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2 Timothy 2:23-26, But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
There isn’t a better ministry passage in the Bible for pastors, elders, teachers, fathers, mothers, all of us. In 2 Timothy 2 Paul gives us seven pictures of what the ministry looks like. You’re a teacher and you need to be faithful. You’re a soldier and you must endure hardness. You’re an athlete and must play by the rules. You’re a farmer and must work hard to produce. You’re a workman and must accurately handle God’s truth. You’re a vessel and must maintain purity.
And now, in this last section, you’re a bondservant or slave, a doulos. A slave has no will of his own. His calling is to do the will of his master. For Christians this means to serve under the authority of Christ. That’s exactly what every leader is called to do; not his own thing, not on his own authority, but serving under the authority of his master. When it comes to serving the body of Christ, that means we must respond like Christ would to difficult people, to troublemakers, to argumentative people. How do you handle people who just want to argue? Sometimes you get a little heated inside, but you’ve got to maintain control. You must remember that your goal is not to win arguments, but to win people to Christ, even God’s people. One pastor said we can’t come out with guns blazing, shooting from the lip, egging on religious arguments. In this passage Paul gives us three guiding principles for working with difficult people.
AVOID RIDICULOUS ARGUMENTS.
2 Timothy 2:23-24, But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
Paul says, “Refuse dumb arguments.” The word “foolish” is the Greek word moros. These are moronic, ignorant, or unlearned speculations. Don’t be quarrelsome or get into verbal wars over foolish and ignorant, dumb, speculations. They may be clever, but they do not edify God’s people. “Sorry, I’m not going there. We work with God’s revelation, not human speculations.” Apparently, there were lots of arguers and speculators in Ephesus.
1 Timothy 1:3-4, As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.
1 Timothy 6:3-4, If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions.
Titus 3:9-10, But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
Christ had plenty of opposition. How did He handle it? He’s the perfect example of speaking the truth in love. He never got into ignorant arguments. When someone challenged Him about marriage and divorce, He said, “What does the Scripture say?” Or He told a story to paint a picture to give understanding. Someone challenged Him with, “Who is my neighbor?” Rather than quibbling over exactly what qualifies for a neighbor, Jesus says, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem…” (Luke 10:28-32). Sometimes He answered ignorant questions with a reproof. The Sadducees, who were the liberals of the day and didn’t believe in angels, the resurrection, or spirits, thought they’d trap Jesus and asked, “Seven brothers had the same wife. Whose wife will she be in heaven?” Jesus didn’t let them get away with that and replied, “You understand neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” But He didn’t go into tit for tat arguments. For the most part Christ looked at the multitudes with compassion, as people like wandering sheep needing the Shepherd to feed them the truth. Often, He simply referred to the Scriptures.
We can’t always turn the other cheek when people throw accusations at God or the Bible or Christ. We should not avoid earnestly contending for the faith, as Jude 3 tells us. Even Christ rebuked the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites, blind guides, snakes, and brood of vipers. He wasn’t arguing with them; He was exposing their apostasy, and everything He said about them was true. We need wisdom and note there are times when it is wrong to cast pearls before swine. Some people just want to argue; they really aren’t looking for the truth. That is the time to dust off your shoes and walk away (Matthew 10:14).
We are here as God’s bondservants representing our Master, Jesus Christ. Remember you are a bondservant of Christ in your marriage, with your children, in all your relationships with others, especially with the body of Christ. Foolish and ignorant speculations tear down and breed quarrels. They tear down; they don’t build up. Christ came to win people, not to blow them away with His heavenly knowledge.
MINISTER TO OTHERS IN A CHRIST-LIKE MANNER.
2 Timothy 2:24-25, The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
Why does Paul warn Timothy about all this potential opposition? Because God’s people ought to be on fire for Christ, blaze for His truth, and have a concern for lost people. But how do we win them? Not by taking a flame thrower of truth and scorching them. You get really fired up for Christ and you’re ready to straighten everyone out! That’s easy to do but won’t achieve drawing them to Christ. Our goal is to win people and we need to speak the truth in love. But how do we win those who oppose our stand for the truth? First, we must realize we may not win everyone. Winning their hearts is in God’s hands. Then Paul gives us four Spirit-filled godly qualities we need to minister to difficult people.
Treat them with kindness. “Be kind to all!” Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 he was like a nursing mother caring for her own children. How does a mother change that infant’s diaper? Does she grab her baby and throw her the table? How does she give the toddler medicine? “Take this or else!” No. Mothers are kind, gentle, and consider their children’s needs. Look how Christ received children. He reached out to them, and they responded to His welcome. Children don’t run to mean old sour pusses. Jesus was kind and thoughtful of the other person’s situation. A good question is, “Do you genuinely care for others? Do they know you love them?” Most of us come up short, but we can work on being aware of those around us and encourage them with smiles and conversations. That’s why Paul had to say this.
Know how to communicate truth. “Able to teach.” This word can go in two directions or may include both. MacArthur thinks it means mainly knowing how to communicate with skill and persuasiveness. It may also mean being willing to explain and listen and being teachable. In context, it’s the opposite of being a blockheaded, stubborn, know-it-all. Have you ever met someone like that? Able to teach is knowing how to teach in a thoughtful, helpful way. The Proverbs are full of wisdom for our speech. Here are just a few verses.
Proverbs 12:18, There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 15:1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:2, The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
Patient when wronged. Keep your spiritual shock absorbers working. You’ve got to know how to handle it when people are throwing evil at you. George Whitefield experienced this regularly. His opponents threw stones, dirt, rotten eggs, and dead cats at him. A lady assaulted him with scissors and a pistol. Someone beat a drum to drown him out. Several times cattle were driven through his audience! What did Mr. Whitefield do? He just kept preaching. George Washington said about Whitefield, “Upon his lips the Gospel appears even to the coarsest of men as sweet and as true as in fact it is.”
If anything characterized Christ’s life, it was His patience when wronged. “When reviled, He did not revile in return” (1 Peter 2:23). His enemies looked for every button they could push to set Him off, but His response to those scoundrels was patience. Imagine if He had spit back when they spit on Him during his trials. Even when in agony on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.”
Gentle correction. “With gentleness correcting those in opposition.” Let’s be clear, we aren’t saying we tone down the message or change it to please people. We aren’t to turn into Marvin Milquetoast. We must speak the truth just like Nathan told David the truth and Christ told the truth to those He encountered. According to the New Testament, Christ spoke more on hell than heaven. Just like Jesus, we must handle the powerful and living Word of God with tenderness, with gentleness. Gentleness is described as power under control. And gentleness here includes correcting. We don’t ride roughshod over people’s sensitivities. We are here to win people by the grace of God, and not drive them away.
The word “correcting” is used for training children. This whole passage is tremendous counsel for parents disciplining their children. Sometimes there are hard things that need to be said, but those hard things need to be brought in truth and in gentleness. I love the way Dave Harvey in his book, When Sinners Say I Do, described helping another person with a sin problem. Never forget, “This is a soul you’re slicing open. Go very slowly, cut very gently.” Isn’t that good? Isn’t that the way you’d like people to treat you?
Galatians 6:1, Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Some people get entrenched in their errors and sins. The word “opposition” in verse 25 is a sesquipedalian word, an eight-syllable participle “antidiatithemenous.” It can mean opposing themselves. I’m reminded of when Calvin visited the Spanish heretic Michael Servetus before he was taken out and burned as a heretic in Geneva. Calvin labored to persuade Servetus to repent of his heresy. Servetus dug his heels in even harder. He denied the trinity and that Jesus was the eternal Son of God.
Gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit. First Peter 3:15 says we’re to give an answer for our hope with “gentleness and reverence.” These words are the opposite of getting irritated, worked up, or hot under the collar. It’s true, some people just want to argue for argument’s sake. They aren’t looking for God’s answers; they’re trying to defend their own unbelief and win an argument. Where did Cain get his wife? I asked that one before salvation and thought I had proved once for all the Bible was wrong. Another vain question is “How could Jonah be swallowed by a big fish?”
You may win an argument, but winning an argument and winning someone to Christ are two different things. People without Christ need new hearts to grasp the truth of the gospel. Some have sat in church for years claiming they were Christians and felt irritated even at the suggestion they might not be true Christians. Then God finally turns on their spiritual light, the arrow of conviction hits, that sense of guilt for sins overwhelms them, and they see their need for Christ.
What is their real need? They have a heart issue, not just a mind issue. Pray for them. It may be a spouse, a child, a parent, a co-worker. With gentleness, not harshness, open Scripture with them when you have opportunity. Try to win them with a gentle, loving spirit, not demanding or argumentative.
TRUST GOD TO BRING PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE.
2 Timothy 2:25-26, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
Look behind the surface human arguments and you’ll see that someone else is involved here, namely, the devil. Here is Satan’s work – getting people to oppose God’s truth. He does it by lies and deception – “You surely won’t die.” Christ reminded us that Satan is the father of lies. Paul said Satan’s representatives appear as angels of light. And John in Revelation describes Satan’s work as “deceiving the whole world.” That’s exactly what Paul is talking about here.
Satan has them intoxicated with their own sinful hearts and minds. He’s got them trapped in his snare or trap. Satan has launched numberless false gospels into the world, and people are lured and trapped by them. Of course, they don’t realize it, but you do. This is real spiritual warfare. We don’t need all kinds of weird mystical stuff to convince us of Satan’s shrewd work. Just look how many oppose and resist the simple truth of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone through faith alone. How many deny the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures, not to mention the sufficiency of God’s Word or creation of the universe in six literal days. Look how many are lured away by the health, wealth, feel-good, this is your lucky day false gospel. And under it all, look how Satan has people blinded and in love with their own sin. Satan has convinced them that the rotten fruit of sin will bring more joy and personal satisfaction than obedience to God.
Then notice in verse 25, “if perhaps God may grant them repentance.” Here is our hope in bringing the gospel to people. We can’t turn anyone’s lights on. We can’t change their hearts. Even the person can’t change his own heart. But God can and does. He is sovereign and may perhaps give repentance. This is His prerogative. And the fact is, He does give sinners repentance. He gives new hearts, He breaks hard hearts, He humbles proud hearts. God alone gives the gift of repentance which leads to the knowledge of the truth, the gospel. Salvation is of the Lord. God gives us faith, Ephesians 2:8-9. He did it for me and many of you. Once we were in darkness; now we’re in light. Charles Wesley put it so beautifully in these words.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off, my heart was free
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God should die for me?
What is the result of God’s work in your heart? You are gripped by the knowledge of the truth. You come to love the truth of God’s Word, the gospel, the cross, and Jesus Christ. You come to your senses, like the prodigal son did when he came to himself and realized his condition. You were addicted to your self-loving madness. You were the devil’s captive, but you’ve escaped from his trap. He will still seek to devour you, but you’ve escaped from his bondage. Christ by His Spirit came in and brought you out of sin’s bondage never to go back again. “To do his will” may be the devil’s will, which is what we did before we came to Christ. But it may also mean when God rescues you from the devil’s snare and you begin to do God’s will.
SO WHAT?
Before closing, where are you in the message? You might be the Lord’s bondservant and trying to win your family or friends or strangers to Christ. Remember to steer clear of foolish arguments. Or are you someone caught in the devil’s snare? Are you still resisting Christ’s call to salvation, “Come to Me all who are weary and burdened down with the guilt of sin.” Maybe you’re caught in Satan’s web of self-righteousness, thinking you’re okay just as you are. You’re doing the best you can, so surely, you’ll make it to heaven. That’s got to be one of Satan’s main deceptions and traps. “I can make it. I’m good. God won’t reject my righteousness.” Or maybe Satan has you deceived into thinking you’re too bad, too sinful, too godless to become a Christian. Or maybe Satan has you deceived into thinking that you must first clean yourself up morally, clean up your act, wash yourself up spiritually before coming to Christ. No, no, no! “Just as I am, without one plea, but that Your blood was shed for me, I come.” To every soul, every person here, may God give you repentance that embraces and believes the truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.