Can we talk for just a moment about gangrene?
2 Timothy Chapter 2 is one of the most convicting portions of Scripture for me. Paul’s admonition to present myself as “approved” and able to handle the Word of Truth accurately is a continual checkpoint for my heart.
Am I studying the Word to change my heart or rearranging the Word to fit my preferences?
Am I using the Word as a conduit of truth to win the hearts of many, or banging the Word as a hammer of judgment and accusation?
Am I aligning “approved” with God’s approval or man’s?
And then I get to verses 16 and 17. “But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene…”
Ouch! I’m ashamed to admit how much of my time I spend laughing along with worldly and empty chatter. You know what I mean. Phone calls to share the latest gossip about a famous personality. Side conversations laughing over the latest meme. Hushed whispers and “Have you heard” about our friends or family members. Wasted words that too often tear down rather than build up.
And the Scripture doesn’t condemn this type of communication just because it’s a time-waster. No, it is condemned because it SPREADS LIKE GANGRENE!
We don’t hear much about gangrene these days, although it still accounts for thousands of deaths each year. Advances in medicine have reduced the severity and certain mortality of physical gangrene, but Paul’s warning about spiritual gangrene is just as needful today as when he wrote to warn his young protege Timothy about it.
Gangrene originates from one of three sources. I think a quick look at these sources, viewed through the lens of Christian living, will help us understand why Paul was so adamant about avoiding it.
The first cause of gangrene is a loss of blood supply. Physically speaking, when a limb doesn’t receive the blood it needs, tissues are deprived of oxygen, and they die. For the Christian, our blood supply is our spiritual growth. When we aren’t in the Word, our spirits are deprived. When we fail to sit under sound teaching, our spiritual growth lags, and there is no life in our walk with the Lord. As our spiritual tank empties, we begin a slow death by spiritual gangrene. Without an injection of spiritual blood, we will soon find ourselves in a world of spiritual hurt.
The solution? It’s the word “diligent” that Paul uses in 2 Timothy 2:15. Becoming a diligent spiritual worker and taking personal ownership of our spiritual life will protect us from a slow, painful death from a lack of spiritual blood flow. Consistent time in the Word, persistent prayer, active application of what we’ve learned, and time invested in fellowship and service with others are the injection of spiritual blood that can stop the spread of spiritual gangrene.
The second cause of gangrene is infection. Physically, this form of gangrene causes catastrophic damage more quickly. And so it is spiritually as well. Spiritual infection comes from false teaching. When we carelessly place ourselves under teachers who do not hold fast to the truth, we are allowing infection into our spiritual lives. This type of infection will cause us to disregard Biblical truth for the more easily ingested “truth of the moment.”
The solution? Be wise, be careful, be alert for false teachers. We are to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether what they were being taught was true. Remember, truth is determined by the Word of God… Not by our culture or the latest “new” idea that seeks to conform God to our worldview, rather than aligning our worldview with the Word of God.
The third form of gangrene is the most pitiable in my mind. This type of gangrene is caused by some sort of trauma. Physically, it could be a crushing injury, a burn, or frostbite. The cause of the injury can happen quickly, but the lingering gangrene causes damage that lingers long afterward. Far too many Christians have suffered these types of traumatic injuries. Perhaps their pastor had a moral failure, or a well-known Christian author turned out to be living a hidden life, or, closer to home, their spouse, child, or parent walked away from the Lord.
These traumatic injuries are very real, and they cause very real damage. When left untreated, the result could be disillusionment with the church, or distrust of all teachers, or bitterness and resentment that begin to control the injured believer’s life.
The solution? The merciful application of truth and grace administered by loving brothers and sisters in Christ. These wounded Christians don’t need lectures or pep talks. They need to be reminded that although man may fail or even walk away, Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. They need comfort in the words of hope from the Word of God.
Gangrene is gross! Physically and spiritually, it causes catastrophic damage and long-term consequences. We’re not all doctors, but we are all called to be ministers of God’s grace to one another. How can we do that? Well, it goes right back to 2 Timothy 2:15. As we diligently strive to handle the word of truth accurately, we’ll have the spiritual medicine we need for the spiritual need of the moment.
Gangrene wants to kill and destroy. Protect yourself! Stay connected to the Word and the body of Christ. Guard your heart and mind from false teachers. When you experience spiritual trauma that tempts you to walk away…Don’t! Instead, turn toward your brothers and sisters in Christ and admit that you are struggling.
Paul warns that gangrene can become a “Super-Spreader” event. Let’s not allow it in the body of Christ! First, protect your own heart, then prepare to dispense spiritual medicine to the weak, the infected, and especially the wounded.
