Rightly Dividing or Wrongly Fighting? (an article by Rev. Steven Warhurst – Steve is the Associate Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Kingsport, Tennessee. He is married to Susan and is a father to seven children.)
Some things are worth arguing about. You should fight for the truth. You should defend the faith. In a world gone mad, where lies, heresies, and worldliness surround us on every side, you do not have to look far to find a foe. So much is wrong with the church and the world, the feisty warrior has much to keep him busy.
Some people, however, just like to argue, and they will argue about nothing and everything. They criticize people for what they say and for what they do not say. They pick specks out of the eyes of everyone around them, while whacking everyone in the head with the logs hanging out of their own eyeballs. Timothy was dealing with just such a crowd at Ephesus. They loved to argue about words and enter into foolish and ignorant disputes. So Paul wrote to Timothy teaching him how to deal with petty self-proclaimed preachers, persnickety parishioners, and plain false prophets (2 Tim 2:14-26). What do you do when they park their unpleasantness in the church’s pews?
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. [2 Timothy 2:14-26, KJV]
How Not to Engage in Foolish Disputes
When the wranglers start wrangling, do not even engage them in their foolish and ignorant disputes. Warn them before God to stop fighting and wrangling about words, which is unprofitable, and ruins those who enter the fray (v.14). Furthermore, do not let the wranglers rope you into the dispute. Wranglers often lasso knowledgeable Christians, who feel the need to correct every error that arises in the church. Oh, it is hard to resist when they start to spout their folly, but sometimes you need to let it go. Is it that important? Can you overlook it? Is this the time or the place? The servant of God picks his battles wisely, for if you correct every petty error that comes to your attention, foolish and ignorant disputes will become your pastime, something Paul said to avoid (v.23).
Correct Your Own Errors
Paul told Timothy to invest his energy elsewhere, diligently making sure that God was pleased with his own doctrine and ministry. Instead of engaging in disputes where he became the corrector of everybody’s errors, he was to make sure he did not have any errors of his own. He was to be diligent to present Himself to God for approval, rightly dividing the word of truth (v.15). Once the servant of God rightly understands the word of truth, he is then prepared to handle the babblers. He will have nothing to be ashamed of before his opponents, because he is assured of God’s approval, the only approval that ultimately matters.
Seek God’s Approval
Having God’s approval, however, is no guarantee his opponents will approve. The minister of the gospel will never be able to please everybody, so he should not try. He should be diligent to present himself as a worker approved by God, this is sufficient. Now, this is no excuse for laziness. Being diligent to present yourself approved to God; means you are, well, being diligent. You are a workman — working hard to understand the word of truth, reading the commentaries, using the languages and lexicons, taking time to do the hard work of meditating on the text, and applying it to your own life and family.
Pursue Diligent Study
If you are diligent in your study, laboring hard to rightly divide the word of truth, then you will not have time to get involved in the profane and idle babblings of the silly scholastics. This does not mean the vain babblers are left to spread their cancerous teachings that devour the souls of men. Some things should not be overlooked. You should confront them with the Word of God, a Word that has been rightly divided, the fruit of diligent study.
Leave Your Pride at Home
The confrontation should not be a clash of attitudes and egos. Leave your pride behind when you draw the sword of truth and face the babblers. Your temper will do no good. Quarreling arrogance will not help the situation. Your impatience with their folly will not persuade them. God is the one who grants repentance. God alone can deliver souls from the snare of the devil. So, leave the changing of hearts to Him; you do the work of the Lord’s servant (v.25-26).
Confronting False Teaching
The stakes are high when you confront false teaching in the church. Your opponents may question even the basic doctrines of the faith — Timothy’s babblers denied a future resurrection. Their false teachings overturned the faith of some (v.18). Their foolish babblings threatened the souls of men. Surely this was a time to rage, a time to pound the fist, a time for harshness. No, the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all (v.24). Do not think your rage will achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20). Deal gently with all and teach. You can teach. You must teach. They will quarrel, they will wrangle, your patience will be tried, but the way of the Lord’s servant is to patiently instruct those who are in opposition to the truth (v.24).
They will want to make their case. Let them. Humbly listen to their arguments. Make sure you understand all they say. Know their case better than they do. State it back to them with the same persuasiveness they used when they spoke to you, and then show them where they err. Correct them with the Scriptures. Having patiently taught and humbly corrected your opponents, call upon God who alone can change the mind of a vain babbler. Perhaps God will grant them repentance. Perhaps they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil that binds them in darkness (v.26). The serpent has captured them, using them to do his will. You cannot free them. Only God can take the sword of truth and cut the chains that bind them. Beg Him to do so.
This article was first published in Every Thought Captive magazine, 2010.