When we speak or write, we use our words to communicate with each other their desires, emotions, teaching, and just general conversation. Words are used in songs and hymns in our praise to the Lord, as well as in our prayers to Him as we thank Him for His mercy, blessings, and grace. The world itself was created by the words of God, as He created everything we can see.
But words, while they can be used for many great things, can also be used in an improper manner, doing more damage than good. The apostle Paul refers to these as “profane and vain babblings” in his letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy. Verses 15-18 reads,
2 Timothy 2:15-18 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.”
To better understand this passage, we first need to define a few of these words.
To shun means to persistently avoid or keep away from.
If something is profane, it is:
-Unclean; ritually impure; unholy, desecrating a holy place or thing.
-Not sacred or holy, unconsecrated;
-Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or scorn; blasphemous, impious.
-Idle senseless talk;
Summed up, profane words are unholy words that should not be spoken in the first place.
The word canker has a few meanings, and they are:
-A plant disease marked by gradual decay.
-A worm or grub that destroys plant buds or leaves; cankerworm.
-A corroding or sloughing ulcer; especially a spreading gangrenous ulcer or collection of ulcers in or about the mouth.
-Anything which corrodes, corrupts, or destroys
Whichever definition is used, they all have the same properties of something that corrodes or decays.
“Shun profane and vain babblings…” These are unholy, blasphemous words that are not used to help others in their faith, or are used in the glorification of Christ. They are idle, senseless words and Paul taught that they need to be shunned. The reason why is this kind of speech will only continue to canker (become worse) if it isn’t stopped. This is very important that we do this because as Christians we need to be representatives of Christ to the world, exemplifying through our actions and our speech what Christ taught, and how we need to live.
When we speak, the words in our speech need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When you speak, ask yourself, Would Paul speak this way? Would Jesus? If your speech mirrors what they would speak, that is praiseworthy, but if not then you need to ask yourself, “Why not?” As a Christian “profane and vain babblings” have no place in our life as it does nothing to bring us closer to how Jesus wants us to be.
Titus 2:6-8 “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
Sound, speech is speech that is free from flaw, defect, error or fallacy. If our speech is sound, as Paul taught it should be, it will be used in a manner that is true and honest. Honest, pure, holy, and Godly, that is how our speech needs to be.
In Christ,
Andrew
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