We continue this session moving through the book of 2 Timothy with Joby Martin on RightNowMedia. In this session a couple things we are out to touch on
- As Christians, we are called to honor God by speaking words of truth and love, and by avoiding words that tear others down.
- To know that our words carry great power to build others up or tear them down.
- To feel convicted by the careless words we speak.\
- To speak words that align with God’s holy standard.
Thinking back over your life, what words were spoken to you, either positive or negative, that you still remember? Why have those words stuck with you?
A Worker Approved by God
14Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” – 2 Timothy 2:14-19 ESV
Words are powerful. All throughout the Scriptures, the biblical authors go to great lengths to convince readers that our words are significant not only in what they accomplish, both good and bad, but also in what they reveal about our heart posture. In today’s session, Joby will help us see God’s expectations for the way we speak.
Watch Session 3: 2 Timothy 2:14–19 (11 minutes).
In this passage, Paul gives instructions to Timothy on his (and others’) use of words, which could seem like a minor, or at least secondary, issue to address. So, Joby asked, “Why would he go there so fast?” Answering his own question, Joby cited the books of Proverbs and James to communicate the power of words. When have you been met with the power of words? Have you ever been on the receiving end of powerful words that were unkind? What was that like?
Have you ever delivered unkind words? What prompted you to speak those words?
Why do you think words have the potential to carry such force?
Joby also referenced Matthew 12:34, where Jesus says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” So, words don’t merely have the capacity to deliver force, they also serve as a mirror into the human heart. What does the pattern of your words reveal about your own heart?
Once he established the foundation that words are powerful and revealing, Joby said, “Every word we speak matters.” What difference does it make to know that every single word we say matters? What would it look like to consider the weight of your words more intentionally?
In verse 14, Paul instructs Timothy to “remind [the church] of these things.” Thinking back to the last session on 2 Timothy 2:1–13, what things is Paul telling Timothy to remind the church of?
Why do we need to be reminded of the gospel and its implications so frequently? How often do you remind yourself and others of “these things”?
Paul goes on, saying “charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.” Paul’s phrasing could also be understood to mean “don’t bicker” or don’t “dispute about trivial things.” What trivial things do we tend to bicker about? Why do you think we can be prone to quarreling?
What can we do to prevent ourselves from bickering about things that aren’t ultimately all that important?
Joby commented on the second half of verse 14, saying that the way we speak to others impacts their lives. Then he posed a series of questions worthy of discussion: If you have kids, how do you speak to them? How do you speak to your friends? How do you speak to your family?
Because our words are so important, we should not only refrain from using quarrelsome words but should actively use words that bring life. What can you do to speak words of life to the people around you?
Instead of taking part in quarrelsome speech, Paul tells Timothy to work hard at obeying and speaking the truth. When it comes to obeying God, would you say you work hard to do your best? Do you “make every effort,” as some translations say, to speak only words that align with God’s standard? What could it look like if we all did our best to obey God fully?
In verse 16, Paul insists again that Timothy is to avoid careless speech, this time calling it “irreverent babble.” And it’s here where Joby took aim at social media. To what degree is your social media a platform where irreverent babble takes place? What precautions do you have in place that keep you from taking part in the babble yourself?
The irreverent babble that Paul condemns, he says, “leads people into more and more ungodliness.” How can we ensure that our words lead people toward godliness and not ungodliness? If we do encounter irreverent babble, what can we do to make sure it doesn’t spread?
One of the themes of Paul’s understanding of words and their importance is the way they can affect other people. In verse 14 he described how quarrelsome words “ruin the hearers”; in verse 16 he said that irreverent babble would “lead people into…ungodliness”; and in verse 18, speaking of Hymenaeus and Philetus, he said their words “are upsetting the faith of some.” It seems, then, that our words are a significant way in which we can love our neighbors. How can you actively use your words as a means of loving your neighbor?
In verse 19, Paul ends this section of his letter with a sentence that sums up the logic of his argument. To paraphrase, he tells Timothy: Those who belong to God must flee the wrongdoing Paul has just outlined above. How can you make yourself more sensitive to the sin of quarrelsome, irreverent speech? What can you do today to resist the temptation to use careless words?