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Perhaps you've been told that Christians shouldn't be so mean. You know, judgmental, intolerant, speaking out against sin, that sort of thing. And then I came across this.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)

Now, of course, if the Bible is not a book about God's will for our lives, then this has nothing to say. I, of course, operate from the premise that it is. And here Paul is instructing Timothy to show more grace in his speech. No ... wait ... that's not what he says at all. With God as his witness, he charges Timothy to "preach the word." What word? Well, the unfortunate chapter break between 2 Timothy 3,4 might obscure that. What word?

In the previous chapter Paul was warning that difficult times were coming (2 Timothy 3:1). Rampant sin (2 Timothy 3:2-4), false teachers (2 Timothy 3:5-6), those who are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:7) Sounds a lot like our day. In contrast, then, Paul tells Timothy, "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them." (2 Timothy 3:14) What word? "the things you have learned and become convinced of." But wait! There's more. It is right here that Paul tells Timothy, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) That word. The Word of God, Scripture, as he learned it, not like those who are always learning and never coming to the knowledge of truth.

And how is he to "preach the word"? He is to "be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." Now, I have to tell you, that does not sound like a command for Timothy to be more friendly in his speech. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, and do it with great patience (keep it up).

Why? Why is Paul telling Timothy this? He says why in the next verses. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4) (As a side note, isn't it significant that Paul says they'll "turn aside to myths"? Sure, that means that they buy into lies and myths (like Secular Humanism and ...). But it's significant because a lot of them have decided that the Bible is littered with myths. That is, they are self-consciously turning in their Bibles to myths.) Why preach the word ... that word learned from Paul and from his grandmother? Why reprove, rebuke, exhort, and all with great patience? What's the big deal? Because they're not going to like it. Isn't it interesting that Paul does not say they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own line of thinking? No, it's not about reason, Scripture, logic, unity ... any of those things you might think. It's desires. "Tell me what I want to hear so I can do what I want to do." Well, now, that's a little odd, isn't it? Because that sounds like "gracious speech". And Paul considers that a bad thing.

We are the keepers of the good news. This is true. But good news is not good until it is contrasted with the bad news. No one wants bad news. So in order to express the grace of God in sending His Son to save us, we need to tell people the bad news. We need to preach the word -- the word as it has always been understood and taught, the Scriptures as God-breathed -- in season and out of season, with much patience as we reprove, rebuke, and exhort. Not because they'll like it; because they won't. But we still need to do it. Because we're commanded to. Because they need it. Because it's actually loving to do so. Because God can use it.

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

A Broken Spirit And Contrite Heart