They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in … constant friction between people of corrupt mind…
Summary: Some words are annoying, while others are a source of constant friction. How do we know if they come from a corrupt mind?
What do you think of when you hear the word “friction”?
Do you remember your hands getting warm when you rub them together? Do you think of the brake pads on your car? Or does your mind form a picture of people who don’t get along?
Friction wears things down. Sandpaper rubbed against wood wears the wood down, smoothing over the rough spots. The oil in your car’s engine reduces friction and helps keep the car running without causing wear.
Constant friction changes the shape of things.
People who want to wear down those who oppose them use the same tool that a carpenter does: friction. They wear people down with words.
Let’s go back to the beginning. Paul provided Timothy with a list of administrative guidelines for the church (See 1 Timothy 5). Then he tells Timothy to “teach and insist on” these things (1 Timothy 6:2).
Throughout this letter, Paul has been exhorting Timothy to “command” others regarding the teaching of the Gospel. Not that Timothy has any rank to pull over other people, but nevertheless, he is to stand firm and protect the truth.
In a sense, Paul is saying, “Don’t let them wear you down!”
This is especially true when dealing with people of a “corrupt mind.” As Paul has been pointing out, such people are “conceited and understand nothing (1 Timothy 6:4). They seem to like “controversies and quarrels about words.”
You probably know the type.
If you use social media, you’ve seen posts by people who are angry at the world. Perhaps you have a relative who is intolerant of opinions that differ from theirs. Even the Christian church is scarred by fractures and divisions over words.
Does that mean Christians who argue over theology have a “corrupt mind”?
The only answer I can see for this question is the Great Commandments (Matthew 22:37-40). Jesus tells us to love God above all else, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves.
The question we have to ask ourselves when we are tempted to engage in “controversies and quarrels” is, “What would God think?”
Clearly, some things are worth standing up for. Paul makes it clear to Timothy that he is to “Command and teach these things” (1 Timothy 4:11). Anything else, however, risks causing friction instead of love (1 Timothy 1:5).
Application: Choose your battles wisely.
Food for Thought: How can we check to make certain our arguments are based in love (agapē)?
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Continue reading “1 Timothy 6:5a – Constant Friction”
