Doctrine #2: Definitions

Paul told Timothy to remind the people he was with to not strive about words without a profit. Some people try to interpret this verse to mean we should not debate words and definitions. That was not what Paul stated. Paul wanted Timothy to be profitable in his words and to help others be profitable in their words, to the point that even striving (arguing) with another person could be profitable.

Let's look at the key words in this sentence:

• "present" (Strong's #3936) paristēmi - "to bring into one's fellowship or intimacy, exhibit whom you covenant with"
• "workman" (Strong's #2040) ergatēs - "to toil with works of words as a teacher"
• "needeth not to be ashamed" (Strong's #422) anepaischyntos - "unable to be of equal value by scriptural support"
• "handling aright" (Strong's #3718) orthotomeō - "make a straight cut, a precise singular surgical cut that is perpendicular to the horizon, to make a cut from above, which is God's view: straight down."

We ought to show whether we are in covenant with God or not by our ability to toil with works of words by our ability to have God's view on God's Word.

Key words:

• "profane" (Strong's #952) bebēlos - "counterfeit the threshold (entry) in order to misdirect the dwellers"
• "babblings" (Strong's #2757) kenophōnia - "fruitless discussions, empty sounds [from artificial illumination and tones], fake fire [visual fire with no warmth], to think words that have a different meaning but same sound as true thought and words."

We ought to shun words that have the same sound but different meanings than the truth because it will lead to misdirecting us and to growing in ungodliness.

Paul named two men who had put stumblingblocks in the paths of believers to the point that they had overthrown the faith of some.

Key words:

• "erred" (Strong's #795) astocheō - "swerve, deviate [miss target by having crooked sights - eye is misdirected]"
• "overthrow" (Strong's #396) anatrepō - "change straight path into a figure eight, the wrong path leads to a wrong place."

False words can cause people to be misdirected into taking a wrong path leading to a wrong place.

Jesus asked the Pharisees whose son the Christ was and they answered David's. Then Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 and asked them why David even called Christ "Lord". The Pharisees could not answer this question because they did not understand the definition of "Lord." The Pharisees did not know the definition (right WHY) for this passage and the tense (right HOW), which was the context, for the other passage. The Pharisees no longer questioned Jesus.

There will not be Marriage between man and woman in heaven. Jesus said these people err and do not know the power of God because they do not know the scriptures. What proved they did not know the scriptures?

The Sadducees did not understand the tense of one word: "is." Not knowing the tense of one word caused the Sadducees to err and not know the power of God. The people were astonished at Jesus' Doctrine. Remember, Semikah Rabbis widened Doctrine. The things Jesus taught were new and revelatory.

Jesus was tough on the Sadducees and Pharisees because they were supposed to be leaders. Jesus believed leaders ought to be more excellent than non-leaders, not less excellent. Not only did this mean Jesus would confront them, it meant He would confront them publicly. Today, how many religious leaders are able to handle public confrontation? How many religious leaders look to be treated as if they are less excellent than everyone else, as if they need to get benefits for being the leader?

Leadership is a responsibility and ought to be done by people who are more excellent: humble people who facilitate the purpose and progress of others and can handle public correction.

The Church is given the following gifts via the Holy Spirit:

• apostles,
• prophets,
• evangelists,
• pastors, and
• teachers.

Remember, Paul stated the Church was built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, which were the first two gifts that Paul mentioned. These five gifts, often referred to as the Five Fold Ministry, were the Positional Spiritual Gifts. Different from the Motivational Spiritual Gifts (Romans 12) and the Manifestational Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12). Everyone has specific motivational gifts they are in control of and can even use to destruction. These gifts never change for the individual because they are the Being (Mind/Soul) of the individual. Any of the Manifestational Spiritual Gifts are able to be done by anyone who is open to the Holy Spirit because these gifts are initiated by the Holy Spirit. Some people have one of the positional gifts mentioned in verse 11. While the gift requires the Holy Spirit to work through the gift, the person holding a positional gift can initiate the gift. For example, any believer can manifest a prophetic word if they are open to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit initiates this through the person (Manifestational Spiritual Gift). However, a person with the Positional Spiritual Gift of prophet would be able to intentionally get a prophetic word from God via the Holy Spirit.

Verse 12 was the purpose of the Positional Spiritual Gifts. Notice, verse 11 was an example of a "1" - the individual's uniqueness. Verse 12 gave two examples of a "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. The third part of verse 12 was an example of a "3" - the entire community as a whole, the body of Christ which was the Church. Jesus gave these specific gifts to the Church so that individuals would be matured by serving each other so that the entire Church would be built up. How long would the Church need these gifts?

We need these gifts until the Church is unified, fully matured in knowledge until we are equal to Christ! This was a tough verse until one remembered that if Christ is going to marry the Bride, why would Christ marry someone who was not His equal? This was a general measure from Paul, however, Paul continued to give specific measures.

We will need these gifts until we are no longer acting like children who are unstable when it comes to Doctrine and interactions with deceivers. Verses 13 and 14 were examples of "1" - the individual.

Verse 15 began with our job description in eternity: speaking truth in love.

• First, "speaking" meant words. Words are important.
• Second, truth is a right WHAT with a right HOW/WHY...which creates.
• Third, love is an exchange that is the ultimate in profitability.

Paul went into detail about the importance of love leading to profitability in 1 Corinthians 13. We will spend eternity speaking truth in love to each other. This is the ultimate example of "2" - the fellowship (exchange in love) between two individuals according to their uniqueness. The goal is for all of us growing up into Jesus who is the Head of the Body (Church). Again, this was an example of "3" - the community as a whole.

Paul concluded this Meaning of Life sentence with a "3-2-1," then "1-3-2":

3: "all the body"

2: "fitly framed together and knit together"

1: "which every joint supplieth"

Then, 1: "according to the working in due measure of each several part"

3: "maketh increase of the body unto the building up of itself"

2: "in love"

Half of the Meaning of Life is the Bride/Church, which is the new Jerusalem. The Bride will be made up of all of us who will be in the part of the Body we were designed for, so that we speak the truth in love to the other parts we are joined to, with the overall result being the building up of the Body for eternity.

A lot of people think heaven/the new Jerusalem is a HAVE (possession) or a DO (activity):

• HAVE example: "I can't wait until I have a Cadillac in heaven."
• DO example: "I can't wait until I can play golf every day in heaven."

Some people see church today as the same thing:

• HAVE example: "We have a big building."
• DO example: "I like singing in the choir."

Eternity with Christ is about an ARE, it's about fellowship, sharing, speaking truth in love to each other. Churches today ought to have the same focus. Possessions and activities cannot increase in eternity. Fellowship and love can continually increase in eternity. Love can result in more in eternity because God's mercy will endure. When you give to me and do not expect anything in return, you are owed. If God's mercy ceased in eternity, He would equal this out immediately. However, because God's mercy continues, I would feel compelled to pay you back. If I paid you back according to uniqueness, then something that cost me little would be valued by you as more, especially if God put us together in the Body because our uniquenesses are mutually profitable. My giving you something I valued little and you valued a lot will cause you to give me something you value a lot, and that I value enormously. This exchange could continue into eternity and always result in more.

Deception is a right WHAT with a wrong or no HOW/WHY. "Empty words" have a wrong or no HOW/WHY, they are words that either have a wrong definition or have not been defined. Paul blatantly stated these actions that prevented people from attaining Salvation brought the wrath of God.

This chapter began what was referred to as "The Sermon on the Mount." This was Jesus' premier teaching.

Actions are what matters and that your SAY and DO are the same. Jesus stated not to take an oath. What would Jesus say about today's wedding ceremonies and the vows? For instance, vowing to love your spouse always and forever sounds godly. However, the first time a person does not love their spouse, he has broken his vows...and perhaps let in the evil one.

Verses 3-5 described false teachers. Notice, their doctrine was according to unsound words. Sound words were words that mean what they appeared to mean, words that had a right definition. Ultimately, false teachers were focused on physical gain (WHAT) and attempted to pervert godliness to attain their goal (HOW/WHY). These people were deceivers because they appeared to have a right WHAT, but they were actually using a wrong HOW/WHY.

Paul's charge to Timothy…

Preach the Word, be urgent in and out of season (in all seasons of life). Reprove, rebuke, exhort…with all longsuffering (patience) and teaching (Doctrine). Paul's summary focused on Doctrine...

People will not endure the sound Doctrine: God's Doctrine. They will instead only hear doctrine from men according to what their flesh wants to hear: doctrine that appears correct (right WHAT) but is contradictory because it has a wrong HOW/WHY.