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2 Timothy 2:14 - Thoughts on "quareling about words"

Good afternoon saints

Now that we have finished the first time through Proverbs, we will be changing the pattern back to 3 days of Moses or Solomon and 1 day of either Psalms or NT.

Today, we have another example of "remember things you should never forget".  Paul is telling Timothy to remember to remind the church about things they should never forget.  

Blessings

Jeff

Who are the 'them" that Timothy is to remind?  Go back to previous verses where the subject is "the elect".  Paul endures everything for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.

What are "these things" that Timothy is to remind them of?  Again, go back to the previous verses.  The foundational truths of the gospel.

How does "quarreling about words" differ from discussing the foundational truths?   logomacheō; from a compound of logos and machomai; middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to war, i.e. (figuratively) to quarrel, dispute: — 

fight, strive; to be disputatious (on trifles): — strive about words.

Calvin comments that a better way of saying this is "Of what use is it, when no good comes from it, but much evil? for the faith of many is subverted."   

It seems that while the elect are trying to fully understand the foundational truths of the gospel, they can sometimes become distracted by people who want to "strive about words".  Because words are important in understanding the gospel, the enemy can take advantage of this by making some words more significant that they really are and other words less significant than they are.  If the elect are being edified, built up in the faith, good is coming from their efforts.  However, if some are speculating about things that are not foundational, the elect need to separate from those "striving about words".  You shall discern them by their fruits.


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