"If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself, Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study (be diligent) to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH." (2 Timothy 2.15).

 Paul was urging young Timothy to teach the danger of using words as a sword. Rather he should be an example of the best use of words in his preaching of the Gospel. For Paul the gospel was the word of truth. "the word of the truth, the Gospel of your salvation". The word of the truth of the Gospel. (Eph 1.13 and Col. 1.5)

James wrote of a word of truth as that by which God generated new life in a believer (James 1 18). Have you ever been used to speak such a word? Paul was not advising Timothy to undertake intensive study of words and texts (of the Old Testament, as it would have been). Would he not have used the term Holy Scriptures had this been the case? Rather he was indicating the effort needed to present the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to groups or individuals in such a way that their lives would be changed. Timothy was after all an evangelist, (2 Tim. 4.5.) not a scholar like Paul. His work was to carry the water of life to the thirsty. Good news indeed, we are not all students and scholars. But we can all make a study of how to bring the Good News of God's love to others. We can use the Scriptures for this purpose. Or we can use parables or examples to bring the message. Paul would urge us not to use Scripture as a sword to fight others. Rather he would have us use it skilfully, tailoring the message to the individual or group with the help of meditation and prayer. "Lord, use us to carry a word of truth in season to him that is needy." Or perhaps better: 'May people read the Gospel according to us'.

"Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you, a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence." (1 Pet 3.15).

"May our lives be such that people will ask us." ( HLF Panteny)

JT