Gentle Instruction

Introduction

Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last several months, you know that we are in the middle of the primary season to determine who will be the next president of the United States. My personal opinion is that having elections every 4 years is adding to the global warming issue—too much hot air. Some in this room have experienced more presidential elections than I have but there is one thing that is true in every presidential election I have seen. Much of what is discussed falls under the broad heading of “stupid and foolish arguments.” If there is any substance to a political candidate, one should take the time to read platform statements and not listen to a speech. Political speeches are designed to sway listeners at a particular time and place. Rarely do they have any substance. Campaign speeches are more like pep rallies than they are to speak about anything of substance.

I remember being in college having a great debate in my senior comprehensive Bible class about such matters as “Is there anything that God cannot forgive?” and “Can God create a rock so big, he cannot lift it?” Deep discussions. Fruitless discussions. So it is in our text today. Paul tells Timothy again to avoid fruitless discussions. But in telling him to avoid such discussions he also emphasizes the importance of being able to discern the difference between a discussion that is fruitless and one that is not. That isn’t always easy to do. As Paul writes in verse 15 of our text, Timothy needs to be able to correctly handle the word of truth. So do we. How do we do that? Let’s learn today.

The Text

Paul instructs Timothy to remain committed to teaching God’s truth. As we have noted, part of the difficulty in Ephesus is that false teachers have persuaded some to leave the faith. These false teachers have been particularly demoralizing to Timothy. Perhaps Timothy has tried to talk with them. Perhaps he has even debated (as first century culture encouraged). While we do not know the specifics, Paul is very concerned that Timothy will spend his time trying engaging in fruitless conversations rather than encouraging the saints and seeking to bring hope to those who have turned away from the faith.

So Timothy is to keep reminding “them” of these things. The them probably goes back to verse 2. Timothy has been equipping other men for teaching. So he is to remind them of the truth to endure and persevere. And they are to avoid meaningless discussions with those who have left the faith. The attempt of some to destroy faith has not changed what is absolutely true. God knows who belong to him and those who belong to him are to turn away from evil.

In verses 20-21, Paul encourages Timothy to not allow himself to get dragged down into the dirt by having such discussions. He is a vessel that is to be used for noble purposes. Timothy’s work is too important to get sidetracked. He is to focus then on doing good works.

And in verse 24, Paul tells us all what we are to be doing with our lives. We are to be kind to all, and to gently instruct others because a gentle message may lead another to repentance.

Application

When I was in high school, I had a teacher named Ben Brown. Ben had a Ph.D. in something. He was at that time the only Ph.D. teaching in public high school in the state of Tennessee. Ben taught Algebra II and Trigonometry. He was to say the least a smart man. But extremely down to earth. Ben would spend several years teaching and then take a break and work in the corporate world for a while where he could make enough money to live on when he went back to teaching. He was on the cutting edge of computer technology as it existed in the late 1970s.

Ben could make math come alive. But he would talk to us about more than just math. Ben was a believer. So he would talk to us about life, the future, and priorities. While I have long since forgotten the math, I have never forgotten one of his life’s lessons. He would say something like “Baldwin, you are working too hard to try to figure this stuff out. Just remember that 2 + 2 = 4. You don’t have to remember that it doesn’t equal 5, 6, or even 3. Just remember what it does equal and then forget about everything else.”

That may not seem so profound but it has served me well over the years. Because it is a life lesson as well. If we know the truth, then we don’t have to remember what the truth isn’t. That is what it means to handle the word of truth. Timothy didn’t have a Bible. He had the OT scriptures and certainly those may be included. But what Paul is reminding him to do is what he has already said back in verse 2. Remember what you heard me say. That was the word of truth. Keep God’s truth in mind. Don’t be fooled into listening, believing, or even arguing about something else.

Was Timothy just to remain silent when Hymenaeus taught against truth? Paul tells us all what we are to do. We are not to quarrel. No need for it. We know that 2 + 2 = 4; we don’t have to argue the point. Instead be kind to everyone. Don’t be resentful. No need to talk about Hymenaeus. No need to grumble about what he is doing. Instead gently teach the truth. No need to raise your voice. No need to demand that everyone see it your way. Be kind. Gently instruct. And God will give them opportunity to repent. In time, people may come to their senses.

Arguing will not convince anyone. Shouting the truth will not win anyone. But gently instructing. Being kind. Not talking badly about another. This will produce the greatest opportunity to learn and to be convinced. Do we need to know the truth? Absolutely. We study so that we can know the truth. We think about truth so that it becomes a part of us. But when we hear another say that 2 + 2 = 5, we don’t have to tear them down. We don’t have to speak against them. We don’t have to engage in a fruitless argument. But with great kindness and a gentle spirit we instruct about the truth.

Someone says, I don’t know how to talk to another person about doctrinal matters. We need to learn doctrine. But what really helps people to be open to truth is when we treat them with kindness and we have a gentle spirit and we remind them that God loves them; that Jesus died for them; that God wants to give them real life; that living for God brings more joy than you have ever known before. These are truths that will lead to repentance.

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