In the Apostle Paul’s “last will and testament” (i.e., 2 Timothy), he gives an enormous amount of attention to the threat of false teaching and to the urgency of upholding the true gospel. And so, the imprisoned apostle urges pastor Timothy to guard the truth tenaciously. We see this in the many “word” words in 2 Timothy:
“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1:13). “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” (2:15). “Preach the word” (4:2). “Our Savior Christ Jesus … abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (1:10). “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel” (2:8). “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2:25). “[Some] will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (4:4). “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (3:13). “The Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it” (4:17). “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2:2). “The Lord’s servant must be … able to teach … correcting his opponents with gentleness” (2:24-25). “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (3:16). “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (1:14). “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching” (4:3).
Paul is concerned for the church; the threat of false teaching is serious. But he’s also confident: “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (1:12). God can and will preserve his gospel and sustain his church despite all the waves of error!
