Bible Study Class 104 - 2 Timothy Chapter 2: Be A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ; Keep Focused; Worker Approved by God

Posted : 1 May, 2011 10:23 PM

Bible Study Class 104 - 2 Timothy Chapter 2: Be A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ; Worker Approved by God; Keep Focused by David Guzik

A. Perseverance matters: Working hard for a faithful God.

1. (Verse 1) Be strong in grace.

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

a. Be strong is an important encouragement; Paul, speaking to Timothy about the things that really matter, knows Timothy will need strength and endurance to fulfill the calling God has given him.

i. Again, this is one of the twenty-five times Paul encourages Timothy to be strong and to hang in there. Timothy was naturally timid, and easily discouraged, so he needed to be told be strong often!

b. God is always there to give us strength; He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength . . . those that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:29, 30). However, we must receive the Lord's strength, and Paul had to encourage Timothy to be strong!

i. Yes, God gives us strength; but we don't expect it to come as if He were pouring it into us as we sit passively. He brings it to us as we seek Him, and rely on Him, instead of our own strength.

c. Many are often hindered from being strong because they are never convinced of their own weakness.

i. God plainly said: My strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul could say, when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). These aren't the ravings of a disturbed man, but the wisdom of one who knows that God's strength is greater than anything of man.

d. Paul continues on to speak to Timothy, saying be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to be strong in grace?

i. Resting in the grace - the unmerited favor of God towards us that is in Christ Jesus - gives a confidence and boldness we could never have when thinking we are on probation or thinking God hasn't made up His mind about us yet.

ii. There is nothing that can makes us as strong as saying, "I am a child of God in Jesus Christ" and "I have the love and favor of God even though I don't deserve it." That is the strength that comes by grace!

2. (Verse 2) Spread the word among faithful men.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

a. The strength and the grace Timothy receives, he isn't to keep - he is to pass it on to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Timothy received a message (the things that you have heard from me), and he was to pass that message on to others.

b. A pastor's ministry is never to be a "one-man show"; he must be continually raising up people in ministry around him, and pushing ministry down to others that can do it. Serving the Lord is a privilege, and it is a privilege that must be shared.

c. But who should Timothy pass these things on to? Faithful men. Men who have demonstrated faithfulness to the things of God and to the ministry He has called them to.

i. Being faithful means that you aren't in the ministry to be served, but to serve. You aren't wondering, "What's in it for me?" or looking for others to serve you. It means being faithful to the servant's heart of Jesus.

ii. Sometimes faithful men are hard to find; sometimes there are many of them. Whatever the case, when there are faithful men, they should be committed the things of the gospel.

d. Some people hold to the idea of "apostolic succession" - that a true minister of the gospel can be determined, because Peter ordained someone to succeed him, and he ordained someone to succeed him, and he ordained someone to succeed him, so forth and so on down the line. But this verse reveals the real apostolic succession - the succession of faithful men, who take the teachings of the apostles and pass them on.

i. If you are not faithful to the teachings of the apostles, it doesn't matter who has ordained you - you are not a true minister of Jesus Christ.

3. (Verses 3-4) Persevering for God with a soldier's attitude.

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

a. You therefore must: Paul is calling Timothy to a requirement, not a suggestion. There is something Timothy must do, and Paul will tell him to do it.

b. Timothy must take the attitude of soldier, who expects to endure hardship for their cause. No real solider, no good solider, ever gave up just because some hardship came their way.

i. The experience of war is often terrible, especially for the front-line solider - yet many of them look back on those years with a fond affection. Why? Because those were years when they stood firm, and endured hardship; they showed themselves to be men who would persevere, and not give up.

ii. In the same way, if a believer is not willing to endure hardship, they will never accomplish much for Jesus Christ. They will give up as soon as something hard is required of them; they cannot fulfill Jesus' call: If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24)

c. Timothy must take the attitude of a solider, who will willingly detach himself from the things of "civilian" life.

i. A solider has to give up many things; some of them are bad things (pride, independence, self-will), and some of them are good things (his home, his family) - but if he is not willing to endure hardship, he's no solider of Jesus Christ.

ii. The issue doesn't have to be between "good" or "bad." If something gets in the way of serving our commanding officer, and in the way of being a good solider, it must be removed.

iii. This is a good measure of all worldly activities: Does it entangle you? One can do many things during wartime, but a faithful soldier does not have the right to do anything that will entangle them and make them less effective as a soldier.

d. That he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier: If Timothy did not endure hardship, if he did not put away the things that entangled him in the affairs of this life, he was not pleasing to his Commanding Officer.

i. The President of the United States has many functions; he heads the executive branch of the federal government, he signs bills into law, and so forth - but one of his jobs is that he is the Commander In Chief of the armed forces.

ii. Jesus Christ is also the "Command In Chief." In Joshua 5, Jesus appeared to Joshua as Commander of the army of the LORD (Joshua 5:14). He is our Commanding Officer, and we owe total obedience to Him as such!

iii. Remember that Paul was chained to a soldier even as he wrote this! He saw how these soldiers acted, and how they obeyed their commanding officers. Paul knew this is how a Christian must be towards their Lord!

4. (Verse 5) Persevering for God with an athlete's attitude.

And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

a. If anyone competes in athletics: Paul often drew upon the world of athletics for illustrations of the Christian life, mentioning track and field (1 Corinthians 9:12), boxing (1 Corinthians 9:26), and wrestling (Ephesians 6:12).

b. He is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules: The point is clear. An athlete can't make up the rules as he pleases; he must compete according to the rules if he wants to receive the crown.

c. Too many Christians think they are "competing" for God, but they make up their own rules, thinking they have a special arrangement with God. For some people, their special arrangement goes something like this: "I know this is sin, but God understands, so I'll just keep going in this sin."

5. (Verse 6) Persevere for God with the attitude of a farmer.

The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops.

a. Hard-working: In calling Timothy to have the attitude of a farmer, Paul emphasizes the fact that farmers are hard-working - and so must everyone be in their service of the Lord, especially pastors.

i. Unlike the soldier and the athlete, there is nothing glamorous about the farmer's work. It is often tedious and boring, and often unexciting. The nation's best farmer really isn't a celebrity. But he must work hard just the same.

ii. God has no place for lazy ministers. If you will not work hard, get out of the ministry. If you will only work hard if you are in the limelight, then let God change your heart.

b. Paul knew the value of hard work. He could say, comparing himself with the other apostles, I labored more abundantly than they all (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul wasn't just called, he wasn't just blessed, he wasn't just anointed, Paul worked hard! And his ministry would have been far less than it was if he had not worked hard.

i. In our age, many people expect something for nothing. But wise people know that you often get out of things according to the measure you put into them. If you are putting forth little effort in your Christian walk, you should expect little result.

ii. Yet at the same time, Paul knew that all the work he did was the gift of God's grace in him: I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10). Here's the balance: Working hard, yet always knowing it is all of grace.

c. Must be the first to partake of the crops: When Timothy has spiritual food to give to the congregation, he must eat of it first. If he isn't being fed from the Word of God, he can't really feed others.

i. Most of the time, a pastor or teacher will get more out of the message than his audience does.

d. Any godly pastor will work hard, like a good farmer, and he will patiently await the harvest - which really comes at the end of the age, not at the end of the meeting!

6. (Verse 7) Looking to the Lord for understanding.

Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

a. Paul has just laid out three illustrations of the Christian life - a soldier, and athlete, and a farmer. Each of these three occupations must have great perseverance if they will succeed.

i. The solider who stops fighting before the battle is finished will never see victory.

ii. The athlete who stops running before the race is over will never wear the gold medal.

iii. The farmer who stops working until the harvest is complete will never see the fruit of his crops.

b. Timothy - and we - are called to see the importance of perseverance, and to receive understanding from the Lord in all these things.

i. God is faithful to speak to our heart about what we need perseverance in, if we will be faithful to take the strength He offers and will be strong. God is giving - are we receiving?

B. The gospel matters: hold steadfast to the truth.

1. (Verse 8) The content of Paul's gospel.

Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.

a. Remember: Paul isn't saying this because it was something Timothy might easily forget. He says it because Timothy needed to be reminded to keep this in the forefront of his message.

b. Jesus Christ, of the seed of David: Timothy needed to keep the fact that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel - the seed of David - in the forefront of his preaching.

i. God's plan of rescue through Jesus Christ did not begin when the baby was born in Bethlehem; all of history looked forward to what Jesus would do to save us.

c. Who was raised from the dead: This is the great fact, the great credential of the authenticity of Jesus Christ - His resurrection from the dead.

i. Remember that Jesus was the first one ever resurrected. Others, such as Jesus' friend Lazarus, had been resuscitated, but only Jesus had been resurrected - raised to a new order of life, with a new body, which though based on the old, was still new and fitted for the glories of eternal life.

ii. Jesus' resurrection was the proof, the proof that though it may have looked like He died on the cross like a common criminal, He actually died as a sinless man, out of love and self-sacrifice to bear the guilt of our sin. Jesus death on the cross was the payment, but the resurrection was the receipt, showing that the payment had been perfect in the sight of God the Father.

d. Of the seed of David means that Jesus was fully man; raised from the dead means Jesus was fully God. For Paul, it was essential that Timothy remember and teach the truth about who Jesus was!

e. According to my gospel: Of course, the gospel belonged to Paul in the sense that he preached it; but it also belonged to him in the sense that he believed it. It was his gospel - is it your gospel?

i. Remember what the word gospel means: "good news." What is "good news" to you? More money? More love? More relationship? More status? More stuff? But the gospel of Jesus Christ is your gospel if the best news of all to you is the news you have eternal life with God through the work of Jesus Christ - and that this eternal life begins now.

2. (Verse 9) The consequences of Paul's gospel.

For which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.

a. For which I suffer: This gospel did not bring Paul a life of glamour and ease; it brought him a life full of adventure and challenge - with times of great suffering as well.

i. It was around this time that a terrible fire destroyed much of Rome; a fire that was reportedly set by the emperor Nero as the first step of his own peculiar "urban renewal" program. But the fire destroyed vast neighborhoods of the poor, and when they rioted, Nero used the Christians as a scapegoat - and after blaming the Christians Nero, arrested many of them - perhaps including Paul.

ii. One of the most spectacular sights in Israel is the ancient city of Bet Shein - a spectacular city that is, piece by piece, being uncovered and restored by archaeologists. If you ever visit, you can see the coliseum there - the oval stadium, complete with chambers and rooms for lions and other wild animals - animals that were almost certainly set upon Christians for the entertainment of the mob. For me, to walk on floor of that stadium - on the ground that had almost surely received the blood of Christians - was something sacred, and reminded me of the extreme price many have had to pay. Does any small price we must pay seem like much in comparison?

iii. If you have determined in your heart - if you have said, "I will not suffer for Jesus Christ," then you are not a follower of Jesus. You live for yourself. You may admire Jesus from a distance, but you do not follow Him.

b. To the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Paul's wrist was shackled at the very moment he wrote this; but a great smile must have come over his face as he understood that they could chain him, but they could never chain the word of God.

i. Go ahead; burn it, ban it, mock it, distort it, ignore it - but the word of God will still stand forever. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

ii. The Word of God is not bound; no government, no religious authorities, no skeptics, no scientists, no philosophers, no book burners, have ever been able to stop the work of the word of God. Yet, if there is any sense in which the word is bound, it is bound when it is abandoned by its very friends! When pulpits sound more like self-help books than proclaimers of God's word; when Scripture is used sparingly like a spice in a message, instead of being the core of it, pastors themselves are making the word bound!

3. (Verse 10) Why Paul endures the consequences of the gospel.

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

a. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect: We might have expected Paul to say he endures all things for the sake of God; but Paul knew that his love for God could reliably be measured by his love for God's people.

i. The apostle John puts it plain: If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: That he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)

b. That they may obtain the salvation: Paul's life was not spent merely in getting people rescued in Jesus; but in seeing them grow and become complete in their relationship with Him.

c. Eternal glory: Is this for real? Is there such a thing as eternal glory? Think of all the glory poured out upon a famous person at their death - they can't even enjoy it! But if the Bible is true, there is a glory that outshines all that, and we can all have a part in it - forever in eternity!

4. (Verses 11-13) Paul describes his gospel with a faithful saying.

This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him if we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

a. We know what it is like to have a worship song on our mind, expressing our heart; here, Paul is quoting an early Christian hymn known among the Christians of his day.

b. For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him: The song begins with a promise of resurrection to those who have died with Jesus (as illustrated in baptism).

i. The Bible speaks of dying with Jesus in two ways: The first is common to all Christians, and is illustrated by baptism: each one of us can have a "life-after-death" experience with Jesus - we can have our old life end with Jesus on the cross, and have our new life begin with His being raised from the dead.

ii. The other way the Bible speaks of dying with Jesus is, of course, in the sense of martyrdom - of paying the ultimate price for following Jesus. This is probably Paul's idea here; he is saying, "If we die with Him, we aren't dead - we live with Him." Paul could say this while on death row!

iii. "The context here seems rather to point to physical death as the highest point of suffering for Christ. The reference then is to the martyr's death now viewed from the standpoint of the crowning day." (Hiebert)

c. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him: The song assures the faithful believer of eternal reward.

i. This shouts to us: "It's worth it to endure!" It isn't easy; it seems like agony, but it is worth it. The payoff is better than what you gain by quitting. You will reign with Him!

ii. The Bible says that we will rule and reign with Jesus Christ. This future destiny explains much of what we go through on this list - God is training us, the best we will allow Him, to rule and reign beside Him in the world to come.

d. If we deny Him, He also will deny us: The song warns those who deny Jesus that they themselves will be denied.

i. Jesus said it plainly: But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:33)

ii. Today, we speak of people being "in denial." It is used to mean that they are denying some problem they have; they won't face up to reality. But there is a far worse way to be "in denial" - it is to be in denial of Jesus Christ. To have set your life in denial of who He is, what He has done for us, and what He commands us. This is the worse kind of denial!

e. If we are faithless, He remains faithful: We cannot deny Jesus; we must keep our allegiance to Him; yet if one does fall away, it doesn't change who God is - He remains faithful.

i. It is a terrible thing when people who name the name of Jesus show themselves unfaithful; many have been turned off from Jesus because of the hypocrisy of those who take His name. But all the faithlessness of man doesn't disprove the faithfulness of God.

ii. "Our faithlessness cannot in any way detract from the Son of God and His Glory. Being all sufficient in Himself He has no need of our confession. It is as if he had said, 'Let all who will desert Christ, for they deprive him of nothing; when they perish, He remains unchanged.'" (Calvin)

iii. But you can stand faithful - in the power of God. Even if one has been wavering, they still have time - as the Spirit of God calls to them even now - to turn back to the faithful God. We can be like the prodigal son, who came to his senses, saw his faithfulness, and came home to his father - who had been faithful to him the whole time.

iv. When one Christian in the days of the ancient Roman empire was commanded to give money to the building of a pagan temple, he refused; and though he was old, they stripped him practically naked, and cut him all over his body with knives and spears. They started to feel sorry for him, so they said, "Just give one dollar to the building of the temple." But he still would not. "Just burn one grain of incense to this pagan god," they asked - but he would not. So he was smeared with honey, and while his wounds were still bleeding, the set bees and wasps upon him until he was stung to death. He could die; but he could not deny his Lord. The Lord can give you the same strength to live for Him, even as this man died for Him.

C. Focus matters: Keep your attention on the most important things.

1. (Verse 14) Keep focused; don't be distracted by unprofitable things.

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

a. Paul has been speaking about the glorious gospel of Jesus; now, he instructs Timothy to Remind them of these things. Timothy's job as a pastor was to keep his congregation always focused on the gospel.

i. The church is constantly tempted to get its focus off of the message that really matters, and is tempted to become an entertainment center, a social service agency, a mutual admiration society, or any number of other things. But this temptation must be resisted, and the church should constantly remember these things.

ii. What things? The things of 2 Timothy 2:8: Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel. The things of 2 Timothy 2:11-13: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself.

b. At the same time, there are things that Timothy must not focus on: Words to no profit. The church must stand for the truth, but it must not become a debating society.

i. We can get distracted by endless discussion or strife over things that don't have central importance.

ii. "Let us notice first that teaching is rightly condemned on the sole ground that it does no good. God's purpose is not to pander to our inquisitiveness but to give us profitable instruction. Away with all speculations that produce no edification!" (Calvin)

c. The stakes are high: If we take the focus off the message of God, and put the focus on human opinions and endless debates, it will result in the ruin of the hearers.

i. The Bible says, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). But if people aren't hearing the word of God, then ruin comes by hearing the opinions and speculations and entertainment of man!

2. (Verse 15) Keep focused; pay attention to your own life and ministry.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

a. Be diligent: Perhaps Timothy, like many of us, had a bit of a "lazy streak" in him; earlier in the chapter (2 Timothy 2:3-5), Paul encouraged him to hard work and endurance for the service of the Lord.

b. To present yourself approved to God: Timothy's goal was not to present himself approved to people, but to God. He wasn't to regard the job of being a pastor as a popularity contest, but as a call to faithfulness to God.

c. To present yourself approved to God: Timothy wasn't to worry so much about presenting other people approved to God (though there was a place for this in his pastoral ministry); but his first concern had to be to present himself approved to God.

d. A worker who does not need to be ashamed: We all know what it is like to do a job poorly and to be ashamed of it; this should never be the case with our service to God.

e. Rightly dividing the word of truth: This was to be a focus of Timothy's hard work - working hard so he could rightly divide the word of God.

i. Timothy, as a faithful pastor, was to be rightly dividing God's word; that is, he had to know what it said and didn't say, and how it was to be understood and how it was not to be understood.

ii. It wasn't enough for Timothy to know a bunch of Bible stories and verses and sprinkle them through his sermons as illustrations; his teaching was to be a "right dividing" of the word of God, correctly teaching his congregation.

iii. Rightly dividing has the idea of "cutting straight"; it could be applied to plowing a straight furrow, cutting a straight board, or sewing a straight seam. Pastor, are you cutting it straight?

f. Rightly dividing means there is such a thing as wrongly dividing; not everyone cuts it straight! We must understand that Biblical truth is not just an issue left up to everyone's interpretation. There is a right way and a wrong way to understand the Bible, and a pastor especially must work hard to master the right interpretation.

i. For example, many people love to say when the Bible is quoted, "Well, that's just your interpretation." Their idea is, "You interpret the Bible your way, I interpret it my way, and another person interprets it their way. We can never really know what it means, so don't hassle me with your Bible verse!"

ii. When someone tells me, "that's just your interpretation," I think in response: "It's true that it is my interpretation, but it isn't just my interpretation, it is the correct interpretation, and we need to pay attention to what the Bible says correctly interpreted!"

iii. This is an important point: The Bible does not mean just what anyone wants it to mean. There may be many people trying to twist the Scriptures to their own ends, but they are wrongly dividing the word of truth. We can't just pick the interpretation that seems most comfortable to us, and claim it as true - it must be rightly dividing the word of truth, and it must be consistent with what the Bible says in the specific passage and with the entire message of the Scriptures.

iv. For example, a correct interpretation of Matthew 7:1 (Judge not, that you be not judged) is not the idea of "You have no right to judge my behavior or any one else's behavior." If this were the case, then Jesus repeatedly broke His own commandment, because He often told people their behavior was wrong in the sight of God. The correct understanding of Matthew 7:1 is easily seen by reading Matthew 7:2: For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Jesus was saying "Don't judge anyone by a standard you are not willing to be judged by. God will hold you to the same standard you hold others to." This clearly does not forbid judging someone else's life, but it does prohibit doing it unfairly or hypocritically, or living with a judgmental attitude.

v. The point is clear: There is a right way and a wrong way to divide the Matthew 7:1 - the word of truth. Every Christian, but pastors especially, must work very hard to be rightly dividing the word of truth. Though perfection in understanding God's word is impossible, and should never be assumed, we should still work hard at it.

3. (Verses 16-18) The price of not keeping focus: The faith of some is overthrown.

But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

a. What are profane and vain babblings? Anything that takes the focus off of the gospel and God's Word. They are profane, not because they are "dirty," but because they are unholy, in contrast to the holiness of God's Word. They are vain, because even though people like to hear them, they don't have lasting value.

b. Man's opinions, man's teachings, man's opinion polls, man's stories, man's programs, are all profane and vain babblings compared to the simple Word of God. When these things become the focus of the message from the pulpit, it will increase to more ungodliness.

c. Their message will spread like cancer: The message of profane and vain babblings may spread quickly and be popular - but cancer spreads quickly and captures quite an "audience" also!

d. Hymenaeus and Philetus: Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 as a man whom Paul delivered to Satan that [he] may learn not to blaspheme. This is the only place where we hear of Philetus, and here, Paul tells us of their error.

i. They were of this sort - that is, they had a message full of profane and vain babblings, and apparently the message was somewhat popular, because it spread quickly.

ii. They had strayed concerning the truth: Apparently, they started out correctly, and then strayed from that correct position.

iii. They were saying that the resurrection is already past: It seems they were teaching that we were already in God's millennial kingdom, or that there was no resurrection to come - it had already occurred.

iv. They did overthrow the faith of some: How could belief in such a seemingly peripheral doctrine such as the resurrection is already past come to overthrow the faith of some? Undoubtedly, this was not their only error; and a fundamental error in such an area often leads to many more "goofy" beliefs, until one has abandoned Jesus and His truth all together.

v. Many today accept and honor teachers who are way off in one area or another; and they justify it by saying, "I eat the meat and spit out the bones." This kind of thinking will certainly overthrow the faith of some, because some will certainly choke to spiritual death on the bones you say you spit out!

vi. Notice Paul said, they overthrow the faith of some. We shouldn't require that everyone be led astray by a teacher before we avoid them; even if some are having their faith overthrown, it is bad enough.

4. (Verse 19) The reward of focus: The solid foundation of God.

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

a. In the preceding passage, Paul sounded kind of embattled; like he is in a struggle and you would almost wonder if he would win or lose. But here, he makes it clear, both to himself and to us: Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.

b. Let the men like Hymenaeus and Philetus do their thing! Let their message spread like cancer! Even if the faith of some should be overthrown, Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands!

i. God has a plan, God has a purpose, God has a strategy, and it is not going to fail! It doesn't matter how many fall away, how many reject the truth, how many go their own way after profane and vain babblings - Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands!

c. There are two seals on the solid foundation of God; the first says, "The Lord knows those who are His."

i. If Hymenaeus and Philetus do their thing, the Lord knows those who are His. If profane and vain babblings sweep through the church like cancer, the Lord knows those who are His. If the faith of some is overthrown, the Lord knows those who are His.

ii. We don't always know those who are His. We can know for ourselves, for as Romans 8:16 says, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. But with others, we cannot always know those who are His.

iii. God does not sit in heaven, wondering and worrying if you are saved or not; or hoping and wondering if you will make it to the end. He knows. The Lord knows those who are His.

d. The second seal on the foundation says, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." It is true that God knows those who are His; and He calls those who are His to leave their sin behind!

i. Some might say, "I belong to the Lord, I know I'm His. I going to heaven. Who cares about this sin? I'm in!" Friend, you think there is only one inscription on the foundation of God! There are two - and those who are His will have the desires and the actions to depart from iniquity.

ii. If someone does not have the desire or the actions to depart from iniquity, it is fair to ask if they really belong to the Lord - or if they are just deceiving themselves.

e. The solid foundation of God stands: It isn't going to change. Therefore, we can really keep our focus on it. It is hard to focus on something that is changing all the time, so God has given us a solid foundation - revealed by His Word - to keep our focus on.

i. If we keep our focus where it should be, we will never have our faith overthrown!

D. Conduct matters: living your life and being used by God.

1. (Verses 20-21) Vessels of honor and dishonor.

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

a. Paul has just been using the picture of God's building (the solid foundation of God stands); now he thinks of that structure as a great house, which has in it a variety of vessels - bowls, plates, vases, whatever.

b. Some of these vessels are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. Some are used on occasions of great honor (the gold and silver vessels), and some are used for dishonor - such as a garbage bin or an ashtray.

c. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter: "The latter" refers to things of dishonor mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:20. If we cleanse ourselves from dishonorable things, God will regard us as vessels of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master.

d. Importantly, the phrase is if anyone cleanses himself: Paul is talking about a cleansing that isn't just something God does for us as we sit passively; this is a self-cleansing for service that goes beyond a general cleansing for sin.

i. There is a main aspect of cleansing which comes to us as we trust in Jesus and His work on our behalf; this work of cleansing is really God's work in us, and not our work. This is the sense of 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

ii. But there is another aspect of cleansing which God looks for us to do with the participation of our own will and effort; not that it is our work apart from God, but it is a work that awaits our will and effort: If anyone cleanse himself. This aspect of cleansing is mostly connected with usefulness for service, and closeness to God.

e. Sanctified and useful: Sanctified means "set apart"; just as much as there are certain bowls and plates that we use more than others, or are "set aside" to some honorable purpose, so some people are more sanctified and useful to God than others. They are more prepared for every good work than others.

i. We must never think that some Christians are "better" than others, or that some have passed into a place where they are "super-spiritual." However, we must realize that some Christians are more "usable" to God than others - because they have cleansed themselves, and made themselves more usable to God.

f. Importantly, Paul says prepared for every good work: We must not think of being "usable" primarily in the sense of serving in the church. God can make you more usable for His purposes at your job, at your school, in your home, in your community - if you will cleanse yourself and set yourself aside to God as a vessel for honor.

g. There is a large sense in which it is left to us: how do you want to be used by God? As a vessel of honor or of dishonor? Do you want to be a gold platter in God's house, beautifully displaying the fruit of the Spirit? Or are you content to be an ashtray or a garbage can in God's house?

i. Your conduct - clean or unclean; set apart to God or not set apart to God; useful to Jesus or not useful to Jesus - really matters. It greatly effects how God can and will use you to touch the lives of others.

2. (Verses 22-23) How to cleanse yourself.

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

a. Flee also youthful lusts: Cleansing must first cut off the "supply" of "dirt"! You can wash yourself five times a day, but if you keep going back to mud puddle, you will stay dirty!

i. What are youthful lusts? This describes the sort of desires and temptations that are especially prominent when someone is an adolescent or young adult. Sexual temptation, illicit pleasure of the flesh, and a longing for fame and glory often mark one's youth.

ii. The command is simple: Flee also youthful lusts. Don't entertain them. Don't challenge them. Don't try and endure them. The idea of "well, I'll just test myself on this one to see if I can stand against it" has made many a man or a woman has fall into sin.

iii. If you cannot flee also youthful lusts, there is a real limit to how much God can use you, a limit to how useful to the Master you will be. Perhaps some will say, "Well, I am secretly doing these things and God is still using me." But you will never know how much more God could use you, and you are really on borrowed time until your fraud is exposed. You can't really say "yes" to God until you can say "no" to some other things.

b. But pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace: Cleansing can never be a matter of just avoiding bad things; it must also be the pursuit of good things.

i. If you cannot pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, there is a real limit to how much God can use you, a limit to how useful to the Master you will be.

c. Pursue . . . peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart: To be cleansed, we must do everything we can to be right in our personal relationships with others. Cleansing needs to extend to how we treat others.

i. Sometimes, relationships are not right with others, but we have done all we can do to set it right. We must take great care that we do all we can do; as Paul said in Romans 12:18: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

ii. Bad relationships really hinder our service to the Lord; we must do what we can to set things right if we want to be used of God as much as we can be.

iii. If you cannot pursue . . . peace with those who call on the Lord, there is a real limit to how much God can use you, a limit to how useful to the Master you will be.

d. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes: Walking clean also means staying clear of endless disputes and arguments.

i. If you cannot avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, there is a real limit to how much God can use you, a limit to how useful to the Master you will be.

3. (Verses 24-26) The kind of attitude God can use: The gentle servant.

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

a. The great men of our world are not usually thought of as "servants" nor as "gentle"; but in the kingdom of God, greatness is marked by being a servant of the Lord and gentle to all.

b. When Paul writes to Timothy about a servant of the Lord, he is writing about Timothy - about what kind of pastor he should be.

i. Timothy must not quarrel but be gentle to all; it isn't his job as a pastor to be picking fights and looking for conflict. Some men only feel energized and motivated if they have an opponent; Timothy (and every pastor) should be of a different sort.

ii. Timothy must be able to teach; with the great emphasis Paul has been placing on God's Word, a pastor who is not able to teach is like a surgeon who can't use a scalpel.

iii. Timothy must be patient; God's work often takes time. Sometimes we can see why it takes so much time, sometimes we can't - but God is not in a hurry, and wants us to learn how to patiently trust Him.

iv. Timothy must be in humility correcting those who are in opposition: The gentleness and patience Timothy must have does not mean he is to never confront those who need to be confronted; but he must do it in humility.

v. "Paul's meaning is that gentleness should be shown even to those who least deserve it, and even if at first there is no apparent hope of progress, still the challenge must be accepted." (Calvin)

c. How those who are in opposition get corrected.

i. If God perhaps will grant them repentance: They need to repent, and this repentance will never happen apart from a work of God in their heart.

ii. If God perhaps will grant them repentance: Paul really isn't trying to say, "maybe God will, maybe God won't." The idea is more, "It's remarkable thing to see this work of God, and I won't presume upon it happening."

iii. So that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses: anyone in opposition to God is deceived, and really needs to come to their senses; repentance flows as someone comes to the truth in this way.

iv. And escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him: Those who are in opposition to God's work, whether they know it or not, are bound in a demonic deception, and are doing the devil's work - they need to be set free!

d. A sobering dilemma: We will either be servants of the Lord, or captives of the devil.

i. To be a servant of the Lord - a vessel of honor for Him - we must be empty, clean, and available. If we refuse to empty ourselves, clean ourselves, and make ourselves available to the Lord, we will find ourselves captive to the devil in one sense or another. May it never be!

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