Do not wrangle about words, it is useless and leads to ruin...

2 Timothy 2:1-21 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, ⁹  for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. ¹⁰ For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. ¹¹ It is a trustworthy statement:

For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
¹² If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
¹³ If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”

²⁰ Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. ²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Unfortunately often there is more wrangling over words done in religious settings than there is worshipping of the Word made flesh. The first thing we should do as we read the word of God is to believe it, to take the Word at it’s word. We only interpret the Word when the literal meaning does not make sense. While it is important to understand context and even cultural applications, too often the wrangling or debating over words is rooted in a human motive. There can be an intentional misinterpretation in order to support an ungodly, human philosophy. Paul says these types of debates are useless and lead to the ruin of the hearers. They are useless because no matter how hard people try to change the Word of God, neither God nor His Word changes. Neither God nor His Word needs to be updated to be relevant to today’s culture or society. Rather we are called to:     not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) We are transformed and our minds are renewed when we come into alignment with God’s will and His Word, rather than trying to bend them to suit our own agenda.

There are certainly many hearers of modern religious philosophies who are being ruined by these debates and misinterpretations. As believers we do have a built in defense against being led astray by false teaching. We have the Holy Spirit, God Himself abiding with us and in us;  the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (John 14:26)    In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul begins by stating what should be the central and foundational element of our faith and of all teaching.

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, ⁴ and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.   

If we will be determined to know Christ, to have a relationship with Him, to spend time in worship and fellowship with Him, if we will know Him we will learn all we need to know about Him.  Paul says:  ^“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,   for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”  Many in our culture and society want to imprison the Word of God. They want to lock up it’s truth. God’s Word cannot be made captive to human ideology or philosophy. Our culture and our society may,  as did the society and culture of Paul’s day, treat as criminals those who stand on and proclaim God’s Word. But God’s Word is eternal. It never changes.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. ⁵ The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

Hebrews 13:8 says:  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Jesus Himself says:  “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. (Revelation 22:12-15)

Neither God, Jesus Christ His Son, or His Word will change. No matter how much we debate and wrangle over words and human philosophies in the end:  at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11) Why not simply make our prayer today?

Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. So be it.