2 Timothy 2.16-19 – God’s Firm Foundation Stands

¹⁶ But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:

“The Lord knows those who are his,” and,

“Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

In contrast to the encouragement and exhortation in v.15, here Paul shows Timothy the other side of the coin and says avoid irreverent babble. Timothy was encouraged to keep the main thing as the main thing and rightly handle the Word of truth and if he does not, Paul says that it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.

Maybe here your Bible says cancer in place of gangrene, either way the message is clear; false teaching and inaccurate handling of God’s Word spreads quickly and dangerously and leads people astray into ungodliness, the very opposite of what Timothy as pastor has been called to do.

Despite what people may say that the Bible teaches, despite false and inaccurate handling of God’s Word, despite anything that man can do, God’s firm foundation stands. The Gospel still stands, the Word of God still stands, and the Lord knows who are his. Those who are His are to depart from iniquity, and this is what Timothy has been called to teach and preach (vv.11-13, 15, 3.10-17, 1 Timothy 4.6-16).

Today, let us all consider and consolidate the fact that we are His (Romans 8.16-17), and let us depart from iniquity through putting into action the knowledge that comes from right and proper handling of His Word.