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Sound words - 2 Tim. 1:13
Sound words - 2 Tim. 1:13
“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). Here, ‘sound’ comes from the Greek word ὑγιαίνω [hugiaino] which is defined to mean “ 1 to be sound, to be well, to be in good health. 2 metaph. 2a of Christians whose opinions are free from any mixture of error. 2b of one who keeps the graces and is strong” (Strong’s Enhanced Lexicon).
In writing to Timothy and Titus, Paul makes use of this idea some 10 times!* He writes concerning Sound teaching ( 1 Tim. 1:10); Sound doctrine (1Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1); Sound words (1 Tim. 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13); and being Sound in faith (Titus 1:13; 2:2).
To be a good servant of Jesus, Timothy was to be CONSTANTLY NOURISHED on the words of the faith and of sound doctrine! He thus was to ‘retain the standard of sound words – WHICH he had heard from Paul.
Today, many use the word ‘sound’ to identify brethren and churches that hold to a particular teaching. In fact, singling out a particular teaching to be such an identifier of spiritual health is spiritually unhealthy! It is like identifying a healthy diet if it includes one particular food item! So one eats lots of spinach, but the rest of his diet is ice cream and coke, he will NOT be healthy!
Sound words comes from a ‘healthy diet comprised of all of God’s teaching’. We are to live by EVERY word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3). As with Timothy, we also need to be constantly nourished in the “whole counsel of God” (cp. Acts 20:27).
How healthy are you, spiritually?
Hugh DeLong
*Sound – 1Tim. 1:10; 4:6; 6:3; 2Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1, 2, 8
