Thoughts From 2Timothy 2 - Part 4

 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker 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 departed 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.” 2Tim.2:15-19

      I used to think that avoiding godless chatter meant stop talking about things like movies, TV shows, sports, or anything that in light of eternity doesn't matter. In context of this passage though, I don't think that's what Paul is saying because the next verse continues on relating it to the false teaching that the resurrection has already happened. In other words, the Lord returned and you missed it. There are many of these false teachings around today and a wise pastor must make sure that he doesn't get swayed from Biblical truth but work hard at studying scripture to make sure he knows what it says and doesn't say. We should all do this, but I say "pastor" here because this is written to a pastor, Timothy.

       What are some false teachings out there that are dangerous? Certainly health, wealth, prosperity teachers because they have turned their focus away from living for treasures in Heaven to treasures on Earth. Then there is the teaching of purgatory and the infallibility of the pope by the Catholic Church and if you are not worshipping on the Sabbath and resting appropriately on that day you are in sin by the Adventist Church. Then there is the teaching on baptismal regeneration by the Church of Christ and if you use musical instruments you are sinning. Jehovah Witnesses say if you pray to Jesus, you are blaspheming and offending Jehovah and only 144,000 make it to Heaven which was filled some time ago. The Mormons teach that we are all going to be gods someday having spirit children which will inhabit humans on earth and the necessity of wearing Holy underwear. Some movements emphasize Biblical diets teaching these from the pulpit. 

        Biblical numerology forgets that chapters and verse numbers were added to the Bible at a later date yet claim things like Trump is the 45th and 47th president and if you look at Ezekiel 45 and 47... These codes claim to have predicted the JFK assassination, World Trade towers attack, Hitler and the holocaust, and Timothy McVeigh and Oklahoma. I have a friend who listens to Julie Green, a self-proclaimed prophet, and warned me lately that JD Vance is the White Wolf who will plan an assassination of Trump so he can take over and he is actually a wolf in sheep's clothing because he is an extreme leftist. He loves to talk to me about all these prophecies and where the USA is headed, but I feel like this is what Paul is warning against here.

        There is a lot of false teaching out there and we need to study the Bible and use sources like Got Questions? or the Bible Thinker when we are unsure what to think, realizing they could be wrong also. (but I trust them to be orthodox) Let's focus on what is true and talk about that!