“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). These words were given at the end of one man’s life. Paul knew he would not be long for this earth. He knew that death and the pale horse was on their way after him. During this time of contemplations, Paul by inspiration of the Holy Ghost instructs Timothy what he is to be doing the rest of his preaching days. This is not all that was said to his son-in-the-faith but this is our point of discussion for this article.
Timothy was to preach the Word of God. This Word of God is not to be added to nor is to be taken from. It is not to be altered in any form or fashion. When we consider some of the modern speech versions of the Bible they have changed God’s Word into what the translators wanted God to say. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called your into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). Paul is saying that we cannot change God’s Word.
Peter declares, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20-21). A person can not have his own interpretation of any passage of Scriptures that is different than from God’s interpretation. If it does differ, it is not God that is wrong; it is man and his interpretation. When we are considering preaching or teaching the Word we must do it as God wants it done.
When we preach the Word it must be done simply. “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, let the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:17, 21). There is no need in using words that only the theologians know. There is no need is using words that only a doctor would know. Have you ever read a doctor’s report? There are words that seem made up, but upon looking at a dictionary, one finds that these words have meaning. But when it comes to preaching the Gospel or teaching the Gospel one ought to use words that have simple meanings.
Next, Timothy was told to preach the Word in season and out of season. That is when people like it and when they don’t. There are times when hunting certain animals or fishing for certain fish are “in season.” That means there are times when it is “out of season” to hunt or fish for these animals or fish. That does not mean that a person can hunt these animals or fish all year long. But we are to preach the Word when people like it and when they don’t. We are to preach the Word when it is the right time. The right time is all the time.
We must remember that when preaching the Word we are to use love. “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). This love is the same kind of love that God had for the world (John 3:16). This is also the same kind of love that is described by the Holy Ghost in 1 Corinthians 13. Notice the description of this love: it suffers long, and is kind, it does not envy, it does not vaunt itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemingly, seeks not its own in not easily provoked, it does not think evil, and it rejoices in the truth but not in iniquity (1 Corinthians 13:4-6).
That does not mean we are to side step the truth for any person. That does not mean we have to be harsh to anyone as we preach to them. Some may consider some things harsh while others do not, we must keep this in mind. Some people consider some peppers hot while others with the same peppers, do not consider them even raising the thermometer. Jesus used some words that offended some people and His disciples informed Him of such (Matthew 13:57; 15:12) but that did not change His message. He was teaching and preaching in love. Their love was a lot different love. Their love was a message of what they wanted to hear, not what they needed to hear. His message was that of what God had to say to them and they did not want to hear.
Jeremiah says, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9). Some times we all can get into this situation and not want to teach or preach any more, but we cannot. We must preach and teach God’s Word. Jeremiah could not withhold from preaching and teaching God’s Word. We must, though discouraged as Jeremiah, keep preaching and teaching the Gospel to others.
We can not get distracted from preaching the Gospel also. When Paul is discussing the troubles that had haunted him there was the cares of all the church from without and within (2 Corinthians 11). Some of those problems distracted him from what his true mission was. Paul was given a mission from God of going unto all the Gentiles all over the world. Sometimes things distract us from doing our mission. Let us then preach the Word without change, in love, and without distraction.
Love, Keith
