Foolish Discussions

As Paul closed his letter to Timothy, he stressed two critical points. First, he was to “guard” what had been entrusted to him. Timothy could not take for granted that he would be able to preserve all that God had given him. He needed to be aware that he would face dangers. He could be deceived and pointed in the wrong direction. In spite of all he had been taught, he still could be tempted and even stray into error. He needed to be prepared and ready.

An important type of preparation was to “avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you.” Others would attempt to convince him that he was wrong, or argue based on their so-called knowledge. Much of this activity was “foolishness.” Yet it could be so convincing that it could cause even strong believers like Timothy to wander from the truth.

These warnings still apply to Christians today. The world is full of people with opinions that can sound convincing. We need to be sure of what we believe. This means basing our lives on God’s Word, knowing the Word, standing on its principles, and using it to light our path.

We need to have an intimate relationship with God Himself. We must know Him personally. We are to be sure that Jesus is our Lord, committed to prayer, and sensitive to the leading of His Spirit.