THE TONGUE
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1: DO NOT ARGUE AND STRIVE OVER WORDS THAT DO NOT PROFIT THE HEARERS—SPECULATIONS, THEORIES, AND PETTY MATTERS
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
b [subverting] an overturning; overthrowing; catastrophe. Translated "subverting" It means here to overthrow the faith of men and cause their backsliding
[approved] and "tried"
b [workman] "worker" .
Rightly Dividing Truth set straight; handle right. Only here. It means not only to give the true meaning, but also the correct application to the various times and classes of people.
Time is short.
Therefore, when we are together with other people, we must be communicating and sharing words that profit us all. However, this is often not the case.
Too often, our words are useless and unprofitable, and sometimes they are even upsetting and destructive.
Picture both the unprofitable and the upsetting words that go on in the church and among believers, the arguments and strife of words that do not profit the hearers.
There are...
· words over petty matters. (Just think of some of the petty matters that go on in the church.)
· words over buildings, traditions, and rituals.
· words about people, the rumors, gossip, and criticism.
· words about trivial day-to-day matters.
· words that waste and pass the time.
· words that focus on debating theological positions, speculation, and ideas.
· words over pet ideas and theories.
There are essentially three kinds of unprofitable talk that go on among believers
1. There is the trivial talk that passes the time away, talk that fails to build up the believer.
2. There is the talk that engages in criticism and gossip, talk that tears a person down.
3. There is the talk that enjoys discussing the theories and speculations of theology.
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
The best way to control the spread of bad words is silence. Do you know the power of silence? It is a saving power.
ILLUSTRATION:
One of the greatest qualities any person can have, believer or non-believer, is control of the tongue. Those who have learned to control their tongue are much like the Quakers in the following story, persons who knew the power of silence.
"During World War II some Quakers walked boldly into the Berlin Gestapo office of Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler's deputy chief. They implored Heydrich for permission to take persecuted Jews out of Germany. Heydrich listened stonily to the Quakers. Then he asked them to wait in an adjoining room for his reply. There the Quakers sat silently, prayerfully and meditatively. The room where they silently sat was undoubtedly wired! Their request would have been ...refused had they spoken against the cruelties which were being perpetrated against the helpless Jews. Their prayerful silence was broken by the dramatic announcement: 'Your request has been granted!' The Quakers knew the thunderous power of silence."
The best way to control the spread of bad words is silence. Do you know the power of silence? It is a saving power.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
By study is meant to set your heart upon—be diligent, hurry, rush, and seek the approval of God.
Note that it is the approval of God that is to be the believer's concern.
A believer is a fool if he does not seek the approval of God.
To be disapproved is to be displeasing and unacceptable to God.
How then can we secure the approval of God?
First: By being a workman—the idea is a diligent worker who toils and labors to the point of exhaustion.
We are to study the Word of God and rightly divide it.
The words "rightly divide" mean to cut straight. Believers are to cut straight to the truth; they are not to take crooked paths and side tracks to the truth.
We are to study the truth and rightly divide it. Once we have studied and learned the Word of God, we are to accurately teach the Word of God.
We are not to teach...
· our own ideas.
· the theories of other people.
· what we think.
· what other men think.
We are not to mishandle the Word of God: twist it to fit what we think or want it to say; over-emphasize or under-emphasize its teachings; add to or take away from it.
Any person who mishandles God's Word is not approved of God.
This is the point of this verse: if we want God's approval—if we want to be acceptable to God—we must study, rush and seek to be a true teacher of God's Word.
We must be workmen who study God's Word, workmen who study diligently: who correctly analyze and accurately divide—rightly handle and skillfully teach—the Word of Truth.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Language picturing so much talk that goes on among people.
1. So much talk is "profane": common, that which is not sacred or biblical, and godless talk.
2. So much talk is vain: empty and meaningless.
3. So much talk is babbling: nothing more than empty voices chattering away in empty and godless discussions.
The charge is direct and forceful: avoid, shun, keep away from godless and empty talk.
What are some examples of talk that is godless and empty?
There is such talk as...
· false teaching
· worldly philosophy
· cursing
· theological theories
· immoral suggestions
· off-colored conversation
· indecent insinuations
· criticism
· gossip
· suggestive enticements
Note that such talk is not only ungodly and empty, it leads to more and more ungodliness.
Such talk actually increases ungodliness in the heart and life of a person. In fact, the picture could be no more descriptive: ungodly talk eats away at a person just like a cancerous growth.
This is often ignored and neglected by people, for most people want to go about doing their own thing.
And if we took this charge seriously, just think how it would affect the control of...
· television
· films
· music
· discussions
· opinions
· differences
· positions (theological, social, political)
· decisions
· arguments