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.