Teach Meekly
Pastor Don Carpenter
Soul Winning: So Much More Than Evangelism / Humility / 2 Timothy 2:24–26; James 3:13; 1 Peter 3:15
A.W. Tozer, a great Pastor and Bible Scholar that began his ministry over 100 years ago had warning that rings true today.
We have gotten accustomed to the blurred puffs of gray fog that pass for doctrine in churches and expect nothing better. From some previously unimpeachable sources are now coming vague statements consisting of a milky admixture of Scripture, science, and human sentiment that is true to none of its ingredients because each one works to cancel the others out. Little by little Christians these days are being brainwashed. One evidence is that increasing numbers of them are becoming ashamed to be found unequivocally on the side of truth. They say they believe, but their beliefs have been so diluted as to be impossible of clear definition. Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever.
–A.W. Tozer
This is the third week of our series “Soul Winning: So Much More Than Evangelism” Our cornerstone text for the whole series is
Proverbs 11:30 KJV
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.
Our first week we discovered that the soul winning that Solomon was talking about was much more than getting someone to pray a prayer with you, writing their name in your Bible, and taking credit for their salvation. We learned that to win a soul was to capture a heart and mind. One could do it for wicked purposes and it was still technically soul winning. We saw that this verse was speaking of capturing a heart and mind as a result of righteousness. We then saw that God outlines exactly what heavenly wisdom, the wisdom that is involved in righteous soul winning, looks like.
James 3:17–18 KJV
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Now that we understood what righteous soul winning was, we endeavored to learn how we can accomplish that. Last week we discovered the fact that we needed to always speak Graciously. That is, we need to speak with unmerited favor toward those hearts and minds we are trying to capture.
Colossians 4:5–6 KJV
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Today we are going to address the issue that A.W. Tozer raised in our opening quote. Many folks have had their theologies muddled with part scripture and part opinion only to end up mixed up and often stubborn and dogmatic. How can these poor misguided folks be rescued from the snare of ignorance and deception that grips their very soul? We must win their souls! We must in wisdom and righteousness follow the path God has laid out and learn what it means to Teach Meekly.
Avoid Strife Triggers
2 Timothy 2:23–24 (KJV)
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
And the servant of the Lord must not strive…
William Barclay makes the following observation:
Timothy is told to flee from youthful lusts. Many commentators have made suggestions as to what these youthful lusts are. They are far more than the passions of the flesh. They include that impatience, which has never learned to make haste slowly and has still to discover that too much haste can do far more harm than good; that self-assertion, which is intolerant in its opinions and arrogant in its expression of them, and which has not yet learned to see the good in points of view other than its own; that love of debate, which tends to argue long and act little, and which will talk the night away and be left with nothing but a litter of unsolved problems; and that love of novelty, which tends to condemn a thing simply because it is old and to desire a thing simply because it is new, underrating the value of experience.1
1 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 202). Westminster John Knox Press.
The Lord’s Servant Must Not Strive!
“Strive” is machomai (???????), “to fight, wrangle, quarrel, dispute.” “Must” is dei (???), “it is a necessity in the nature of the case.” There is a moral obligation attached to this duty1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 141). Eerdmans.
James 3:13–16 KJV
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
1 Timothy 3:3 KJV
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Isaiah 53:7 KJV
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.
Avoid Foolish Questions
“Foolish” is m?ros (?????), “dull, sluggish, stupid.” 1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 140). Eerdmans.
Proverbs 15:14 KJV
The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: But the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
Avoid Unlearned Questions
What is forbidden us is controversies which in themselves are ‘stupid and senseless’ and in their effect ‘breed quarrels’. They are ‘stupid’ or ‘futile’ (jb) because they are speculative. For the same reason they are ‘senseless’ (apaideutos), literally ‘uninstructed’ or even ‘undisciplined’, because they go beyond Scripture and do not submit to the intellectual discipline which Scripture should impose upon us. They also inevitably ‘breed quarrels’ because when people forsake revelation for speculation, they have no agreed authority and no impartial court of appeal1
1 Stott, J. R. W. (1973). Guard the Gospel the message of 2 Timothy (p. 77). InterVarsity Press.
Pursue Teaching Virtues
2 Timothy 2:24–25 (KJV)
…but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; …
Be Gentle
“Gentle” is ?pios (?????), “affable, mild, gentle.” Expositors says that ?pios (?????) implies gentleness in demeanor, as praut?s (???????), meekness of disposition.1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 141). Eerdmans.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 KJV
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
Matthew 5:9 KJV
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Be Apt to Teach
They must be apt teachers; they must not only know the truth but also be able to communicate it, and they will do that not so much by talking about it as by living in such a way that they show Christ to others.1
1 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 203). Westminster John Knox Press.
1 Corinthians 15:34 KJV
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
2 Timothy 3:16 KJV
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Be Patient
1 Peter 3:8 KJV
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
They must be forbearing; like their Master, if they are criticized they must not respond with similar criticism; they must be able to accept insult and injury, slights and humiliations, as Jesus accepted them. There may be greater sins than touchiness, but there is none which does greater damage in the Christian Church.1
1 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, pp. 203–204). Westminster John Knox Press.
Be Meek
Ephesians 4:2 KJV
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Philippians 2:3 KJV
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
1 Corinthians 10:12 KJV
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
They must discipline their opponents in gentleness; their hands must be like the hands of a surgeon, unerring to find the diseased spot, yet never for a moment causing unnecessary pain. They must love people, not browbeat them into submission to the truth.1
1 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 204). Westminster John Knox Press.
Correct Those That Oppose Themselves
Isaiah 42:3 KJV
A bruised reed shall he not break, And the smoking flax shall he not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
“Those that oppose themselves” is antidiatith?mi (?????????????), “to place one’s self in opposition.” Those who place themselves in opposition to the true servant of the Lord and to true doctrine, “are to be dealt with as tenderly and considerately as they who err from right living” (Expositors)1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 141). Eerdmans.
“Instructing” is paideu? (???????). Vincent suggests “correcting” as the better rendering here. The context bears him out.1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 141). Eerdmans.
Pray For A Targeted Outcome
2 Timothy 2:25–26 (KJV)
…if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Not Winning the Argument, but Winning The Soul.
A servant of God must instruct those who oppose him, for this is the only way he can rescue them from Satan’s captivity. Satan is a liar (John 8:44). He captures people by his lying promises, as he did Eve (see Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:3). A servant’s purpose is not to win arguments but to win souls. He wants to see deceived persons brought to repentance (“I was wrong—I have changed my mind”) and the acknowledging of the truth1
1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 248). Victor Books.
Repentance
1 Timothy 2:4 KJV
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Acknowledging the Truth
“Acknowledging” is epign?sis (?????????), “precise, experiential knowledge.”1
1 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 141). Eerdmans.
Ezekiel 36:31 KJV
Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Recovery From the Devil’s Snare
The word recover (2 Tim. 2:26) describes a man coming out of a drunken stupor. Satan makes people drunk with his lies, and the servant’s task is to sober them up and rescue them. The last phrase in 2 Timothy 2:26 can be interpreted three ways: (1) they are delivered from the snare of the devil who took them captive to do his will; (2) they are taken captive by God’s servant to do God’s will; (3) they are delivered out of the snare of the devil, who took them captive, to do God’s will. I prefer the third interpretation.1
1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 248). Victor Books.
Craig Larson talks about being at a lunch party on a warm, Chicago day in early September with a dozen of his fellow workers. The windows were left open, and soon a bee found its way in. After buzzing around for a while, it landed on some food on the table. Then someone took an empty bottle of sparkling grape juice and put the mouth of the bottle near the bee. Without a moment’s hesitation, the bee flew to the mouth of the bottle and climbed inside the narrow opening. Immediately, Larson’s colleague put the cap on the bottle and screwed it shut. The bee spent the rest of the party drinking at the bottom of the bottle, and as far as anyone knew, the bee was never released.
The people at that table were not concerned about the bee. Their purpose was not to make sure it enjoyed itself and had a good time. No! Their only concern was capture and control.
That’s the way it is with Satan. He is not concerned about us. His purpose is not to make sure we have a good time. No! He despises us, and his only concern is capture and control.
(From a sermon by C. Philip Green, Pitfalls of Leadership, 7/29/2010)
So here we are as God’s servants. We see folks who have been dazed and confused by smooth talkers and Bible bullies. It would be easy to look down on them as ignorant simpletons and just scream and insult them back in line… which may work for while, but you will not win their soul. Remember this imperative: God’s Servant MUST NOT STRIVE! As soon as we do we undo anything God would want to do through us.
James 1:20 KJV
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Let us therefore avoid stupid questions, and with a gentle demeanor, patiently and meekly teach, praying that God would lead them to repentance and restoration. This is how to win a soul when you teach meekly.
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:42 PM August 17, 2022.