2 Timothy (Part 17)

v.14. 1. Timothy had been instructed to commit the things heard from Paul to faithful men who would be able to instruct others. 2TI 2:2. A. Paul here instructs Timothy to remind them about these things. B. This shows that they had previously been taught these things. C. It is negligence to NOT remind saints of things which they have previously heard. 2PE 1:12. D. Bringing former lessons to remembrance is a profitable method of stirring up the minds of the saints. 2PE 1:13; 3:1-2. (1) Saints can forget even the most basic instruction. 2TH 2:5; HEB 12:5; JUDE 1:5. (2) There is salvation in the remembering of gospel facts. 1CO 15:1-2. (3) In the interim between previous and current instruction, other light is often gained which puts that same lesson in better perspective. PRO 4:18. E. A wise scribe makes good use of things old and new. MAT 13:52. 2. Timothy was to charge them before the Lord. A. Charge: “To load; to cause to bear, hold, or receive. 14b. To lay a command or injunction upon; to command, order, enjoin; to exhort authoritatively; to give charge...” B. The instruction that Paul intended Timothy to deliver to those men (v.2) was not to be delivered as a suggestion but as a solemn burden by command. C. That Timothy was to charge them before the Lord shows that both Timothy and his hearers were under the scrutinizing eye of God. HEB 4:13. D. Ministers must an account to God of their charge. HEB 13:17. 3. Specifically, they were to strive not about words to no profit... A. Ministers are not forbidden to strive (be in a state of variance...) about words for any reason since that would forbid them from contending for the faith of the gospel itself. PHIL 1:27; COL 1:29. B. This is a charge to avoid striving about words which are unprofitable. C. Profitless strifes of words would include fables. 1TI 1:4; 4:7; TIT 1:14. D. Profitless strifes of words would include striving about things not taught in Scripture. 1TI 6:3-4 c/w 1PE 4:11. E. Profitless strifes of words would include foolish questions, genealogies, etc. 2TI 2:23; TIT 3:9. F. Profitless strifes of words would include enticing words of man's wisdom. 1CO 2:4-5; COL 2:8. G. Profitless strifes of words would include profane (not pertaining or devoted to what is sacred or biblical) and vain (devoid of real value...unprofitable) babblings (incoherent talk, idle chatter). 2TI 2:16. H. Profitless strifes of words are seen here to be basically whatever detracts from the subverting of the hearers. 4. Ministers are obviously to strive to the subverting of the hearers. A. Subverting: “The action of overturning or overthrowing.” B. This is speaking of conversion which is a casting down of imaginations. 2CO 10:5. C. This term is also used to describe the demise of Sodom, Gomorrah and Babylon. ISA 13:19. (1) Those cities were strongholds of ungodly thought and conduct. (2) The conversion of souls to repentance is as awesome as the overthrowing of those cities and requires also the great power of God. EPH 1:19-20; 2TI 2:25 c/w PRO 22:12. D. Ministers subvert souls by instruction and example, not by force. 1TI 4:11-16; 2TI 2:24-26; 4:2-4; 1PE 5:1-3. E. The preaching of sound doctrine both facilitates the subverting of the unconverted and counters the subverting of the converted. ACT 15:24; 2TI 2:18 c/w TIT 1:9-11.