2 Timothy 3:6–9 (ESV) — 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
NOTE: For myself, the danger Paul presents is the "always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." Discussing a controversial passage or topic is okay, but only discussing (where that is the pattern) is not good. There will be topics that are unknowable, such as free will and God's sovereignty (i.e., predestination). And even in those cases, we can agree that it is beyond our understanding, but we should also come to a conclusion of what do we do with the truth -- how is it applied? That is the danger of people like Hymenaeus, Philetus, and others, who think they are so clever and interesting but they leave their hearers empty.
I too can fall into that danger. I love to learn, but learning needs to be accompanied by application of the knowledge. Learning should change me, not puff me up.
PONDER:
- As I study, do I look for the opportunity to use the truths that God reveals?
- In my teaching, do I leave people with practical application?
PRAYER: Father, I want to be a doer and not just a hearer of your word. Help me to be discipline to do. Help me to always have applications of your truth in my classes.
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