II Tim. 1: 14); he was to shun those who failed "rightly to divide the word of truth"

saying "the resurrection is past already" (II Tim. 2: 16-18); he was "to purge himself"

from those who held such things.  We find it utterly impossible to construe such

instruction, with having fellowship with all, whatever their doctrines, provided they

subscribe to the basic doctrine of inspiration. It may be narrow, but so is the truth. We

must now return to our theme, this time to take more particular note of what the believer

is to shun and avoid.

We have already noted the word translated "vain babblings" used in II Tim. 2: 16,

and so pass on to the next exhortation. The apostle tells Timothy that the great seal upon

the one foundation includes the departing from "iniquity". This word adikia includes the

unrighteousness of such abandoned men as those described in Rom. 1: 29 to the "wrong"

confessed by the apostle in II Cor. 12: 13.  Its primitive meaning is anything that is

"Not right";  and one of its usages is to indicate that "unrighteousness" which is

associated with an anti-christian attitude to the truth (Rom. 1: 18; II Thess. 2: 10, 12). It

is the word used by John of the believer who, in order to be maintained in his fellowship

with the Father, needs cleansing from all "unrighteousness" (I John 1: 9). No believer

needs to be told to withdraw from positive iniquity, but he needs continually to withdraw

from everything that he sees to be "Not right", and this will exercise all the grace at his

disposal, for the more he grows in grace and in knowledge, the more will he become

sensitive to the "unrighteousness" of things around or within. He is to "purge himself

from these", not merely "purge himself". "These" refer to the vessels of wood and earth,

which in their turn indicate those who hold and teach doctrines contrary either to

godliness or to the good deposit. He is to "flee" youthful lusts, and none who knows

anything of the law of sin in his members will need a printed list here. Suffice it for the

moment to realize that even a Man of God like Timothy was not strong enough to trifle or

palter with youthful lusts, and neither are we, whatever our age may be; and finally, from

a "form of godliness" that denies "the power thereof" Timothy was enjoined to "turn

away". One word has recurred in this examination, which we have not noted, that word

is "godliness". It is of such evident importance that we propose carrying over this study

into our next article so that we may give all the attention and space possible to its

investigation. Meanwhile let us remember that no solicitations to "keep the unity" can

ever excuse us from full obedience to this sevenfold injunction to shun and avoid

fellowship with either doctrine or practice that is contrary to the truth we have received

through the ministry of the apostle Paul.