Matt Emmons knows what it’s like to hit the wrong target. Rewind to the 2004 Olympics in Beijing. He’s one shot from winning the gold medal for the good ol’ US of A in the air rifle event. Shooting in lane two, Emmons’ final pellet headed for the target in…um…lane three. Uh oh. As a result, the American marksman didn’t win the gold. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even medal. With just one bad shot he finished in eighth place. Just like Hymenaeus and Philetus, he swerved. It doesn’t matter how accurate you are if you’re aiming at the wrong target. These two goofballs shoot the ultimate airball when it comes to the resurrection. 

They've aimed at the wrong target by “saying that the resurrection has already happened” (v18). They’re NOT talking about Jesus’ spectacular return after three days in the graveyard. The apostle formerly known as Saul saw that firsthand outside Damascus a few years back (Acts 9:3-8; 22:6-11; 26:12-18). Hymenaeus and Philetus are describing the resurrection of the dead that Jesus predicts would occur at His Second Coming.

An angel named Michael (NOT played by John Travolta!) told Daniel about it 600 hundred years before Christ made the scene (Dan 12:2-3). Jesus said a glorious day is coming when He will personally call everyone back from the dead and sort out who’s on His team and who’s playing for the enemy (Mt 25:31-33; Jn 5:28-29). Right before His murder, our Savior told His posse He was headed to heaven to get things ready for when He makes His spectacular curtain call and takes us back with Him (Jn 14:1-3).

The resurrection of the dead was a big idea all throughout Paul’s teaching and preaching. He tells the Corinthians that the Lord’s resurrection is living proof that Jesus’ followers are guaranteed to do the same (1Cor 15:35-54). In a letter to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle says a blast from the heavenly horn section will make sure we won’t miss it (1Th 4:16-17). But the resurrection is such a controversial topic that Paul knows it’s a big reason he got in hot water with the religious elite (Acts 23:6; 24:15, 21).

Yeah, the resurrection of the dead is kind of a big deal.

But according to the H Bomb and his toady Phil, Jesus has come and gone when we weren’t looking. You can imagine that’s a punch in the neck to those who follow Christ. Oops! You missed it! You’re not really saved. You were sold a bill of goods. Stinks to be you. So it’s no surprise that Paul writes how these two “are upsetting the faith of some” (v18).

The original Greek verb here we translate as “upsetting” (Gr. ανατρεπω) describes turning something over completely. John uses it when painting a picture of Jesus epic beatdown of in the temple courts. Our Savior “poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned (Gr. ανατρεπω) the tables” (Jn 2:15). These knuckleheads are turning people’s lives upside down. They’re causing them to doubt everything they’ve come to believe. It case you haven’t been paying attention, God calls us to draw people closer to Jesus, not run them away!

Whacky teaching on the Second Coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead is alive and well in the 21st Century. Spiritual snake oil salesmen are still making a boatload of money selling books and DVDs with all sorts of cockamamy doctrine. Just take a walk through the Christian section at Barnes and Noble. Books about Bible diets, Bible codes, blood moons, and dinosaurs.

I’m not saying they’re all heretical. But they’re shooting at the wrong target and not focusing on Jesus. Take the advice of the writer of Hebrews and keep your eyes locked on “Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2). When we swerve from the truth, we stand a serious chance of turning the lives upside down. Instead of swerving, let’s be serving and loving. That’s exactly what our Savior has called us to do. Love God by serving others (Mt 22:27-40; Mk 12:29-31; Jn 13:34-35).

A big part of the application is actually in the previous verses in Paul’s letter to Timothy. First, do what you can to keep folks from getting into a destructive War of the Words (2Tim 2:14). Second, give it everything you’ve got right now to learn how to use God’s Word as both a sword and a scalpel (2Tim 2:15). Third, keep the cancer from spreading by performing a “babble-ectomy” in the body of Christ (2Tim 2:16-17).

So if you’ve placed your trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done for you, you don’t have to worry about missing the big event. He’ll make sure you aren’t left out. Think about it. If Christ went to all the trouble of leaving heaven and coming to our sin-filled planet to live a perfect life, die a substitutionary death, and rise to new life, do you REALLY think He’s leaving you behind? Don’t worry. If you’re His, He won’t let you miss it. But that won’t stop goofballs from shooting airballs.

Cutting Out the Cancer

“But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (2Tim 2:16-17).

My wife and I will never forget the day we got the news. Cancer. Specifically, breast cancer. There just aren’t words to describe your emotions when the Big C violently kicks in your front door like a medical home invader. Suddenly you understand life hangs by a thread. Your heart swings wildly between fear and faith.

Her doctor said the malignancy was confined. Debbie made it clear to those involved with her care that she wanted it gone before it could spread. My wife had seen the damage the disease had done to her sister when it assaulted her body. So she took an incredibly pragmatic and heroic attitude at her diagnosis. Do whatever it takes. If it’s cancer, get it out.

Paul gives a very similar diagnosis to his friend Timothy in his second letter to the young pastor. He’s detected a cancer in the body of Christ. “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (v16-17). There’s a lot of spiritual talk going around that’s actually driving people away from Jesus. It’s a spiritual disease that must be stopped before it spreads and kills. It’s cancer so you’ve got to get it out.

The apostle has detected this deadly disorder from a distance. As a matter of fact, he faces death himself as he writes. Paul is locked up in Rome’s Mamertine Prison with an execution date in his not to distant future (2Tim 1:16; 2:8; 4:6-7). This is the second letter he’s written to his protege left to lead the church in Ephesus he planted a few years back (1Tim 1:1-3).

Clearly this has been an ongoing problem for Pastor Tim and God’s people in E City. In Paul’s prequel, he describes how a crew of spiritual con artists have weaseled their way into the Ephesian church and distracted folks from following Jesus with all sorts of goofball teaching (1Tim 1:4-7; 6:20). Just like cancer comes back all too often, this heretical malignancy has returned with a vengeance.

Paul’s treatment protocol is really very simple: “Avoid irreverent babble” (v16). He uses a word translated as “avoid” (Gr. περιιστημι) which paints a picture of going way around something in order to keep from getting near it. This disease is highly contagious. Don’t go anywhere close to to it. The situation is so highly infectious that the apostle orders a quarantine. If you find it anywhere, get away quickly!

What exactly are we supposed to avoid? He’s talking about the empty blathering that goes over the line to the point of profanity. No, not cuss words. This is something else altogether. “Irreverent” is the Greek word βεβηλοης, which comes from a root word meaning to step over the threshold. It’s talk that goes too far and steps over the line. Talk that disrespects God and those He makes in His image. Talk that’s flippant and derisive.

While Paul may not have been on social media, you know exactly the sorta stuff he’s talking about. It’s those super snarky posts on Facebook which trash a “friend.” That tweet which throws someone under the bus and then runs back over them again in 140 characters or less. It happens on Instagram. On Snapchat. On Pinterest. And who knows if anyone does it on LinkedIn?

The interwebs have given us the power of digital trash talk. You really need to think before you post. And when I say “you,” I’m talking directly to the dude with hands on the keyboard right now. When it comes to going over the line and being irreverent on the internet, I’m as guilty as the next troll.

The apostle slaps a quarantine warning on useless “babble” (v16). He dusts off a compound word (Gr. κενοφωνια) which literally means “empty (κενο-) sound (-φωνια).” He’s writing about any sort of foolish talk, empty chatter, or any kind of drivel that lacks significant content. Think of the non-stop chatter at a little league baseball game. “Hey, battah, battah, battah! Swing, battah!!” It’s talking just to be talking.

There’s this stupid idea that the person who does the most talking has the most to say. Wrong! Just the opposite. And it’s a mega-theme in the book of Proverbs (Prov 10:8, 10, 19; 12:13, 15, 18; 13:3; 14:23; 15:1; 16:23; 17:27; 18:4, 7, 21; 25:11, 14; 26:4-5; 27:5-6 The wise person has figured out they only need to talk when they really have something valuable, edifying, or encouraging to say. You can recognize them because they’re the ones who humbly listen and learn instead of talking a blue streak. Paul wants Pastor Tim to know this spiritual contagion is spread through verbal diarrhea.

Once again, this is a scriptural hand grenade that goes off in my own hand. Let’s just say that I like to hear my own voice. I’ve never heard dead air that didn’t need filling. I desperately want people to like and respect me so I’m in a never-ending battle to prove how smart I am. I’m a motor mouth of the first order.

Over the past few years, God has begun opening my eyes and started closing my mouth. I now realize that my incessant need for attention and approval steals the spotlight from the only One who is worthy of it. While I have a long way to go (and I do mean LONG!), the Holy Spirit continually reminds me that when I do speak to give God the glory He deserves and the grace others need.

Paul goes on to tell us about the damage caused by this particular cancer. “It will lead people into more ungodliness” (v16). He handpicks a term the ESV translates as “ungodliness” (Gr. ασεβεια) which describes a total lack of reverence toward God or being totally destitute when it comes to awe of the divine. It literally means “un (α-) worship (-σεβεια).” This disease is driving people further and further from God as opposed to encouraging them to grown closer to Jesus. These folks are unworship leaders. No clue if they wear skinny jeans.

Remember, one of God’s big purposes is transforming more and more people into worshipers. It’s not that He’s some metaphysical glory hound. He gets the center of the spotlight and all of the applause because He’s the only one who deserves it. Just as a focus of Proverbs is the tongue, the Psalms continually calls us to stand in awe of the Almighty (Ps 8:1, 9; 46:10; 47:1-2; 106:48; 108:5; 148:1, 13; 150).

Our worship and obedience of Him is the best thing for us. God is not the source of our blessing, He IS THE ULTIMATE BLESSING! Jeremiah discovered that truth through his own tears (Lam 3:24). Asaph wrote a song about it (Ps 73:25-26). Jesus personally gave Mary an “atta-girl” for realizing it (Lk 10:42). That being the case, let’s to do everything we can to escort as many people as possible into the worship of our Savior. Plenty of good seats available!

Meanwhile, the apostle knows that it’s critical to stop the spread of unworship before it becomes a spiritual pandemic. Otherwise, “their talk will spread like gangrene” (v17). He uses a medical term (Gr. γαγγραινα) for the rapid transmission of disease that eats away at flesh and bone. It’s the go-to word for ancient writers when describing the disgusting condition of rotting tissue that include forms of cancer. Paul’s talking about a plague so contagious that will spread like wildfire unless treated ASAP.

Think of the worst epidemic possible. A flesh-eating bacteria like MRSA. Ebola. The Bubonic Plague. The Zombie Virus. They don’t hold a candle to the spiritual cancer caused by bad teaching. We can’t heal ourselves just like we can’t save ourselves. The only cure is the Gospel. Jesus comes to our rescue in the middle of our self-induced sin outbreak. He lives the perfect life we fail to live. He dies the death for our sin we should have died. He rises to a spectacular new life we don’t deserve

Christ calls us to a simple life of loving God by loving others (Mt 22:36-40; Mk 12:30-31). We must put on our biblical biohazard suits get involved. Time is running out. When we come across doctrinal disease, we must extract it immediately. Call it a “babble-ectomy.” Otherwise it will spread, leaving only unworshipers in its wake. 

If it’s cancer, cut it out.

The Sword and the Scalpel

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worked who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15).

Chain saw. Samurai sword. Meat cleaver. There are certain tools so sharp and powerful that you can do a lot of harm when you don’t use them carefully. They are finely honed blades which give someone with a steady hand the ability to cut closely and accurately (please note: “with a steady hand”!). That’s exactly why your mom told you not to run with scissors.

That’s basically the same warning Paul gives his protege Tim here. “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” (v15). God’s Word is razor sharp. It can slice and dice better than the best Cutco knife or Ronco’s Veg-O-Matic. Scripture can do the most delicate of spiritual surgery. But in the wrong hands, it can amputate and mutilate. Maybe you have the scars to prove it. When it comes to God’s Word, we must handle with extreme care.

What would lead Paul to slap a warning label on Scripture? Good question. Let’s rewind his story just a bit for a little better perspective. The man from Tarsus spent most of his adult life carrying and cutting people down to size with his biblical Bowie knife. Before Jesus jumped him outside of Damascus, the apostle formerly known as Saul was among the best and brightest among the Jewish religious elite (Phil 3:5-6; Acts 22:3). We’re talking top of his class. Five-star recruit. First round draft pick.

One look at Saul’s LinkedIn profile tells you this dude is going places. Oh, he went places all right. He went to places looking to arrest, torture, and kill the followers of Christ (Acts 22:4-5; Gal 1:13). He was a fully loaded Pharisee wielding God’s Word like a weapon. That all changed when the resurrected Jesus blindsided Saul on one of his notorious black ops missions. The next thing you know, the Son of God transforms this assassin into His spokesman.

Let’s cut to the chase. The Lord turned murderer Saul into missionary Paul. In the process, the apostle learns how to properly use Scripture. As a sword to protect. As a scalpel to help and heal. He begins a lifetime on the road around the Mediterranean Rim telling everybody who will listen about Jesus. That eventually puts him on the opposite side of his old team the Pharisees. If that’s not dangerous enough, Nero has had enough of this Jesus talk, tossed him jail and given him a death sentence.

As a result, he writes to Timothy from Death Row. He’s locked up in the incredibly nasty Mamertine Prison waiting for his date with the executioner (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). Paul begs his young buddy to hightail it to Rome before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). He spends the rest of his last letter frantically scribbling down important instructions for making sure the message of Jesus keeps rolling (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

A huge part of what he has to say is about using the Bible carefully and accurately. God holds all the teachers of Scripture to a higher standard. If that’s you, are you ready for the day when He asks you about how you used His Word? Will He give you His stamp of approval? Or will you be embarrassed by how thrown His truth around willy nilly? Paul desperately wants both Tim and the rest of us to always treat God’s Word with great care. The same sharp blade that will can cut out our your heart is also capable of healing your soul. It’s both a sword and a scalpel.

The apostle begins by telling his spiritual son, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved” (v15). A closer look at the original language here is a whole lot stronger than a parent encouraging their child before a little league game. The Greek word here is σπουδαζω, which means to not only give it everything you’ve got but to do it in a big hurry. Drop everything and drop the accelerator. Do your best and do it fast!

It’s the same word Paul uses when he pleads with Tim to immediately stop what he’s doing and get his rear to Rome (2Tim 4:9, 21). He drops it again when wanting Titus to make a beeline to Nicopolis for a visit (Titus 3:12). It’s the idea of making something a top priority and doing it with maximum effort. Trekkies know all about Captain Kirk’s constant plea for more power for the Starship Enterprise right here, right now. Scotty would always respond, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain!”

That’s the kind of effort Paul is talking about when it comes to teaching and preaching God’s Word. It’s not a half-hearted, I’ll-get-to-it-when-I-have-a-free-moment deal. We’re talking urgent. Immediate. Total focus. Pedal to the metal. All the gauges on the dashboard in the red. God’s truth requires an urgent max effort. There’s simply too much at stake for anything less.

God raises the bar for those who teach and preach. Take it from Jesus’ kid brother James who was a leader in the early church. He went out of his way to tell any prospective preachers to pump their brakes and think twice about what they’re about to do. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

Great Googly moogly! As someone who has a passion for teaching God’s truth, this scares the pants off me! My passion is to shine a light on Scripture with creativity and context. The last thing I want to do is teach it inaccurately or dishonor the rep of our Savior. The thought of having to look Jesus in the eye to answer for what I’ve said about Him reminds me of the seriousness of what I say and write.

It’s a powerful reminder to do my best to present myself to God as one approved. I can’t be haphazard. I can’t be careless. Let me give her all she’s got! If we do, there will be no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed when He meets me with us for the ultimate performance review.

Paul wants Tim to make sure he’s always “rightly handling the word of truth” (v15). Translators have a heck of a time getting across what the apostle writes here in the original langugage. “Rightly handling” is actually the Greek verb ορθοτομεω, which is a compound word that literally means “straight (ορθο-) cutting (-τομεω).” It’s the idea of cutting or slicing evenly and accurately in a single stroke.

Like the Blues Brothers comeback concert at the Palace Hotel Ballroom, this word appears one time and one time only in the New Testament. A few big time Bible scholars take a shot at explaining it. According to Theodoret, it describes a farmer plowing a straight furrow in his field. Parry likes to picture a stonemason deftly cutting stones with great accuracy. I like how Robertson sees it. Since Paul is a tentmaker, he knows all about cutting cloth with care.

In the same way, the apostle wants the young preacher to carefully and accurately teach the truth found in God’s Word. We must be meticulous in how we use Scripture. It is sharpest blade we’ll ever experience. It has the power to heal. It has the power to harm. Paul tells his Ephesian friends how it’s the “sword of the Spirit” is only weapon listed in the inventory of the armor of God (Eph 6:17).

The Lord trains you and me in effectively using our Bible as a blade to defend ourselves from the attacks of the enemy as we read, study, and memorize Scripture. Just what does that look like? Check out how Jesus swings His sword to fend off Satan’s triple temptation in a way that would make Zorro jealous (Lk 4:1-13). A great way to keep our saber sharp is by doing life with other followers of Jesus. Solomon compares it to iron sharpening iron (Prov 27:17).

But as the writer of Hebrews points out, God also uses His Word like a scalpel to do spiritual surgery. “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). God delicately and skillfully extracts our sin like a supernatural neurosurgeon. He also removes lies we come to believe which grow like malignant tumors.

Paul encourages Pastor Tim as well as every other teacher and preacher to handle Scripture with great care. It’s incredibly sharp. If I misuse it by taking His truth out of context somebody’s going to get hurt. I can injure others as well as myself. Think of a careless knife thrower. He’s not winning America’s Got Talent if he’s missing a couple of fingers and his lovely assistant is covered in stitches and bandaids.

We also need to be very cautious not to bully others with the Bible. Sadly it happens far too often. You can usually recognize those religious thugs who use Scripture like a switchblade. They’re the ones who have a 2x4 sticking out of their own eye while pointing out the splinter in yours. Don’t be a 21st century Pharisee. There’s no reason to get cocky. We’re simply beggars who’ve figured out where to get the bread.

Use God’s Word skillfully and delicately on those who need healing. If Jesus has called you to teach His truth, give it everything you’ve got. If you do, there’s no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. Handling His Word rightly means cutting carefully. We meet so many hurting people each day. They desperately need the therapy found only in the Gospel. Allow the Great Physician to use us to share His very Good News of grace.

Scripture can be an amazing spiritual scalpel. But in the wrong hands, it can butcher, slash, and maim. Sadly too many of us have been on the wrong end of their gruesome attacks. God has given us His Word in order to reveal the Word, His Son Jesus. Knowing who He is and what He’s done protects us from attacks but also provides the healing we desperately need. God give us His Word to love people where they are and encourage them in their walk with Christ.

It’s both a sword and a scalpel. So when it comes to God’s truth, please handle with maximum care.

War of the Words

“Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2Tim 2:14).

I had a love/hate relationship with sci-fi as a kid. On one hand, I couldn’t get enough of it. But on the other, I couldn’t keep my eyes open! Whether it was TV shows like “The Outer Limits” or movies like “Frankenstein,” I wanted to watch but I couldn’t.

There was no better example than “War of the Worlds.” Not Spielberg’s remake (which IS pretty good). I’m talking about the original made in 1953 starring Gene Barry, based on the novel by H.G. Wells. The storyline is really no surprise. Martians unleash an unrelenting assault on unsuspecting earthlings.

The aliens scorch the planet and its people by firing an assortment of killer ray guns from their spaceships. The people of Earth drop a nuke hoping it put an end to the invasion (Spoiler Alert: it doesn’t!). The resulting “War of the Worlds” destroys anything and everything. Before you can say “little green men,” the battle will totally devastate the third rock from the sun. The war over the planet could eventually destroy the planet they’re warring over.

I don’t know if Paul was a fan of sci-fi, but he certainly knew all about doctrinal collateral damage. In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle warns against the danger of the War of the Words. “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (v14).

He tells Tim to remind folks to keep their eyes on Jesus and His Gospel. Warn the followers of Christ too keep cool heads when it comes to words and language. Don’t take the bait. Avoid arguments over theological terminology. It only results in catastrophic ruin for God’s people. The fight will eventually leave them nothing to fight over. There’s no reason for a War of the Words.

Paul is writing anything but fiction in this epistle. He’s behind bars and in chains (2Tim 1:16; 2:8). The man from Tarsus has been locked up before but this time it’s different. He’s on Death Row and he knows it (2Tim 4:6-7). The apostle writes to his protege named Timothy with two purposes. One, please come for a visit before his date with the executioner (2Tim 4:9, 21). Two, encourage the young pastor as he passes the baton of ministry (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

Here in verse 14, the former Pharisee looks back before looking ahead. When writing “remind them of these things,” he’s referring to what he’s just told Tim. Paul has just used the lyrics of a first century worship tune to teach the truth of the Good News (2Tim 2:11-13). Remind folks that following Jesus is a matter of life THROUGH death. Remind them that there’s no easy button when it comes to walking with Christ but it promises to deliver the ultimate in delayed gratification. Remind them that a lifetime of rejecting the Lord’s offer of salvation will only result in God giving us exactly what we want. Remind them that while our faith may wobble wildly at times, Jesus never wavers.

This Gospel refresher course in verses 11-13 isn’t a one-and-done deal. A closer look at the tense of “remind” tells us it’s in the present imperative form. An imperative simply means it’s a command. Not a suggestion. Not a recommendation. Not just a good idea. “Remind” is also in the present tense. That means Tim is to continually be reminding folks. Just as Paul orders the young pastor to make this a regular diet of his teaching, so should anyone who’s passing along God’s truth.

Now the apostle looks forward and writes “charge them before God” (v14). The verb here (Gr. διαμαρτυρομαι) means to declare solemnly and emphatically, warn strongly, or urge insistently. Again, this isn’t simply a suggestion or “hey,  you might wanna try this.” It’s the idea of grabbing someone by the shoulders, looking them right in the eye, making sure you get your point across.

When Jesus tells the story of a billionaire’s death and descent into Hell, He describes how the dead rich dude begs to go back and tell his family they want no part of where he is. He desperately wants “to warn (Gr. διαμαρτυρομαι) them, lest they also come into this place of torment” (Lk 16:28). Let’s just say he’s unable to post a review on Yelp for Hades.

Paul drops this term three times in his two notes to Timothy. Other than here, we see it when he writes, “I charge (Gr. διαμαρτυρομαι) you” to not play favorites when it comes to protecting leaders from discipline (1Tim 5:21). Later in his second letter, the apostle cuts to the chase when he tells Tim, “I charge (Gr. διαμαρτυρομαι) you in the presence of God and of Christ” to be locked and loaded to preach God’s Word and pull no punches when he does it (2Tim 4:1-2).

Now that Paul has undivided attention, here’s his warning: “not to quarrel about words” (v14). Sadly we miss something very cool when we translate this phrase from the original language into English. The apostle isn’t just using an unusual term (Gr. λογομαχεω), he’s making up a whole new word! Most NT scholars believe he manufactured a hot-off-the-shelf, never-seen-before verb. We only see this word one time and one time only in the Bible. And it’s found NOWHERE in ancient Greek literature.

Long before anybody uttered mashed up words like “frenemy” and “bromance,” the apostle comes up with λογομαχεω. It’s compound word that literally means “word (λογο-) war (-μαχεω).” He slams two terms together to describe anytime we argue over language and terminology or wrangle about the meaning of terms. In other words, a War of the Words.

The big idea here is to avoid getting sucked into pointless arguments over stuff that really doesn’t matter in the end. Sure, we need to be accurate in our language and word choices. It is important to dot our doctrinal i’s an cross theological t’s. But keeping the main thing the main is the main thing. The big idea is Jesus and His Gospel. Focus on the essentials of our faith. Who Christ is. What He’s done. How much we need Him. And don’t forget to flip to the end of the book to see how everything all turns out (Spoiler Alert number two: Jesus WINS!).

The enemy tempts us and taunts us to duke it out over meaningless matters. Helps explain the expression: “The devil is in the details.” And make no doubt, Satan is behind it all. He loves to turn God’s people on themselves and divert us from our real mission. The result is destruction WITHIN the church. Don’t believe me? Let’s face it, people leave in a huff over carpet color, music, preaching style, altar calls, and how to celebrate the Lord’s supper. I’m sure you’ve never been dragged into that kind of trash talk.

This is going to be the first of three successive warnings against fights over language here in the next few sentences. We need steer clear of empty chatter which spreads like gangrene among the church (2Tim 2:16-17). And we must not go anywhere near ridiculous controversies that are, in the words of Admiral Ackbar, “It’s a TRAP!” (2Tim 2:23-24).

Here in verse 14, Paul says this War of the Words “does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (v14). the result is nothing positive. Only negative. You can translate “does no good” as “no profit” (KJV, NKJV), “useless” (NASB), “nothing profitable” (YLT), or “no benefit” (NET). Just as going to war comes with a heavy cost for any country, word wars take their terrible toll on God’s people. Nothing good comes out of it.

Instead these one of these quarrels “only ruins the hearers” (v14). It doesn’t just ruffle a few feathers. It doesn’t just bruise some egos. Paul says it’s catastrophic. That’s exactly the meaning of the Greek term translated as “ruins (Gr. καταστροφη).” It’s exactly the source of our word catastrophe. It literally describes something overthrown or overturned. Peter uses it when talking about smoldering rubble of Sodom and Gomorrah (2Pet 2:6). We’re talking total destruction. A War of the Words is absolutely catastrophic.

Let’s be clear. Paul is more than ready to fight for the right things. Remember the time he got all up in Pete’s grill in Antioch over his two-faced treatment of Gentiles (Gal 2:11-14)? But he’s warning us to pick our battles carefully. VERY carefully. There’s too much at stake. Instead of being always ready to throw, let’s be quick to spread God’s grace. We’ve gotta stop our “pious nitpicking” (v14 The Message). Build each other up and stop tearing each other down.

Once a stupid fight over language breaks out, it’s like one of those barroom brawls in a western movie. Tables trashed. Bottles broken. Chairs smashed. And you know somebody’s going out the front window and into the street. When it’s all over, the place is nothing but rubble.

How many times have you seen great teams torn apart from the inside out? Fights in the locker room and shoving matches on the sidelines distract from the real opponent. That’s exactly why Jesus commands us to love one another. That’s how the world will recognize we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). If we’re followers of Christ, we’re all wearing the same jersey. It says Team Jesus. Start playing together. Start serving each other.

We ARE in a war. Let’s just make sure we're not fighting each other and focusing on the real enemy. If you think Martian death rays are bad news, just wait until you see the catastrophic destruction of a War of Words.

Jesus Never Wobbles

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (2Tim 2:13).

Remember Weebles? They were goofy little egg-shaped toys that would wobble but never fall down. No matter what you did to these little roly polies, they would always return upright. 

So what in the world do Weebles have to do with following Jesus? Okay, hear me out. Sometimes my faith in Christ is strong. Too often I get knocked for a loop. Too often I doubt. Too often I fail to trust Him. Too often I wobble. 

Here in 2 Timothy, Paul tells his young buddy how there are going to be times when our unbelief gets the best of us. But there’s good news in the Good News. Our Savior remains rock steady. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (v13). 

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

If you’re familiar with Paul’s second letter to Timothy, you have to wonder if he’s not wobbling. Could you blame him? He’s currently in Caesar’s SuperMax, otherwise known as Rome’s Mamertine prison. The apostle is not just in heavy chains (2Tim 1:16; 2:9) but on Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). He’s desperate for one last visit from his protege (2Tim 4:9, 12). I don’t know about you, but my faith wouldn’t just be wobbling. More like in free fall. 

It’s at this point in his letter that the apostle leans on lyrics of a first century worship song to make his point. It goes a little something like this. Following Jesus is a matter of life THROUGH death (2Tim 2:11). There’s no easy button or fast past, but just wait to see the ultimate payoff (2Tim 2:12a). If I reject Christ my entire life, He will eventually give me exactly what I want in eternity…and that’s NOT a good thing (2Tim 2:12b). 

The last line Paul quotes from the tune describe our weakness and Jesus’ strength. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (v13). Smart folks who have forgotten more about the Bible than I’ll ever know are divided on this verse. There’s a huge difference of opinion on what the apostle is trying to get across. In other words, what’s he referring to when he talks about our faithlessness? Is this a lifelong rejection of Jesus (like in 2Tim 2:12)? Or is it a short term season of disbelief? 

Let me put all my cards on the table. I land on the latter. I could be wrong. I begin to think so when smart dudes like John Piper and John MacArthur take the opposite view. Slippery slope, don’t ya think? But there’s one thing we all agree on. One thing we need to remember. God’s Word is ultimately about God, not us. So no matter whether Paul is talking about our faithless rejection of Him over a lifetime or our temporary distrust, one thing is certain. “He remains faithful” (v13). The big idea? Our Savior is rocky steady.

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

Don’t forget who’s the Hero of Scripture. Jesus. He says so Himself (Jn 5:39). He goes so far as to say that when Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, “He wrote of Me” (Jn 5:46). In what might be the greatest Bible study the world has ever seen, the resurrected Christ unpacked Scriptures Big Idea to a couple of dudes headed home to Emmaus. “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Lk 24:27).

Jesus is the Point. He’s the Hero. He’s the Reason. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is there to shine the spotlight of salvation on our Savior.

So let’s turn it around. Who is God’s story NOT about? I can say for certain that it’s NOT about me. Pretty sure it’s NOT about you either. At it’s core, Scripture is NOT a handbook for unlocking God’s blessings. Are we part of the story? You betcha. But we’re not the point.

If that’s the case, do you know who else isn’t the point? People like Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, John the Dunker, Peter, and the rest of Jesus’ Dirty Dozen. We need to stop turning these people into some sort of Sunday School version of the Avengers. Each and every one of them are flawed and fallen. Each one of them desperately in need of a Savior. 

What does this have to do with what Paul writes to Timothy? They were far from perfect with less than perfect faith. God includes this endless parade of goofballs, weirdos, washouts, and knuckleheads in His grand story to show just how faithful He is when we’re faithless. 

Adam wobbled when he sat passively while a talking snake seduced his wife. 

Noah wobbled when he passed out drunk and naked like a Jeff Foxworthy “You might be a redneck” punchline. 

Abraham wobbled when he not only pretended Sarah wasn’t his wife (Guys, you DO realize that’s NEVER gonna end well, don’t you?), but thought he could help God’s plan by sleeping with his wife’s maid.

David wobbled when he seduced one of his soldier’s wife and then had him killed in cold blood on the battlefield.

Solomon wobbled when he repeatedly married women who didn’t share his faith and eventually found himself far from God.

John the Dunker wobbled when he was in the slammer and doubted that his Cousin Jesus really was Messiah.

Peter wobbled when he denied he even knew the Lord when a teenage girl confronted him (cue the rooster).

Those not-so-brave disciples wobbled and scattered like cockroaches at Jesus’ arrest and execution.

They wobbled. We wobble. But Jesus never wavers. God uses each of them to shine the spotlight on our always faithful Savior. We place our wobbly trust in the One who never wavers. Christ lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life that we don’t deserve. We trust in the One who is undeniably trustworthy. 

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

Think of it this way. It’s MUCH better to have a weak faith in a strong object than a strong faith in a weak object. Follow the logic. I can have all of the faith in the world that I can fly cross county on a paper airplane. But no matter who’s folding or slinging that flimsy glider, this isn’t going to end well. On the other hand, I might have serious doubts about a successful flight from LaGuardia to LAX on Southwest. But despite my lack of faith, that airliner is still getting to Cali. (However, I’m NOT making any guarantees on the luggage.) It’s better to have a weak and wobbly faith in a strong object. There’s no stronger object of our faith that Jesus.

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.