Reading: 2 Timothy 2:14-19
Text: 2 Timothy 2:16-19
Theme: The Lord continues to instruct his church about what things they need to be reminded about
1. They need to be reminded about godless chatter
2. They need to be reminded about judgment
Intro: A few weeks ago we began to look at Paul’s instruction to Timothy regarding the things that he was remind both this congregation and the men he was training of. Timothy was to remind them about how to handle quarrels over words. Timothy was to charge them not to strive over words, to no profit, and to the destruction of the hearers. Rather, Timothy was to strive to present himself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, as one who rightly divides the truth.
This morning we continue to look at Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to “remind them of these things.” And there are two things that we, brothers as a church need to be reminded about. First, we need to be reminded about godless chatter and how it must be handled. Second, we need to be reminded about judgment.
And so FIRST this morning, the Lord continues to instruct his church about what things they need to be reminded about. And first, they need, we need, brothers and sisters, to be reminded about godless chatter. Paul says to Timothy in vs. 16-18 (read).
And so Paul has an exhortation for Timothy, “Shun this type of talk.” Literally, “turn your back” on profane and idle babbling. Now, you might be asking yourself, “what is so bad about such chatter, and the Lord provides us with the answer here.
First, profane (godless) and idle (empty) babbling brings ungodliness. The Lord’s point here is clear, brothers and sisters. Those who engage godless, empty chattering, supposing themselves to be something, make progress, but it is progress toward ungodliness. Paul here is probably using sarcasm of sorts…they progress alright, but their progression is really digression, their advance is really retreat, their movement isn’t forward to godliness to downward toward ungodliness. Their talk, their speech is against God!
This godless chatter that Timothy and company are to shun, are to turn their backs on, is only that. It is chatter. Such teachers had substituted words for deeds. They talked a big talk. They were perhaps clever, intellectual, but in the end the words, the teaching catapulted them headlong into ungodliness, brothers and sisters.
Do you want to know whether a certain teaching, a certain doctrine, a certain teacher is really teaching and preaching God’s Word? The answer is found in what such teaching encourages, and what such teaching advances both the teachers and hearers to. If it is to godliness and righteousness; if it so the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, is to truth. If it is to ungodliness, it is a lie from the pit of hell. And such teaching might sound religious! These men were talking about the resurrection. They believed in it…it had just already happened. In fact, they probably believed that the resurrection was purely spiritual and not bodily as well. It sounded good, it sounded religious, it sounded spiritual, but Paul calls it profane and idle and warns us that it leads to ungodliness.
Let me drive it home a little bit, brothers and sisters, and I may step on some toes, but I think that this is important. There are many so-called spiritual gurus in our land today—Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil, and many others. And they sound spiritual, they believe in higher powers, they recommend books on spirituality, but this is the question…is their spirituality, godly spirituality or is it simply profane and idle babblings. The Scriptures seem to indicate that they are the latter—profane, idle babblings that advance toward ungodliness only. And why? Because it is Christless chatter, brothers and sisters. It is cross-less chatter. It is chatter which focuses and the potential and ability of man, rather than the radical and complete sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary to deal with your sin and my sin for all eternity. Godless chatter, brothers and sisters, makes much of the power and goodness of man. Godly chatter magnifies the power and goodness of God. Godless chatter makes mankind of savior of mankind. Godly chatter magnifies the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and boldly declares that if anyone would be saved it must be through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and Christ alone. What type of chatter are you exposing yourself to, brothers and sisters?
Well, we must move on, still under number 1 here. Not only should this profane and idle babbling be shuned because it is godless, leading to more godlessness, but secondly because it is gangrenous. Paul says in vs. 17a…(read). Paul turns now from an ironic sort of sarcasm to a vivid and repulsive metaphor. Their teaching will spread, Paul says, literally, “have pasture” like gangrene. The picture is either a picture of gangrene spreading like a flock of sheep as they are released into the pasture, or of sheep devouring new fodder. Either way the picture is thoroughly disgusting. Gangrene spreads, but it’s spread devours and kills tissue in the human body. It’s advance destroys, and so does this idle, godless babbling.
Paul then gives Timothy two names, which prove such is true. Hymenaeus and Philetus are described as those who have wandered away from the truth saying that the resurrection had already past. This false teaching probably had to do, not with Christ’s resurrection, but with the resurrection of believers. They were claiming that the last great resurrection had already occurred and all the end-time realities were theirs, and if others believed the way they did, it could be their as well. Again, notice the “spirituality” of such teaching, brothers and sisters. But notice something, notice what such teaching did, it overthrew the faith of some. Notice, Paul describes the advance of godlessness and says, “all you have to do is look at H and P.” And Paul has said, “it spreads like cancer…and all you have to do to see that is true is look at the overthrow of people’s faith.” False teaching, like good, brothers and sisters, is known by the fruit is produces.
And oh how it was sugar-coated. Again, the health and wealth gospel was alive and well in Ephesus. The fullness of the resurrection, with all it’s end-time glories can be yours right now. All it’s health, all it’s wealth, all it’s happiness, all it’s privilege and power. This was their good news. Forget about Paul’s preaching, they said, “look where it has gotten him.”
But Paul is not ashamed, and neither should we be, brothers and sisters! We must not be ashamed to glory in the cross of Jesus Christ, that though we are in this state of humiliation, it will one day lead to glory, and that our glory is in Jesus Christ right now and that is enough. Well, moving on to number two.
SECONDLY, this morning and very quickly. Timothy is to remind his congregation and those who he is training and teaching about the final judgment.
Paul goes onto to explain what will happen to those who mishandle the Word of God. “nevertheless” he says, and Paul refers to an incident in Numbers 16. There a group of 250 Israelites, led by the Levites Korah, Abiram, and Dathan rose up against Moses and sought to take over the priesthood (read 16:3). In response to this Moses falls facedown before the Lord. And the Lord said (read vs. 5). At the appointed time the Lord came down, the earth split apart, and the rebels were swallowed, along with their tends, livestock and family. Then the fire roared from heaven on the 250 leaders and incinerated them, and the only that that remained were their red hot censers.
The point, literally in the Septuagint, Numbers 16:5 reads, “In the morning the LORD knows those who are his.”
Notice quickly what Paul says about God’s knowledge, brothers and sisters. The Lord knows those who are his, and Hymenaeus and Philetus will ultimately meet the same fate as those rebels during Moses’ time.
But for the church of Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters, for you and me, this is great comfort. You see, this statement, “The Lord knows who are his” should fill those who know Christ with that peace which surpasses all understand. Why? Because when the day of God’s judgment arrives, the Lord knows those who are his, and no one will snatch them out of his hand. He knows them intimately, he knows them lovingly, he knows them savingly.
J.I. Packer, in his magnificent book Knowing God says this, “What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis that fact that I know God, but the large face, that underlies it, that fact that he knows me.” Take heart, brothers and sisters, that though the church is attacked on all sides by those who wish nothing more than to destroy the name of Christ from the face of the earth, that the Lord knows his people. He has placed his sovereign, electing love upon them, and nothing, nothing will separate them from his love.
But there is a second inscription on this seal, brothers and sisters, an inscription which highlights the call to those who name of the name of Christ. Those who would take comfort in the first inscription, brothers and sisters (and they should) must take responsibility in the second. This is somewhat proverbial too because this is the way it is with believers—they turn away from wickedness. This does not mean that they don’t sin ever, but they realize that knowing the deep love of God calls them to deep things as well. Put more theologically, there is no election apart from sanctification.
And this is our hope, brothers and sisters, that those whom God has know, he will sanctify. And this is where I think our confession, brothers and sisters, shines, when it says, “They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein, to the end, and be eternally saved.” He who has began a good work in you and me, brothers and sisters, will complete until the day of Christ Jesus.
AMEN
