Posted: 06 March 2024

From a sermon given on 03 March 2024:

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.Br>(2 Timothy 2:23)

In the Amplified translation of the Bible the same verse reads as:

But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels.

There may be matters that come on our way simply to disrupt, derail, slow us down or even cause us to abandon our God given dreams and assignments. The issues at hand are so trivial to the extent that even if they are settled, they may not add any value in our lives.

Greeks and Hebrews were greatly given to controversies of various kinds. Many of the issues they argued over were of controversial nature and could not be settled. Paul writes to Timothy and urges him to avoid useless disputes and controversies. He had to avoid anything that would not lead to edification.

Meaningless arguments and controversies derails us from the main things. Some of these disputes are so trivial to the extent that even if they were eventually settled, they would not be of any significance in our God given assignments. If unchecked, such disputes will end up draining your emotional and spiritual energies.

Further readings:

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling
(1 Timothy 1:4, 6)

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
(2 Timothy 2:14)

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
(Titus 3:9)