Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:20-21
Thought
There is worldly and empty chatter and there are "the opposing arguments of what is falsely called 'knowledge.'" There are things that are totally meaningless and there are things that masquerade as knowledge. Both are useless and dangerous to the true believer because they lead away from the faith. Worldly and empty chatter are likely just things that seem obvious to people of the world but are in conflict with the revelation of Scripture. Perhaps they are silly ideas about the world, perhaps superstitions. They should be fairly easy to identify, but they remain dangerous. And then there is what many call knowledge, whether that presents as scientific research and discovery or whether it is logic and reasoning that goes beyond the revelation of Scripture. Anything that is not expressed by and follows directly from Scripture is dangerous to true faith. Faith is trusting and believing what God has revealed. "Knowledge" that distorts or distracts from the plain meaning of Scripture is bad. Indeed, anything that doesn't further the mission to live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way is a distraction at best and dangerous at worst. It is not helpful to pursue "knowledge." It is far better to pursue application of and obedience to what is clearly taught in Scripture.
Application
Paul elsewhere laments those who desire to be teachers, who go off the rails and lead many away from the faith as they confidently speak of things they don't understand. They obviously think they understand, but from Paul's perspective, they are clueless. Sadly, there are many who desire to be teachers but unwilling to submit to and obey the truth. They are compelled to come up with some novel idea that by definition cannot agree with sound teaching because it must depart or be entirely disconnected from Scripture. Sound doctrine is old doctrine because it has been around from the beginning of the Church. I not only need to be content with that, but be diligent to understand, accept and practice what the Scriptures teach. I need to be a faithful follower and faithful teacher of the Word, not a novel, exciting teacher of empty chatter or false "knowledge." The truth of the faith handed down once for all to the Apostles and by the Apostles is the only faith that saves, and the goal is not to bask in the promise of eternity but to diligently conform my life to that of Jesus Christ. There is work to do and it is not a pursuit of knowledge but a pursuit of holy living.