The Point: We must rightly handle the truth of the Gospel. 

"14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." -2 Timothy 1:14

"14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God" -2 Timothy 2:14a

"8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself." -2 Timothy 2:8-13

1) They overemphasize the obscure things.

"14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[b] not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers." -2 Timothy 2:14

"23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!" -Matthew 23:23-24

2) They underemphasize the important things.

"16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some." -2 Timothy 2:16-18

"19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." -1 Timothy 1:19-20

"12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." -1 Corinthians 15:12-14

3) Their teaching leads to ungodliness.

"16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some." -2 Timothy 2:16-18

"20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." -Colossians 2:20-23

1) They are diligent and faithful

"15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -2 Timothy 2:15

"6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops." -2 Timothy 2:6

2) They are God-centered

"15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -2 Timothy 2:15

"28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." -Acts 5:28-29

"23  Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" -Psalm 139:23-24

3) They desire to help people live devoted to Jesus.

"15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -2 Timothy 2:15

1) God knows who are His

"19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”" -2 Timothy 2:19

"21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" -Matthew 7:21-23

"God cannot be fooled by hypocrisy, and personal failure cannot render His own unrecognizable." -Charles Swindoll

2) True followers depart from sinfulness

"19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”" -2 Timothy 2:19

"Those who would take comfort in the first inscription must take responsibility for the second…There is no election part from sanctification."

"25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean." -Matthew 23:25-26