Disputes About Words

Scripture: Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Observation: Paul emphasizes for Timothy the primacy of the word of God, and the teachings of Jesus Christ. These teachings we know to be simple ... to love others, and to obey the scriptures, which themselves are summarized as simply to seek justice, show mercy, and be humble. However, even the early church recognized that there were people who desired to debate issues, just like the Pharisees did (and Paul being a former Pharisee knows this well).

People who debate topics and issues have a "morbid craving for controversy" and look for "disputes about words". In other words, these types of debates are born out of negative emotions like envy and suspicions, and thus are designed to advance one person either in position, authority, or worldly gain.

Application: As I consider this, I see that every attack that has come against the leaders of our church - including my wife - have come from someone who was themselves seeking a way to be considered to be an elevated leader. They are people who, without any acknowledgment by ordained church leaders, call themselves elders and prophets/prophetesses; they declare their gifts and authority without any spiritual evidence and in fact with proof that they are false. They do these things because they want to influence policy, direction, message, and teaching in order to advance some belief that is NOT part of the simple words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thinking back, this is true of ... EVERY such situation. In every case, those engaging in accusations and debate were declaring their "godliness" in an attempt to assume some gain, and their approach was to create controversy and disputes over the petty use of words.

And in every case, when church leaders rejected the idea of engaging in such petty debates, those people ... left. Further evidence that what they were seeking was not an understanding of Jesus, but some benefit they perceived in having the debate itself.

There is both comfort and sadness is knowing that these internal church issues affected saints like Paul and Timothy, and have existed for millennia.

Prayer: Lord, it is certainly true that your Church should be of one unified mind, that being in the likeness of Christ Jesus. But you also certainly know that your created humans are unlikely to ever reach such a state until we are perfected in Christ in heaven. May we continue to avoid disputes about words, and remain focused on your simple and clear teaching as the primary purpose of our earthly lives. Amen.