Oct 8 Avoid profane chatter

oct-8-2ti2-16-avoid-foolishness2 Tim 2:16 “But avoid ~~ profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness,”

The believer is to accurately understand the meaning of God’s word and teach it with clarity (2 Tim 2:15), avoiding “profane chatter” with those who are willing to accept false ideas, myths, or stories of angelic encounters that lead them to views that differ from the text itself.

When people are unwilling to limit their knowledge of God and truth to the recorded, inspired, and inerrant word of God, they will argue that their “miraculous” experiences are genuinely from God.

False teachers always look for impressive and convincing experiences that cannot be analyzed or confirmed, but give the impression of the spiritual privilege.

Paul advised Titus to be careful of these same issues: “Shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9). Certain conversations with false teachers are to be avoided.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Tim 4:7), and “Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (6:20).

Arguing over validity of dreams and impressions is useless.

In 2 Timothy 2:16, Paul is instructing believers about how to deal with heretical views that distort biblical truth, which if allowed to become the subject of discussions throughout the church will “lead to further ungodliness,” or “lack of reverence, neglect or violations” of God’s commands.

When these views are entertained, there is less interest in discovering the true meaning of Scripture and obeying what it says. Christians who are weak in the faith might feel that these ideas are better than Scripture. This is dangerous! Peter faced a similar problem: “Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned” (2 Tim 2:2).

Small errors in understanding can lead to broad deviations in practice.

Some Christian institutions, once biblical in their beliefs, have become distorted by false doctrine. Such popular and appealing concepts become viral and “will spread like gangrene” (1 Tim 2:17). We must always work to protect God’s word.

“Lord, I get confused at times with all the differing opinions about some interpretations of Your word and the passion with which some argue their point. Help me to only be persuaded by the clear meaning of Your word, not by men.” 

 

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