Do NOT get Caught up in Petty Conversations

Photo by Alan Strakey

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:16-18

But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.

Insights: The two men in today’s verses are working within the guise of doctrine which makes it sound a lot like our first point this week regarding secondary issues that often times divide us.  The focus, however, I wish us to look on with these two men is the manner in which they were causing a disruption.  Notice what they are doing.  They are going around and having petty little conversations with people.  Paul calls these conversations worldly and empty chatter.  Secondly, notice with me what happens once these petty conversations begin to spring up.  They spread like gangrene.  In other words, these petty conversations have the ability of killing an organization, and in our context, a church.  I can visualize the way Hymenaeus and Philetus conducted their clandestine conversations.  They would go over to an individual in private and in secret and start telling them the concerns they were having over young Timothy’s teaching.  They would say, “You know, Timothy says the resurrection has not taken place, but have you noticed how corrupt the world has become.  The only thing that could have created such an environment is if the resurrection had already taken place.  I don’t know what we are going to do about it, but we must stop Timothy from preaching such foolishness.”  I have no idea what the actual words were, but I can see the same thing happening today.  I could see people going to other individuals and saying things like, “You know, these songs we are singing now days are not very spiritual.  I think we need to start looking for another minister of music.”  All these conversation do is distract the church from the main focus of authentic worship.  When that shift happens it does not take long for further ungodly conversations to take place and the church becomes sick and eventually dies.  Beloved, let us not get caught  up in these petty conversations.

Questions:

 1. Would others classify you as a person who gets caught up in petty conversations?

 2. In what ways can you guard yourself against such conversations?

Prayer: Father, I do not fully understand why I get myself caught up in petty conversations, but unfortunately, I do.  Lord, forgive me for having these conversations and strengthen me to resist such opportunities in the future.  Amen.

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