1 Timothy 6:20–2 Timothy 1:2 (ESV) —
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Grace be with you.
2 Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
NOTE: These verses don't really go together, although one is the ending of Paul's first letter, and the other is the beginning of Paul's last letter to Timothy. Last words are often the most emotional, and with a life-well lived, are full of wisdom. In the first letter, Paul had warned Timothy of irreverent babble and "contradictions" that are falsely called "knowledge." The same things could be said today to any teacher or preacher of God's word who is in the middle of their life. The thing that stands out to me in the second letter is the emotion, "my beloved child." Emotion is a very dangerous quality that God gave us. When it is not tempered with godly knowledge, emotion can lead people astray. Even today, news shows are more about triggering emotional reactions than actually presenting facts, pros, and cons. Emotions are good, but they must be checked by truth. Knowledge alone is not enough as knowledge can be false. The only knowledge that is certainly true is what God has revealed in his Word. It is and should be our main source of true knowledge. For those who do not spend time each day in his word, they are in great danger of not growing to know their savior or of making poor emotional decisions that could result in irrevocable consequences.
PONDER:
What is the basis of my knowledge: God's word or the opinions of the world's 'elites'?
PRAYER: Father, I pray that I would continue in your word, growing in your knowledge and changing to be more like my savior.
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