A Faithful servant REMEMBERS… (7 points)

• 1^st – REMINDED not to fight… vs. 14
  • REMIND (present / imperative) them of these things…
    • Paul is going to give us seven things that we are to DAILY remind each other about…
    • They all have to do with the Word of God – our DAILY WALK with God!
  • 1^st – CHARGE before the Lord – NOT to STRIVE about words…
    • CHARGE – diamartyromai – word that means to SHOW through our EXAMPLE…
    • We are to SHOW others – NOT to STRIVE about words that have NO USE…
    • STRIVE – only here NT – to FIGHT over WORDS that have no PROFIT…
    • Because when we FIGHT over WORDS it will RUIN those who hear…
    • RUIN – katastrophē – the results of our arguments are catastrophic!
    • There is no benefit to fighting over words / ARGUING about ideas…
    • In fact those who try and ARGUE words / ideas often do catastrophic damage…
    • Because the ARGUING can RUIN the FAITH of those who are listening…
    • There are a couple of possibilities about what Paul is talking about here!
  • 2^nd – Paul could be talking about ARGUING over non-essential doctrines…
    • We DO stand up for the KEY doctrines of the Bible – those we fight for!
    • The doctrine of the TRINITY – the DEITY of Jesus – salvation through Christ alone!
    • However there are a LOT of non-essential doctrines – do NOT keep us out of heaven…
    • Will the rapture be PRE / MID / or POST tribulation – use of the GIFTS of the Spirit!
    • When we ARGUE with believers about non-essential doctrines in the Word…
    • We are acting in pride – trying to prove our ideas are right / others wrong…
    • But we do not know who might be listening – perhaps a young believer…
    • And our arguing can confuse them – seeing Christians FIGHT…
    • And it can cause these new believers to doubt their FAITH / doubt Jesus!
  • 3^rd – Paul also might be talking about ARGUING in general…
    • Dads – when we come home and ARGUE with our wives / the kids are watching…
    • Our when older brothers ARGUE with each other / their younger siblings listen…
    • And our ARGUMENT / our hurtful words – can do catastrophic damage…
    • Rather than be an example for Jesus – we instead can destroy the FAITH of others!
    • James 1:20 – “The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

• 2^nd – REMINDED to study… vs. 15
  • 1^st – REMINDED to be DILIGENT (imperative)…
    • DILIGENT – to put in effort – to make a priority…
    • What are we to put EFFORT into – make a PRIORITY – STUDY the Word!
    • We need to REMIND each other how important it is to study the Word of God…
    • Not that God needs us to have a degree – a diploma from a seminary…
    • But it is certainly to our advantage to be students of the Word!
  • 2^nd – So we can present ourselves APPROVED by God…
    • APPROVED – dokimos – to test to see if something in genuine…
      • In Bible times there was no paper currency – all the money was precious metals…
      • As a result – people would shave / steal the edges of a gold / silver coins…
      • But there were HONEST men who would make sure their coins were full weight…
      • They were called dokimos – they PROVED who they were by their ACTIONS!
    • How to be APPROVED by God…
      • If we want to get a good grade in school – we have to study…
      • Our teacher is not going to APPROVE if we are always goofing off!
      • In the same way we show we are SERIOUS about our faith by studying the Word!
  • 3^rd – So we can be a worker who does NOT need to be ASHAMED…
    • We labor in the word – so we are not embarrassed…
    • Because we never know when you might have an opportunity to share the Gospel…
    • If we are unsure of ourselves in the Word of God – our hope of Jesus…
    • We are not going to be very effective – we are going to be embarrassed when asked…
    • So get to know our Bible – know how to find important verses – be prepared!
    • I Peter 3:15 – “If you are asked about your hope, always be ready to explain it.”
  • 4^th – So we can RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word of TRUTH…
    • RIGHTLY DIVIDE – only here NT – to cut straight with a sharp sword…
      • Hebrews 4:12 – “The word of God is living and powerful, and SHARPER than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
      • The Bible is a VERY dangerous weapon – it is so powerful it can separate the inseparable…
      • It can divide the soul / spirit – joints / marrow – thought / intents of the heart…
      • If we are NOT careful how we use it – we can do a LOT of damage with it!
      • When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane – Peter tried to defend him…
      • He took his sword and cut off the ear Malchus – the servant of the High Priest…
      • When we take the Word of God – and try to use it against others – we cut off ears!
      • Too often I have seen people use the Bible to attack others…
      • Using the Word of God to condemn – beat up others with their sinfulness…
      • In doing so people learn to NOT listen to the Bible – they get their ears cut off!
      • The good news – Jesus is in the business of reattaching ears!
    • When we RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word of Truth – we cut STRAIGHT…
      • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall make STRAIGHT your paths.”
      • People have a lot of funny ideas about the Bible – but they are just their OPINIONS…
      • The world does not need another OPINION – it needs the TRUTH!
      • We need to be able to correctly interpret the Bible – teach them about Jesus!
      • So people can be TRUST in the Lord – so he can make their paths STRAIGHT!
        
        
• 3^rd – REMINDED to avoid foolish conversations… vs. 16-18
  • 1^st – Shun profane and idle babblings… vs. 16-17
    • SHUN (present / imperative) – to turn your back towards something…
      • PROFANE (worldly) and idle BABBLINGS – literally empty sounds!
      • The foolish nonsense people in the world come up with – EMPTY words!
      • If someone has an HONEST question about their FAITH – then we want to answer it…
      • More often than not they are not asking questions – they are baiting an argument!
      • People who are just looking to trap us in FOOLISH conversations – WALK AWAY…
      • We are literally COMMANDED to turn our backs on them!
    • SHUN them – FOR they will increase to MORE UNGODLINESS…
      • FOR – speaking of the end result of their conversation…
      • MORE UNGODLINESS – an open irreverence and rebellion against God…
      • You may have noticed that if you tell someone GOOD news – it stops there…
      • But a piece of BAD news quickly becomes JUICY GOSSIP and spreads!
    • Their message spreads like CANCER…
      • CANCER – gangraina – where we get the word gangrene…
      • Gangrene is a type of tissue necrosis – where your skin begins to die…
      • It will spread quickly devouring all healthy tissue – until it kills the person…
      • The only cure – is to CUT OFF – the infected portion of the body!
      • These people who spread profane and idle babblings – are seeking to destroy FAITH…
      • They desire to being confusion and doubt to the Word of God…
      • Therefore like a diseased limb – we CUT THEM OFF – in order or save the body!
  • 2^nd – Paul gave the example of Hymenaeus and Philetus…
    • Hymenaeus – named after the Greek god of marriage…
      • Philetus – beloved – one of the disciples of Hymenaeus…
      • These men had STRAYED from THE TRUTH – saying the resurrection already occurred…
      • In other words Jesus had already come back – and we all missed the rapture!
    • STRAYED – to miss the mark – shooting for a target but missing it completely…
      • Instead of teaching the Word – these men STRAYED and taught their own ideas…
      • And their IDLE babblings – were destroying the faith of some believers!
      • Williams Miller was a minister in the 1800s – said Jesus was coming in the year 1844… 
      • People sold everything to prepare – Jesus did not come – the GREAT disappointment!
      • Misinterpreting the Bible can lead to us being VERY confused…
      • But we are not given the Word of God so we know WHEN Jesus will return…
      • We are given His Word – so we know HOW to live our lives – UNTIL He returns!
      • And if people had known their Bibles – they would never have listened to Hymenaeus!
      • Mark 13:32 – “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen.”

• 4^th – REMINDED who we are… vs. 19
  • 1^st – Nevertheless – the FOUNDATION of God stands (perfect) strong (stereos) …
    • What is the FOUNDATION – this SEAL – the Lord knows those that are His!
      • SEAL – 16x in NT – fourteen times in the book of Revelation…
      • SEAL – that ONLY Jesus Christ has the power to open – Revelation 2:5 
      • SEAL – so powerful that satan will be bound by it for 1000 years – Revelation 20:3
      • Meaning that although there are going to be people who walk away from the church…
      • Such as Hymenaeus and Philetus – and those who followed their false doctrines…
      • It will ONLY be those who are not SEALED – because Jesus knows those that are His…
      • God KNOWS everything – so He KNOWS those who are going to get to heaven!
    • We might look at someone and think – well they are not going to make it…
      • I think of Sampson – who did not do on un-selfish thing in his whole life!
• Yet – Hebrews 11 – list him among the great men of faith in the Old Testament!

• Or we might look at someone and think – for sure they are going to make it…
• They are always at church – they are always helping out others!
• Matthew 7:22 – “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord’… and then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you’.”
• We do not see the heart…
  • I Samuel 16:7 – “People judge by outward appearance, the LORD looks at the heart.”
  • We need to be careful not to judge people – whether they are saved or not…
  • We are not called to DECIDE who makes it to heaven – we just INVITE everyone to come!
• 2^nd – Everyone who calls on Christ…
  • Let everyone who names the name of Christ – DEPART (imperative) from iniquity…
    • If we SAY we have faith in Jesus – it should be SHOWN in how we live our lives…
    • Not that we are perfect – but we DEPART from iniquity (open lifestyle of sin) …
    • Our lives after we believe in Jesus should also be different – changed!
  • It is easy to say we have FAITH and believe in Jesus – but the proof is in our actions…
    • James 2:17-18 – “I cannot see your faith if you do not have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.”
    • If we say we are Christians – but still live like the world – do we really have faith…
    • We can call ourselves Christians – but are continually to living in sin – are we really…
    • Only God knows the heart – we do not know – but be sure God does!

• 5^th – REMINDED where we live… vs. 20-21
  • 1^st – In a GREAT HOUSE there are many POTS… vs. 20
    • Some are made of Gold and Silver – others of wood and CLAY…
    • There are POTS meant to HONOR and others meant for DISHONOR…
    • There are SPECIAL POTS – the fine china and silverware used for very important occasions…
    • Then there are the are ordinary POTS – used for every occasion – like in the bathroom!
    • It is the same in the HOUSE of God – we get to choose what kind of POT we want to be…
    • God is going to use our lives no matter what – but how will He use us…
    • Are we going to be special POTS used for extraordinary purposes – or ordinary POTS!
  • 2^nd – How do we choose to be a SPECIAL POT… vs. 21
    • If anyone CLEANSES (subjunctive) himself from THESE – he will be a vessel of honor…
      • CLEANSES – from the root word to PRUNE – used in John 15…
      • John 15:2 – “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
      • If we cut away THESE – iniquity – the sin that seeks to temp us – Hebrews 12:1
      • We will be SANCTIFIED (perfect) – HOLY – useful to the Master…
      • Prepared for every GOOD (agathos – internally good) work – we will be SPECIAL POTS!
    • During the course of a day POT get dirty from interacting with the world…
      • We pick up dirt on our feet as we walk / sweat / get dirt on our hands…
      • The way to clean yourself when you are dirty – is to wash up with a bar of soap!
      • In the same way when we get dirty spiritually from being in the world…
      • Perhaps an image we see on TV – or something we hear someone say…
      • It gets in our head – perhaps temps our heart – and makes us unclean!
    • The solution is to use a spiritual bar of soap to clean ourselves up!
      • John 15:3 – “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
      • The way that God CLEANS us up is by washing us in the water of the Word!
      • Because His Word convicts us of our sin – shows us right from wrong…
      • If we feel like you are covered with the filth of this world – take a Bible bath!
      • And we will become HOLY – prepared for EVERY good work – a SPECIAL POT!

• 6^th – REMINDED to flee… vs. 22
  • 1^st – FLEE (present / imperative) – youthful lusts…
    • Ephesus – where young Timothy was a pastor – was a very immoral city…
      • On the main walkway in Ephesus – between the Theatre and Celsus library…
      • There is a foot carved into the road – pointing the way to the local brothel!
      • Flee youthful lusts – if you think we will compromise – stay away!
      • Do not be alone with a girl – do not go into a room by yourself – stay in public…
      • It is not worth a little pleasure – to risk falling into sin – risk our walk with God!
    • If we do not run – we will give into sin…
      • King David learned this with his affair with Bathsheba – II Samuel 11:2
      • He had seen – an unusually beautiful woman – taking a bath…
      • He should have looked away right then – but instead he kept looking…
      • Then the looking was not enough – he had to have her (she was already married)
      • He ended up having an affair – then murdering her husband to cover it up!
      • We like to think we are strong – that we will make the right decisions…
      • It only takes one moment of weakness – to make a very poor choice…
      • Be wise – be smart – keep your guard up / and run when temptation comes!
  • 2^nd – What we run towards…
    • It is not just running AWAY from youthful lusts – we run TOWARDS…
      • RIGHTEOUSNESS – NOUN – the PATH that leads to Jesus…
      • FAITH – NOUN –the KEY that opens up the door to living for Jesus…
      • LOVE – NOUN – the REASON why we chose this path – because of the Love of Jesus…
      • PEACE – NOUN – speaks of the RESULT of running towards Jesus!
      • John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
      • We do not just run away from sin – run towards Jesus…
      • Because only in Jesus do we have the power to overcome our desire to sin!
      • Only He can change our heart allowing us to live a righteous life!
    • WITH THOSE – who call on the Lord will a PURE heart!
      • When we run towards Jesus – we do not run alone…
      • Everyone else who calls on the Lord out of a PURE heart – is running with us!

We have the key to set them free – and we need to humbly give it to them! blesses us…

7^th – REMINDED to be patient… vs. 23-26

1^st – AVOID (present / imperative) – FOOLISH and UNLEARNED questions… vs. 23

FOOLISH – mōros – questions that are so obvious they should not be asked…

A FOOLISH question would be – do we have to obey what Jesus says in the Bible…

Matthew 7:26 – “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish [same word] man who built his house on the sand… the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

UNLEARNED – only here NT – from the root meaning to TRAIN a child…

The suggestion is a question that comes from someone who does NOT belong to the Lord…

Hebrews 12:6 – “Whom the LORD loves He chastens [same root word], and scourges every son whom He receives…”

Meaning someone who has UNLEARNED – is not a true SON in the FAITH!

We AVOID these kind of questions – because we KNOW they only cause STRIFE…

I have on occasion gotten involved in online – DISCUSSIONS – with people…

They asked FOOLISH and UNLEARNED questions – what day of the week do we worship…

More often than not the conversation devolves – it just ends up causing STRIFE!

2^nd – The SERVANT of the Lord… vs. 24-26

The SERVANT of the Lord must NOT quarrel…

QUARREL – verb form of same word from verse 23 – to cause STRIFE…

If we are not to cause STRIFE – how do we deal with FOOLISH / UNLEARNED questions!

Paul gives us three ADJECTIVES that describe our response!

GENTLE unto all – 2x in NT – used to describe a mother to a newborn child…

ABLE to TEACH – 2x in NT – having the ability to RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word…

PATIENT – only here NT – willing to endure evil that is hurled at us!

In other words we are NOT reactive towards those who ask FOOLISH questions…

We are PATIENT with them – recognizing they are NOT mature / or NOT saved…

And take the time to work through the Bible to instructs them in the TRUTH!

WHY – that God MIGHT grant them repentance…

Coming to them in HUMILITY (meekness) – not relying on our power…

We INSTRUCT those who oppose themselves – so they are no longer UNLEARNED…

HOPING – God will grant them repentance (subjunctive) – a change of heart…

So that they may KNOW – epignōsis – complete understanding of THE TRUTH!

Then they will ESCAPE the snare of the devil…

Come to their SENSES (subjunctive) – to become SOBER – no longer deceived…

And ESCAPE the SNARE of the devil – who has taken them CAPTIVE (perfect) to do his will!

We are in a battle for the hearts of minds of those who do not know Jesus!

Satan has put a lot of arguments in the world to keep people from seeing Jesus…

Every one of them with only one purpose – meant to keep men from heaven!

Those who are blinded by satan to the message of the Gospel – II Corinthians 4:4