Strive Not About Words

“Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.”  2 Timothy 2:14

This command emphasizes the necessity to avoid “word fights.” The apostle Paul has much to say about this in other passages. “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29). Our words should be “sound words” (1 Tim. 6:3), “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).

We are not to “pay attention to myths and endless genealogies” (1 Tim. 1:4), but are to “have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women” (1 Tim. 4:7). We are not to pay attention to “commandments of men who turn away from the truth” (Titus 1:14), and we must “avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law” (Titus 3:9), “knowing that they produce quarrels” (2 Tim. 2:23).

According to 1 Timothy 6:4-5, those who love “word fights” are “conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words.” Such a person is a “questionaholic.” Here is a short list of the biblical warnings about such fights:
It brings ill will toward others; wrangling, bickering.
It produces “railing” defamation or dishonor of others.
It encourages private plots to hurt.
It produces an incessant meddlesomeness.
It ends up rotting the intellect and robbing truth.
It equates personal gain with godliness.

May God protect us from those who are driven to strive “to wrangle about words.” May God increase our love for “delightful words and to write words of truth correctly” (Eccl. 12:10).