Able To
Teach 05-27-16
2 Timothy 2:24-25 (ESV) 24 And the Lord’s
servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently
enduring evil,
25 correcting his
opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a
knowledge of the truth,
My thoughts today.
If you read from the fourteenth verse of
Second Timothy 2, the context will hopefully clear up my mental
processes today. A well known radio commentator used to describe it as "a skull
full of mush." (smile) Pay particular attention to verse 21. In context that
verse is speaking to a self imposed "cleansing." Not a cleansing from sin or bad
habits, but from doctrinal error and false teaching. With that in mind, allow me
to share my thoughts today.
I read about three or four news articles
today and the descent into anger and frustration was rapid and decisive. You
would think that I would eventually learn, but alas, I am afraid that I am
hopelessly captive to the headlines. (big smile)
At any rate, it seemed to me that the
aforementioned articles were more of an attempt at appeasement, as opposed to
tolerance.
Appeasement- placation, concession,
pacification. A diplomatic policy of making material or political concessions to
an enemy power in order to avoid conflict.
The articles, having spiritual
overtones were not political in nature but the concept of concession and
placation are the same. Concessions in order to avoid conflict.
All that being said, it was not the
articles, but a REPLY to the last article that provoked the message today. The
article in question referred to a particularly heinous act done in the name of
religion. There were hundreds of replies, but I read only one. The very first
one.
Have you ever read something that angered
you? I don't mean irritated, I mean really ......off? Well, this replier had had
enough and he let loose. He mentioned something about "if they wanted a war,
then let's give them a war." Except those were not the words that he chose to
express his anger and frustration.
Well, as I read the outburst I could feel
the indignation rising up in me. I agreed with this reader's reaction and I
AGREED FULLY AND HEARTILY! They want a war, let's give them a war!! Except those
were not the words that were going through my mind either. As I began
considering"taking it to the street" the title verse came like a ticker tape
across my mind's eye. Look again.
2 Timothy 2:24-25 (ESV) 24 And the Lord’s
servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently
enduring evil,
25 correcting his
opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a
knowledge of the truth,
Hmmmmm.......
Before going on, look at this. At no
point in this section of Scripture is God advocating a tolerance or appeasement
of false teaching or doctrinal error. Nope.
as a matter of fact here and in Romans 9 Paul uses the
terms honorable and dishonorable in similar contexts. But, don't let me get
bogged down here.
What hit me in this passage were the
phrases "Lord's servant" and "able to teach." I went to a commentary and read
about what it meant to be able to teach. That phrase emphasizes disposition or
attitude as much as it does skill. It is possible to teach the RIGHT THINGS IN
THE WRONG WAY.
One thing I have learned over the years
is that no one has all the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (ESV) 9 For we know in
part and we prophesy in part,
10 but
when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
You see the problem in our land today is
not a difference of interpretation on the Scriptures. Not at all. Rather, it is
an appeasement to an assault on the validity and truth of God's Word.
The Bible says we are to endure evil, not
placate it. It says we are to correct our opponents in gentleness, not beat them
over the head with God's Word or worse,...argue them to death. Yes, there is I
believe a time for public confrontation, but it must be led by the Holy Spirit .
I also believe that not everyone is called to that type of confrontation. Got to
be very cautious when deciding to "take it to the street."
However, let us, especially me, not fall
prey to that spirit or idea of appeasement. History teaches us that concession
does not work. Compromise? O.K. Appeasement? No way. If it does not work in our
physical world, do you think it will work against the enemy of our souls? Just
sayin' The Apostle Paul puts it this way.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 (ESV) 14 But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom
you learned it
15 and how from
childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Continue in what you have learned and
have firmly believed.
Psalm 119:44-45 (ESV) 44 I will keep
your law continually, forever and ever,
45 and I shall
walk in a wide place, for I have sought your
precepts.
God Bless
No comments:
Post a Comment