WOW, WHAT A PASSAGE...

WOW, WHAT A PASSAGE...
2 Timothy 2:24-26
(24) And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
(25) In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
(26) And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

DLG notes...
vss 24-25 (strive)
Though we are to contend for the faith, we are not to be quarrelsome or be moved by strife. Love should be the motivating factor in our standing for and presenting God's truths. Instead, we are to be gentle and meek, instructing rather than belittling or being argumentative. Remember, people don't care how much we know until they know how much we care.

vss, 24-25 (teach, instructing)
Our responsibility is to "school" people in the truth of God, not force it on them or overpower them. We are seeking to win men, not arguments. Do not give anyone a reason to refer to your proclamation by saying, "Your actions are so loud I cannot hear what you are saying."

vss. 25-26 (give repentance, acknowledging the truth, recover themselves, snare of the devil)
* The redemptive change from skeptic to believer is not simply an intellectual change. It is a spiritual enlightenment that leads to personal and inner transformation. It includes intellect and reason and will, but it also is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. It is not just a new awareness of information, but a deliverance from sin's darkness, to salvation's light. It is the transformation of the mind, the inner man and the awareness of the person and presence of God.
* God uses our witness, our teaching and instruction as a tool, as an instrument to break through the spiritual darkness, which holds the sinner captive. God's breaking the shackles of sin comes by faith, and faith comes from haring and receiving the word of God. The word of God is a sword, but it is a sword to set the captive free, not to slaughter the imprisoned.
* The acknowledging of the truth leads to faith in Christ. We hold the keys that will either loose or bind. While it is the word of God that liberates, it is the messenger who brings the message. If we act in such a way that people reject us, they will not be open to the gospel. We need to preach the truth in love.
* People recover themselves from the snare of the devil when they acknowledge the truth, and then believe the truth and then they are delivered from darkness by walking in truth.

vs. 26 (taken captive by Satan to do his will)
* This is a great but terrible fact. We all start with a natural tendency to sin, but God also enables us to choose our course in life. All of us have chosen to sin, but then sin takes a greater hold on us. We start out by having greed, but then greed has us; having anger, but then anger has us; having lust, but then lust has us. We cannot break free, even when we see the evil of our way, even when we see the futility of our sin. It takes the power of God. It takes the miracle of God to save us from our sins.
* (BUT REMEMBER) even a sinner is often able to choose a better path in life, but it takes the redemptive work of God to transform the person on the inside, to make the person into a new creation. We must not only have a form of godliness, we must have the power of true godliness.
* Still, God does not force anyone into a life of faith or godliness. People are invited, and then they are chosen, based on their free will choice to either accept the offer of God or reject the offer of God.
* People are held in sin's grip, whether they are child abusers or drug addicts. But the bondage of Satan is also seen in the murdering of the unborn and the practicing of sexual immorality of any kind, as well as those who support such heinous behavior. Sinners of all kinds need the deliverance of God from their sinful thoughts, words and deeds. When we are delivered by the grace of God, we must be
Confronted with the truth.
Convinced of the truth.
Converted by the truth.
Conformed to the truth.

Deliverance from Satan's bondage begins with acknowledging the word of God. The vain philosophies of this world (religious, political, academic,etc.) must be seen as traps of Satan and we must come to the point of wanting deliverance from false leaders and false beliefs.