Put them in remembrance

[i][b]Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.[/b][/i] 2Ti 2:14

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[b]2Ti 2:14-18[/b] -
Having thus encouraged Timothy to suffer, he comes in the next place to direct him in his work.

I. He must make it his business to edify those who were under his charge, to [i]put them in remembrance[/i] of those things which they did already know; for this is the work of ministers; not to tell people that which they never knew before, but to put them in mind of that which they do know, [i]charging them that they strive not about words.[/i] Observe, Those that are disposed to strive commonly strive about matters of very small moment. Strifes of words are very destructive to the things of God. That they strive not about words to [i]no profit[/i]. If people did but consider of what little use most of the controversies in religion are, they would not be so zealous in their strifes of words, [i]to the subverting of the hearers,[/i] to the drawing of them away from the great things of God, and occasioning unchristian heats and animosities, by which truth is often in danger of being lost. Observe, People are very prone to strive about words, and such strifes never answer any other ends than to shake some and subvert others; they are not only useless, but they are very hurtful, and therefore ministers are to charge the people that they do not strive about words, and they are most likely to be regarded when they charge them before the Lord, that is, in his name and from his word; when they produce their warrant for what they say.

Matthew Henry -

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[b]2Ti 2:14[/b] - Remind them - Who are under thy charge. O how many unnecessary things are thus unprofitably, nay hurtfully, contended for.

John Wesley -

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[b]2Ti 2:14 - Of these things put them in remembrance[/b],.... Meaning either his hearers, or those to whom he was to commit the things he had heard of the apostle, and who must expect to suffer afflictions, and endure hardships, for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel; wherefore to remind them of the above sayings might be of use and comfort to them. This clause is wanting in the Arabic version.

[b]Charging them before the Lord[/b]; the omniscient God, as in his sight, as they will answer it to him another day; see 1Ti_5:21,

[b]that they strive not about words[/b]; it became them to strive and contend for the form of sound words, for the wholesome words or doctrines of our Lord Jesus, but not about mere words, and especially such as were

[b]to no profit[/b]; to no advantage to truth, nor to themselves nor others; were not to edification, to spiritual edification, to godly edifying, which is in faith:

[b]but to the subverting of the hearers[/b]; the confounding of their minds, misleading their judgments, and overthrowing their faith; and therefore were not only unprofitable, but hurtful and pernicious, and by all means to be avoided.

John Gill -

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[b]2Ti 2:14 -
That they strive not about words[/b] - Words, not things, have been a most fruitful source of contention in the Christian world; and among religious people, the principal cause of animosity has arisen from the different manner of apprehending the same term, while, in essence, both meant the same thing. All preachers and divines should be very careful, both in speaking and writing, to explain the terms they use, and never employ them in any sense but that in which they have explained them.

[b]The subverting of the hearers[/b] - This is the general tendency of all polemical divinity and controversial preaching, when angry passions are called in to support the doctrines of the Gospel.

Adam Clarke -

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Here Paul is telling us to avoid the traps and pitfalls along the way, and he outlines three of these for us. The first trap is battles over words. Have you ever seen the way Christians get all upset sometimes over some little word in Scripture---the mode of baptism, or the millennium---Christians dividing up into camps and choosing up weapons and battling it out. No, the apostle says, avoid this kind of thing. These are stupid and useless controversies and they will spread like gangrene. Not that these questions are not important; in a sense, they are. But there are areas in the Scriptures in which honest, searching, earnest scholars will find differences. Well then, avoid getting into controversies in those areas; do not make final decisions and divisions over that kind of thing.

Ray Stedman -

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Keeping attention on the most important things.

1. (14) Keep focused; don’t be distracted by unprofitable things.

Remind [i]them[/i] of these things, charging [i]them[/i] before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

a. Remind them of these things: After reminding Timothy of the essential points of the gospel, Paul adds that Timothy must always remind his hearers of these things. Timothy’s job as a pastor was to keep his congregation always focused on the gospel.

i. The church is constantly tempted to get its focus off of the message that really matters, and is tempted to become an entertainment center, a social service agency, a mutual admiration society, or any number of other things. But this temptation must be resisted, and the church should constantly remember these things.

The things of 2 Timothy 2:8: [i]Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel[/i].

The things of 2 Timothy 2:11-13: [i]For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself.[/i]

b. Not to strive about words to no profit: At the same time, there were things that Timothy must [i]not[/i] focus on. The church must stand for the truth, but it must not become a debating society.

i. We can get distracted by endless discussion or strife over things that don’t have central importance. “Words, not [i]things[/i], have been a most fruitful source of contention in the Christian world; and among religious people, the principle cause of animosity has arisen from the [i]different manner[/i] of apprehending the same [i]term[/i], while, in essence, both meant the same [i]thing[/i].” (Clarke)

ii. “Let us notice first that teaching is rightly condemned on the sole ground that it does no good. God’s purpose is not to pander to our inquisitiveness but to give us profitable instruction. Away with all speculations that produce no edification!” (Calvin)

c. To the ruin of the hearers: This shows that it is a serious matter and there is much to lose. If we take the focus off the message of God, and put the focus on human opinions and endless debates, it will result in the ruin of the hearers.

i. The Bible says, [i]faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God[/i] (Romans 10:17). Yet if people do not hear the word of God, then ruin comes by hearing the opinions and speculations and entertainment of man.

David Guzik

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There are those that get all involved in words and in little concepts and twists, and all, of a scripture, and they are really totally unprofitable. Do you know that the church was divided once over an argument on [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=26829&forum=35&post_id=&refresh=Go]how many angels could stand on a head of a pin?[/url] People used to argue over that. And people have all these concepts. Oh, it's stupid. That's not going to help anybody. And you look at a lot of these things that people bring up and a lot of divisions that are created. How were you baptized, brother? You know, and they well, you weren't really baptized then. And, You better be baptized the right way. You were baptized backwards? Oh no, that face down, man. That's the only way. And they get in these silly, little things and all, and all it does is subvert people, subvert the hearers.

Chuck Smith