Approved By God
14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
~ 2 Tim 2:14-19 NIV
Approved By God
(2 Tim. 2:14-19)
Intro:
A. It’s the political season and with it comes all sorts of TV and radio advertisements. Often time at the end of the commercial you will the candidate say something like, “I’m xxx and I approve this ad.”
B. When I was reading 2 Timothy, I asked myself a question, How important is it for me to do whatever it takes to get you to like me? We all know people who we might call a “yes man.” Those are the people who will do anything the boss says to do just to keep the approval of their boss. A good work ethic is important, but I challenged myself to do some assessing of my motivation.
C. Paul jumps down the throat of the churches in the region of Galatia as he opens that letter. All the churches he helped to start on the first missionary journey, all the work he did in that region was under attack and the Christians and church were turning aside from truth to legalism.
D. He says, “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8). That’s some powerful words to say to Christian people. But Paul follows up those words with these (READ Gal. 1:10).
E. Paul was more concerned about being right with God than liked by churches. And that’s the message Paul wanted to make sure Timothy understood as a preacher, and what I want all of us to understand as Christians. Whose approval does my life show that I seek?
I. Approved By God
A. Last week, we talked about being a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. Paul reminds us that the reason he is not ashamed of Jesus is because Jesus is able to keep Paul’s salvation and ministry secure.
B. Paul now brings us back to that thought in the key verse of our study today. (READ vs 15)
C. Here is the goal of every Christian, not just preachers. We want to live a life that God approves of, and what Paul does in this section is give us good examples of what that means in the real world. The way I get God’s approval is using God’s word correctly. There is a big difference between using truth to inflict guilt and emotional harm, and using God’s truth to present the same message in the love of God. So let’s examine the context (vs 14, 16-17a).
D. You may have heard about a corona virus that has been named COVID-19. It is important to maintain the love of God in an environment where panic, fear, and self- interests thrive. Our country is dealing a something that spreads quickly, quietly and brings a fear with it. I don’t know if Paul would have used COVID-19, but he did use the word “gangrene.” It too was a terrible sickness that worked its way through the body, killing off part of the body until it would kill the person. Now here is the point. Our quarreling and godless chatter hurt the cause of Christ and take us to a place where we stop using God’s word for the truth it is and start using it for our own agenda. When that happens the gangrene begins in the church family.
E. Right now one of the greatest forms of quarreling among Christians is found in social media for all the unsaved to witness. Let me be clear, I can disagree with you without being disagreeable. I can question something you believe without questioning you as a person. When I get my emotions so high I have to share them in public or social setting, I probably will do so in a way that God does NOT approve. I want to honor the written word of God. I want to teach it correctly.
II. False Teaching
A. Paul says God’s approval depends upon our correctly handling the word of truth. One area Paul brings out is that of the resurrection (Vs 17b-18). One of the hot topics of Paul’s day centered on the resurrection. People questioned the teaching of the resurrection because it’s not something you see every day.
B. Paul had to spend time writing to the church in Thessalonica over this issue. He wrote to the church in Corinth over this issue. But has the resurrection already taken place, is not the issue most Christian churches face today. When you think about the differences among denominations, you have to ask yourself, what Bible truths have we distorted or warped that bring about the ruination of the faith of Christian?
C. I contend that within Christendom today the teaching that the Bible is out of date and does not hold its value in the areas of morality, equality, or the doctrine of salvation is subject or whatever makes you feel saved is more of what we have to contend with.
D. My desire is to have God’s approval. If that means you don’t like that I stand with the Bible in areas that speak counter to the cultural beliefs, I will stand with the Bible every time.
Conclusion:
A. Let’s close with a great truth. Listen to verse 19. God’s firm foundation stands. Just stop right there. The bedrock of my entire belief system is inscribed in the foundation set up by God. Here it is. The two-fold statement upon which I stand:
1. The Lord knows who are his. God approves you who hand His word correctly, who speak truth, and who live the testimony of Jesus. I am known by God.
2. As one who claims to follow God, I need to turn away from wickedness. I can’t live like the world and expect the grace of God. James put it this way (James 4:4).
B. I will live a life that is approved by God. I will seek to turn from evil and draw close to God. If we can help you to live as one approved by God, then come as we stand and sing.
Because of Jesus,
Jeffrey Dillinger, minister