Responding to Opponents
2 Timothy 2:14-26
Paul has a great word of instruction in these set of verses on (1) who we are to be; (2) who we are not to be; and (3) how we are to respond to those who ARE who we are not to be. (Was that confusing enough for you?)
First: who are we supposed to be? “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” (vs. 15) In vs. 21 he also says this: “So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” We are to pursue that which would transform us into something which would be pleasing and useful to the Lord!
Second: who are we not to be? We are not to be someone who fights about words (vs. 14); someone who is guilty of irreverent, empty speech (vs. 16); nor someone who loves to quarrel (vs. 24). Those who just LOVE to debate about trivial matters are not people we are to pattern our lives after. In fact, we are to avoid the example of those people like the plague!
Third: how are we to respond to those who ARE who we are not to be? “The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness…” (vs. 24-25a) The way we respond to our opponents will speak VOLUMES about what we believe and what our purpose in interacting with them is. Paul told Timothy this: “…Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.” (vs. 25b-26) Our desire should be to bring our opponents into a right relationship with Jesus! If we are interacting with them for any other reason, we are engaging them for the wrong purpose! Connecting people (NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE) to Jesus should be the motivation behind anything and everything we do! Not everyone will respond favorably to Jesus. Nevertheless, our responsibility is to gently, patiently, and lovingly interact with them in the hopes of leading them into the truth!
As I write this blog today, I can’t help but think of how this applies to the current controversy surrounding the release of Rob Bell’s new book: Love Wins. While I would not say that the topic falls under the category of a “fight over words”–because the issue has TREMENDOUS significance–I do wonder if the Christian response to Bell has been “gentle, patient, and loving.” Some individuals whose responses I have read could be classified as such; others, however, could not. My prayer is that all of us would respond to everyone in such a way that “…they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.”
Soli Deo gloria
