2 Timothy, Part Fifteen
Truth, Falsehood and Holiness
2 Timothy 2v14-15
11th September 2026
Last week, we studied a trustworthy saying that Paul shared with Timothy:
2 Timothy 2v11-13
... If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we deny him, he will also deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
He continues:
2 Timothy 2v14a
Remind them of these things.
The NIV translates "them" here as "God's people" but this is a guess. It might be correct; perhaps Paul is thinking about the Ephesian church as a whole. However, it seems more likely linguistically that he's thinking about the "reliable people" he wrote about in verse 2. It may amount to much the same thing, since the "reliable people" will teach the church. It is most important, though, that leaders and teachers in the church be reminded of the fundamental truths of the faith. Their words and their conduct will bear fruit in the church members, for good or for evil.
Paul continues:
2 Timothy 2v14b
Warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value,
and only ruins those who listen.
It is also vitally important that the leaders and the whole church are warned against quarrelling about words. Leaders lead mostly by example. It does not edify a church to hear its leaders quarrelling about anything. And it's not helpful to spend too much time debating the exact meaning of a word when we could be teaching the doctrinal truth behind that word. This is especially true if these discussions about words are being initiated by troublemakers in the church who want to introduce false doctrines. In verses 16-18, Paul will identify some of the people causing trouble by quarrelling about words. We'll think about them next time.
It's not wrong to think carefully about words, especially theologically significant words. We should be grateful to God for the valuable role of theologians who try to define theological terms as precisely as they can. On the other hand, local church leaders, who instruct and protect the people in their care, should not talk to their churches endlessly about theological niceties. Nor should they allow their churches to get distracted by things of little importance. Paul has already exhorted Timothy about this:
1 Timothy 1v3-4
... command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer
or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things
promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work –
which is by faith.
1 Timothy 1v6-7
Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are
talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
1 Timothy 4v7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather,
train yourself to be godly.
1 Timothy 6v3-5
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction
of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy
interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy,
strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been
robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial
gain.
Words matter. How we spend our time matters. The effect we have on others matters. Paul urges Timothy not to get involved in quarrelling about words but instead to:
2 Timothy 2v15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does
not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
It is a dreadful thing to be a pastor of whom God does not approve. A pastor's appointment must be approved by God, and His conduct must be approved by God. Anybody who aspires to church leadership should first be as sure as he can that he is called by God to lead. He should search his own heart, looking for any selfish reason why he wants to be a leader, and repent. He should ask several trusted, mature Christians for advice. He should pray sincerely, over a period of time, seeking God's guidance. When a pastor has been appointed, he should do his best, serving God and His people diligently with a sincere heart.
Of course, this also applies to all Christians. We should all seek God's approval, we should all avoid doing or saying things that make us ashamed. We should all do our best to serve our Saviour and Lord.
Paul gives Timothy two attributes of a pastor who know the approval of God. He must not need to be ashamed and he much correctly handle the word of truth. If a pastor continues in a sin - openly or hidden - then, as Moses warned the leaders of Gad and Reuben:
Numbers 2v15
you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin
will find you out.
A pastor must correctly handle the word of truth.
This verse has been misunderstood by some, because the King James version speaks of "rightly dividing the word of truth" and some have tried to use it justify chopping the Bible up into different "dispensations". However, the Greek word orthotomeo, translated as "correctly handling" or "rightly dividing" here means "to cut straight". A builder of roads would be advised to make his road straight. A tailor would try to cut his cloth accurately, according to the given pattern. A pastor is to cut straight when teaching the word of God - to explain what it means, without deviating from the truth in any way.
These are the two most important characteristics of a Godly pastor: he lives a holy life, and he teaches the Bible carefully and accurately, being faithful to the text and not introducing non-biblical ideas. May we teach the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. So help us, God.