If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing ... (1 Tim 6:3-4)This, of course, flies in the face of modern thinking. Not the content as much as the concept. We're not supposed to point this stuff out. You know, agree to disagree. Don't be judgmental. All that stuff. You don't tell people they are conceited and understand nothing. That's just not nice, Paul. And, yet, there it is.
It is something like Jesus in the Temple. He is known biblically as a "lamb," meek and mild, but when moneychangers turned a profit in the Lord's Temple, He got ... miffed. He turned over tables and used a whip to clear the place out. There are indeed times to be gentle and there are times to "answer a fool according to his folly" (Prov 26:5) as it were.
It sounds contradictory, but it's not, actually. That's because there is an overriding aim here. "The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Tim 1:5). If the aim is love, the approach is determined by the best way to love another person. How do you obtain what is best for them? More often than not, it is with "honey" -- gentle and respectful. But sometimes ... just sometimes ... there needs to be some kick to it. Paul did it. Jesus did it. Love demands it.
Going back, then, to the original text, it would appear that those who do not agree with sound words -- especially those of Christ (that's not just a reference to the red letters in the Bible; Jesus is the Word) -- or with doctrines that conform to godliness (as opposed to those who advocate conforming doctrine to their version of godliness) are in need of a jolt if they are to be loved properly. It sounds as if opposing biblical words and doctrines is a real problem.
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